Search Results: Tonya McKay

By Tonya McKay · Published July 1, 2010

One reader was curious about whether or not showering and swimming were damaging her hair. Specifically, she wanted to know if the water itself was making her hair more brittle and prone to breakage. There seemed to be some confusion about this, so I thought it would be a great topic for discussion, especially in view of the fact that many of us will be wetting our hair more frequently than usual as we swim and sweat our way through the summer months.

The truth is that while we need moisture in our hair in order for it to be healthy, water can also be very damaging to your hair. In fact, the more damaged your hair is, the more damaging water is to it. That may seem a little counterintuitive, so let’s examine the reasons behind that statement.

Normal, healthy hair has been found to absorb up to about 31% of its weight in water when it is immersed. Damaged and very porous hair can absorb in excess of 50% of its weight in water! This water absorption causes hair strands to elongate under the weight of the water and lose some of its tensile strength. Very curly hair has been found to lose almost 50% of its tensile strength when wet, which is really a quite significant reduction.

Water contains things that can GREATLY damage hair.

Due to the loss of tensile strength when wet, hair that is combed or brushed while saturated with water has a much higher risk of breakage. Wet hair is also more prone to tangling due to the slightly raised cuticle surface that is typical for wet hair. For these reasons, it is extremely critical to use plenty of conditioner that has excellent slip properties in order to detangle your hair when it is wet. One good thing that occurs when hair is soaking wet is that it becomes a lot more elastic and stretchy. Combing through your tresses very slowly will enable you to derive the full benefit of the stretchiness of wet hair fibers, which will make the detangling process a bit easier.

Another source of wear and tear on the hair from getting it soaking wet repeatedly comes from the swelling of the hair during the washing/wetting process, followed by uneven shrinking which occurs during drying/evaporation. This creates mechanical stresses on the surface of and inside the cortex of the hair strands and results in gradual fatigue of the fiber, which makes it more likely to fail (break”> under stress.

Different types of breakage can occur as a result of this fatigue, such as cuticle breakage, mid-strand fracture, and splitting. Some fatty acids, such as those found in coconut oil, have been found to reduce the effects of this type of wear and tear on hair, so it would seem prudent to utilize them in your hair care regimen, especially if you swim daily or wash your hair very frequently. (The phenomenon of hydral fatigue is described in more detail in this article Mineral Oil Versus Coconut OIl: Which is Better?

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Hard water

The effects of hard water on hair are also difficult to manage and can be quite damaging. Minerals dissolved in hard water deposit onto the surface of hair and after many washings can create a very unpleasant scaly build up. This accumulated layer of hard debris can cause hair to be dry and unruly, tangle easily, appear dull and lifeless, and lead to breakage. If possible, a water softening system can help prevent these issues. However, when that is not feasible, a clarifying shampoo or treatment may be necessary on a regular basis. A weekly rinse with a solution of distilled water and vinegar can be somewhat helpful as well. If you have hard water, expect to need to use larger quantities of conditioner in order to detangle and smooth your hair. Effects of Hard Water and Chlorine on Hair

Loss of fatty acids

Frequent hair washing or swimming in pools or the ocean can lead to a gradual erosion of the fatty acid layer in the cuticle. This can lead to tangling, breakage, loss of surface sheen, and loss of body. Use of gentle products (such as mild cleansers, conditioner washes”> can help slow down this process, as can making sure hair is saturated with conditioner prior to swimming. Wearing a swimming cap can also be a great way to protect your hair, but may not fit into your personal style.

In closing, our hair becomes very fragile and vulnerable when it is saturated with water. So, while it is critical to wet and condition our hair in order to detangle and re-moisturize it, and it is also frequently necessary and enjoyable to get our hair wet when we go swimming, it is very important when treat wet hair exceptionally gently.

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By Tonya McKay · Published June 1, 2010

Where do we find our cultural influencers, see examples of who we are and get ideas of who we want to be? Today the answer is everywhere, but before we were bombarded from countless media sources, there was “Soul Train.” In the pre-DVR days of the early ’70s, Saturday afternoons were carefully choreographed around the broadcast of the “hippest trip in America”. The brain child of Chicago reporter Don Cornelius, the show was meant to fulfill his “burning desire to represent black people in a positive way,” a scenario that was sorely absent during the turbulent ’60s when most media images of black people were negative. In this mission the show was a huge success, giving America a more realistic glimpse of black culture and black people a sense of pride at being seen on the cutting edge of pop culture.

While a big draw for the show was the musical talent, the real stars were with dancers, the fashions, and of course the hair. As the red-hot show exploded in popularity, black people, and white people too, got a glimpse of what was considered hip, popular, and cool. Whether the hair was an impossibly huge Afro, braids, or free form, the vibe was decidedly trendy as opposed to political. Kids at home were not just picking up on the dances, they were copying everything about the dancers and seeing themselves.

Particularly in the early years, seeing those Afros bobbing to the music was a revelation. There had never been anything like it before and people were mesmerized. This phenomenon was not lost on George Johnson, the founder and president of Johnson Products. He quickly proposed an advertising partnership with his hair care company that took “Soul Train” toward national syndication. You would be hard pressed to find a black household in the ’70s without Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen products on the shelf. The commercial themselves were legendary, involving everything from a woman fretting about the lack of shine on her afro as she struts by an admirer, to Frederick Douglass visiting a young man in his college dorm room to chastise him for not keeping his afro in tip top shape. The Afro Sheen “blowout” kit, a precursor to today’s texturizers, would take your hair from a fro to a big-a$$ed fro, and if you were wearing a fro, that was your dream.

It wasn’t all about the Afro. A 19-year-old Al Sharpton presented his idol James Brown a “black” gold record coiffed in the same bouffant. Pat Harris, also known as the butterfly lady, became famous for the flowers and butterflies she used to accessorize her hair. The point was, “Soul Train” was a platform to showcase the performers’ and dancers’ unique sense of style and if you saw it there you never felt out of place wearing it yourself.

With a recent documentary on VH1, shows airing on Centric TV, YouTube, a DVD set, and a movie in the works, “Soul Train” is getting a second life. Forums are burning up with appreciation from old fans thrilled to be transported back to that joyful space and from new fans that are stunned to realize that hot pants, tall boots, and big hair are 40 years old.

Jody Watley, a “Soul Train” dancer who went on to fame singing with Shalimar and her own solo career, acknowledges wearing a big, curly, wild, messy afro these days in a recent interview on NPR. So what was once old is becoming new again and judging from the response people are loving it.

Don Cornelius always ended the show by wishing everyone “Love, Peace, and Soul”. I might add to that list “and Fabulous Hair.”

By Tonya McKay · Published June 1, 2010

What is the truth about Brazilian Keratin Treatments?

Brazilian keratin treatments are a really popular process right now, and are being discussed on the internet, television, and in popular beauty magazines. I must confess that my initial reaction was a negative one, as I found myself thinking “Oh, fantastic; they have found yet another way to reinforce the image of curly hair as the ugly stepchild of cosmetology.” However, once I read some of the personal experiences of fellow curlies, such as that of Michelle Breyer, co-founder of NaturallyCurly.com, I became intrigued and began seeking information about this procedure — particularly information on a scientific and mechanistic level.

What I found was a baffling morass of spectacularly attractive claims, a lot of proprietary ingredients, a whole lot of nothing regarding the actual chemical mechanism by which these processes work, and a lot of controversy regarding the use of potentially harmful ingredients and very high temperatures. A variety of results have been reported, ranging from exceedingly satisfied and ecstatic customers, to those who were mildly disappointed, to a number of consumers reporting dramatic and significant hair loss.

I feel a little like Dorothy setting out on the road to find the Wizard of Oz. There seems to be a lot of smoke and mirrors in use, and I really, really want to know who (or what”> is behind the curtain. This article will be my first attempt to penetrate the veil of mystery surrounding these hair treatments. I suspect that some follow-up research will be necessary, and at least one more article on this topic will be in my near future.

Amazing Claims

The claims made by the makers of these products are quite attractive. Keratin smoothing treatments are said to be especially beneficial to those with curly and/or frizzy hair. The treatment is reported to be able to relax curls substantially (in some cases straightening hair entirely”>, reduce frizz by up to 95%, impart shine, provide body, and render previously difficult hair into locks that are easily manageable. Imagine being able to run a comb or brush through your hair in the morning without wetting and conditioning it first! People with curly or wavy hair who like to blow it out straight usually have to spend 45 minutes to an hour achieving the look they desire. But once they have had this treatment, it is often possible with very little time and effort.

The results described by some of the people who have tried it sound amazing and extremely enticing (see Michelle’s Brazilian Blowout Blog to follow the journey of a beloved fellow curly who has had remarkable success with this treatment”>.

Here are some examples of some benefits touted by a few of the manufacturers:

Coppola Keratin Smoothing Complex

• Rebuilds, restores, rejuvenates
• Keratin is bonded into the cuticle by the heat of the flat iron to relax the hair’s sub-cuticle layer
• A life-changing experience
• Eliminates up to 95% of frizz and curl

Brazilian Blowout

• Minimizes frizz, loosens curl
• Conditions hair and seals cuticle
• Makes hair appear straight and healthy
• Utilizes a “super nutrient complex”
• Contains a proprietary polymer system
• Repairs existing damage
• Rounds the follicle
• Reduces curl and frizz by 90% or more

Sunliss Keratin Hair-Straightening Treatment

• Straightens and revitalises your hair with its cocoa-based formula
• Rich in theobromine, a substance recognized for its powerful hydrating qualities.
• Delivers high concentrations of fatty acids to the core of the follicle, providing unprecedented smoothness.
• Recommended for straightening and re-aligning dry, fragile and frizzy hair.
• The active ingredients in our keratin-based straightening products are unique in their ability to perform a capillary re-alignment, thanks to the carefully formulated composition of keratin, oats and cocoa.

Marketers also claim that Brazilian keratin straightening treatments work better on hair that has been chemically processed by coloring, perming, or straightening. The reason for this is that these types of procedures leave permanent gaps and flaws in the cuticle layer. These flaws allow hydrolyzed keratin (amino acids and polypeptides”> to penetrate more easily into the hair shaft and also act as attachment sites for keratin on the surface of the cuticle.

Due to the porous nature of processed hair, retention of the added keratin and its building blocks is also enhanced, so the effect from the treatment can last longer. An additional consideration is that hair that is already damaged will naturally benefit more from topical treatments that improve shine, suppleness, and softness than hair that is already healthy, shiny, and straight. However, it also seems intuitive that hair that is damaged already may be more susceptible to additional damage caused by the use of extreme heat to reshape it.

What’s in there?

Although it seems nearly impossible to get accurate and complete ingredient lists for these products, most of them do seem to contain similar general types of ingredients.

• Keratin protein, obtained from sheep’s wool or other sources, usually hydrolyzed into lower molecular weight polypeptides as well as amino acids
• An aldehyde or aldehyde precursor of some sort (formaldehyde, vanillin, bioformyl, glyoxal biformal”>—forms a reversible bond with cysteine (prominent amino acid in hair keratin”>
• Conditioners — fatty alcohols, cationic polymers (such as polyquaternium-7, amodimethicone”>, silicones (amodimethicone, dimethicone, dimethiconol, cyclic silicones”>, lanolin
• Polymers and biopolymers (such as collagen”>
• Preservatives, fragrances
• Metallic nanoparticles (gold, copper”> — unique to QOD Cosmetic products, the metal nanoparticles catalyze the reaction in a manner similar to the aldehydes (possibly”>

How does it work?

When a client first comes into the salon to receive a keratin smoothing treatment, the technician or assistant will wash her hair to make sure the surface is free of contaminants or chemicals from styling products. Then a liquid solution will be applied to the hair. This solution contains keratin, as well as other ingredients, such as conditioning agents, aldehydes or other catalysts, preservatives, etc.. The hair is then blown dry and straightened using a flat iron on very high heat (450°F is the recommended temperature”>.

Most of the formulas contain a formaldehyde solution called formalin. (MSDS for Formalin (37% Formaldehyde solution, with methanol”>”> Some of the current products use other aldehyde molecules, while yet others claim to be “aldehyde-free.” I could find no descriptions in the scientific literature of the mechanism by which this product works. I had to dig through biochemical and biomedical literature to get some clues, and think I arrived at a possible mechanism. I am wading in with my chemistry high boots on, and this is more of an educated guess than anything.

