Chemical relaxers break the strongest bonds in the hair fiber at pH levels of 12–14 and permanently convert them into a more unstable form – this is the real reason why relaxed hair is more prone to breakage, dryness and loss of elasticity. pH Plex addresses this with a globally patented Malic Acid Complex that does not only target disulfide bridges, but binds to all 21 amino acids of keratin, stabilizing the fiber on a molecular level.
Hair Structure: Three Types of Bonds as the Foundation
Every hair owes its strength to a delicate interplay of three types of bonds: hydrogen bonds, which dissolve when wet and reform when drying; salt bonds (ionic bonds), which react sensitively to pH changes; and disulfide bridges (sulfur bridges), the strongest natural bonds that can only be broken through chemical action or extreme heat. These disulfide bridges between cysteine residues of the keratin chains are essential for structural integrity, tensile strength and elasticity.
What a Relaxer Really Does Chemically
A classic lye relaxer (sodium hydroxide) or no-lye relaxer (calcium hydroxide with guanidine carbonate) works at a pH value of 12 to 14 – a range comparable to drain cleaners. The process runs in three steps: swelling of the fibers due to high alkalinity, cleavage of the disulfide bridges via lanthionine formation (an irreversible chemical conversion), and subsequent rearrangement of the protein structure into a straightened form. Unlike a perm, the relaxer does not split the disulfide bridge symmetrically between the two sulfur atoms but creates a permanently altered amino acid.
Why Relaxed Hair Breaks More Easily
The chemical conversion directly affects mechanical properties: extreme alkalinity swells the fiber, the cuticle layer is attacked, and the inner cortex loses elasticity. At the same time, lipids and moisture are flushed out of the hair, leaving fibers dry, brittle and porous. The result is reduced tensile capacity – relaxed hair “breaks” under loads that healthy hair would easily withstand, such as combing, styling, or tying back. With long-term use, the risk of scarring alopecia, an irreversible damage to the hair follicles, also increases.
The pH Plex molecular Approach: Malic Acid Instead of Single-Point Repair
pH Plex uses a globally patented Malic Acid Complex based on Sodium Malate (malic acid), a naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acid. The crucial difference from conventional bond builders: while Olaplex (Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate) and Epres (Diethylhexyl Maleate) primarily target cysteine residues and the classic disulfide bridges, malic acid binds to all 21 amino acids of the hair protein keratin. Precisely this broad anchor point is relevant for relaxed hair, because there not only disulfide bridges but the entire amino acid architecture has been disrupted by lanthionine formation.
The Active Ingredient Architecture in Detail
The formulation combines repair, protection and care components specifically tailored to chemically stressed hair:
- Sodium Malate (malic acid) as the core active ingredient that binds to all 21 amino acids and molecularly re-links the fiber
- Tocopherol (vitamin E) for antioxidant protection against free radicals generated during relaxer treatments
- Glycine, a body-native amino acid, to stabilize the protein chains
- Amodimethicone and Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride to smooth the compromised cuticle and improve combability
- Citric Acid for pH regulation, returning the fiber to a physiological pH range after the alkaline relaxer
- Cetyl Alcohol and Polyquaternium-37 for softness and even distribution through the hair
The formula is vegan, cruelty-free, dermatologically tested and free from DEA, aldehydes, formaldehyde and sulfates.
pH Plex vs. Olaplex vs. Epres – The Scientific Comparison
Why the Malic Acid Approach Is Particularly Suitable for Relaxed Hair
AHAs such as malic acid are molecularly small enough to penetrate deep into the cortex and rebuild lost bonds there – a mechanism also regarded in other modern repair systems as the key to restoring inner hair structure. Because relaxed hair not only loses disulfide bridges but reconstructs the entire protein architecture via lanthionine formation, it requires an active ingredient that targets not only cysteine, but the full amino acid spectrum – exactly the gap pH Plex closes with Sodium Malate. Combined with the pH-regulating buffer and cuticle smoothing, the formulation thus addresses both levels of relaxer damage: internal cross-linking and the outer protective layer.
Application in Daily Salon Practice
Bond repair treatments work best structurally and regularly: heavily chemically treated hair – which expressly includes relaxed hair – benefits from one to two applications per week, while moderate damage is served by weekly use. For relaxer clients, using pH Plex 1 Protect directly in the relaxer process is recommended to minimize damage, followed by pH Plex 2 Repair and 3 Bond Maintainer in the aftercare routine for continuous fiber stabilization.
