Mona Lisa
MONA LISA is a Korean professional hair brand whose Zab product line covers the full chemical-treatment hair routine: styling gel, strong-hold spray, curling essence, acid hair manicure color, curl-perm and straight cream, heat protectants for damaged hair, a pH-balanced shampoo and conditioner set (1000ml each), and a hair dye color remover. The lineup serves both home and salon-adjacent chemical hair care.
By Skinsli editorial Updated
Buying guide
MONA LISA Zab Hair Guide: Styling, Chemical Treatments, Color, and pH Care
MONA LISA is a Korean professional hair brand whose Zab line covers the end-to-end chemical treatment and styling workflow: perm and straightening creams, acid color and dye removal, curl-enhancing essence, strong-hold spray and gel, heat protectants, and a professional-scale pH-balanced shampoo and conditioner set. With 10+ products on skinsli, the lineup serves stylists and home users who work with color, heat, or chemical services regularly. This guide explains each product category and how they fit together.
MONA LISA and the Zab Professional Hair Line
MONA LISA is the house brand and Zab is the active sub-brand line applied to most of the technical products. Zab products are formulated for hair that undergoes regular chemical treatment - color, perm, and straight - where the priority is maintaining hair health and texture integrity while achieving styling results. This is a different product tier from consumer haircare brands: the Zab formulas assume the user has some familiarity with chemical hair processes and is looking for professional-grade inputs available for home purchase.
The brand's 10+ products cover four functional areas: cleansing and pH restoration (shampoo, conditioner, acid manicure), styling and hold (gel, spray, curling essence), chemical treatment support (perm cream, straight cream, heat protectants), and color management (dye remover). Each product addresses a specific step in the chemical-treatment lifecycle of the hair.
Zab pH Balance Shampoo and Conditioner 1000ml
The Zab pH Balance Shampoo and Conditioner (1000ml each) are the foundation of the MONA LISA cleansing system. pH-balanced formulas are especially relevant for chemically processed hair - perms, relaxers, and hair dyes temporarily elevate the hair shaft's pH, opening the cuticle and making the hair porous, frizzy, and prone to damage. An acid-balanced (low pH) shampoo closes the cuticle after washing, restoring the hair's natural acidic pH range (4.5-5.5) and leaving the shaft smoother and more reflective.
At 1000ml, these are professional-scale bottles - a full liter each - designed for heavy-use contexts: someone who washes daily, a household with multiple users, or a stylist who stocks product at home. Both the shampoo and conditioner are sold separately but designed to work as a matched pH-restoration system.
Zab Color Cloth Acid Color Hair Manicure 300ml
The Zab Color Cloth Acid Color Hair Manicure (300ml) is an acid-deposit color product - a temporary or semi-permanent color treatment that uses the hair's natural moisture and an acidic environment to deposit pigment onto the cuticle surface rather than penetrating into the cortex. This is a gentler coloring method than oxidative dye: it does not require developer, does not lift the natural pigment, and washes out over several weeks. The "manicure" term in Korean hair coloring refers specifically to this acid-deposit surface-coating method.
At 300ml it is a generous volume for a semi-permanent gloss or color treatment. Use it as a standalone toning treatment (to neutralize brassiness in blonde or lightened hair, or to add a tint to natural hair) or as a post-chemical treatment step to close the cuticle and add color intensity after a salon perm or bleach.
Zab Curly and Magic Straight Cream 400ml
The Zab Curly/Magic Straight Cream (400ml) is a dual-purpose chemical treatment cream available in curl-perm and straightening formulations. In Korean professional haircare, perm creams and straight creams share the same base chemistry - both use reducing agents to break and reform the hair's disulfide bonds into a new shape, whether curly or straight. The "12" in the product name likely refers to a 12-hour or numbered version of the Zab formula family.
At 400ml this is a professional application volume. Home use is possible for experienced users who have applied perm or straightening treatments before; first-time users should read the full application instructions carefully, as chemical straightening and perming require precise timing and neutralization steps to avoid hair damage.
Zab Unico Forming Force Heat Protectants
Two Unico Forming Force products appear in the MONA LISA lineup: a standard Forming Force product and a Forming Force D Heat Pump (400ml) specifically labeled for damaged hair. Both are leave-in heat protectants in a pump or cream format applied before blow-drying or heat styling. "Unico Forming Force" positions these as both heat protectants and styling-hold products - they protect the cuticle from heat damage while providing enough body and hold to support styling.
The "D" variant (Damaged Hair) uses a richer, more restorative base for hair that is already compromised from bleach, frequent coloring, or thermal damage. The standard Unico Forming Force is for hair in normal-to-good condition that needs heat protection with light hold. Both are applied to towel-dried hair before heat tools.
Zab Styling: Gel, Spray, and Curl Essence
Three finishing products round out the Zab line. The Zab Hair Revolutionum Gel (500ml) is a strong-hold styling gel - at 500ml it is sized for regular daily use or for households with multiple users. Korean hair gels in this format typically offer a wet-look hold that sets cleanly without flaking. The Zab Hair Mist Strong Liquid Spray (250ml) provides strong-hold in a spray format - the mist is finer than an aerosol and distributes more evenly for all-over hold without localized stiffness.
The Zab Olive Wave Curling Essence (180ml) is a leave-in curl-enhancing treatment - applied to damp curly or wavy hair, it defines and holds the curl pattern through the drying process without the crunch of a gel. Olive extract in curl essences provides a nourishing, frizz-reducing base that suits chemically permed or naturally wavy hair.
