Montana Barber Practice Exam 2025 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Master Your Certification!

The primary ingredient in most hair relaxers is sodium hydroxide. This compound is known for its strong alkaline properties, which help to break down the protein structure in the hair, allowing it to be reshaped and relaxed. Sodium hydroxide functions by penetrating the hair shaft and loosening the bonds of the hair’s keratin, leading to a straighter style after the treatment is applied and rinsed out.

While other ingredients can also be found in some hair relaxers, sodium hydroxide is widely recognized as the key active ingredient in many formulations due to its effectiveness in altering the hair's texture. Ammonium thioglycolate, for example, is primarily used for permanent waving rather than relaxing, while glyceryl monostearate and calcium hydroxide serve different purposes and are not the main components in the majority of hair relaxers. Thus, sodium hydroxide stands out as the primary ingredient, effectively serving its intended purpose in hair relaxation.