プロカリテロング
If you've lived in Japan for a full year or at least if you have endured the summer here then you know just how humid, hot and unbearable the tropical island weather its here. As a girl with super curly hair my hair is very prone to frizz, flyaway, and puffiness if I try to wear any hairstyle that isn't curly.
I spend hours blowdrying, flat ironing, combing, and moisturizing my hair with expensive oils in an attempt to tame my mane and keep all of my curls straight.
Recently I began walking slowly and moving my bangs from my face and tying my hair up into a ponytail to cut back on the frizz from my sweat. Yes this dead help out a lot but my hair wouldn't stay straight. Even after styling hair it would still have too much volume (a strange amount of thickness of you will) before I'd even leave out the house for work. I accepted the fact that the only time I could have straight hair was during the winter time.
 |
| My Natural Hair |
I struggled with getting my curly hair straight in America too but usually if I just waited 3-7 days my hair would accumulate enough oils and become "dirty" enough were frizz and humidity had no affect on my strands. I finally had enough and began searching for a "PERM-anent" (get it) solution. My mother and half-sisters warned me of all of the dangers about using relaxers and so did my friends and even strangers. Every black person knows countless people with practically no hair, invisible edges, or at least some sort of horror story to tell about their use of relaxers i the past.
Ever since I was a child I envied my classmates who had relaxers. Once I went to school with all white people, this interest became even stronger. By the time I got to high school it was no longer because I wanted to look like or fit in with the crowd, but I simply agreed with the fact that straight hair made me look more attractive. It frames my face and fit my overall look better than curly hair did.
When I was 9 years old I joined a dance group at my church called "Kids Stuff". For my first performance my oldest half-sister offered to straighten my hair and put it into two long pigtails. My mom was opposed to the idea of this and protected my hair for almost 10 years but eventually caved in. I was instantly in love with how much longer my hair was. I was fascinated with how easy it was to style, manipulate and for the first time to run my fingers through my strands. At just 10 years old I began straightening and blowdrying my own hair religiously everyday. Sometimes I would do this multiple times a day. I know it wasn't healthy for my hair but I loved the way I looked with straight hair.
I tried to go natural but I didn't like the way it made me look. People are never satisfied with what they've got. As humans its natural to want whatever it is that we don't have.
Since I already spend hours a days styling my hair to make it straight or to curl it because I can't get it straight I decided to go against her advice once more and just get a relaxer, but not just any relaxer a relaxer that's not made for people like me and that's written in instructions that I honestly can't read.
I was very scared and I felt as though I were losing my hair virginity but I am glad that I took the plunge and went for it!
The Review
Proqualite does work! I am a black woman with super curly hair and I finished my hair in under 3 hours. If it worked for me it can definitely work for the Asian or European girl reading this as your hair is much easier to chemically straighten than mines.
This product was not intended for use on hair that is so far from being straight nor is it made for people with coarse or very thick hair (like me). It's a miracle and straightened my hair! I am now on day 2 as I am writing this and it didn't become stiff as some reviews said.
My boyfriend who is 100% Japanese and has naturally wavy hair told me that both and his sister attempted to use this product under the supervision of their cousin who is a hairstylist and it made both of their hair more curly instead straightening it! I myself a non-Japanese woman gave it a try and to my surprise it worked! I have nothing to compare this to so I can't say that it's better than perms in America but if you were to ask me I think its better to use a relaxer that is made for black women or curly hair styles (even if you're Asian/white with curly or wavy hair).
Being in Japan with limited options I settled for what I could find and I chose this brand as it claims to be "#1" and from food to beauty products everything else I've purchased here that has that label has yet to disappoint me (I recently got some scrumptious karaage seasoning that claims to be #1 and it mad the most delicious pork-chops the other day lol!).
NOTE: I believe the product didn't work for their hair because like most Japanese (Asian) people they wash their hair every time that they shower, thus they permed their hair after it had already been cleansed. This is NOT the right way to use a relaxer!
You should start with hair that is already dirty and preferably that has been straightened in advance and detangled. I recommend going 1-2 weeks without washing or using a dry shampoo (if you have very curly hair) or at the very least 3 days without having had a wash (if you have slight wavy frizzy hair) before using PROQUALITE depending on your hair type.
