Polyurethane-14 AMP-Acrylates Copolymer: A Hair Fixative Technology with "Memory"

With current market offerings for hair styling products, today’s consumer must choose between two different types of styling products. One type of styling product offers a strong hold, allowing the creation of a dramatic difference in styled hair versus unstyled hair. The other type of styling product offers the natural or flexible look. However, both approaches have drawbacks.

This paper reviews a new hair styling technologya, called DynamX, that builds upon both approaches to styling, offering both excellent hold and a natural, flexible look. In addition, this new technology adds the dimension of shape memory to hair styling. The combination of these three parameters – hold, flexibility and shape memory – defines a new standard in hair fixative performance: truly durable hold.

Drawbacks of Existing Technology
Styling polymers that offer “strong hold” are typically based on acrylate, acetate, methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride, PVP, or other traditional copolymer technology. Polymer technologies introduced over the past year have also focused on the strong stiff hold.

While offering excellent initial styling, strong hold products can feel stiff, raspy or crunchy to the touch. They do not provide natural movement to hair. Hair-to-hair bonds made with this type of product tend to be brittle, and vigorous movement will cause bonds to break. As a result, styles lose shape and require re-styling or touch-up to maintain a freshly styled look over the course of a day.

“Flexible” hold styling polymers are typically based on acrylate/silicone technology. The silicone copolymer chemistry provides weak holding power, meaning that consumers are limited in the styles that they can create. Hair-to-hair bonds created with this technology tend to be weak and easily break when forces have been applied to the hair. As a result, styles will lose their shape and require re-styling or touch-up to maintain a styled look over the course of a normal day.

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