Disclosed is a low-irritant, high-performance composition for permanent waves. It comprises L-cysteine or a mixture of L-cysteine and L-acetylcysteine as a reducing agent, for breaking disulfide bridges of cystines to form cysteines; L-arginine for swelling keratin fibers to facilitate deep invasion of the reducing agent into the keratin fibers; and a citrus peel powder or extract, containing peptides for promoting growth of dermal papilla cells and D-limonene for preventing depilation, and optionally with histidine for regenerating the hair, a powder or extract of green tea leaves for exerting an astringent effect on a scalp, chlorella for exerting an anti-bacterial and deodorizing effect on the scalp, a powder or extract of cactus for preventing a horny tissue from being generated on the scalp or desquamating upper layers of dead skin cells from the scalp, and polyquaternium or Hydroxyethylcellulose as a viscosity-inducing substance, whereby the human hair can be healthily changed from waves to straight or vice versa within a short time without irritation to the skin and the scalp and the formed curls can be prolonged with elasticity.