Aldehydes readily react with amino acids, especially cysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid prevalent in both human hair keratin as well as in keratin derived from other species. This is known in organic chemistry as a Schiff-Base reaction. This technique has been used in the preparation of biological samples for electron microscopy study. Formaldehyde and other aldehydes in the human body can crosslink proteins and DNA and through a complicated series of reactions can transform protein structures into what is known as advanced glycation products (AGE”>. These AGE products are undesirable and are responsible for inflammation and other diseases in the body, so it is interesting that someone thought to exploit this reaction in a way that would be advantageous and would hopefully have no deleterious effects.

When these keratin treatment solutions are applied to hair, the aldehydes react with cysteine found in both the keratin solution and also with the hair. This creates crosslinks between hair keratin and product keratin and holds them together in a semi-permanent fashion. The bonds do not last forever though, and are gradually broken and the keratin is washed away in the shower, which allows the hair to return to its pre-treatment state.

The smaller polypeptides and amino acids of the hydrolyzed keratin penetrate the cuticle and help to plump the hair and fill in gaps. The larger-molecular-weight portions form a film on the surface of the hair and are held there by the crosslinks. The high-temperature flat-ironing process straightens the hair and locks in the new straighter conformation as well as seals the cuticle and the keratin film on the surface.

The distributors of products that make the claim to be aldehyde-free are not very forthcoming with ingredient lists or mechanistic discussions regarding how their product works. Thus, I can only speculate that their products work in a similar manner to the ones with known aldehydes in them.

Early processes required the client to not get their hair wet for 4 days post-treatment and also required them to avoid deforming their hair in any way by wearing a hat, barrette, or even pushing it behind an ear. Some current treatments allow a much more flexible schedule than this, and a return to normal activity and grooming may be as soon as the next day.

Aftercare is quite specific as well, in that clients are admonished to never use any sulfate or sodium ion-containing shampoo or other products on their hair. Many salons offer a package of approved products for an additional (usually quite hefty”> sum. I hypothesize that sodium ions dissolve the complex that holds the keratin to the hair, and thus causes the effects to rapidly erode and possibly leads to damaged or frizzy hair. If this is the case, I wonder if they have considered the effects a water softening system would have? The high sodium content in softened water would surely be as damaging as using a product with sodium in it.

As far as the heat goes, I have to say that temperatures that high can be incredibly damaging to hair. It causes water inside the hair to actually boil, which can cause ruptures in the hair shaft itself, leading to breakage and split ends. With the remarkable results reported by many, one can only assume that not everyone is as susceptible to this hazard as some. However, there are also many, many reports of people experiencing significant breakage and hair loss at the root. Some people have lost up to 60% of their hair after receiving this treatment. My concerns about this product type is that there seems to be insufficient testing and data at this time to fully understand how to achieve a consistent result.

I do not wish to gloss over the formaldehyde/aldehyde issue, but this article is already very long. I plan to delve more into that topic next month. I will say though that testing has found the levels of formaldehyde in these products to exceed the maximum levels approved by OSHA for exposure. Formaldehyde is a dangerous, carcinogenic substance and should not be taken lightly. I would like to explore this and the other aldehydes in more depth next month.

Some sample ingredient lists

Simply Smooth ingredients: Water, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Propylene Glycol, Vanillin , Cetrimoniun Chloride, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Amodimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Fragrance , Yellow 5 (Ci 19140″>, Orange 5 (Ci 15510″>

Liquid Keratin 30 Day Straight Smooth Strong & Long Treatment: Purified Water , Dimethicone, Dimethiconol , Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids (Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Alanine, Glycine”> ,Biformyl, Potassium Dimethicone Peg-7 Panthenyl Phosphate , Keratin, Sodium Laneth-40 Maleate / Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol , Ethylhexylglycerin Laureth 4 , Laureth-23 , Hydrolyzed Keratin

QOD Cosmetics QOD GOLD: Cetyl Alcohol (organic co-emulsifier”>, Cetrimonium Chloride (emulsifier, anti-bacterial”>, Lanolin (ultra pure medical grade, hypoallergenic”>, Dimethicone (organo-substituted skin protectant”>, Bio-Organic Hydrolyzed Keratin Complex, Polyquaternium 7 (positively charged, patented”>, Methylparaben (naturally occurring antimicrobial”>, Propylparaben (antimicrobial”>, Urea (water soluble”>, Bio-Organic Hydrolyzed Keratin Complex (patented”>, Fragrance (natural, tropical fruit essence”>, CL 77480 (Pure 24 Karat Gold, medical grade”>, Aqua (purified”>, Cyclopentasiloxane (organically bound silicon”>, Dimethiconol (skin protectant, non toxic alternative to ozone depleting chemicals”>.

By Tonya McKay · Published May 3, 2010

Keep the questions coming! Recently, I’ve received inquiries about a couple of sweet botanicals often used in curly hair products. I hope you enjoy this information about agave nectar and marshmallow extract.

Agave Nectar

Agave nectar (or syrup”> has become quite popular at health food stores in recent years as a natural alternative to processed white sugar and artificial sweeteners in foods and beverages. Agave nectar is obtained from the agave tequliana, a succulent plant found in Mexico, the southwestern United States, and Central and South America. Yes, this is the same plant that provides us with the infamously intoxicating beverage that yields tasty margaritas and tequila shots—so versatile!

Recently, it has also become trendy to incorporate agave nectar into hair care products, especially homemade concoctions such as flax seed gel and oil-based hair conditioning treatments. As a result, I have gotten a few questions regarding this ingredient and how it compares to other natural ingredients used for similar purposes, such as honey. As always, the answers are to be found in the chemistry.

Agave nectar is composed of several large carbohydrate molecules called polysaccharides: saponin, inulin, and fructosan. These polymers are made up of building blocks of different types of sugar molecules. Fructose is the primary component, with glucose being a smaller fraction of the material. Polysaccharides have many hydroxyl groups and for this reason are very hydrophilic. They will behave as humectants and draw water either to the hair or out of the hair, depending upon the environment. (To learn more about the ramifications of humectants and curly hair, see Humidity, Humectants and Hair.”>

In most instances, raw agave is refined prior to being made available as a sweetener or a beauty product ingredient. In this process, the polysaccharide molecules are hydrolyzed and broken down into the small molecule simple sugars (glucose and fructose”> that are the building blocks of the polymers. Refined agave nectar such as this will have very similar effects on hair as honey, due the size and molecular structure of the components. (For more information about honey, check out The Buzz About Honey.”>

Raw agave, which contains a much higher percentage of polysaccharides, should behave a little differently than honey when used on hair. Raw agave nectar can provide conditioning by forming a polymer film on the surface of the hair, thereby smoothing the cuticle. It can also provide mild hold, due to the polymeric structure of its unaltered carbohydrates. Unrefined agave nectar also contains minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which may be beneficial to hair. For these reasons, I highly recommend seeking out raw, organic agave nectar to use in your homemade styling and conditioning products, as it can augment the performance of your product more than refined, processed agave.

Marshmallow Extract

Another plant-derived ingredient about which I have received some questions is marshmallow extract or marshmallow root extract. Marshmallow root extract is derived from the herb Althaea officinalis, a plant that has long been valued for its medicinal properties. The extract bears no relation to the sticky white treats by the same name. (No one actually thought for a second that those might be “natural” or plant-derived, did they?”>

Similar to agave nectar, marshmallow root extract is composed of polysaccharides—more complex sugars and also mucilage components, which contain both sugars and proteins.

Polysaccharaides and mucilaginous molecules are film-forming polymers when applied to hair, which makes marshmallow quite useful as both a conditioning agent and a styling agent. It has emollient properties and can help with detangling as well.

Many plant-derived substances have such great potential for use in both hair and skin care. They are also considered to be more earth-friendly in terms of the processing required, and some consumers feel safer using them as well. I find the biochemistry fascinating, and I think it is wonderful to see them being used more often. Understanding how they work and what we can expect from them is the key to getting the best results. Enjoy—but just don’t try to sweeten your coffee with your hair gel.

By Tonya McKay · Updated May 28, 2024

Mineral oil has been found in cosmetic and personal care products for 100 years or more, because it is an excellent lubricant that is lightweight and non-greasy. However, in recent years it has really fallen out of favor with consumers for a variety of reasons, among them being concerns about safety. It may also have been a victim of negative marketing simply because it is unpretentious and cheap, which is not necessarily advantageous to companies spending time and money developing new materials for hair care. Let’s take a closer look at mineral oil and see what it is, where it comes from, and what it does for hair, so we can make informed decisions without the influence of marketing agendas.

What is Mineral Oil?

Mineral oil is a mixture of simple hydrocarbon molecules of varying molecular weight derived from the petroleum cracking process. It is a cheap byproduct found to be easily purified and useful in a variety of applications for which a lubricant is needed. Mineral oil is a mixture of medium-to-long chain alkanes (15 – 40 carbons”> with the general formula of CnH2n+2. There are no other elements present in mineral oil. The molecular structure of these materials is very uncomplicated, extremely stable and nonreactive.

Petroleum Cracking

Crude petroleum is a huge organic soup, containing many different carbon-based molecules of varying molecular weights. The petroleum cracking process uses thermal and other catalytic means to break these molecules down into lighter, smaller molecules such as octanes, which are highly desirable as fuel because they are easily combustible and fairly efficient. Other components, such as larger hydrocarbon molecules that comprise mineral oil, paraffin wax, and petroleum jelly, are byproducts of this process and are separated out via distillation. More dangerous byproducts of the petroleum cracking process, such as benzene, are easily separated out due to the large differences in molecular weight.

Safety

As a byproduct of a necessary process for energy applications, mineral oil is an extremely cheap additive which of course gives it favor with formulators striving to increase profit margins on their products. It is not a toxic material and is considered to be an extremely safe and effective skin care and hair care ingredient. It has really gotten a bad rap on the internet and in certain marketing campaigns, but the empirical evidence and data simply do not support this.

Cosmetics grade mineral oil undergoes a rigorous purification process prior to being sold as a raw material and contains no residual dangerous components of the petroleum cracking process. The molecules of which it is composed are inert, non-toxic, and nonreactive, which makes them safe for use in external applications. (There are some risks associated with internal consumption of mineral oil, because it can block nutrient absorption.”>

Mineral Oil for Hair

Mineral oil is a good lubricant, and thus performs well as a detangler. It deposits onto the surface of hair strands and forms films that are sufficiently thick to mask irregularities in the cuticle structure, which gives it fantastic smoothing and emollient properties. It significantly decreases wet combing forces and can help prevent breakage. The film formed by mineral oil on hair is occlusive, meaning it prevents the passage of water through it in either direction. Thus, it acts as a protective barrier that aids in moisture retention by preventing the diffusion of water from the interior of the hair out into the environment in dry conditions, and it also helps to minimize frizz by preventing penetration of moisture into the hair in humid conditions. It has also been found to minimize damage to hair caused by chemical relaxers, so it is often included in those products.

Mineral oil is effective at enhancing curl formation and curl clumping as well. It is able to do this because of the films it forms on the surface of hair fibers. The films exert capillary forces between adjacent hair strands, which causes them to be attracted to and stick to one another. This phenomenon is known as capillary adhesion. The capillary adhesion for mineral oil remains fairly constant over time, so if you can manage to not handle your hair very much, it can help with curl retention throughout the day.

Mineral oil is completely hydrophobic (water-hating”>, and for that reason needs to be washed with a surfactant-containing shampoo. It is easily removed though, and does not require harsh products. Something that contains mild surfactants such as sodium cocoyl isethionate or cocamidopropyl betaine should be completely fine. Another thing to be aware of is that dirt is often attracted to these simple organic oils, and so second or third day hair may begin to look a bit unkempt, depending upon your environment.

Conclusion

It is my opinion that mineral oil is not one of those materials that must be avoided at all costs. It provides some pretty decent benefits, and I would not personally discard a potential product simply because it was on the ingredients list. It looks as if it is especially useful if you live in very dry or very damp climates or if you use chemical relaxers of any sort. It certainly may not deliver the same level of performance as some vegetable oils or even some of the synthetic polymer emollients, but it certainly can be adequate.

