Smoothing Protein Step 2 1L - Cadiveu Brasil Cacau is the Max Strength smoothing treatment in the Cadiveu Brasil Cacau salon system: the Step 2 relax built for thick, resistant and very frizzy hair that a gentler formula struggles to bring down. It works through glyoxylic acid, paired with cocoa (Theobroma Cacao) butter and sugarcane cysteine, and the smoothing is driven by that acid rather than by formaldehyde. Applied after the Anti-Residue Shampoo and sealed with the Deep Conditioning Mask. For professional use only.

Why the Smoothing Protein

Not every head of hair answers to a gentle smoothing. Coarse, dense, wiry or heavily frizzed hair often shrugs off a light formula and springs back within weeks. The Smoothing Protein is the answer built for exactly that hair: the Max Strength member of the Brasil Cacau line, formulated to relax the fibre that resists a softer treatment. The active is glyoxylic acid, and the smoothing is driven by that acid rather than by formaldehyde, a mechanism you can explain plainly to a client. Cocoa butter and sugarcane cysteine are the named companions on the front of the pack, working alongside the acid to keep the fibre conditioned while it is relaxed and set under heat. Matched to the right hair type and sealed properly at Step 3, it gives a straight result that survives washing, humidity and time.

Key Ingredients

The smoothing active is glyoxylic acid, the second ingredient on the list, which relaxes the hair as it is dried and ironed. There is no formaldehyde and no formaldehyde-releasing preservative in the formula, so the smoothing chemistry is the acid, not a donor. Working with it, cocoa (Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter) and coconut oil soften and condition the fibre, sugarcane cysteine (Saccharum Officinarum Extract with Cysteine HCl) supports the smoothing, and D-Panthenol holds moisture in the strand. Behentrimonium and cetrimonium chloride, cetearyl alcohol and amodimethicone add slip and a smooth surface for the iron to work against. Lactic and glycolic acid sit further down as supporting acids. It is a professional-strength formula, reserved for the salon and matched to hair that needs it.

What to Expect

Off the iron the hair is visibly straighter, smoother and calmer, with the bulk and frizz pulled down and the surface reflecting more light. Because the result is set under heat and then sealed with the Step 3 mask, it reads as polished rather than merely straightened, and it holds through washing for 3 to 6 months, depending on how the hair is cared for at home. Day to day the hair is easier to dry, quicker to style and far less reactive to humidity, and a sulfate-free routine keeps it looking fresh for longer.

Who It Is For

• Thick, coarse, dense or wiry hair that resists a gentler smoothing
• Very frizzy or unruly hair that needs strong, lasting frizz control
• Clients who want a durable salon smoothing and will maintain it with sulfate-free home care

Who It Is Not For

• Fine, fragile or heavily bleached hair, where the gentler Eco Keratin is the better match
• Hair that relaxes fully after a single soft pass and needs no extra strength
• Anyone wanting an at-home treatment, since this is a professional salon service

Professional tip: match the strength to the hair before you reach for this bottle: it earns its place on coarse and resistant hair, while fine or compromised hair is better served by a softer formula. Keep the product half a centimetre off the scalp, work in fine sections so every strand is coated evenly, and let the strand test set your iron temperature and pass count rather than defaulting to the maximum. The cleaner the sectioning and the more honest the strand test, the more even and durable the result.

How to Use

Always run a strand test first and let it set your iron temperature and pass count.

1. Wash the hair twice with the Anti-Residue Shampoo, pausing 5 minutes on the second wash, then rinse and dry 100%.
2. Divide the hair into 6 sections.
3. Apply the Smoothing Protein with a brush, half a centimetre from the root, avoiding the scalp.
4. Distribute the product evenly with a fine comb.
5. Leave it to act for up to 60 minutes.
6. Rinse partially, removing about 30% (the excess product only).
7. Dry 100%, then flat-iron 15 to 20 passes at the root and length, fewer at the ends according to the condition of the hair, at 180 to 230 degrees Celsius per the strand test.
8. Rinse, apply the Deep Conditioning Mask for 5 to 10 minutes, rinse and finish.

Where It Fits in the Brasil Cacau Range

The Smoothing Protein Step 2 is the Max Strength option among the Brasil Cacau smoothing systems: reach for it on thick, coarse and resistant hair, and for coloured, bleached or fine hair choose the gentler Eco Keratin instead, or Brazilian Thermal Reconstruction where reconstruction is the goal. Every system opens with the same Anti-Residue Shampoo at Step 1 and finishes with the same Deep Conditioning Mask at Step 3. See the full Brasil Cacau smoothing systems to match the service to the hair, and hold the result at home with the Brasil Cacau home care.

In Short

• Max Strength Step 2 smoothing for thick, resistant and very frizzy hair
• Glyoxylic-acid smoothing with cocoa butter and sugarcane cysteine; driven by the acid, not formaldehyde
• Straight, frizz-controlled hair that holds for 3 to 6 months with aftercare; professional use only
• Step 2 of the Brasil Cacau system, after Step 1 and before the Step 3 mask; not vegan