In the pursuit of luscious locks, consumers often subject their hair to various styling tools, from blow dryers to flat irons, in search of the perfect look. While these tools can work wonders in transforming their hair, they also expose it to a significant amount of heat, leading to damage and dullness over time. Enter thermal protection hair products – the secret weapon for maintaining healthy, vibrant hair without compromising style.
Understanding the Impact of Heat Styling
Heat styling tools have become indispensable in achieving sleek, voluminous, or perfectly curled hair. However, the high temperatures they generate can wreak havoc on hair's structure, leading to a host of issues such as dryness, breakage, and split ends. Additionally, repeated exposure to heat can weaken the hair shaft, making it more susceptible to damage and contributing to overall hair fragility.
The Role of Thermal Protection Hair Products
Thermal protection hair products are specifically formulated to shield strands from the damaging effects of heat styling. These innovative formulations create a protective barrier around the hair shaft, reducing heat penetration and minimizing the risk of thermal damage. By incorporating thermal protectants into the hair care routine, it is possible to enjoy the benefits of heat styling without compromising the health and integrity of the hair.
Key Ingredients for Effective Thermal Protection
The efficacy of thermal protection hair products lies in their carefully selected ingredients, each chosen for its ability to safeguard and nourish your hair under heat stress:
Silicones: These versatile compounds form a lightweight barrier on the hair's surface, sealing in moisture and protecting against heat damage without weighing the hair down.
Ceramides: Lipids naturally found in the hair cuticle, ceramides help reinforce its structure, enhancing resilience and protecting against heat-induced breakage.
Argan Oil: Rich in essential fatty acids, argan oil provides hydration and helps repair damage caused by heat styling, leaving hair smooth, shiny, and manageable.
Panthenol (Provitamin B5): Known for its moisturizing properties, panthenol acts the hair shaft, improving elasticity and protecting against heat damage while adding body and shine.
How to test the efficiency of a cosmetic product for thermal protection?
In the case of hair products, it is essential to measure certain physicochemical properties of the hair strands, making it possible to analyse their mechanical behaviour. This measurement can be carried out by applying a tensile force to the hair fibre and then assessing the deformation felt. The analysis of tension and deformation curves makes it possible to assess the behaviour of hair strands under different procedures, for example, heat procedures.
Under the action of a tensile force, a solid material can experience elastic deformation or plastic deformation. Elastic deformation is reversible and temporary since the material returns to its original shape after the applied force is removed. The elastic limit is the maximum pressure that a material can withstand without suffering permanent deformation. Beyond this limit, plastic deformation occurs, in which the material undergoes permanent deformation and does not recover its original shape. The applied pressure is expressed in terms of force per unit area (F/A).
It is known that the maximum stretching force of the hair strand, which is represented in terms of tensile strength at break (gmf.mm-2), is closely linked to the maintenance of the structural (physicochemical) properties of the inner part of the strand (cortex region). Cosmetic preparations containing specific ingredients make chemically strong bonds, considerably increasing the mechanical strength of the hair shaft. Therefore, by calculating the percentage differences between maximum strengths, we can attribute a percentage improvement or worsening in the resistance/strength of the hair structure.
If an increase is observed in the tensile strength at break values (gmf.mm-2) of the hair strand after induced thermal damage when comparing the strands treated with the tested product to the strands with the control treatment, it is possible to say that the product supports the thermal protection claim.
Conclusion
In the quest for flawless hair, thermal protection is the best ally against the damaging effects of heat styling.
Do you want to test your cosmetic products and see if they have thermal protection? Talk to us, we can help you!
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