HAIR CARE
How cationic surfactants neutralize hair frizz
K. Tan and J. Chico - Natura Aeropack
The issue of frizzy hair is a recurrent one among today’s beauty customers. For many who have frizzy hair, what’s meant to be one of their most appealing features can be a source of great frustration.
Though frizzy hair is neither harmful nor
immediately indicative of bad hair health, it nonetheless beleaguers customers who want more control when it comes to styling their health. As such, those with naturally frizzy or curly hair remain on the lookout for high-quality products that fulfill their basic function of cleaning their hair and affording them superior manageability, while still retaining their hair’s natural thickness and lushness. Today’s market is an interesting one for
beauty brands, as modern customers are also more critical of the products they buy. Many customers from the millennial and Gen Z market are more likely to support frizzy hair products that possess natural ingredients—not only for how well they nourish the hair shafts, but also for their sustainable, ethical, and environmentally-friendly qualities. The natural and eco-conscious beauty
niche is a viable entry point for newer beauty and hair care companies, and ingredients like Cocamidopropyl dimethylamine lactate—a coconut-based cationic surfactant known as Neosoft CD that is produced in the coconut-rich country of the Philippines by oleochemicals manufacturer Natura Aeropack—can help businesses gain relevance among hair care customers with frizzy hair. This article will discuss the particulars of an
issue like frizzy hair, how cationic surfactants serve as ideal active ingredients for hair frizz, and what beauty and hair care producers stand to gain from incorporating a coco-functional ingredient like Neosoft CD into their frizzy hair products.
What is frizzy hair and what causes it? Anyone who has ever struggled with frizzy hair knows how irritating it can be sometimes to try to tame it. The unruly frizz is the effect of individual hair fibres running and curling in multiple different directions. As a result, frizzy hair appears dry and brittle,
and it may also have a rough texture. Besides, often looking untidy, frizzy hair is also difficult to manage and unpredictable to style as it is unlikely to hold a particular shape for very long. Even the most minor temperature change can turn someone’s naturally frizzy hair into a wiry
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tangle of flyaways and baby hairs, all in a matter of minutes. Frizzy hair is mostly caused by dryness of the
hair cuticles, which is the outer protective layer of the hair shaft. When the hair cuticles are dry, they absorb more moisture from the air. As a result, individual hair strands swell and appear fluffier. Curly hair is more prone to dryness, which is
why it is also more prone to frizziness. However, straight and healthy hair can still frizz in a high- humidity environment. To understand the science behind frizzy hair, it is important to first understand the structure of the average hair strand. The strands of our hair are made up of multiple layers of keratin protein, where the outermost layer known as the cuticle forms a protective barrier over the cortex and the medulla within. If one were to view a strand of hair under a
microscope, they would see that the cuticle is made up of many tiny, overlapping scales not unlike the shingles on a roof. When healthy and well-moisturized by the scalp’s natural oils, these scales typically lie flat along the hair strand. As hair dries out and becomes damaged, however, the cuticle will open and begin to stick up, becoming rough and prickly.
What are the factors that affect hair frizziness? Apart from dryness, there are other factors that can make someone’s hair frizz up—including
a few that most hair customers do not expect. These can range from heat styling and using harsh hair products that strip the hair of its natural oils to simpler causes like over-washing and using shampoo without following up with conditioner. To elaborate, frizzy hair may be caused by
one or a combination of the following factors: ■ Natural hair texture. People with thick, curly hair may have some natural frizz because the oils the scalp produces cannot travel along the hair shaft as easily as they can on straight strands. This frizz is also what makes curly hair look noticeably fluffier and more unruly than straight hair. ■ Humidity. Even hair that is normally smooth and straight can frizz under certain conditions. On hot, humid days, for instance, dry hair may frizz up from absorbing the excess moisture in the air. This is because moisture penetrating the hair shaft makes the hair strands swell up and change their shape. ■ Harsh hair products and styling techniques. The natural oils emitted by the scalp are essential for keeping the hair smoothed and moisturized. Potent chemical treatments like perms, bleaches, and products containing sulfates and alcohols all strip the hair of these beneficial oils and can damage it permanently with prolonged use. Heat styling tools like hair driers, curling irons, and straighteners are another common cause of frizzy, damaged hair.
June 2023 PERSONAL CARE
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