Where Can I Buy It?
I had trouble finding this at local stores here in Osaka. I went to several pharmacies, the mall, konbini shops and even grocery stores with no luck of ANY straightening products. I decided to just buy it from Amazon Japan.
You can buy it from Amazon or at your local pharmacy if you live in Japan!
Buy PROQUALITE Now!
Here Is Their website!
PROQUALITE Official Website
How Much Does It Cost?
I paid
¥1136 for this so it costs about $11 USD from within Japan. If you are purchasing this online from America it is about $9.55-$10.00 USD.
Buy PROQUALITE Now!
What's in The Box?
- A white, thick plastic, double sided tail-comb
- 3 packets of essence hair after treatment
- 2 bottles of relaxer solution
- 1 packet of relaxer solution
- 1 pair of thin one-size first all plastic gloves
- Instructions
My Honest Opinion
The product is amazing and I will definitely purchase it again! I highly recommend it and I am a very satisfied customer. straight hair without the frizz for less than ¥2000 is a steal! No salon is necessary. It's stainless and it really worked. I sweat a lot and easily and my hair always becomes frizzy and poofy in the morning but not today! It looks like I just styled my hair for hours. I have NEVER seen my hair this straight despite how many hours I spend styling it and how much money I have spent on products for it. I am sure American brands are better as they are made fro girls with my hair but for this to be Japan and aimed at women with such fine silky straight to slightly wavy hair it worked perfect on my strands and I think you should give it a try too!
Simplified English Instructions
Step #1 Be Prepared
- Start with dirty (at least 3 days-2 weeks since last washed), dry, preferably straightened hair.
- Brush and comb out your hair and clip it into 4 sections or more to make it easier to apply the solution evenly.
- If you have sensitive skin then consider applying vaseline or cocoa butter to your edges, the nape of your neck and behind your ears to avoid chemical burns.
- Wear a protective T-shirt and wrap a towel around your neck to avoid getting chemicals on your skin.
- Remove and wear the provided pair of plastic protective gloves from the box attached to the instructions,
Step #2 Lather
Squeeze the cream solution from the teal bottle labeled #1 onto your hands and distribute the product evenly into each section of hair. Use the comb to help distribute the product and try to avoid getting it directly on your scalp for now. Wait for 5-15 minutes and then rinse the product out of your hair using warm water. Wring out your hair and lightly pat it dry
 |
| This is my hair after just using the 1st bottle of hair treatment. I have never seen my hair this straight after washing it! |
Step #3 The Semi-Finale
Apply the white bottle labeled #2 to the entire length of your hair including your roots and ends using the provided comb to evenly distribute the product once more. Wait for 5-15 minutes and then rinse the product out of your hair using warm water. Wring out your hair and lightly pat it dry.
Step #4 Finishing Touches
Using your hands apply the shiny packet labeled #3 to your hair. It's a bronze/golden-orange colored packet. It looks and feels like shampoo or soap and will appear a little sudsy or bubbly (your hands might feel a strange warmth but it doesn't burn). Be sure to focus on the ends of your hair with this solution! Wait 5 minutes and rinse out the solution with warm water and dry your hair completely!
Step #5 You're All Straight
Blow-dry your hair and use a good flatiron to lock in your new straight, non-frizzy, humidity-resistant hairstyle. Once your hair is dry and straight apply the white pack labeled #4 throughout the length of your hair. It feels like (and possibly is) a leave in conditioner. You're done and free to sweat, run, and play in the sun! No more curls no more frizz!
Tips/Advice:
- DO NOT OVER BUY! One box is all that you will need even if your hair is very long! I have thick and long hair for a black girl and to the rest of the world I have very thick medium length hair. Because my hair is so curly, thick and coarse I always buy 2-3 times the recommended amount. When I dyed my hair sandy brown years ago I always purchased 3 boxes of hair dye as long as it was in stock. Trust me, you will have more than enough relaxer solution with just the one box! It is specifically made for Asian women with long hair (hence the name PROQUALITE Long). If you are white or Asian your hair may be long, but it probably isn't as thick or coarse as mines! My hair is short in comparison but mines isn't thin (like yours)! Even Asian hair that is classified as curly and thick doesn't require as much product as mines does Trust me, I have more and thicker strands than you. My strands just aren't as long in length haha. Thick and coarse hair generally requires more product than fine or long hair both of which aren't as thick or curly in comparison to my 3B/3C Hair. Buy more boxes at your own risk. The choice is ultimately yours! I personally had more product than needed and I pretty much forced myself to use the entirety of one box's contents in my hair (I purchased 2 boxes). 1 box is all you need regardless of how long your hair is unless it's past your waist, very thick, or coarse. It's better to be safe than sorry so go ahead and buy two if you're unsure.
