Lyotropic Liquid Crystals for Damaged Hair and Other Topics: Literature Findings

By: Charlie Fox, Independent Consultant

Posted: July 30, 2009, from the August 2009 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

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Hair dye compositions: L’Oréal has created hair dye compositions comprising an aminopyrazolopyridine oxidation base, a coupler and a surfactant.¹¹ These compositions contain C_8-30 alkylether carboxylic acids and their salts or C_12-30 alkyl polyglycosides as surfactants. The compositions are applied to hair in the presence of an oxidizing agent for a sufficient time to develop the desired color. The color obtained has a different tone and is resistant to adverse conditions. A hair dye composition contained 0.006 mol 2-[(3-aminopyrazolo-1,5-a]pyridin-2-yl)oxyethanol hydrochloride, 0.006 mol 1-methyl-2-hydroxy-4-aminobenzene, and excipients to 100 g. The composition gave a strong blue color to the hair.

Permanent deformation of keratin fibers: Henkel AG & Co. have published a hair styling method for the permanent deformation of keratin fibers but with the appearance of temporary hair styling, without the use of perm rods. The method incorporates a reducing substance followed by an oxidizing composition containing film-forming polymers.¹² Hair fibers are treated with an aqueous preparation of a keratin-reducing substance, rinsed after an exposure time, fixed with an aqueous solution of an oxidizing agent, rinsed after a second exposure time, and optionally treated. Even when used at home, the method permits long-lasting hair styling that resists damage over time, endures unfavorable weather conditions and can be employed in daily hair care routines without appearing “severe” or “old-fashioned” like the classic permanent wave. No formulation example is presented.

Promoting hair growth with biotin and purine: Henkel AG & Co. also was issued a patent on hair growth-promoting preparations.¹³ The invention relates to hair treatment agents for activating hair growth that are contained in a cosmetic carrier. These agents include at least one biotin compound; at least one taurine compound; purine and/or at least one purine derivative; and at least one glycoprotein. The invention further relates to a method for activating hair growth, improving hair structure and reducing hair loss. An example is shown in Formula 6.

Raw Materials
Ceramides from wool for skin and hair: Ramirez et al. report on ceramides extracted from wool and a pilot plant solvent extraction method for obtaining those ceramides.¹⁴ Ceramides extracted from wool fibers have proven beneficial in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations for the treatment and care of skin and human hair. This work sought to obtain internal wool lipid extracts enriched in ceramides at a pilot plant level without causing significant damage to the wool fiber.

Two extraction methodologies were performed using two solvents—acetone and methanol. Analyses of wool extracts were performed with thin layer chromatography coupled to an automated ionization detector, and chemical and mechanical evaluations of extracted wool were conducted. Larger amounts of ceramides were obtained when wool fibers were extracted with methanol than with acetone, with only some modification of the fiber properties. This lipid extract could prove to be a highly valuable by-product for the wool industry.