Get in style - how to develop modern hair styling

Back in the good old days, the broadest choice in hair styling products available was in varying gel hold levels and the colour of the hair gel. Hair gels usually created a look comparable to a bicycle helmet, and hair pomades produced a greasy brilliance without hold; there was not much of a choice in between. Skip forward to today, and the styling segment has grown immensely. The number of hair styling products available, especially for men, is tremendous. There are creams, waxes, pomades, fibres, pastes, clays, and other special weapons to hold every hair style in place all day long. 

But are these different products really based on different formulation technologies? What is the necessary composition behind the varied labelling? This overview will provide some advice on how to formulate each specific type.

Hair is hygroscopic by nature; this means it is capable of absorbing moisture from the air. Humidity breaks down the hydrogen bonds. This means that if hair has been styled it will change from β-Kera-tin (unnatural state) back to α-Keratin

(natural state), which causes the hair style to drop. In this situation, a styling aid is required to keep the hair in place even when it is humid. If the intention is to obtain a strong hold, a water-soluble polymer will do the trick. Traditionally a polymer has always been added to a simple and often very cheap hydrous hair gel base. These gels can cement the hair to the head, but lighter formulations are available today. They provide maximum hold and high shine when applied to towel-dried hair. The drawback of these polymers is that the film they form is very stiff. If it breaks, it causes visible flakes. Therefore, hair which is styled with a gel is not flexible at all.

A hair cream is a light oil in water emulsion, which represents the middle-of-the-road type of product formulation. These provide longer-lasting hair styles, with little shine, light control, and direction without locking it in place. A styling cream does not offer extreme gloss or hold. Some polymers can be used as styling aids in the water phase and some waxes in the oil phase. Depending on the composition, the cream provides semi-flexible, but natural, hold. It should be applied to towel-dried hair. With the help of a blow-dryer the hold can intensify slightly. Hair fibres, clays, pastes, muds, and putties are usually emulsions as well. This is mainly due to the fact that a water phase helps to cut product cost. Additionally, they can be washed out easily. They usually provide a matte appearance, something which has become very popular in the past few years.

When waxes are used as styling actives, formability remains throughout the whole day. Waxes also help to soften hair for very natural looking hair styles, without a glued or concrete look. Traditionally Beeswax and synthetic waxes such as Microcrystaline wax and Ozokerite have been used, but there are other options.

Kahlwax 6279L1, combines a low melting point, between 40 and 50°C, with extraordinary hardness. It is ideal for hair styling formulations, as it provides strong hold, but allows pliable hair styles. The Myrica Fruit Wax comes from lofty heights: the small tree Myrica pubescens grows at an altitude of over 1,800 meters in the Colombian Andes. The peel wax covers the small, greyish berries to protect them from moisture loss and environmental stress.

The berries are sustainably harvested by farmers, monitored by the UEBT (Union for Ethical Bio Trade). The UEBT promotes sustainable use of biodiversity in Colombia, fair and equitable sharing of benefits, regulatory compliance, and social and environmental responsibility. After the wax has been removed from the berries, the dried fruits are shredded and used to fertilise other plants. No chemicals are used to gather and purify Myrica Fruit Wax. What makes this wax special is that it has no double bonds; it is a naturally hydrogenated oil. Due to its chemical structure (iodine value <2), it is very stable against oxidation, so it cannot go rancid. The fruit wax reduces stickiness of emulsions and cream-gels, and provides hair styling products with good holding properties. When used in hair conditioners, it eases combing.