References:

J Cosmet Sci. 2007 Mar-Apr;58(2″>:135-45. Effect of oil films on moisture vapor absorption on human hair. Keis K, Huemmer CL, Kamath YK.TRI/Princeton, Box 625, Princeton, NJ 08542, USA.

J Cosmet Sci. 2003 Mar-Apr;54(2″>:175-92.Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. Rele AS, Mohile RB.Research and Development Department, Nature Care Division, Marico

By Tonya McKay · Updated May 28, 2024

PQ-68

Some of you may know that my main passion in the world of chemistry and materials is for polymers. I frequently peruse the literature looking for interesting new polymers or old ones being used in new applications, especially in the field of hair and skin care. Recently, I was doing some research on a few newer cationic polymers (of the INCI : polyquaternium-xx family”>, when I ran into one that I found fascinating, especially for curly-haired consumers. Its industry trade name is Luviquat Supreme, and it is manufactured and distributed by BASF Corporation. The INCI designation for this polymer is Polyquaternium-68 (PQ-68″>.

The polymer nerd in me was intrigued by the complex structure of this molecule (see below”>. It is a synthetic quaternized copolymer comprised of 4 different monomers (vinylpyrrolidone (VP”>, methacrylamide (MAM”>, vinylimidazole (VI”>, and quaternized vinylimidazole (QVI”>”>, with an average molecular weight of around 300,000 grams/mole. It has positive charges along the polymer backbone, which give it the ability to spread easily onto the surface of hair and form a film that adheres to it. Its physical structure is such that it is a very stiff molecule. When polyquaternium-68 is applied to hair in a styling product, the resultant encapsulating film smooths the cuticle, providing mild conditioning properties, and also imparts body and structure (style”> to the hair.

The inflexible molecular structure of Luviquat Supreme gives the polymer a very high degree of stiffness (measured on films and reported as Young’s modulus”>. This property allows it to impart very strong hold to hair. The inherent rigidity of PQ-68 means that significantly less polymer is required in a product to get the same amount of hold as other common styling polymers such as PQ-4, PQ-11, which makes using the specialty polymer more affordable. Formulators can also tweak the amount of hold their product provides, simply by adjusting the quantity of polymer in the formulation or by adding small molecule ingredients used to soften the films (called plasticizers”>.

Luviquat Supreme is particularly advantageous when used in styling products designed for curly hair. Its physical properties make it excellent at curl formation as well as curl retention. Due to its chemical structure, it provides nearly 100% hold and curl retention in extremely high humidity, and far outstrips the performance of other traditionally used styling polymers (tested at 90% RH, compared to PQ-4, PQ-11, PQ-55, and PVA/VP”>. It also does not get that sticky, tacky feeling that many other polymers get in humid conditions. An additional benefit to curlies is that, despite its outstanding moisture resistance in humid weather, PQ-68 is completely soluble in water. So it is extremely friendly to low-shampoo and no-shampoo routines!

A Synergistic Combination

When a film formed by a styling polymer is too stiff, it can feel unpleasant and yield a sensation of “crunchiness” which some consumers dislike. Also, a very stiff film is typically brittle and can break into tiny pieces, resulting in an annoying flaking problem common to many gels and mousses. In an effort to remedy this drawback, small molecules such as propylene glycol and panthenol are often added to styling products. Their presence in the composition acts to soften the film formed by the polymer. However, in formulation, there is often a give and take when combining ingredients, and the addition of an ingredient to achieve a desirable property often results in a new undesirable property or loss of performance. It is a tricky business.

Well-aware of this formulating conundrum, researchers at BASF were pleasantly surprised by properties obtained when they combined PQ-68 with panthenol. Not only did the panthenol soften the film and add shine to the hair, but it also enhanced some physical properties while preserving many of the original desirable properties. When they performed tensile testing, they found that the flat film stiffness was decreased as expected, but that the elasticity of the film was exponentially increased. Similar testing was performed on treated swatches of hair, and the data showed that the hair strand stiffness was not significantly affected, but that curl retention was enhanced. Remarkably, the presence of panthenol in the films did not deteriorate the excellent humidity resistance of the product.

What this means is that this PQ-68 + panthenol combination allows for exceptional curl formation, curl hold, and curl retention. When a curl is deformed by touching it, by wind forces, or by wearing a hat or scarf, a brittle film might break and the style will be lost. However, a highly elastic film will bounce back when the force is removed. This is exactly what researchers found to happen with this ingredient combination. The same experiment performed with other polyquaternium materials plus panthenol did not produce the same results, so there is something unique going on between these two molecules.

The Polyquaternium-68/ Panthenol combination is found in the following products:

• Fekkai, “MORE” All-day density styling whip, formulation appears fairly CG friendly
• Rene Furterer Volumea Volumizing Mousse, formulation may be potentially drying due to higher quantities of alcohol
• Zero Frizz Curl Rescue Perfecting Spray
• David Babaii for WildAid, Amplifying Whipped Mousse—formula contains many natural oils in addition to the “magic combo” and looks very promising
• Nivea, Flexible Curls Styling Mousse

Clearly, this ingredient combination seems to work well in mousses and styling foams. There are several sample formulations provided at the raw material manufacturer’s site (BASF”> for making them. However, I would like to see the polymer used in a gel product, as that is a styling product that seems to be preferred by many of us with curly hair . I was wondering if that was possible due to potential gel clarity or water solubility issues, and then I found this gem: Hair styling composition, USPTO Patent Application 20090226390

In this 2009 patent application, the inventors make a number of claims for incorporation of PQ-68 and PQ-4 into a clear, sprayable styling gel. The descriptions states that an aqueous-based, alcohol-free, formulation containing a mixture of polyquaternium-68 and polyquaternium-4 formed a sprayable gel with a high degree of clarity. This gel was found to spread most easily on damp or wet hair, which facilitated adhesion between hairs. The composition provided firm, yet flexible hold, that was long-lasting and resistant to humidity. It sounds perfect! I have yet to locate a commercially-available gel product with this composition, but I expect (hope”> we will be seeing it soon (especially once this patent application is approved”>.

I think that the polymer research team at BASF has really hit upon an unexpected winner in polyquaternium-68 (Luviquat Supreme”>, especially for those of us with curly hair. I hope to see this ingredient, along with panthenol, included in more curly hair styling products as hair care formulators start to experiment with it.

By Tonya McKay · Published January 4, 2010

Ximenia Americana

I just love the current trend of blending exotic botanical oils with synthetic ingredients to create truly modern, innovative products. In many cases, these types of formulations achieve improved performance over both “all-natural” and “all-synthetic” types of products. Another benefit of incorporating these botanical oils into products is that they are often obtained via fair trade practices and provide an important economic boost to the local economies from which they are harvested and processed. Solvent-free processes are also the preferred method for extracting these oils, which makes them an environmentally friendly choice. Two of the more unusual exotic oils that are being incorporated into products now are ximenia oil and argan oil.

Ximenia fruit

Ximenia Oil

Ximenia oil is obtained from the seed kernel of the Ximenia Americana, a small tree or shrub found in the woodlands and savannahs of Southern Africa ranging from Namibia to Zimbabwe. The trees bear fruit known as monkey plums, sour plums, or wild plums. Extraction of the oil can be accomplished using various techniques, but commercially available ximenia oil is usually processed using eco-friendly, solvent- and GMO-free methods.

The fatty acid composition of ximenia oil is dominated by monounsaturated fatty acids, with the major component being oleic acid. The remainder of the fatty acids are longer chain monounsaturated fatty acids and a small percentage of medium chain saturated fatty acids. This molecular composition of ximenia oil makes it a very attractive ingredient for use in products such as skin moisturizers, hair conditioning products, and hair styling agents.

oleic acid

Oleic acid, which comprises approximately 50% of the oil, is a shorter chain fatty acid that can penetrate into the cuticle of hair strands, as can stearic and palmitic acid. The long chain monounsaturated fatty acid molecules remain on the surface of hair, and make hair soft, shiny, and easier to comb. As they are organic fatty acids, they can attract dirt to the hair and so should be removed more often than some of the newer synthetic polymers, such as silicones and fluoropolymers, which repel dirt. The good news is that although these fatty acids are not water soluble, they are sufficiently small molecules that conditioner washing or washing with mild shampoos should be effective in removing them from the hair.

Argan oil

Argan oil is obtained from the fruit of the ancient Argania Spinosa, a tree indigenous to the arid climate of southwestern Morocco. The tree, which dates back to the Tertiary period (about 1.5 million years ago”>, is an invaluable component of the local ecosystem, as it helps prevent erosion due to wind and rain, and protects the area from the ever-encroaching Sahara desert. Argan oil has been harvested and used in the region for thousands of years for both cosmetic and culinary purposes. Sadly, in recent years there has been a dramatic decline in the Argan tree population due to both the chopping down of trees for firewood and over-grazing of goat herds.

Argania Spinosa

Fortunately, the formation of cooperatives by Berber women has resulted in an international endeavor to protect and save this very important natural resource. The cooperatives are aimed at educating the local populace as to the value and import of the Argan tree as well as making a concerted effort to commercialize of Argan oil. The oil is extracted using organically-certified eco-friendly techniques and is done using a sustainable business model. The monies obtained by the cooperative go back into the community to provide education for tribal women and children, to contribute toward reforestation, and to benefit the rural Moroccan socioeconomic structure as a whole.

Argan oil is a unique composition of fatty acids, proteins, polyphenolics (antioxidants”>, tocopherol (Vitamin E”>, phytosterols, and a rare component – squalene. This mixture of active substances gives argan oil many beneficial properties for both skin and hair. The fatty acid content of Argan oil is primarily (~80%”> a mixture of oleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acid”> and linoleic acid (polyunsaturated fatty acid”>, with two saturated fatty acids making up the other 20%. when Argan oil is incorporated into a hair conditioner or styling product, the monounsaturated fatty acid component (oleic”> and the medium chain saturated fatty acids are able to penetrate the cuticle, which helps increase the suppleness and elasticity of the hair. The polyunsaturated fatty acid remains on the surface of the hair, where it is able to provide emollience and softness. A current product manufacturer has shared with NaturallyCurly.com that they are combining Argan oil with silicone in their products, and that the silicone acts as a seal on the exterior of the hair to keep the Argan oil inside the hair, where it can provide longer-lasting benefits. This is a fascinating application of mixing modern ingredients with ancient ones in order to achieve a superior product.

What should we expect from these oils?

Both ximenia and argan oil have very similar fatty acid profiles to mango butter, avocado oil, and olive oil, all of which are valued for their ability to soften dry tresses. For this reason, if you have experienced success with those oils on your hair or skin, you may expect to see similar results from ximenia and argan oil. However, as we discussed in a previous article (Butters and Oils“>, if your hair is extremely porous, you may experience unpleasant effects from products containing these oils, as your hair may absorb too much of them. So if you enjoy these oils or products that contain them, just try using a little less quantity if you encounter problems such as frizz or unpleasant texture to your hair. If either of these work well for you and you can make your own products or find a ready-crafted product that you enjoy, you can not only enjoy your silky hair, but you can also feel satisfied that you are contributing to the local environment, economy, and social structure of several indigenous tribes in Africa.

Table: Comparison of Fatty acid composition of Ximenia and Argan Oils to other common botanical oils

By Tonya McKay · Published December 28, 2009

Every new year we vow to eat better, exercise more, and improve our quality of life. What about your curls? What’s your new CURLS resolution?

Curly hair, the most temperamental, climate dependent, frizz-prone hair type, requires extra care, time and attention to achieve effortless, frizz-free curls. It’s time to spruce up those spirals and put a twirl in those curls!

Here are a few New CURLS Resolutions you can incorporate as your own.

• Learn to love your curls. Embrace your kinks. Cherish your waves. Textured tresses are all the rave…straight haired women wish they had the volume we do. Flaunt it!
• Minimize breakage by letting your hair air-dry as often as possible. Heat styling leads to dryness, and dryness is the cause of breakage. Some prefer to shampoo at night to allow my hair to air dry overnight. For those that prefer to shower in the am, use a diffuser on the lowest setting possible.
• Be selective … do not let just any stylist cut your tresses. Not every stylist knows how to cut curly hair, so you should seek someone who specializes in it. Check out NaturallyCurly.com’s huge database of recommended salons for a stylist in your area.

