(266a) Designing Functional Polymers for Conditioning Hair Fibers

The personal care market has been experiencing revolutionary demand for sustainable alternatives to traditional synthetic materials used across market segments, particularly in rinse-off products that consumers see going down the drain. While consumer pressure is gaining momentum for sustainable materials, there is no tolerance for a decrease in performance. When consumers use a shampoo, they are expecting a certain level of cleaning performance, but also expect a level of conditioning that provides them with brushable hair, both wet and dry. Similarly, with a rinse-off conditioner, hair should feel silky and smooth, and any perception of damage should be reduced. Dow Home and Personal Care (HPC) explored sustainable alternatives that provide conditioning from both shampoo and rinse-off conditioner formats. We have explored two main pathways to increase conditioning: first, the increase of oil deposition on the surface of the hair, both natural oils and silicone emulsions; and second, the development of polysaccharide-based conditioning polymers that can provide increased combability in the absence of oils. This talk will share our journey to sustainable materials for shampoos and rinse-off conditioners, showcase our solutions for the deposition of actives and conditioning properties on hair.