What is the main ingredient in a curl rearranger?

• A. Ammonium Thioglycolate
• B. Sodium Hydroxide
• C. Glycerin Thioglycolate
• D. Hydrogen Peroxide

Answer: (A)

Curl rearranging relies on breaking the hair's disulfide bonds so the strands can be reconfigured into a new curl pattern. The active ingredient that does this in most curl rearranging products is ammonium thioglycolate. It acts as a reducing agent, penetrating the cortex to break the disulfide bonds, which allows the hair to be reshaped around rods. After reshaping, a neutralizing step—usually with hydrogen peroxide—reforms the bonds in the new configuration and sets the curl. While other substances like sodium hydroxide or hydrogen peroxide play roles in related processes, they aren’t the primary reducing agent for curl rearranging. Glycerin thioglycolate isn’t the standard main ingredient in these products. So the best answer is ammonium thioglycolate.