Hair can never look good if it is not styled well. But it is not enough to create a great style – you have to keep it looking good. Styling gels therefore play a huge role in personal hair care and have become a mainstay of the hair care market.
While styling gels are typically designed specifically for use by either men or women, the principal behind the formulation is the same for both product types.
Conventional styling gel formulations contain several synthetic polymers. These are needed to thicken the gel, for film formation and to fixate the hair. The amount of polymer used and its final composition depend on the intended strength of the product. However, synthetic polymers in formulations that claim to be natural are strictly prohibited. Instead, manufacturers rely on the use of biopolymers to achieve the intended properties in hair styling gel. Nearly all natural styling products use xanthan gum as their thickening and film-forming ingredient. In a limited number of cases, xanthan gum may be used in combination with other gums, such as carrageenan or guar gum. 1,2
Looking at consumer trends, there is a growing demand for more sustainable and environmentally friendly ingredients to be included in styling gel products for everyday use. However, hardly any of the synthetic polymers currently used are biodegradable; instead, they accumulate in the environment once the hair gel is rinsed off and flushed down the drain, 3 a fact that is becoming increasingly important for aware consumers.
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