A look at on-shelf products and their use of nourishing ingredients:
Antiaging Hair Care
Known for its botanical and vitamin-packed treatment products for hair, Phyto, which recently launched an antiaging hair system, helped pioneer botanical hair care. The Phytosolba laboratories in France have been creating hair treatment products since the 1960s, and utilize a range of botanicals and plants in the formulation of their treatment products. Key ingredients featured in the new Phytodensium Anti-Aging Shampoo and Phytodensium Anti-Aging Serum include walnut extract, which protects against free radicals and environmental stresses, while black currant seed oil (rich in gamma-linoleic acid, a rare essential fatty acid) works to regenerate.
Birch and horsetail leaf extracts supply lost minerals into the hair shaft, while Phyto’s exclusive botanical complex derived from potatoes is designed to increase hair’s strength and elasticity. In addition, each formula features ingredients to hydrate and rid the scalp of bacteria. Phytodensium shampoo contains the active ingredient Progenium, a complex molecule of xylitol and lacitol to rid the scalp of harmful bacteria caused by environmental aggressors, which can prematurely age hair, and marshmallow root extract to hydrate. Wood cellulose extract works to detangle and add shine.
Phytodensium Serum, according to the company, helps replace lost tyrosine with a plant-derived form to boost the production of melanin, which in turn slows down the graying of hair.
Promoting Growth
Weleda utilizes plant extracts rich in vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids to design a hair care product treatment for split ends, lusterless and brittle hair. Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil utilizes pure extracts and oils, including burdock root extract for strengthening, and clover blossom extract for nourishing both the scalp and hair. Other ingredients are intended to help slow down the development of premature hair loss and alleviate dandruff and dry scalp conditions.
Green Nutrients
Hair care products featuring organically grown or wild crafted ingredients are looking to make their mark on the shelves. The makers of Yarok Sensory Treatment for Hair and Scalp added Green With Envy Volume shampoo and conditioner, and both feature formulas that are free of synthetic surfactants, preservatives, additives and fragrances. The shampoo’s foaming action is due to decyl glucose and sodium lauryl glucose, two natural surfactants derived from glucose, a natural sugar. Coco protein helps strengthen and smooth the hair shaft, while seaweed extract helps prevent moisture loss in scalp and hair. The combination is said to deliver a plumping effect, adding volume to fine and normal hair types. The formulas also contain a blend of organic herbal infusions selected for their restorative properties, including coltsfoot, marshmallow root and cedar atlas, and the conditioner utilizes macadamia nut oil and organic aloe vera.
Provitamin B5 to moisturize and prevent damaged hair along with botanical blends to strengthen and add shine are hallmarks of Jonathan Salon hair care, and the brand recently introduced the Ionic Balance line, featuring arginine, glycine, alanine, proline, serine, threonine, lysine and glutamic amino acids, said to mimic the skin’s own natural moisturizing capability.