• Want a Diana Ross 1980s afro? Brush your curly hair and that is just what you will get! If you prefer frizz-free curls…avoid brushing your curls. Use a wide-toothed shower detangler to evenly distribute conditioner and detangle your curls in the shower.

  Recommended product: CURLS Shower Detangler.

• Cool water, warm conditioner —For deeper cuticle penetration, warm up your conditioner before applying it to your freshly cleansed hair. For greater sheen, rinse the conditioner off with a cool water rinse to seal the hair cuticle and enhance sheen.

  Recommended product: Coconut Sublime Moisturizing Conditioner

• Give your curls extra hydration during the winter months. Retire your hair gel, mousse, and hair spray…bring back your curl creams for extra hydration.

  Recommended product: Curl Soufflé

By Tonya McKay · Published December 1, 2009

Natural, organic, healthy, naturally-derived, plant-based, renewable, green, pure: Close your eyes and throw a dart inside a beauty supply store and you will be hard-pressed to not hit a target with at least one of these buzz words on its label. The current marketing trend is so prevalent that it is a rare personal care product indeed that doesn’t make some sort of claim to be healthier, more natural, better for you or the environment. We are inundated with a plethora of information via all forms of media regarding the way ingredients in products may affect our health and well-being.

All of this hype can lead to people feeling very uneasy and even outright fearful, and product development and sales people are more than happy to capitalize on those concerns. The result can be high-quality new products becoming available to the consumer, but it can also be labels loaded with misleading information, false claims, and even real duds in terms of performance. The buyer must be savvy. In a series of articles, I will be addressing a few topics related to this green marketing campaign and do some educating and myth-busting . This month I will discuss soaps in shampoos and skin cleansers.

Shampoos and skin cleansers are a huge sector of the personal care market. In recent years, there has been a real (perhaps not entirely undeserved”> backlash against products that contain sodium lauryl sulfate and other similar synthetic surfactants, so there has been a huge research and development push in the industry to provide more mild and “natural” products. Those of us with delicate, curly hair are always on the prowl for products that will cleanse well, but leave our locks healthy and silky. So in many ways this is a fantastic trend for us. A wider variety of products are now available that contain milder surfactants than the sulfates and that also contain plant oils and emollients that help restore moisture to the hair.

However, there is one ingredient that is a great example of how natural and old-fashioned is not always an improvement. I am referring to soap-based shampoo bars and shampoos that contain ingredients called “plant oil soaps” or “organic saponified plant oil.” In past articles, we discussed the chemical nature of soap molecules, soap bars, and how they work and the potential problems they present for curly hair (Shampoo and soap bars, Porosity and Curly Hair”>. Please have a look at those if you would like a more in-depth discussion about soaps.

To briefly review, soap molecules are surfactants made from reacting natural fats (triglycerides from animal or plant sources”> with a very strong base (usually sodium hydroxide (lye”> or potassium hydroxide (potash”>”> to form ionized, alkaline fatty acids. This reaction process is called saponification, and while it has been used by humans for many centuries to make soaps, it really isn’t any more natural than many other forms of synthesis that take place in a laboratory. Saponification is a rather environmentally friendly process, though, so soaps can be set apart from the detergent crowd for that reason.

Soap molecules are anionic surfactants (just like sodium lauryl sulfate, but with a different head group”>, materials that have both hydrophilic (water-loving”> and hydrophobic (water-hating”> moieties, and as such are reasonably effective at removing grease and oil from hair, skin, and clothing fibers. However, they come with a set of complications that do not occur with most other synthetic surfactants. A brief summary of the drawbacks of these soap molecules is that they have a much higher pH than is ideal for hair, and permanent damage to the cuticle and lipid layer of hair strands can occur when these products are used. They also react with minerals found in hard water to form an unpleasant film of soap scum and mineral scale on the hair, which can lead to a rough texture, tangling, breakage, and a general dry sensation. Hard water also significant affects the cleansing efficacy of soaps. For these reasons and more, synthetic surfactants are used in commercial products more often than soaps.

How and Why are Soaps in my shampoo or facial cleanser?

Typically we think of soaps as being solids, but it is possible to dissolve solid soap into an aqueous solution to form a liquid shampoo or skin cleanser formulation. Another way to do it would be to take the neat soap solution that is the product of the saponification reaction and add excess water and other ingredients directly to that mixture. The primary difference between liquid and solid soap is that liquid soap is made via reaction with potassium hydroxide rather than with sodium hydroxide. The reason for this is due to the larger atomic size of potassium which enables the molecules to remain further away from one another in solution, thus preventing flocculation and precipitation. A pure liquid soap is clear, but most products have additives such as fragrance, viscosity modifiers, pearlizers, emollients, emulsifiers, and preservatives.

The ingredients list of a shampoo or skin cleanser will indicate the presence of soap molecules using terms such as “olive oil soap”, “coconut oil soap”, “corn oil soap”, “soap of jojoba oil”, or “organic saponified avocado oil”. These are not specifically approved INCI terms for these ingredients, but they do make it pretty easy to spot them in a product. Liquid cleansers and shampoos that contain soap molecules will have most of the same drawbacks of a soap bar, but may be more gentle simply due to being less concentrated.

Take-home message?

Soaps are so appealing on a natural and health-conscious level, as they are made with many fewer chemicals using natural plant oils in a very environmentally friendly process. Unfortunately, they do have many drawbacks in terms of performance, and there are other naturally-derived cleansers that are less harsh for curly hair. However, if the soap is listed lower down the ingredients list (meaning it truly is a minor component of the product”>, the pH of the product may be lower (more acidic”> and thus the product may not be less harsh than one with a high concentration of soap. If the rest of the product looks appealing to you, it might be worth trying it to see how it works for you. I always feel the best data is obtained by the end user when they experiment with a product on their own hair, so don’t be afraid to try something new if it looks like the soap is not the major component.

By Tonya McKay · Published November 16, 2009

There has been a lot of buzz in the beauty trenches the past year or so about the new product line released by a newcomer to the personal care product industry, Living Proof. The academic pedigrees, business experience, and sheer intellectual prowess of the founding minds and in-house research team of this start-up is nothing short of dizzying, especially when one considers the size of the company. The board is composed of a brilliant team of scientists from MIT, investors and idea generators from Polaris Venture Partners, and two extremely talented and experienced stylists.

Living Proof co-founder Jon Flint (partner in Polaris Venture Partners”> has a passion for investing in and developing new business ventures in all areas of technology and consumer products. He is always on the lookout for new ideas. Conversations held with prominent stylists Ward Stegerhoek and Mitch DeRosa about the current state of haircare and skincare products led to the inception of the concept of Living Proof. Their vision was to assemble a multidisciplinary team of scientists from the medical, chemical, and biotechnical fields to work in concert with top stylists to develop truly innovative products for skin and hair.

None of the scientists who were part of the original team had any experience in the personal care product development industry, but were all extremely prestigious in their own areas of expertise. Although this is stated nowhere overtly in the Living Proof literature, I believe this was purposeful, as their goal was to approach product development from a foundational, molecular level with a specific goal, and to do so without any of the baggage that might be associated with a common formulator mindset of, “but this is how you must design a hair conditioner, because this is how everyone designs a conditioner.”

Breakthrough

The goal of the research and development team was to develop a truly novel product that would work to help control the universal problem of frizzy hair, especially in humid conditions. In order to have smooth locks, it is essential to have a hair product that will seal the cuticle of the hair shaft in order to prevent water from passing into and out of the hair. The product must be able to accomplish this task without weighing the hair down or making it greasy. (For more detailed information on hair, humidity, and frizz, review these relevant articles. Humidity, Humectants, and the Hair, Dew Point, Porosity“>

People have relied upon oils and serums throughout history to tame their tresses, but have had to deal with greasy, unpleasant feeling hair that may have even still been frizzy. Many of these products were made of plant oils, animal fats, mineral oil, or fatty alcohols. Silicone oils were a revolutionary discovery in the latter half of the twentieth century, and became the go-to ingredient for anti-frizz serums and products. However, even these space-age polymers were not without drawbacks. Many consumers found themselves dealing with hair that became increasingly more unruly, lank, greasy, and even dry. This is especially the case for curly haired consumers, whose delicate locks seem to be particularly susceptible to the limitations of silicone polymers.

The scientists at Living Proof reasoned that one of the limitations of silicone polymers in hair care applications is their relatively large molecular size. These large molecules sit on the surface of the hair, can attract dirt and particles, and weigh the hair down. For this reason, it is recommended that silicone serums and products containing silicones be used in relatively small amounts. However, this becomes a drawback itself, as there ends up being incomplete coating of the hair by the silicone, and thus some hair strands are left vulnerable to the problems of ruffled cuticle, frizz, and tangling caused by exposure to humidity.

It became clear that in order to be truly on the cutting edge, it would be necessary to develop an entirely new kind of polymer that could conquer the problem of frizz by coating the entire surface of all of the hair, but that would not create its own set of problems. After a year of intensive laboratory and literature research, the Living Proof scientists discovered the polymer they call “PolyfluoroEster.” Development of products based on this new polymer and field testing on real users gave the company the feedback it needed: They had a product that demonstrated real improvement over silicone-based anti-frizz products!

PolyfluoroEster, the little polymer that could

The self-purported magical component of the Living Proof line of hair products is a polymer only disclosed as “polyfluoroester”, which is fairly non-specific in terms of revealing the actual molecular structure to us. The organization is understandably extremely protective of their intellectual property, as keeping the secret ingredient under wraps will help maintain their advantage in the competitive beauty products market. However, the CurlChemist has been digging in the trenches to discover what she can, so we can make some educated guesses about its structure, how that might affect its performance on our hair, and what sorts of expectations we can have for these products.

So what is it? Well, the short answer is that it is a modified fluoropolymer, which is a synthetic polymer made up of the typical carbon-based backbone, but with fluorine molecules either attached directly onto the backbone of the polymer or suspended from the sides of the chain as substituents. The fluoropolymer most consumers are familiar with is Teflon, or poly(tetrafluoroethylene”>.

Molecular structure of Teflon (PTFE”>

PTFE, or Teflon, is prized for its unique chemical and thermal stability, its extremely low coefficient of friction, as well as its ability to act as both a water and oil repellent. It is truly “non-stick.” However, one limitation is its extremely high molecular weight (too heavy for hair”>, and another is its complete insolubility in virtually any solvent, including water. For these reasons (and others”>, polymer scientists have experimented over the years with many variants of this molecule, using different monomers and different combinations of monomers to create modified fluoropolymers and copolymers as well (polymers synthesized using mixtures of different monomers”>. There are companies who market fluorinated reactive surfactants as well.

Molecular structure of a fluorinated copolymer

Armed with all of this information, my best educated guess is that this PolyfluoroEster is possibly a fluorinated polyester (a polymer with a polyester backbone, with fluorinated substituents as pendant side groups”> or a fluorinated acrylic copolymer (similar to many of the acrylic copolymers currently used in styling products – just with a fluorine twist, if you will”>. Whatever the specific case may be (and as a polymer scientist, I am so hopeful that one day we can know the actual structure”>, it is most certain that this polymer has a significantly lower molecular weight than PTFE and most silicones used in hair care products. The marketing material of Living Proof states that these smaller molecules do not weigh down the hair, and that for this reason the consumer can use much more of the product and coat all of the hairs on her head entirely. This creates a very flat, sealed cuticle layer and forms a true protective shield against the ravages of humidity upon the hair.

PolyfluoroEster is both hydrophobic and lipophobic, meaning it is neither water soluble nor oil soluble. Different ingredients in the formulation work to help emulsify the polymer and actually get it into solution in their product. These polymers not only repel water, but also repel oils and dirt (particulate matter”> from the environment, so it becomes possible to go longer between shampoos, which helps to minimize the inevitable damage that occurs with shampooing. That is a great feature, especially for those of us always in pursuit of that elusive creature, beautiful second-day hair.

Fluoropolymers have extremely low surface energy, which allows the polymer to spread very evenly and to form a very smooth, thin film on the surface of the hair (referred to in their product literature as a microfilm shield”>. This low surface energy and smooth film formation helps to increase slip and decrease friction between adjacent hair strands. This prevents tangling and eases combing, which can be very beneficial to the health of hair. It also acts as another mechanism for frizz prevention, because it helps prevent static charge accumulation that can occur from friction between hair strands.

