Instant/Gradual Self Tanning and Other Topics: Literature Findings

By: Charles Fox, Independent Consultant

Posted: February 1, 2010, from the February 2010 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

page 2 of 4

Amino functional silicone treatment for post-relaxing: Unilever has disclosed a sodium hydroxide hair relaxing composition and kit including emulsified particles of an amino functional silicone with the following general formula:⁷

Si(CH3)3-O-[Si(CH3)2-O-]x- [Si(CH3)(R-NH-CH2CH2NH2)-O-]y - Si(CH3)3

In the amino functional silicone formula, x + y is a number from approximately 50–500; R is an alkylene group with 2–5 carbon atoms; and the amino functional silicone has a mole % amine functionality of at least 1 mol % and a non-amino functionalized silicone.

Hair swatches were treated three times with the relaxer formulation, rinsed, shampooed with a neutralizing shampoo, rinsed and dried. One set had no further treatment, while the remaining sets of swatches were treated with the post treatment shown in Formula 2. The conditioner treatment was found to enhance the hair’s protection against broken fibers and split ends.

O/W hair styling composition: Shiseido Co., Ltd., has disclosed an o/w emulsion hair styling preparation that exhibits spreadability, a nontacky feel and styling properties without feeling squeaky.⁸ The o/w hair styling preparation comprises: 0.1–10% w/w of a specific long-chain acylsulfonic acid salt anionic surfactant such as sodium N-stearoyl-N-methyltaurate; 0.1–20% higher aliphatic alcohol; one or more of 0.5–50% w/w waxes, 0.1–8% w/w hair styling resins, and 0.1–8% w/w powder components such as silica, water and an optional liquid oil. An example of a hair styling composition is shown in Formula 3.

Hair conditioning with branched fatty acids: Kao Corp. has disclosed shampoos with branched fatty acids for improved hair conditioning properties.⁹ The shampoos contain polyoxyethylene sulfate salt anionic surfactants, cationic cross-linked vinyl copolymers and branched fatty acids or their salts. The branched fatty acids have the formula:

MeCHR1(CH2)nCO2H

where R1 = Me, Et; and n = 3-36. An example of a hair conditioning shampoo is shown in Formula 4. Application of the shampoo resulted in no tangling upon washing, and no stickiness and good smoothness after drying.