- DO NOT PURCHASE PROQUALITE FOR SHORT HAIR ! This is intended for girls with BOTH (keyword both) thin and short hair that is at the neck and for men. I personally tried this one and it wasn't enough. There's significantly less product in the tubes even although the price is the same. I ended up having to run out to the store with the product in my hair and bought two additional boxes just to be safe. Since the price is the same, I see no reason for anyone to purchase the version for short hair (cut down on plastic waste maybe?) but of course you're free to make that decision for yourself.
- IT DOES NOT COME WITH ENGLISH INSTRUCTIONS! There are no manufacturer official English instructions for this perm kit. It only comes with Japanese instructions. There's a lot of Chinese resellers that are lying and claiming that it does. I assume they must mean that they themselves will provide their own instructions (just as I did) for you. I live in Japan and purchased mines here so I can't recommend a seller for you (sorry).
- I recommend leaving the products on for longer that the 2-15 minutes that it suggests if you have very wavy or curly hair but especially if you have curly hair! However I'm not responsible for your hair if it becomes damaged! I'm just giving advice and telling you what worked for me.
Step 1 40 minutes
Step 2 40 minutes
Step 3 10 minutes
Step 4 leave in moisturizer (no time DO NOT RINSE AFTER)
After each step rinse hair with warm water
- Be sure to focus on your roots and the back of your hair of you're a curly girls as this is probably your biggest problem area!
- My hair wasn't "bone straight" after washing and drying my hair with a towel or even after using the blowdryer. I noticed how straight my hair was after rinsing my hair after Step 1 and after Step 2 I knew it had worked! While my hair was damp it only had a slight wavy-curly pattern which I had never seen before on my own wet hair. I simply straightened my hair with my Chi flatiron after blowdrying it with my Revlon blowdryer. I instantly noticed how fast and smooth it because straight with minimum effort. I usually run heat over my hair several times and I hold the flatiron there. Again my hair is much stronger than most people's. I know it's really bad and dangerous so yeah, yeah, yeah, tomato, tomato!
- I personally didn't wash my hair before applying the solution. I applied step 1 to hair that had been straightened and curled with a flatiron from 2 days ago, slept on, and brushed out to avoid tangles.
- The product didn't burn my hands, neck, or face and more importantly it didn't burn off any of my hair. I felt no tingling sensation and I didn't lose wads of hair
- I recommend wearing an old protective t-shirt and a towel around your neck and back to avoid unnecessary contact with the solutions that you are placing on your hair. This can also be used for drying your hair between the steps.
- I didn't use all of step 4. A little goes a long ways! Now that my hair is thinner thanks to the relaxer (not in a bad way it just looks more flat because of how bone straight it's become) I didn't need a lot of product to cover my strands. The box tell you to use the "Essence cream" over the course of about 3 days and you are given 3 packets.This 1 pack will probably last me a week at the rate that I am using it.
Update:
I am now on day 3 of my newly relaxed hair and it's still going strong! I actually used up the first #4 pack so maybe I can't get a week out of it but there is definitely enough product for 2 days if you have thick medium length hair.
I've been getting lots of compliments stares and head turns from both Japanese and foreigners alike. Just yesterday a man ran up to me at the train station telling me that I was so beautiful that he had to try to speak to me haha.
I personally think I look so much better with straight hair and most people seem to agree as well. The product is doing as it should. It is helping my hair avoid frizz and remain straight even when I sweat which I do A LOT.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you found this review helpful. Please feel free to share any advice that you may have whether it be good or bad in the comments below. Let other readers know how PROQUALITE worked or didn't work for you and your hair :)
Stay Tuned!