This polymer is reported to have a low refractive index, which is credited with giving it the ability to impart high gloss and shine. I have to admit to being perplexed by that, because silicones have a high refractive index, which is responsible for their ability to be such fantastic glossifiers. I intend to review my understanding in that area a bit and also to contact Living Proof directly, as I have a few more questions for them anyway. I will be happy to report back anything they share with me.

Is this PolyfluoroEster compatible with curly hair?

These products definitely look promising for curly-haired consumers who suffer from problems with frizz, especially in humid climates. It seems as if the product line is very gentle, with their sulfate-free shampoo and their moisturizer-rich conditioners. Their styling products look very reasonable as well. The polymer is most definitely not water soluble, so one might have concerns regarding a shampoo-free (CG”> routine. However, it is my hypothesis that due to its molecular structure, this polymer does not build up on itself, similar to amodimethicone, so many who get good results from amodimethicone-containing products might be very successful with this as well (perhaps even moreso”>. Much like amodimethicone though, I am curious does thoroughly remove it from one’s hair, as it wouldn’t seem to be susceptible to most usual surfactants. I am hoping to get more information on this from the scientists at Living Proof.

Most of the reviews I have seen for the product have been really good, so I feel that the NoFrizz line of products is very promising. Apparently, performance of this product improves with repeat applications too, so make sure you use it for a few days or longer when evaluating it on your hair. I have heard that at least one of the styling products can be quite stiff for those of us with curly hair, and that can make the hair feel brittle and dry, so be careful which product you choose and perhaps layer it with their leave-in conditioner.

The main downside of these products is their cost. However, the polymer itself is in the products at higher concentration than other polymers usually are, and it is probably quite expensive to make right now. Also, a huge amount of money has gone into the acquisition of the absolute crème de la crème of the brains in the scientific and beauty industry and into the building of state of the art laboratories. All of that comes with a price! I am hoping to try some soon myself. (Dear Santa…”>

I am really interested in these products and in this innovative new company, so I would love to get e-mails or comments below from you guys about how you feel about it after trying it.

Addendum

I had the most wonderful opportunity to speak to Jessie Vallette, a customer service representative at Living Proof, after I had completed this article. I was so pleased with the level of knowledge she had and her willingness to discuss my questions in detail. Again, my hat is off to this company. So, on to the information she shared.

Polyfluoroester is definitely completely hydrophobic, and so is not water insoluble. However, when the hair is immersed in water, some small quantities of it will come off of the hair. Immersion in water will also still cause the hair to swell and the cuticle to open, so it is still possible to clean the hair and for conditioner to do its job. They have found that their own very gentle shampoo does remove the polymer from the surface of the hair, so it is not necessary to use a sulfate-containing cleanser.

Also, she confirmed that polyfluoroester does not build up on itself once it has adsorbed onto the surface of the hair, so it seems to behave in a very similar manner as amodimethicone in that respect. Many curly-haired consumers who use a no-shampoo or low-shampoo regimen have been successful with products that contain amodimethicone for this reason. According to Jessie, this polymer should be even easier to work with, so the No Frizz line may well outperform products that contain amodimethicone when it comes to frizz-fighting.

By Tonya McKay · Published September 1, 2009

Most of us with curly hair are pretty well-versed now in the need for our hair to be very well hydrated and conditioned. But what exactly does this mean? There are so many products on the market that claim to be the solution for our dry, frizzy tresses, but which do we really need? Plentiful also are the words used by marketers and hair care experts when telling us what we need for our hair to be healthy and beautiful. Among these are humectant, moisturizer, emollient, detangler, reconstruct/repair, and color protecting. What do these terms really mean, and what ingredients should we be looking for if we desire some of these properties?

There are numerous types of conditioners available in the marketplace, so we will examine some of the more common categories. My hope is to aid the consumer in understanding what the proposed benefit of a particular type of conditioner is and also what ingredients can be expected to help achieve the desired outcome.

Types of Conditioners:

Moisturizing

Moisturizing conditioners are ones that help retain and/or add moisture, i.e. water, to hair. These types of conditioners rely heavily upon the properties of ingredients such as humectants, fatty alcohols, light oils such as aloe or jojoba, and frequently vitamins such as panthenol (which also act as humectants”>. Oils or polymers that form an occlusive film on the surface of the hair are also often found in these products, as they aid in moisture retention in the interior of the hair shaft.

Some ingredients you might see in a moisturizing conditioner:

• glycerol
• propylene glycol
• panthenol
• erithritol
• sodium PCA
• hyaluronic acid
• sorbitol
• fructose
• fatty alcohols
• polyquaternium polymers
• cationic surfactants (cetrimonium chloride, dicetyldimonium chloride”>

Deep Conditioners

Deep conditioners, repairing conditioners, and reconstructors all generally have a few properties in common. They contain significant amounts of proteins, hydrolyzed proteins, and amino acids, which can penetrate through the cuticle and absorb into the hair where they can add strength to the existing complex protein-based composite inside the hair shaft. These ingredients can also adhere to the surface of the hair and act as patches over areas that have been depleted of protein.

Well-formulated deep conditioners also contain oils, esters, or fatty acids, called emollients. These ingredients help to soften the hair and add elasticity to it. This is especially important when proteins are being used, as they can make hair very hard and brittle.

Hot oil treatments contain only or mostly oils, which penetrate into the hair after topical application by placing the client under heat. Some people enjoy the result they get from treatments such as these. However, the use of heat on hair should always be undertaken with caution, in my opinion.

Key ingredients in deep conditioning products:

• Proteins
• Hydrolyzed proteins
• Amino acids
• Plant oils
• Mineral oil
• Silicones (dimethicone and derivatives”>
• Esters (glyceryl stearate, isopropyl palmitate”>
• Fatty acids (coconut fatty acid, stearic acid, lauric acid”>

Acidifying

Acidifying conditioners have a pH in the range of 3.0 – 4.0, rendering them slightly more acidic than most other conditioners (which are typically formulated to have a pH in the range of 4.0-5.0″>. These types of conditioners have a few benefits. Acidifying rinses or conditioners lower the pH of hair to or slightly below its isoelectric point (estimated to be at a pH between 3.0-3.7″>, which is its ideal state. At the isoelectric point the cuticle is tightly sealed, the keratin proteins possess no residual electrostatic charge, and the hair shaft is thought to be harder and in the state most protected from the environment.

Some ingredients used in acidifying conditioners:

• Behentrimonium chloride
• Stearalkonium chloride
• Amine oxides
• Cetrimonium chloride
• Citric acid
• Ascorbates
• Citrus extracts

Detanglers and Leave-in Conditioners

These types of conditioners are generally lighter than moisturizing and deep conditioners and contain a greater amount of water in the formula than do other products. Heavy oils and proteins are not typically part of these conditioners, but instead they rely upon lighter ingredients.

Detanglers and leave-in conditioners work by depositing small amounts of materials on the surface of the hair that act in a variety of ways to minimize friction when combing. Humectants are often used in these formulations for their moisture attraction and retention properties. Other ingredients are selected because they neutralize residual negative charge at the surface of the hair (cationic polymers, cationic surfactants”>. Some of the ingredients are included because they form a smooth film on the surface that provides lubrication and eases the force required for combing through the wet hair (dimethicone, amodimethicone, fatty alcohols”>. Silicones have an added benefit of leaving a smooth, highly reflective film on the surface of the hair, which imparts a high amount of gloss and shine.

Typical ingredients found in detanglers and leave-in conditioner:

• Amodimethicone
• Cyclomethicone
• Propylene glycol
• Panthenol
• Botanical extracts
• Glycerin
• Glucose/sucrose
• Panthenol
• Cetrimonium chloride
• Polyquaternium-11
• Fatty alcohols

Color Protecting

Color protection conditioners typically will contain moisturizing agents, protein (or derivatives thereof”> for filling in gaps left by damage from the coloring process, oils or fatty alcohols, and compounds that act as UV absorbers. Both UVA and UVB radiation can cause damage to hair and loss of color, so many products will try to include ingredients that can absorb in both regions. UVA protection is critical for those with chemically colored hair, especially red hues, as it is most susceptible to these rays.

UV absorbing ingredients found in hair care products:

• Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate
• Benzophenone
• Polymers, such as Polyamide-2
• Salicylates
• PABA
• Dimethylparamidopropyl laurdimonium tosylate

Thermal Protection

Some conditioners are designed to protect hair from heat damage that can occur when blow drying or styling with flat irons and curling irons. These products almost always rely upon the thermal insulating properties of silicone polymers.

Ingredients that protect from thermal damage:

• Dimethicone
• Dimethiconol
• Amodimethicone
• Cyclomethicone

Many conditioners will combine different categories of ingredients, in order to have multiple attributes. Many leave-in conditioners will have sunscreen additives in them. Color protection conditioners may also contain silicones meant to impart gloss and also provide added protection against heat damage. Daily conditioners may include proteins or protein derivatives in order to combat day-to-day damage. So, when choosing a product, really look at the label and determine what the major components are and what you can expect the primary function of that product to be.

The role of conditioning agents, emollients, moisturizers, humectants, and proteins are to fill in the gaps where structural damage has occurred to the surface and interior of the hair, to bring moisture into the hair or to increase moisture retention, to impart suppleness and elasticity, and to provide lubrication along the hair shaft. All of these functions help to minimize mechanical and environmental damage that occurs through daily combing, styling, washing, and exposure to the elements. Thus, conditioners are powerful and essential products that make the hair more attractive, softer and more manageable, and less likely to incur new damage. As the hair is protected by daily use, new hair can grow in and remain healthy and strong, so while conditioners may not be able to truly repair and reconstruct a damaged hair strand, they do indeed provide much benefit.

By Tonya McKay · Published August 3, 2009

A variety of shea butters.

Butters, oils, and waxes all come from fats that are derived from plants or animals, and have two basic components; fatty acids and alcohols. The difference between butters and oils is primarily whether or not they are solid at room and/or body temperature. Although they are both composed of groups of fatty acids, there are differences in the molecular composition and structure of butters and oils that are responsible for these differences in melting points.

Factors that determine melting point of lipids

• Molecular weight – lower-molecular-weight fatty acids have a lower melting point, so that they are liquid at room temperature or body temperature. Higher-molecular-weight fatty acids form crystalline structures that persist to higher melting points, and so they are usually solids at room temperature and higher.
• Saturated molecular structure — longer-chain fatty acids without any double bonds are straight chain molecules (like long snakes”> that are able to closely pack next to one another This close-packing induces crystallization, which requires more energy to break apart than molecules not packed together into a crystalline or semi-crystalline structure. For this reason, the melting points of these types of fatty acids are much higher. This means the “oil” will exist in a solid state at room temperature or even body temperature.
• Unsaturated molecular structure — unsaturated molecules have at least one double bond somewhere in their structure. This creates a kink or branching effect in the geometry of the molecule. This prevents unsaturated fatty acids from getting too close to one another, thereby preventing crystallization. These molecules have lots of space between themselves, which allows for more mobility of the molecules and results in a lower melting temperature. These oils may be liquid at room temperature or melt upon contact with skin.
• Stearic acid, a saturated hydrocarbon molecule with 18 carbons (relatively long-chain fatty acid”> has a melting point of 69.6°C (157.28°F”>. Oleic acid, a monounsaturated hydrocarbon molecule, has a double bond in it that creates a kink in its geometry, which makes it more difficult for adjacent molecules to pack tightly next to one another. It has a melting point of 10.5°C (50.9°F”>. Polyunsaturated acids, such as linoleic and linolenic, have multiple kinks in their chains and are liquid at very low temperatures (melt point = -5°C (23°F”> for linoleic acid”>.
• Linolenic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acid.
• Linoleic acid, polyunsaturated, omega-6 fatty acid.
• Oleic acid, monounsaturated fatty acid.
• Stearic acid, saturated fatty acid.

Clearing up some misconceptions

Various Oils

Coconut butter, avocado, almond butter and peanut butter are not actually butters, in terms of the nomenclature we are discussing. In these products, the flesh of the nut or fruit is pressed and included with the oil, which provides the food source with proteins and water, as well as fatty acids. This is not a butter in the technical sense THEN WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF BUTTER?, but this is a common usage in food products. Another point to keep in mind is that in some cases, the unsaturated fatty acids in the oils of these fruits and nuts are hydrogenated to create a more solid texture. This can change the properties of the product significantly.

