Detangling and Conditioning Clear Shampoos

Developing clear shampoo systems that provide conditioning and detangling benefits to the hair can be a challenge. There are few ingredients available on the market that can address these challenges. For the last 25 years, the standard way to accomplish this was to use a conditioning polymer, often in combination with a phosphate ester, but the use of this combination is heavily patented.

Croda Inc. has unveiled a new combination, not previously exploited in patent literature, that delivers conditioning and detangling from a clear system. CrodaFos HCE (INCI: Oleth-5 phosphate (and) dioleyl phosphate) employs coacervation technology to ensure targeted delivery of the conditioning polymer to the hair. In the company's research, the polymer was combined with polyquaternium-10 and compared with combinations of polyquaternium-10 and several popular phosphate esters on the market. The combination utilizing the company's polymer showed superior conditioning and detangling in wet combing studies, as compared with the other tested materials.

The new polymer was also combined with Optasense CP-7 (INCI: Polyquaternium-7) and guar dydroxypropyl trimonium chloride, two other popular conditioning polymers on the market, and the studies showed that the polyquaternium-7 boosted the performance of these conditioning agents in wet combing studies.

According to the company, its polymer is also useful in the development of hair color formulations since it enhances the deposition of color on and within the hair for long-lasting color. It has a wide pH tolerance and is suitable for use in the color base (high pH) and the developer (low pH), as well as for shampoos and conditioners for color-treated hair.; it is recommended for use at levels of 2-8%.

For more information, visit www.croda.com.

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