MEN’S GROOMING Chris Smith – Technical Editor, Personal Care
Formulating for beards and moustaches
In recent years sporting a beard or moustache has returned to be fashionable in the mainstream. With the male grooming sector continuing to see good worldwide growth, demand for high quality beard and moustache products has inevitably increased.
Beard oils have traditionally been little more than sweet almond oil and beard/ moustache styling products which are largely beeswax-rich solid waxes. We are regularly asked for advice on how to formulate modern and higher performance beard and moustache products, so the aim of this short article is to discuss some of the key considerations in designing such formulations, with some suggestions of ingredients we have found to be ideal during our own development work.
Beard oils Facial hair tends to be very dry and brittle so it is important to use rich, emollient oils to retain condition. Oils should be carefully chosen to soften and condition rather than simply make the beard greasy.
A key consideration when formulating a beard oil is the skin beneath the beard, which tends to become very dry, and can be prone to irritation as a result. For that reason the choice of oils is key as not only should they have a role in softening and conditioning the beard, they also need to be suitable for, and compatible with, the skin. We tend to go for oils that are rich in omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, particularly those featuring other skin lipids such as ceramides and squalane. Oat oil is a very good option. As well as being rich in oleic acid (omega-9), some speciality oat oils can be rich in ceramides and sterols, naturally occurring lipids found in the hair and the skin. Oat Lipid e1
from
Oat Cosmetics is an oat oil rich in sterols and polyunsaturated fatty acids, with an advertised minimum content of 1% ceramides. Kahai oil2
is another interesting option
for beard oils. Kahai oil is comprised of 75% linoleic acid (omega-6) as well as being rich in vitamins A and E. From a sensorial perspective it is rich and
30 PERSONAL CARE February 2016
lubricious enough to give suitable beard softening but still light enough to not be overly greasy.
Grape seed oil is not only rich in linoleic acid (approximately 69%), but high quality sources can contain meaningful levels of antioxidant compounds including polyphenols and flavonoids. This makes grape seed oil a good option for those aiming to incorporate a degree of skin and hair protection efficacy from the beard oil. Grape seed oil is very light in texture making it a good candidate as one of the primary constituents of the formulation. Sweet almond has a long tradition for use in beard oil, and in fact many beard oils on the market consist of this alone as a neat oil. It remains a good base for a modern, higher performance formulation. Sweet almond oil is rich in oleic acid and s relatively low in cost. Aesthetically, sweet almond is highly emollient however can be a little greasy, especially on the skin. When building the formulation, our recommendation would be to reserve approximately 10%-15% of space for the likes of oat oil, kahai oil and any other such ‘speciality’ components. These oils tend to be more expensive and will provide good value-adding benefits at this level of incorporation. The remainder of the formulation can be a blend of different base oils such as grape seed and sweet almond oil, balanced as required to get the desired texture, emolliency and absorption.
Getting the balance of light to heavy oils right will naturally impart some beard control and basic styling. If further hold is desired, a small amount (only approximately 1%) of wax can be added. This will automatically make the oil richer and potentially more greasy, so the balance of base oils will need consideration to get the aesthetics right.
Moustache styling
When it comes to styling moustaches, there is always a challenge getting the balance right between durability and hardness of hold. Some waxes will of course give a high hold but can be so hard they are difficult to pick-up. Beeswax, without a doubt the most popular wax used in moustache styling formulations, is a typical example in that it offers excellent hold but is very hard and difficult to work between the fingers during application.
Attempting to manipulate the formulation and improve the playtime during application through the addition of traditional light emollient oils can be a challenge as it automatically dilutes the style/hold efficacy.
Creating a formulation with strong and lasting style/hold while maintaining good playtime is however achievable through careful manipulation of different melt point ingredients. This allows us to achieve the right balance of high hold from a product you can actually play with in the fingers.
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www.lipik.com.ua
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