Another bit of confusion on this topic of oils, butters, and waxes is due to misleading terminology in the nomenclature system. It is not uncommon to read assertions that emulsifying is waxy or oily and prone to build-up. In fact, emulsifying wax is not a wax at all, nor is it an oil. It is a group of ingredients (derived from fatty acids “> used as a nonionic surfactant mixture that is highly effective at facilitating mixing of oils and waxes into aqueous solutions. Specifically, it is most often these ingredients: Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, PEG-150 Stearate & Steareth-20. All of those components are water soluble, with the exception of the fatty alcohol. It is possible that people who dislike products containing this ingredient are actually sensitive to the oil or butter being emulsified by emulsifying wax, or they are sensitive to buildup of fatty alcohols (cetearyl alcohol”> on their hair.

Fatty acid composition of common vegetable butters and oils

Depending upon where it is grown and the environmental conditions of that year, as well as soil quality, shea butter can vary significantly in its ratio of stearic acid to oleic acid. This will affect its melting point, and thus, its softness. If there is a lot more oleic acid relative to stearic acid in a particular batch, it will be a much softer and oily product, and will behave somewhat differently on the hair. Processing (methods of extraction, filtering, use of heat, hydrogenation”> can also drastically affect the unsaturated oil composition, so if purchasing shea butter itself, carefully read the label so you are aware of the quality of butter you are getting. A pure shea butter contains no emulsifiers or perfumes, but is purely the mixture of fatty acids that were extracted from the fruit.

Shea butter

Incorporation of shea butter into a conditioning product involves melting it and dissolving it into an emulsifier and then mixing that into the product. Although the butter is melted and mixed into a liquid, its mixture of fatty acids should remain intact (unless high heat was used, which is not typical”>. Therefore, it is still the same “butter”, simply because the term butter is not actually very meaningful. The inherent molecular structure is unchanged.

It is also interesting to note that while coconut oil is comprised almost entirely of saturated fatty acids, it is still referred to as an oil, rather than a butter. This is due to the lower molecular weight of the major fatty acids in coconut oil, which give it a lower melting point; typically right around room temperature. This is another clue that the terms butter and oil are not always very precise or meaningful. For this reason, it is a good idea to look at the fatty acid content of a particular butter or oil you would like to try and to understand what sort of performance you might expect based upon its chemistry, rather than what it is called.

Which is best for our hair?

So, we have established that all of these butters and oils are made up of different mixtures fatty acid molecules. What specifically accounts for the varying preferences expressed by consumers? Some curly-haired people extol the virtues of butters, while others adamantly proclaim oils as their holy grail ingredient.

The major components of butters and coconut oil are one or more saturated fatty acids, while the major components of most oils are a mixture of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. One must assume that the differences in performance when used as emollients for the hair are a direct result of these differences in molecular structure. This is exactly the reason, and the science is fairly straight forward.

You will recall recent discussions we have had regarding the nature of the cuticle layer of the hair. Pores in the cuticle layer (whether from damage or from its being slightly open due to being wet”> allow passage of some molecules into the cell membrane complex layer that is just beneath the cuticle scales. The fatty acids in this lipid layer act as a diffusion port that allows some fatty acids to penetrate the hair shaft. However, due to molecular structure and geometry, not all fatty acids are created equal in their ability to diffuse into the hair.

Murumuru butter

Generally, molecules with a straight chain geometry (saturated fatty acids”>, such as stearic acid, lauric acid, and palmitic acid can easily fit through the pores of the cuticle layer and slither through the CMC and into the interior of the cortex. Recent spectroscopic studies have allowed scientists to confirm that monounsaturated fatty acids are also able to readily penetrate the interior of the hair via this route. However, polyunsaturated fatty acids seem unable to penetrate into the interior of the hair at all, and remain either adsorbed onto the exterior surface of the hair or may get wedged into the cuticle layer.

Fatty acids in the interior of the hair can provide brittle hair with much-needed suppleness and elasticity. However, porosity is a very important factor to consider when using easily absorbed oils and butters. If one has very porous hair, it can absorb excessive quantities of these oils, which can lead to a host of problems. Among these could be greasy feel, dull appearance, limp hair, a swollen and open cuticle, frizz, and tangling. It can be very difficult to remove excess absorbed oils, in my experience, requiring the use of harsh surfactants, which strip the hair of its own lipids.

Oils high in polyunsaturated fatty acids may provide ease of wet combing and prevent static build up and fly-away hair. In addition, they form a barrier film on the surface of the hair, preventing moisture from escaping the interior of the hair. However, they might contribute to hair that feels greasy or sticky to the touch. Oils on the surface of the hair can also attract dirt to your hair. Another potential concern is that if these types of oils are indeed wedged into the cuticle layer at all, hair becomes vulnerable to the dangers of having a raised or rough cuticle.

My recommendation is to try small quantities of different oils and butters and carefully observe your results and preferences. Then, when you find things you really like or dislike, look into the fatty acid composition of the things you tried. This will help you determine if your hair needs saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fatty acids, and you can then choose your products accordingly, armed with your knowledge of the underlying chemistry!

By Tonya McKay · Published July 1, 2009

Tonya McKay

Recently, I asked for input from some of our readers for topic ideas. The response was wonderful! I never fail to be impressed by the depth of thought you ladies and gentlemen are putting into your selection and usage of hair care products. Many thought-provoking questions and ideas were presented, and I find myself being consistently challenged and sent down interesting scientific avenues. I will be working many of your questions into articles or Q&A format over the next few months and welcome more ideas and questions at any time.

Through the years, I have sensed perhaps a growing frustration amongst the ever-increasingly-informed curly populace. This frustration seems to be rooted in the fact that no matter how much you learn about ingredients, water hardness, pH, water solubility, dew point, etc., there is no one good formula or answer to help you consistently have those perfect, soft and shiny curls that we all so desperately desire. There are reasons for this.

The understanding of the health and behavior of hair is an extraordinarily complicated area of study that involves many different many aspects of scientific study. The topics are highly complex and interdisciplinary and are studied individually in fields such as biochemistry, microbiology, colloid and surface chemistry, water chemistry, polymer chemistry and physics, thermodynamics, meteorology, and even cosmetology. A scientist or practitioner must usually devote many years of their life to just one of these areas to become an expert in it. It is necessary when working in a field related to hair or skin science to delve into other fields and to develop interdisciplinary skills, but generally each of us relies upon our peers in other fields to help us in the areas in which we are not as strong.

In my experience in the field, large companies who spend millions on the research and development of hair and skin care products every year have many facets to their programs. Typically, there are development labs where chemists work on making new products. Those chemists work with suppliers from companies who make and provide raw materials, and they consult with the supplier’s chemists and biochemists, who are the resident experts in the individual ingredients. There are microbiology labs, where the growth of organisms are studied and preservatives are tested and refined. There are analytical labs filled with scientists who are experts in testing and understanding the chemical and physical properties of materials, who do testing on hair and skin to see how they are influenced by products and processes. There are groups of engineers who collaborate with the laboratory chemists in pilot plants to scale up development of a product into a manufacturing process. There are quality assurance laboratories, where exhaustive testing is performed on finished products and data is tracked statistically in order to catch products that deviate from the accepted standards. There are also typically experimental hair salons, where volunteers come in and have their hair done and “test” new products and provide feedback on results. (To my knowledge, none of them employ meteorologists!”>

My point is that the personal care product industry is a multi-billion dollar one that employs many scientists all around the world for good reason. There just isn’t one definitive answer for all of our hair questions and needs. There are too many variables and too many different perceptions of how “good” hair looks and feels. So don’t be discouraged if this stuff seems complex, elusive, contradictory, and nonsensical to you at times. Just keep reading up on it, trying different things, and then when you find something that works, stick with it! (until it stops working again, which we all know will happen eventually…”>

To kick off, let’s address this query from a reader: “We have learned a lot recently about dew point and how it can contribute to the behavior of our hair. Does air temperature play any role? For instance, the dew point could be 40 on a very cold day, and it could also be 40 on a very hot day. Most people have noted that they would not use the same combination of products for those two scenarios, despite the dew point being the same. What accounts for that?”

First of all, allow me to give all of NaturallyCurly’s readers kudos for having such a variety of products in your arsenal, combined with sufficient daily presence of mind that you can have different routines depending up on the weather! I desperately need some of you to take me in hand help me out with my own products and routine.

Now, to the question!

The short answer is yes, your hair will behave differently depending upon the temperature to which it is exposed, even if the dew point remains constant. The reason for this is that all materials exhibit a behavior known as thermal expansion, which occurs when they absorb heat energy and experience a subsequent change in volume. This can be a rather complicated process for hair, as it is a biological composite comprised of many different parts.

Last month, we went into some detail describing the complicated composition of our hair (Structure of human hair“>. You may recall that each human hair is made up of an outer layer of many scales called the cuticle, layers of fatty acids and lipids, and an inner core called the cortex, which is a complicated structure itself. The keratin molecules present in both the cuticle and the cortex, water molecules, and lipids which make up this fascinating biopolymeric composite are all susceptible to expansion and conformational changes due to variations in temperature. Water molecules exist in several different states within a hair strand – as free water, water loosely bound to keratin fibers, and water tightly bound to keratin fibers. Of all of the components of hair, water is probably the most influenced by fluctuations in temperature in the range we typically encounter in the environment.

When hair is exposed to higher temperatures, cuticle scales swell and lift away from the surface of the hair. This creates a much more porous hair strand and also an uneven surface, much more prone to tangling and breakage. Simultaneously, both free water molecules and those loosely bound to keratin molecules in the cortex get excited and begin to expand, causing swelling inside the hair cortex. Eventually, water molecules can begin to diffuse out of the cortex and evaporate out of the hair shaft through the gaps in the cuticle layer.

As water leaves the interior of the hair, the α-helix structure of the keratin protein becomes disturbed which disrupts the crystalline order within microfibrillar structures in the interior of the cortex. In a hot, dry environment, this can mean hair becomes very parched and frizzy. This also means a loss of elasticity, so the hair is more fragile and prone to breakage due to mechanical damage from combing or handling.

In a hot and humid environment, this swelling of the hair opens up the cuticle and allows water from the environment to penetrate the hair shaft, which further increases the swelling of the cuticle and hair shaft. Have you ever walked into a hot environment from a cold one and just felt your hair lift off your head, or started working out in the gym and felt your hair expanding and getting beautifully frizzy as your body temperature went up, or had the frizz set in when you were cooking in the kitchen? All of these phenomena are related to the expansion of hair (and the water within it”> due to exposure to heat.

Anyway, to answer your question directly — yes, the temperature is very important. The dew point may give you one piece of information, but the temperature is also extremely relevant. When it comes to hair, especially curly hair, internal moisture, atmospheric moisture and environmental temperature are all very important and interrelated. In my own experience, my hair adores colder weather, and I don’t have to put much thought into my routine in lower temperatures, so I put most of my energies into keeping my hair super-moisturized and protected in hotter climates. For me, this means lots of good conditioning product left in my hair after rinsing and the application of a good gel product that helps seal the cuticle and keep it as flat as possible. So far, nothing I have tried is perfect though, especially in Florida heat and humidity!

By Tonya McKay · Published May 28, 2009

As a polymer scientist with a love for biological structures, I find hair and skin to be extremely fascinating systems. Human hair is an intricate composite structure comprised of keratin proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, water and pigment particles. All of the individual components are complex and perform very specific functions. Those of us with curly hair are concerned a lot about our hair’s texture and porosity (a popular buzz word of late”>. These two factors are primarily based upon the structure of the cuticle — the outer layer of our hair.

Fig. 1: Undamaged hair

The scanning electron microscope image in Figure 1 shows highly magnified detail of the exterior surface of a strand of human hair. The external layer is called the cuticle, and is much like bark on a tree. Both the cuticle layer and tree bark are made up of many smaller, individual pieces (called scales when referring to the cuticle”> that work together as one overall unit to perform a function. The job of the cuticle is to provide protection to the hair shaft from mechanical and thermal damage, while allowing moisture in and out as needed. The cuticle structure is an amazing work of nature, because it is strong, yet flexible, and is made up of many pieces, which allows it to act as a seal to protect the inner cortex of the hair, and yet also allows it to be permeable, or porous.

