What Is CMC (Cell Membrane Complex)? The "Pathway" Inside Your Hair

The cells of the hair (each layer of the cuticle and the fibers of the cortex) are not simply lined up separately. They are held together by a lipid layer called CMC (Cell Membrane Complex).

What CMC does

• Bonding: keeps the cuticle from peeling off and holds the cortex fibers together
• Pathway: water and treatment ingredients enter the inside of the hair mainly through the CMC
• Moisture balance: the lipids slow down moisture going in and out, keeping hair supple

What happens when it decreases

Because CMC is made of lipids, it is easily washed out by the alkali in color and perm products, strong cleansing, UV rays and heat. When it decreases, the cuticle peels more easily, moisture escapes so hair feels dry and rough, and hair color fades faster. Damaged hair "dries quickly but feels limp and sticky when wet" because the lipids that regulate moisture have decreased.

Points to remember for hair care

• Treatments containing lipids similar to CMC (ceramides, 18-MEA, cholesterols, etc.) are designed to temporarily replenish lost lipids
• Replenished ingredients wash out little by little each time you shampoo, so continued use is assumed
• Shampoos with very strong cleansing power tend to remove lipids along with dirt

Related: Hair damage / Dryness