Inventive Formulating Abounds Yet Questions Remain at SCC’s Scientific Seminar

By: Katie Schaefer, C&T magazine

Posted: June 23, 2010

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The conversation turned from hair coloring to hair straightening in a with a presentation by Timothy Gao, PhD, principle scientist at Croda. Gao discussed multilayer lamella vesicles (MLVs) in hair straightening formulations for better straightening efficacy, faster and larger stress decay, and smaller retaining relative helix content when compared with formulas without MLVs. Gao’s team replaced the non-ionic emulsifier in hair straightening formulas with an equal amount of phosphate esters to enhance the formation of MLV structures.

Karl Lintner, PhD, followed Gao with a talk on modulating hair growth. According to Lintner, humans have 100,000-150,000 hairs on their scalp, some up to 500,000. He noted that hair has the highest rate of mitosis. However, he added, “Regulation of hair growth involves extremely complex interactions on several levels.” He reviewed lessening DHT production by inhibiting 5α-reductase type I and II as a method to increase hair growth, in addition to improving blood irrigation to the hair follicle and improving follicle keratinocyte quality. Also, he offered three ideas to counter hair growth: inhibiting protein synthesis and energy supply, inhibiting cell proliferation, and chelidonine to paralyze mitosis and reduce 5 o’clock shadow. He concluded, “It is easier to slow hair growth than to initiate it or speed it up.”

Hair growth continued in the following presentation by Paul Mouser, PhD, global R&D scientist at ISP, who discussed an approach to enhance hair growth and improve the health of hair. The company developed a yeast extract, which increases keratin 14 and keratin 17 to improve hair strength and nourishment. In addition, a corn extract was developed that increases laminin 5 for hair growth maintenance. Finally, Mouser discussed a rice extract that enhances hair elongation and protects hair from damage.

To design products that maintain hair health, a formulator must be able to quantify hair’s propensity for hair breakage, which was the topic for Trefor Evans, PhD, principle scientist at TRI/Princeton. According to Evans, there is a need to better understand the factors that contribute to breakage. His team repeatedly brushed or combed tresses a number of times, subsequently counting the number of broken fibers. This test reportedly can be used to demonstrate the benefits associated with conventional conditioning products since surfact lubrication reduces grooming forces, snagging and tangling. He noted that with this testing, it is possible to predict breakage rates on actual heads as a function of different habits and practices.

The second day of the program began with a trends presentation by keynote speaker Betsy Schmalz Ferguson, president of American Flavors and Fragrances. She noted the growth of food ingredients in cosmetic products. In addition, she has seen more diversity in personal care products and a growing number of product manufacturers becoming socially responsible. Interestingly, she has also observed a trend for high tech makeup, including custom-blendable cosmetics and makeup that self-adjusts in different light. Ferguson added, “More devices or products [previously] only available at the doctor’s office are now available at home.” A more recent trend she noted is that for color cosmetics to reinvent past generations. For example, disco makeup is on the rise, in addition to old product forms such as stick makeup and eyeliner in a pot. She commented that she has also seen rise in the conversations about vitamin D in skin care, and concluded with the thought that sometimes it is about how young a brand thinks.