The center of the hair shaft is referred to as the cortex, and is a very complicated structure filled with many different substructures and clusters of structures made of keratin protein, lipids, and other matter. Water provides the means for the necessary hydrogen bonding between the keratin fibers to occur that is essential for the maintenance of hair strength, elasticity and integrity. Without moisture in the cortex, the hair becomes thin, frizzy, and much more prone to permanent damage and breakage. Thus, the cuticle layer performs a very important duty by protecting this delicate interior of the hair and helping it maintain the proper balance of moisture.

Structure of the Cuticle

The cuticle itself is a multi-laminate structure, like stacked sheets of paper, composed of fatty acids, proteins, and other cellular matter. Below is a description of each layer.

• Epicuticle — This surface layer of the cuticle is made up of lipids and proteins and is also found on the bottom of the stacks of layers.
• A-Layer — This layer is comprised of proteins very high (35%”> in cystine, which enables the layer to be highly crosslinked. This layer gives toughness to the hair and also provides physical protection from heat and other potential threats.
• Exocuticle — This layer has approximately 15% cystine, so it is less strong and tough than the A-Layer, but provides similar protection.
• Endocuticle — This layer contains only 3% cystine, and so is only very lightly crosslinked. This means that this layer is the only cuticle layer to swell in the presence of water. This causes the entire cuticle to swell and lift away from the hair shaft, resulting in a ruffled cuticle that allows the passage of material both into and out of the hair.
• Cuticular Cell membrane Complex (CMC”> — This layer is made up of polysaccharides and several lipids (fatty acids”>. This layer acts as the glue that holds the cuticle together and holds it to the hair shaft.

Cuticle Damage

Fig. 2: Chemically altered hair

A perfectly healthy hair that has not been exposed to harsh chemical processing, prolonged sunlight, or rough thermal and mechanical treatments (often called “virgin hair””> will have a cuticle layer such as the one shown in Figure 1. The individual keratin scales lie very flat, have fairly smooth edges, and overlap one another, forming a flat, tight sheath around the interior of the hair shaft. A hair in this condition is highly protected from the environment, retains the most moisture, and generally is more reflective, giving the hair shine and gloss. (This latter feature is variable, depending upon the color and the degree of curl of the hair”>.

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have hair protected by such a beautiful, intact cuticle. As hair ages, it is continually exposed to sunlight, water, pollution and external mechanical forces. UV radiation from sunlight can break down some of the keratin bonds and cause deterioration of scales and cause them to lose some of their structural integrity. Mechanical forces such as combing, bruising, curling, pinning up or binding the hair can all catch the edges of cuticle scales and ruffle or raise them, creating a rough surface more prone to tangling and tearing. Rough treatment can even pull cuticles off entirely.

Water causes the endocuticle layer to swell, which lifts the entire cuticle and creates a rough surface. This leaves hair more delicate and susceptible to tangling and damage from friction between adjacent hair strands or from mechanical forces. For this reason, wet hair should be treated very gently and conditioners must be used to reduce friction and combing forces. Hair exposed to high humidity should be protected by extra conditioning and anti-humectant products in order to avoid this effect, which can lead to very damaged summer hair. (Read an article about summer hair here.”>

Fig. 3: Damaged cuticle

These (scary”> images show strands that have had extensive damage done to the cuticle layer from chemical processes (coloring, perming, relaxing”>. It is evident from viewing these images that once the cuticle layer is damaged, the cortex becomes exposed and the entire hair is extremely vulnerable to virtually any threat. The best solution in these extreme cases is to have a professional stylist trim the hair.

Curly hair is more susceptible to cuticle damage due to its structure and due to its lower amount of internal moisture. As a curly hair strand bends and curls around itself, sections of the cuticle layer can become slightly raised. These individual scales can cause tangles and breakage, get caught on a comb or scrunchie and magnify the effects of other types of damage that can occur to hair in our daily lives. For this reason it is imperative that people with curly hair avoid as many damaging conditions as possible, moisturize as much as their hair will tolerate, and use products that smooth the surface of the hair. It is critical to remember that prevention of damage is always the goal. Once cuticles are damaged or removed, further damage is inevitable until that portion of the hair is removed.

Next month I will discuss how the cuticle layer and our treatment of it affects porosity and what that means for our hair.

References:

1. Syed, A.N., Askar, N.A., “Structure of Hair” Powerpoint presentation, www.dralisyed.com, July 3, 2008
2. Robbins, C. R., Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair, Spring, 4th Editions, Dec. 14, 2001
3. Gray, John, “The World of Hair”, P&G Hair Care Research Center

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Email your questions to Tonya.

By Tonya McKay · Published April 1, 2009

Polyquats are of major interest to curlies, specifically the removal of polyquats for those who avoid sulfate cleansers. Build up of any moisturizing or styling agent is a genuine problem because it can lead to limp curls, frizzy hair with a straw-like texture — and it can even lead to permanent damage in the form of breakage. For this reason, I persistently search for publications of studies done that specifically investigate this topic.

Polyquats (polyquaternium”> are polymers frequently used in hair-care products to provide conditioning benefits to the hair. The trait they all share is that they are very large molecules with periodic positive charges located at different sites along the molecule. There are many different types of these cationic polymers, with widely varying molecular structures and charge densities (amount of positive charge/molecule”>. Each specific type of polyquaternium molecule is assigned a numeric designation, such as polyquaternium-4 or polyquaternium-11.

Some of these molecules are linear, like a snake or a single piece of spaghetti, while others have many branches like a tree. Most are fairly high molecular weight (in the 500,000 — 1,000,000 grams/mole range”>, which imparts the maximum conditioning benefits. A few of the polyquats are obtained via chemical modifications of naturally-derived polymers such as guar gum and cellulose. However, the majority are completely synthetic molecules developed and tested in laboratories, typically copolymers of various monomers selected to give the polymer the final desired properties. (If one is interested in further study, these monomers are often one of the following: vinyl pyrrolidone (VP”>, diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DADMAC”>, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, and quaternized vinylimidazole (QVI”>.”>

A BASF research group based in Germany published findings of a study they performed to compare the performance of several different common conditioning polyquats. They used several different test methods and sensory feedback tests to compare conditioning effectiveness and how easy it will be to remove removability of a common group of cationic polymers, including cationic guar gum, polyquaternium-7, polyquaternium-10, polyquaternium-11, and polyquaternium-44.

To determine conditioning effectiveness, they measured wet comb-ability of hair treated with each formula. (Wet comb-ability measures the forces required to comb through wet hair after application of the conditioning agent”>. They also surveyed consumer texture/sensory feedback on each type of polymer (typically accomplished in a small hair salon on site, where volunteers try different products on their hair and report how it feels to them”>. Atomic force microscopy was used to determine residual polyquat quantity on the hair after rinsing or washing with an anionic surfactant (such as sodium laureth sulfate”>.

The chemists reported that polyquaternium-44 led the pack by exhibiting superior conditioning benefits while simultaneously resisting build up. Cationic guar gum had the poorest performance in both regards. Polyquaternium-10 did not do as well in the conditioning efficacy analyses, but proved to also be easily removable. Polyquaternium-7 and polyquaternium-11 were somewhere in the middle of the group.

There were several interesting things to be gleaned from the behavior of polyquaterium-44. This is a completely synthetic, branched copolymer, of fairly high molecular weight, and fairly low charge density. Branched polymers like this are more coiled when in aqueous solution, unlike the more extended conformation adopted by their linear counterparts. For this reason, they are more easily deposited onto the surface of the hair, where the positively charged moieties bind to the protein surface.

Figure 1. Conformation of two different polymer structures in water — a linear polymer on the left and a branched polymer on the right.

The BASF chemists hypothesize that because of the low charge density of this particular polymer, much of the structure actually extends away from the hair surface in loops and coils. These little wiggly bits would act to reduce friction between adjacent hairs, which would reduce tangling and increase ease of comb-ability. This configuration is also credited with how easy it is to remove with a water rinse or shampoo rinse. Many cationic polymers resist removal with even the most harsh shampoos, so this is very interesting behavior.

Another research and development group observed similar behavior with a high molecular weight, branched and lightly crosslinked cationic polymer. This polymer displayed conditioning benefits superior to other cationic polymers when used in relaxer solutions. The inventors discussed data that supports that this polymer penetrated the hair cuticle due to its being open during the chemical relaxing process. Once inside, they believe it formed an elastic cushion inside the hair that provided lasting strength and elasticity to the hair. They also found that this crosslinked, non-linear material was more readily removed from the hair surface than other types of cationic conditioners, which also supports the findings of the BASF group.

The take-home message of this article is that products containing polyquat-44 will give you the best results compared to those formulated with other types of cationic polymers. It provides fantastic detangling and moisturizing benefits and detaches from the surface of the hair easily. Products with polyquat-10 are also a pretty safe choice for those on low-shampoo plans. It would be wise to keep in mind though that other polyquats as well as positively-charged silicones such as amodimethicone may be much more difficult to remove from your hair. As always, your mileage may vary, so don’t be afraid to experiment with products and ingredients!

Sources:

Hössel, Dieing, Nörenberg, Pfau, & Sander (BASF Aktiengesellschaft, Ludwigshafen, Germany”>, Conditioning Polymers in Today’s Shampoo Formulations; Efficacy, Mechanism and Test Methods, International Journal of Cosmetic Science, Vol. 22, No. 1, pg. 1-10, 2000

Woodruff, John, Formulators; it is time to widen your horizons, Paper given before the Society of Cosmetic Scientists, Chepstow, 2000

Agent: Joann Villamizar Ciba Corporation/patent Department – Tarrytown, NY, US

Inventors: Emily Crisp Bazemore, Rhonda F. Tsotsoros, Zhiqiang Song, Jianwen Mao

USPTO Application #: 20080138307, Use of high molecular weight crosslinked, water-soluble cationic polymers in hair care formulations

By Tonya McKay · Published February 1, 2009

Curly hair can be considered as a precious cashmere sweater that requires the utmost gentle handling and care. Most of us are aware that our wavy and curly tresses have a tendency to be drier than other hair, and can be very fragile and delicate. For this reason, we have been urged to avoid using harsh detergents on our hair, with special cautions against using the “sulfates.”

This is rather sound advice with regard to a very small number of ingredients (that do happen to be quite pervasive in the formulations”>, but it is often oversimplified and extended to include other ingredients that can be useful in a haircare regimen. With that in mind, it may be useful and interesting to explore the nature of surfactants, and then specifically sulfate surfactants, how they differ from one another, and what effects these molecular differences can have on curly hair.

What is a surfactant?

A surfactant or detergent molecule is one that possesses the trait of having one distinct portion of the molecule that is polar and hydrophilic (water-loving”>, and one portion that is non-polar and hydrophobic (water-fearing”>. This dual nature enables these molecules to interact favorably with water and water-soluble molecules as well as with oils and other types of water-insoluble molecules.

In many surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate, the hydrophilic portion is found to exist on a terminal end of the molecule, and for this reason it is often referred to as the head group. The hydrophobic portion of these linear surfactant molecules is typically an alkyl or aryl containing chain, which is referred to as the tail group. (Figure 1″>

Figure 1. Illustration of a simple linear surfactant molecule

Surfactant molecules are classified according to the ionic charge of the hydrophilic head group. These classes consist of anionic, cationic, nonionic, and zwitterionic surfactants. The most common anionic surfactants have a sulfate (such as SLS”>, sulfonate, phosphate, or carboxylate (soaps”> functionality as the head group, while cationic surfactants are often tertiary or quaternary salts of alkyl amines (cetrimonium chloride”>. Ionic surfactants are available in salt form with an appropriate alkali metal or ammonium counterion (typically sodium or ammonium”>.

Figure 2. Illustration of a micelle

Sulfate Surfactants

Sodium lauryl sulfate is probably the most commonly used anionic surfactant in the personal-care business. It is relatively inexpensive, foams quickly and is a fairly efficient cleanser. This molecule has 12 carbon atoms in its hydrophobic tail group and has a low critical micelle concentration, which means it has relatively good cleansing capabilities.

