A New Trend in Hair Care

Interview
DSM

A new trend in hair care is the growing influence of skin care habits on hair and scalp care needs. Consumers are looking for preferred skin care ingredients to become part of their hair care routine.

What factors have an impact on the purchasing decisions of consumers?

Globally, hair loss treatments, conditioners and treatments are the fastest-growing segments of the hair care market. In particular, scalp is a rising focus with moisturizing, sensitive scalp, damaged hair, and hair loss prevention as main claims. Consumers with hair concerns are indeed in demand and looking for effective solutions delivering specific benefits. And when it comes to purchasing decisions, it has been found that active ingredients are more important than brand, packaging and fragrance for 56% of the surveyed consumers (DSM Survey 2021).

What is Skinification in Hair Care?

Consumers are beginning to understand that the scalp should be nurtured in a similar way to facial skin and will be interested in ingredient innovation that crosses from facial care to the scalp. They are enthusiastically researching all the ingredients in a product, focusing particularly on the actives such as hyaluronic acid, vitamins and peptides. This trend is called Skinification and continues to be a key driver for market novelties. For example, hair care brands are messaging the connection between a healthy scalp and hair loss with mentions on social media increasing tenfold from 2019 to 2020. Brands are also trying to educate consumers about managing health as a hair loss strategy but also suggesting multiple products as a possible solution to help combat the issue.

How does DSM answer this new trend?

As an established specialist and market leader of Skin bioactives for many years, we know very well Skin biology and have a great proposal of recognized trendy ingredients that deliver effective skin care benefits about moisturization, aging prevention, rejuvenation, addressing skin sensitivity, etc… thanks to our broad offer of naturals ingredients (such as the moisture magnet PENTAVITIN®), biotech ingredients (hyaluronic acids HYA-ACT™), organic Alpine extracts (ALPAFLOR®), vitamins (A, B3, B5, C, E…), and targeted peptides (SYN®). We have matured an extensive science and laboratory screening on our range of skin bioactives toward hair care to answer to the most scalp and hair concerns. We have not limited our researches to those actives, but investigated as well our UV filters and Technical & Performance ingredients. We are proud to bring 20+ solutions for the scalp and hair care covering for example, hair loss and hair greying prevention, scalp care and sebum/flaking reduction, or hair shine and protection.

What are consumers` key issues of hair care?

A survey run in 2021 on 2100 people by our DSM marketing insight department showed that, globally, dandruff remains a top concern, followed by hair loss, itchy scalp and greasiness. Next top concerns are hair and scalp dryness, and also split end.  This worldwide picture would not be complete without highlighting that top of mind concerns are quite differentiated across the regions. For instance, it appears that dandruff is more a concern in China and Brazil, than US, France and Japan. While hair loss is more a concern for France and Brazil, than Japan, China and US. 

Focusing on hair loss prevention, the most popular action being taken by consumers is to use hair or scalp care products at home. However, almost half of them have not been satisfied yet with these products as they seems to be not really effective. And 90% of respondents across all subgroups would do “a lot” or “anything” to prevent themselves from losing their hair! We observed also that Itchy scalp appears to be the #1 symptom for scalp problems, while 44% of surveyed believe in moisturizing solutions to fight scalp issues. Finally, 81% of them were interested in products that claim to prevent / reverse grey hair.

Thus, the issues could be extended to ‘hair aging’ which is characterized by greying, loss and thinning of hair. It is considered as an aesthetic problem and might cause major psychological distress in affected individuals. Therefore, the cosmetic industry is looking for mild treatment opportunities.

Which of your skin care ingredients can answer these key consumer concerns?

We investigated ALPAFLOR® EDELWEISS CB, our organic extract of the rare alpine plant Edelweisswell known in skin care to strengthen the skin and prevent sensitivity, for its ability to work against hair aging. Our data on human hair follicles ex vivo show that the extract is able to significantly prolong the hair growth phase anagen and to increase keratinocyte proliferation in the hair matrix, both associated with hair growth mechanisms. In addition, there was a donor-dependent increase in the hair follicle’s melanin content, suggesting positive effect on hair pigmentation. In placebo controlled clinical studies on about hair loss prevention and anti-hair greying, we found a significant increase in hair density (Trichoscan) over time and against placebo formulation.  Trichoscan analysis showed also a significant increase of pigmented hairs for the Edelweiss extract over time, and against the placebo group. Those evidences show that ALPAFLOR® EDELWEISS CB has a solid hair anti-aging effect ex vivo and in vivo.

Another investigation on hair aging was made on our multi-vitamins complex BEAUPLEX® VH (Vit. E, Vit. C, Vit. B3, Vit. B5, Vit. B6), a great skin care ingredient. The new set of data show that BEAUPLEX® VH is able to prevent hair loss and promote anti-hair greying on human hair follicles ex vivo and as well in new in-vivo studies.

Itchy scalp being the #1 symptom for scalp problems, while consumers suffering from scalp issues find most interesting “moisturizes scalp and hair”, followed with some distance by “soothes the scalp, reduces itchiness”, new studies were performed with PENTAVITN®. Our 100% natural origin sugar derivative is known as the ‘moisture magnet’ for its long lasting and deep hydration properties in skin care leave on, and its ability to restore hydration in rinse off. This outstanding bioactive is also able to moisture dry scalp. 24 hour after one single application and even after 28 days of frequent showering, shampoos with 0.2% and 0.5% of PENTAVITIN® reinforce the scalp barrier. This sugar derivative is also able to reduce scalp flaking, up to 55% reduction after frequent showering with shampoos, and offers a 40% sebum reduction after frequent showering with a shampoo. The improvements over the placebo are highly statistically significant. PENTAVITIN® is a bioactive of choice for scalp treatment targeting moisture and reduction of flaking & sebum.

Can you give us some specific formulation examples?

We are delighted to present a full line-up dedicated to hair care. You can make the most of your hair care routine all year-round with this new line-up that provides a great variety of solutions from scalp to tip. The routine is composed of a strengthening shampoo, a nourishing mask, 4 shots for personalization the shampoo and the mask), a reactivator serum and anti-flaking scrub for scalp care.

The STRENGTHENING SHAMPOO contains Vitamin B5 (Panthenol) to enhance moisturization and hair strength and TILAMAR® Boost 150, a unique microbiome-friendly technology that delivers up to 24h of long-lasting volume while providing an extra touch of care. This technology has been tested on different hair types and approved by experts (hairdressers). 

This formula provides color and hair structure protection against UV thanks to PARSOL® SLX, excellent combing properties (TILAMAR® Quat 2240) and a soft texture with our 100% made in Europe 1,3 propanediol TILAMAR® PDO with NØØVISTA™.

You can choose the shot to personalize the shampoo (and also the mask)

SHOT Shine & Repair        
Life's GLA '10' n-6 Oil (evening primrose oil) + Phytantriol

SHOT Scalp Care              
PENTAVITIN®, ALPAFLOR® ALP SEBUM CB, VIT. B6, TILAMAR® PDO with NØØVISTA™

SHOT Anti-Hair Greying    
BEAUPLEX® VH, TILAMAR® PDO with NØØVISTA™

SHOT Growth & Vitality     
STAY-C® 50 (stable form of Vitamin C), ALPAFLOR® EDELWEISS CB, TILAMAR® PDO with NØØVISTA™, D-BIOTIN

We will be happy to share the formulation details upon request!

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