Zab Remover 100ml: Hair Dye Color Remover
The Zab Remover (100ml) is a targeted dye remover for scalp and skin blemishes - specifically removing color transfer from the hairline, scalp parting, or around the ears that occurs during home or salon dyeing. "Skin Blemish Scalp Blemish" in the product name describes what it removes rather than what it corrects in hair. At 100ml it is sized for precision scalp and hairline application rather than full-hair chemical stripping.
Keep the Zab Remover on hand whenever using the Acid Hair Manicure or the Hana coloring products. Apply a small amount on a cotton pad to the stained skin area, wipe gently, and rinse. Do not use it as a general hair lightener or color stripper - it is formulated for surface skin stain removal, not for removing deposited color from the hair shaft.
Caring for Chemically Treated Hair with the Zab System
The Zab product lineup is logically sequenced for chemically treated hair. After a perm or straightening session: rinse with the pH Balance Shampoo to restore the hair's acid pH and close the cuticle, condition with the matching 1000ml conditioner, and apply the Unico Forming Force D (damaged hair version) as a leave-in protectant before drying. On styling days, apply the Curling Hair Essence to encourage wave or curl and finish with the Mist Strong Spray for hold and weatherproofing.
For color-treated hair using the Acid Color Manicure: apply the manicure after shampooing with the pH Balance Shampoo, leave for the indicated time, rinse, then follow with the conditioner to smooth and seal the deposited color. Use the Zab Remover immediately after the coloring session to clean any staining from the scalp or hairline. This full-cycle workflow - treatment, pH-restore, protect, style, clean up - is what the Zab lineup is designed to support end to end.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why is the MONA LISA Zab pH Balance Shampoo important after a perm or color treatment?
Chemical treatments like perms, relaxers, and oxidative hair dyes temporarily raise the hair shaft's pH, opening the cuticle. This leaves hair porous, frizzy, and more vulnerable to breakage until the pH is restored. The Zab pH Balance Shampoo is formulated at an acidic pH that closes the opened cuticle, smooths the hair shaft surface, and restores the hair's natural pH range (4.5-5.5). Using it regularly after chemical treatments helps preserve color vibrancy, reduce frizz, and maintain elasticity.
Is the Zab Acid Color Hair Manicure a permanent dye?
No. The Zab Color Cloth Acid Color Hair Manicure (300ml) is a semi-permanent surface-deposit color - it coats the cuticle with pigment without penetrating the cortex or lifting natural color. It does not require developer or mixing, and it fades gradually with each wash over 2-4 weeks depending on hair porosity. It is gentler than oxidative dye and works best on pre-lightened, porous, or gray hair where the cuticle is open enough to accept surface-level pigment deposition.
Does the Zab Curly/Magic Straight Cream come in separate curl and straight versions?
The Zab Curly/Magic Straight Cream (400ml) is listed as a dual-name product indicating it is available in both a curl-perm formula and a straightening formula - check the specific variant on the skinsli product page before ordering to confirm which type you are purchasing. The chemistry differs between the two: curl perm solution sets hair around a rod into a curly shape, while straight cream breaks and reforms bonds to make curly or wavy hair straight. Selecting the wrong variant produces unintended results.
Should I use the Zab Unico Forming Force or the Forming Force D for damaged hair?
Choose the Unico Forming Force D (400ml, "Damaged Hair" designation) if your hair has visible signs of chemical or thermal damage: breakage, split ends, extreme dryness, or loss of elasticity from frequent bleaching or heat styling. The D formula has a richer, more restorative base. Use the standard Unico Forming Force if your hair is in normal-to-good condition and you simply want heat protection with light styling hold before blowdrying or flat-ironing.
Is the Zab Hair Dye Remover safe to use directly on the scalp?
The Zab Remover (100ml) is specifically labeled for scalp blemish removal - it is designed for use on the scalp and hairline skin to remove hair dye staining after coloring. Apply a small amount on a cotton pad, dab or wipe gently on the stained area, and rinse promptly. Avoid prolonged contact. Do not use it on broken or irritated scalp skin. If staining is extensive, apply in sections and rinse each section before moving to the next.
Can the Zab Olive Wave Curling Essence be used on naturally curly hair (not chemically permed)?
Yes. The Zab Olive Wave Curling Essence (180ml) works on any curly or wavy hair, whether natural or chemically permed. Apply it to damp hair after washing, distribute through the curl sections from root to tip, and air-dry or diffuse. The olive extract base reduces frizz and adds moisture without heavy product buildup. Natural curls tend to respond well to lighter curl essences like this one compared to heavier gels that can weigh down fine or medium-density natural curl patterns.
What is the difference between the Zab Hair Revolutionum Gel and the Zab Hair Mist Strong Spray?
The Zab Hair Revolutionum Gel (500ml) is a strong-hold gel applied manually to wet or damp hair - it gives a slick, defined hold suited to smooth styles, sleek partings, or textured styles where wet-look definition is wanted. The Zab Hair Mist Strong Liquid Spray (250ml) is a spray-on strong-hold product applied to dry or styled hair to set the finished look and resist humidity. Use the gel when building a hairstyle on wet hair; use the spray as a finisher over a completed style or to reactivate hold on dry hair without re-wetting.
How many MONA LISA products are available on skinsli?
There are 10+ MONA LISA products currently in stock on skinsli, all in the Zab professional hair line: Hair Revolutionum Gel (500ml), Hair Mist Strong Spray (250ml), Olive Wave Curling Essence (180ml), Acid Color Hair Manicure (300ml), Curly/Magic Straight Cream (400ml), Unico Forming Force heat protectants (two variants), pH Balance Shampoo and Conditioner (1000ml each), and the Zab Hair Dye Remover (100ml).