Forever Young: Antiaging Hair Care

By: Katie Schaefer, Cosmetics & Toiletries

Posted: April 30, 2007, from the May 2007 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

page 2 of 2

Benefits
Although silicones provide a film to the hair, according to Johnson, they do not build up, which is a significant concern for consumers. Members of Johnson’s research team conducted studies in which hair treated with amino silicones were washed a number of times. “We have shown through different amounts of washing that the silicone does wash off,” said Johnson.

Increasing hair strength can only mean good things to come in terms of hair aging. Johnson’s researchers have recently launched a program that demonstrates the benefits of silicones in enhancing hair strength using single fiber testing, whereby a single fiber of hair is mounted and elongated using tensile measurement.

More consumers are coloring their hair, according to Johnson, and formulators must provide products that ensure long-lasting color. “Hair colorants are known to damage the hair cuticle and leave hair brittle, dull and dry, so consumers seek specialized treatments to maintain healthy colored hair,” Added Johnson. Specialized hair care products, therefore, have been designed specifically for hair treated with permanent colorants.

Studies by Johnson’s team have demonstrated that amino functional silicones enhance hair strength and aid in color retention when incorporated into permanent hair colorants or rinse-off conditioners.

The future of silicones involves branching into other arenas of hair care, according to Johnson. “[The silicone industry] is getting into the styling market. It is developing new methods to see if silicones can provide body and volume,” said Johnson. One thing is for sure, the silicone industry will continue as it has for many years because it continues to reinvent itself, thereby maintaining its youth.