Evonik chemists are anticipating the needs of hair care marketers by rolling out a range of ingredients that are intended to make consumers’ hair look and feel better, and easier to care for as well.
“Formulators want to protect and restore hair,” noted Anna Howe, applied technology manager North America for the personal care business of Evonik Industries. “Our new technology can meet their needs and maintain healthy, strong and vibrant hair.”
Howe explained that protection has become a megatrend within the hair care segment as more consumers expose their hair to heat and color processes; especially now that Baby Boomers are coloring more gray hair than ever.
Evonik launched three new silicone-based conditioning agents and one viscosity enhancer in December 2012. Abil ME 45 is a multi-benefit, silicone conditioning agent that is said to have superior properties for shampoos and conditioning rinses. The high-molecular-weight silicone quat microemulsion is PEG- and preservative-free, and can significantly improve combability of wet and dry hair. In addition, when used at 3.3% in formulation, Abil ME 45 reduced red-dye color fading by about 25% after 10-, 15- and 20-wash cycles vs. a control.
Abil Soft AF 300 is billed as a higher-performance, amino-silicone for conditioning rinses and intensive hair treatment emulsions. In a test rinse formulation, Abil Soft AF 300 outperformed market standards aminopropyl dimethicone and amodimethicone in both wet sensory assessment (detangling, wet comb, wet feel) and wet comb-force measurements.
Abil Soft AF 200 is a new cost-efficient alternative to standard amidodimethicone for conditioning shampoos. In comparisons with standard amidodimethicones in shampoo test formulations, Abil Soft 200 showed superior conditioning effects (detangling, wet comb, wet feel, dry feel) in sensory assessments, and a significant reduction in wet comb force in laboratory measurements.
Antil CM 90 is a coconut-based thickener for general use in shampoo and body wash formulations.
In addition to protecting hair, these new materials protect marketers’ profit margin as well, according to Evonik.
“Customers want more creative financial solutions without giving up performance,” explained Howe, who said that Abil Soft AF 300 may be used at concentrations as low as 0.3%, which can yield significant cost savings.
She noted that Evonik launches 8-10 new products every year and has become a key partner for many leading beauty care companies.
02.12.13