Daily hair care routines often expose hair to various forms of damage, ranging from chemical treatments like dyeing and perming to physical stresses such as brushing, heat styling, and environmental factors. These aggressions can lead to significant damage to the hair fiber, particularly affecting the integrity of the hair cuticle. When the cuticle is compromised, change its structure and composition making the hair more porous and hydrophilic. Consequently, the hair appears less smooth, more tangled, and unhealthy.

While rosehip is widely recognized for its beneficial effects on the skin, particularly due to its high content of vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids, its potential advantages for hair care have not been as extensively studied. Therefore, our research aimed to explore the efficacy of Rosa canina fruit extract in protecting the hair cuticle and promoting hair nourishment, with the goal of enhancing the hair’s overall appearance and resilience.

To evaluate the protective and restorative properties of rosehip extract, we conducted a series of experiments using virgin hair tresses previously damaged with 10% SLS at 70ºC for two hours to simulate the effects of chemical treatments and remove the lipid fraction. Hair hydrophobicity was measured on the tresses by evaluating the contact angle of a drop of water, along with a subjective sensory assessment to evaluate qualities of the hair, such as softness and ease of combing.

Tresses damaged with SLS exhibited a significant reduction in their contact angle, indicating a loss of hydrophobicity and an increase in porosity. However, tresses with the rosehip leave-on treatment, demonstrated a remarkable recovery in their contact angle values, returning to levels comparable to those of the untreated control tresses. This recovery was observed both before and after washing, suggesting that the rosehip extract provided lasting protection to the hair cuticle.