The downside is that it can be irritating to the skin, and as we have observed, can be quite harsh to delicate, dry hair. This is less the case when the formula which contains it has sufficient conditioning agents and co-surfactants present to minimize this effect”>. It has also acquired quite a reputation (primarily due to misinformation spread through the internet”> for being a health hazard, but that topic shall have to be addressed another day.

Sodium laureth sulfate, which is a slightly larger molecule than SLS modified by the addition of ether groups, has the ability to form larger micelles and is consequently a more efficient and harsher cleanser. This is also true for ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, and sodium myristyl sulfate and sodium myreth sulfate. (*** please note that this is different information than I have previously provided. I am looking into it further, but SLES and ALES are less irritating to the skin and eyes, which has possibly allowed them to enjoy an erroneous reputation for being gentler to the hair as well”>.

Figure 3. Sodium lauryl sulfate (top figure”> and sodium lauryl ether sulfate. The ammonium versions of these molecules have an NH4+ counterion in place of the sodium ion.

Sodium coco or cocoyl sulfate is sometimes seen on the labels of products wishing to market themselves as natural, gentle and luxurious. It is touted for being derived from coconut oil, which is true. It is typically a combination of sodium lauryl sulfate (usually around 50%”> and sodium myristyl and palmityl sulfate (longer chain hydrocarbon tails”>. Although this is derived from coconut oil, it goes through a rigorous chemical reaction and purification process, and the result is a surfactant mixture that performs in the same manner as the ones derived from petrochemical feedstock sources.

Sulfosuccinates are another kind of sulfate surfactant seen in hair and skin-care products. These ingredients possess two hydrophobic tails, which is a very different molecular architecture than the straight-chain sulfates. Molecules of this type are not as efficient at packing into micelles and are very mild cleansing agents. For this reason, they are not excessively drying to the skin or hair and should not be of concern, even though they retain their status as “sulfates.”

Magnesium sulfate, an ingredient often used as a curl enhancer in styling products, is not a surfactant but rather an inorganic crystalline compound. This material does not strip away moisture or oils from the hair or dry the hair in the same manner as a sulfate surfactant. It can create frizzy or dry-textured hair for some users, but for different reasons that shall be discussed in an upcoming article.

The Take-Away Message:

If a shampoo formulation were merely made up of water, surfactant and preservative, it might seem pretty cut and dried to avoid most of your sulfate-based surfactants. However, in most formulations, there are co-surfactants present, such as fatty alcohols, nonionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants (cocamidropropyl betaine”> — many of which help to reduce the drying tendency of the cleanser. Also, most formulations contain additives such as moisturizing oils and conditoning polymers that can help prevent damage to the hair. Additionally, the composition by weight of each component in the formulation is important to the overall performance of the product.

If you are attempting to avoid harsh shampoos, it is probably best to make sure you find a product that contains milder surfactants, lots of moisturizing agents, and little, if any of the linear chain sulfates. However, if you like to use them occasionally as I do, look for ones that have SLS or SLES lower down the ingredient list, and make sure the list contains other mild co-surfactants and moisturizing agents.

By Tonya McKay · Published December 31, 2008

Vinegar has been used as a health and beauty aid for thousands of years to brighten skin, soften hair and improve health. Now, as with all things natural, simple, cheap, and “green,” it is experiencing resurgence in its popularity as consumers become more conscious of the effects products may have on their health and on the environment.

Many marketers of natural soaps recommend the use of apple cider vinegar in particular as a rinse aid when using their product. Lorraine Massey suggests using it as a cleanser and rinse aid in her book “Curly Girl.” And many other web sites and message boards extol its virtues as well.

Here, I’ll discuss how best to use vinegar to care for your hair.

The Unique Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made by adding sugar, yeast, and bacteria to apple cider. This process ferments the cider into an ethanol solution, and then the bacteria convert it into an acetic acid solution. The cloudy and sometimes slimy portion of apple cider vinegar is actually dead cells of bacteria and yeast (yum!”>, sometimes referred to as “mother of vinegar.”

Apple cider vinegar is highly prized in the natural-products community, both for its reported health benefits and its extra nutrients that can help hair or skin. That may be the reason it is most often the rinse recommended for hair. However, current research does not show there to be any appreciable amounts of vitamins, minerals, enzymes or amino acids present in apple cider vinegar.

Other types of vinegar are made from wine, malt, corn, rice, coconut, sugar cane, or even beer. The pH for all the different vinegars range from about 2.5 to 3.5, depending upon the concentration of acetic acid (and the other acidic byproducts which can occur in the process, such as citric acid and tartaric acid”>. When it comes to use as a hair tonic or rinse, there really should be no performance difference between any of type of vinegar, so you can pick the one you prefer for reasons of smell or price.

Vinegar’s Benefits to the Hair

Vinegar is very useful as a rinse for the hair for several reasons. Acetic acid is a mild chelating agent, so it can be useful in removing mineral deposits on the hair that accumulate over time due to impurities in the air and hard water. The clarifying properties of ACV and other vinegars also extend to the removal of accumulated sebum or other waxy buildup from products. When used for this purpose, it is important to use a greater concentration of vinegar (25 to 50 percent”>. Rub it into the scalp and leave it on the hair for a few minutes, which gives it time to work.

Another excellent application for vinegar is to use it in conjunction with soap/shampoo bars, as a means for the prevention of build up of hard water–induced soap scum, which can be devastating to the condition of your hair.

Vinegar is also just a great pH adjuster for the hair when used as a rinse in a dilute aqueous solution. It is essential that your hair be the proper pH after cleansing and conditioning, as this affects the overall health, appearance, and condition of your hair. For this reason, most modern shampoos and conditioners are “pH balanced,” meaning they are adjusted to a pH very close to that of the hair in its healthiest state.

The relationship between pH and hair

Human is hair is made up of strands of fibers made of keratin protein, which contain the amino acids glycine, alanine, and cysteine. Cysteine contains sulfur, and is responsible for the disulfide bonds in hair. These contribute to the overall strength and elasticity of hair strands as well as to curl formation. Proteins are made up of many amino acids linked together into a chain, and then gathered and folded into other structures. Due to their chemical structure, proteins have the capability to possess either a positive or a negative charge, depending upon the local environment. There exists one pH (at a given temperature”>, where the molecule is completely uncharged or neutral, and this is known as the isoelectric point. The isoelectric point for human hair optimally is a pH value of 4.0 to 4.5.

Hair that is at its isoelectric point has a tight structure and a sealed flat cuticle layer on the outside of the strand. Things that can raise the pH of our hair are structural damage from processing or rough treatment; use of basic solutions on the hair such as perming solutions, relaxers, or baking soda; and soap bars or soap containing detergents. Hair at a higher pH is negatively charged, and has a more swollen and porous structure. It also has lifted, ruffled cuticles that contribute to a dull appearance, frizzy character, tendency to become tangled, and a higher propensity for breakage.

Since vinegar is acidic, with a pH between 2.5 and 3.5 (depending upon type and concentration”>, using it in a dilute solution as a final rinse for your hair or as a rinse prior to conditioning is an excellent way to lower the pH of your hair to the isoelectric point or slightly below it. This allows the hair to be sealed flat with a smooth outer layer of interconnected cuticle scales. This has the effect of making hair very shiny, with fewer tangles, more bounce and greater mangeability. To obtain maximum benefit from your rinse, I recommend preparing your solutions from water that has been filtered or softened. It is important to use vinegar carefully and in conjunction with a good conditioner, as it can be somewhat drying to the hair if used frequently or in too high a concentration. Overall, it is a fantastic and affordable addition to any hair-care routine.

Email your questions to Tonya.

By Tonya McKay · Updated May 28, 2024

When Bumble and bumble launched its Curl Conscious campaign, the company turned to curlies for its inspiration. We talked to Bumble and bumble Senior Vice President Artistic Director Howard McLaren about what went into developing the innovative campaign.

NaturallyCurly: How did you come up with idea behind the campaign?

McLaren: We were really inspired by how passionate our curly customers are about their hair. Curly haired people have such a specific point of view, and we really noticed how knowledgeable they are about their hair and its needs. They are in a class by themselves. We really wanted to honor the curl community with a campaign that celebrated not just curly hair but the entire culture behind this specific hair type.

NaturallyCurly: What was the feeling you hoped to get across with the campaign?

McLaren: We wanted the campaign to be celebratory and to honor all different sorts of textures and personalities. If you look at the photos of our campaign, they are all in the same soft fashion colors of the packaging and they evoke a very free-spirited vibe. We were inspired by the curl models, and clients we’ve met and worked with throughout the years and perceive them as very strong individuals who have a sense of belong to a larger community that’s unified by their hair.

NaturallyCurly: What is the meaning of the paisley in the campaign?

McLaren: The paisley print of the product packaging was inspired by a great story out of India. Long ago, during harvest time, farmers would dip the sides of their fists in ink and mark their grain bags to denote ownership. The kidney-shaped fist print evolved into the paisley print. We thought the paisley would be the perfect complement to our curl products since no two fist prints are alike, just like no two curls are alike.

NaturallyCurly: How did you find the models that appear in your campaign?

McLaren: We chose Los Angeles for our campaign shoot because we encountered these great kids who loved and embraced their curly hair. We cast the models via Facebook and Model Mayhem and also traveled to Los Angeles and asked our stylists to tell their friends in the area to stop by. After a mass casting of 150 models, we narrowed it down to 50 and selected 12 key models who we really felt represented the wide spectrum of the curl community. We loved their individual looks and the way they presented themselves.

NaturallyCurly: Tell me how you came up with the styles for the photo shoot.

McLaren: We took a look at the models — their face shape, hair texture, etc. — and created a haircut for each of them that was tailored to their individual look. That’s what cutting curly hair is all about. Curl textures vary so drastically. It’s really important that each head of hair is uniquely addressed.

NaturallyCurly: You chose to work with stylist Rolando Beauchamp on the shoot. Why?

McLaren: Rolando is such a versatile and experienced stylist who can really work with all hair types. He’s had quite a bit of experience working with curly hair throughout his career, and we knew he’d really make the shoot amazing. He’s our leading editorial stylist and has a relationship with Bumble and bumble that stretches back through much of his career. You’ve seen his work in magazines such as “Italian Vogue,” “Purple,” “Dazed and Confused,” The New York Times “Style” magazine and “Marie Clarie” as well as on the runway for such designers as Karen Walker and Vivienne Westwood.

NaturallyCurly: What is your philosphy behind curly hair?

McLaren: Curly hair is amazing, but it has special needs. When caring for, styling and cutting this texture, you have to be very present and careful. All three of these areas (caring for, cutting and styling”> need to be addressed. It all starts with a great cut, so that’s why Bumble has just inaugurated its first curl workshop this past November so we can educate our network stylists to the special needs of curly hair. Our curriculum really emphasizes individuality. Since there are so many different textures within the curl category plus so many different styling preferences among clients, it’s really important to ask questions so you get a feel for what needs should be addressed. My philosophy really is that there is no tried and true rules. Just be sure you ask questions. Particularly with a curly client who is often so knowledgeable and involved with their hair, cutting and styling curly hair is a collaborative experience.

NaturallyCurly: Let’s talk about the products. How did you tweak the Curl Conscious line?

McLaren: We realized that the two regimens we tried to enforce in the original line weren’t working. No curls are alike, and while the line was successful, people struggled with understanding which camp they fit in. We decided to focus on giving as many customizable options as possible when restaging the line.

We simplified the cleansers and conditioners with universal formulas. With a better understanding of curly hair, we realized we really didn’t need so many options. The majority of our clients preferred the shampoo and conditioner for fine-to-medium hair, no matter what their curl type was. So we made a few updates to the formulas.

We had a lot of people asking for something that was even more moisturizing than the medium-to-thick conditioner, which led us to create the Nourishing Masque. The client can control how often they use it, whether that’s once a week or once a day.

Styling was the strongest part of the line, but people wanted more options. So we created the Holding Foam for hold and control and the Reactivating Mist to revive curls throughout the day and on no-shampoo days.

With the packaging, we wanted it to complement the feel of the campaign. With the clear naming and curl differentiations as well as the colorful, hand-drawn paisley texture, the idea was that they have a distinctive identity that can work together or stand alone.