Abstract: The invention concerns a method for treating hair keratin fibers to provide them with new appropriate properties, comprising the following steps: reducing the sulphur bonds of hair keratin to generate only at the surface of the fibers at a depth less than 10 ?m. reactive sites and in fixing covalently on said reactive sites at least one active compound for providing the hair keratin fibers with new appropriate properties, said active compound containing at least a reactive function capable of reacting with said reactive sites formed at the keratin fiber surface. This method is applicable to the treatment of fibrous or non-fibrous keratin substances of human or animal origin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions for treating keratin materials by adding at least one exogenous enzyme, long-chain alcohols, and long-chain acids or triglycerides, which gives rise to an enzymatic reaction directly on the hair, and to methods of treating hair which employ these compositions.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for treating hair keratin fibers to provide them with new appropriate properties, comprising the following steps: reducing the sulphur bonds of hair keratin to generate only at the surface of the fibers at a depth less than 10 &mgr;m. reactive sites and in fixing covalently on said reactive sites at least one active compound for providing the hair keratin fibers with new appropriate properties, said active compound containing at least a reactive function capable of reacting with said reactive sites formed at the keratin fiber surface. This method is applicable to the treatment of fibrous or non-fibrous keratin substances of human or animal origin.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for treating hair keratin fibers to provide them with new appropriate properties, comprising the following steps: reducing the sulphur bonds of hair keratin to generate only at the surface of the fibers at a depth less than 10 &mgr;m. reactive sites and in fixing covalently on said reactive sites at least one active compound for providing the hair keratin fibers with new appropriate properties, said active compound containing at least a reactive function capable of reacting with said reactive sites formed at the keratin fiber surface. This method is applicable to the treatment of fibrous or non-fibrous keratin substances of human or animal origin.

Abstract: A process for permanently reshaping hair consists of applying an amino compound, an amidothiol compound or a salt of an amino compound or an amidothiol compound as a reducing agent to open the keratin bonds of hair and reforming the bonds using an oxidizing composition or aerial oxygen, wherein prior to or simultaneously with the application of the reducing agent, at least one alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal or ammonium bromide is applied to the hair as a doping agent for the reducing agent. A composition for carrying out the process contains at least one amino compound, amidothiol compound or a salt of an amino compound or an amidothiol compound as a reducing agent, at least one alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal or ammonium bromide as a doping agent for the reducing agent, and a suitable cosmetic vehicle. This process and composition enable improved qualities to be obtained in the permanent reshaping of hair, in particular improved curling.