Oct 3 2008
There may never be a cure for the occasional bad hair day, but silicone technology from Dow Corning is helping provide manageability, softness, shine and strength to tresses around the world.
“Consumers are increasingly demanding hair care products designed specifically for their distinctive hair structure and grooming habits,” said Beth Johnson, Dow Corning associate industry scientist and global hair care technology leader. “Silicones are widely recognized for their superior conditioning properties, and materials based on new silicone technologies can provide increasingly specialized solutions for innovative hair care products for different ethnicities.”
To ensure the proper formulation for a specific ethnicity, hair care product formulators first consider the size and shape of the hair shaft of the intended customer.
For example, Asian hair is much thicker, straighter and stiffer whereas African and Latino hair is quite brittle because it is drier, thinner and quite curly.
“In today’s competitive hair care market, formulators are challenged to create high-performance, multifunctional products that meet unique needs based on hair structure and styling techniques,” said Johnson.
Depending on the customer, these products should provide one or more of the following: heat protection, hair strengthening, enhanced straightening in lye relaxers, long-lasting shine, intense conditioning, perceived repair, color retention, moisturization and frizz control.
“For personal care products companies to grow and develop in new geographies they have to stay abreast of market trends and offer products that satisfy local needs,” said Johnson.