From dry to silky: the application logic and selection guide of liposuction agents and improvers in the care formula
In the formula world of shampoo and care products, “astringent hair after washing”, “dry after use”, “greasy skin” and “floating foam” are the most common problems for consumers.The core key to solving these problems is often hidden in the seemingly inconspicuous raw materials of “fat excipients” and “improvers”.They do not determine the cleansing power like the main watch, but directly define the product experience-is it the tightness of the face after washing, or the softness after bathing?Is it the knotted dryness after shampoo, or the lightness and smoothness after blow-drying?
I.Liposuction
The essence of liposuction is to supplement the lipid buffer layer for the skin and hair during the cleansing process to counteract the dryness, tightness and damage caused by excessive surface activity.Without destroying the cleansing power, repair the sebum membrane, improve wet combing, and adjust the foam texture to make the cleaning process gentle and comfortable.
1. Liposuction agents with different HLB values, suitable for different care systems
The HLB value is the core index of the selection of liposuction agent, which directly determines the dissolution state and function of the raw material in the formula.
-High HLB value (10-18): invisible softener for transparent system
Represented by OILREE® MY907 (Peg 7 glyceryl cocoate) (HLB≈13), this kind of liposuction has good solubility in water and can be adapted to transparent shampoos, amino acid cleansers and other systems with high transparency requirements.They do not cause the formula to be muddy, but they can quickly form a thin lipid membrane on the surface of the skin and hair during cleaning, relieving the peeling of sebum by surface activity. They are especially suitable for high-foaming anion systems. They can improve the tightness after washing without reducing the richness of the foam. It is a common gentle fat-returning ingredient in baby care and sensitive skin cleansing.
-Medium HLB value (8-10): dual-effect combination of thickening and liposuction
OILREE® MY AP-18 (Coco glucoside and Glyceryl oleate) complex (HLB≈8-10) is a typical representative. This kind of raw material is based on alkyl glycosides and fatty acid monoglycerides. It has its own thickening properties and can be used in non-ionic cleansing systems such as APG to help the system thicken while supplementing the skin with lipids. It is an ideal choice for shower gels, foam baths and baby shampoos.They can solve the common problems of “floating foam and dryness after washing” in the APG system, while providing gentle skin feeling support for the formula.
-Low HLB value (1-5): hair repair lock oil
OILREE® MY HA-2 (Hydrogenated castor oil or Sebacic acid copolymer) (HLB≈1.5) belongs to this type of raw materials. They are highly oleophilic and can penetrate deep into the gaps of damaged hair scales, fill the lipid defects between the hair scales, and reduce the frictional resistance during wet combing. At the same time, it increases hair luster without causing hair to collapse and not suppressing foaming like traditional oils. It is a high-quality choice for dyeing and repairing shampoos and damaged hair care products.
2. The core application scenarios and selection logic of liposuction agents
-Amino acid care system: solve the contradiction of gentle but dry
Although the amino acid surface activity is mild, the cleaning power is weak and easily affected by the water quality. After washing, it is prone to “false slippage” or “dryness” bipolar problems.At this time, with peg-7 glyceryl cocoate with a high HLB value, it can form a synergistic effect with amino acid epigenesis and enhance the gentleness of the cleaning system.
-Silicone oil-free care system: the key to suppleness instead of silicone oil
The core reason why silicone-free shampoos are prone to “wet comb knotting and dry frizz” is the lack of the lubrication and film-forming effects of silicone oil.At this time, liposuction agents with medium and low HLB values can come in handy: HA-2 can fill hair scale damage and reduce combing friction, while AP-18 complex can form a soft lubricating layer on the surface of the hair to improve wet combing. With cationic conditioners such as Behentrimonium chloride, a complete silicone-free softening system can be constructed to achieve a smooth process from wet hair to dry hair.
-Infant and child cleaning products: the dual consideration of gentleness and safety
The skin barrier of infants and children is fragile, and excessive degreasing can easily cause dry and red skin.At this time, priority should be given to low-irritating and high-safety lipid excipients, such as coconut oil-based glucoside/glyceroleate complex, which is based on alkyl glycosides of natural origin and is gentle and non-irritating. It can not only supplement lipids for infant and child skin, but also perfectly compatible with the APG epitope system, while helping the system thicken and enhancing the product experience.
II.Improver
If liposuction agents are special players to solve the problem of dryness, then improvers are the optimizers in the care formula-they can not only improve skin feeling and regulate hair, but also optimize system stability and enhance the user experience, covering the optimization of the whole link from the formula structure to consumer perception.
1. Hair conditioning improver: The advanced path from frizz to smoothness
The core role of hair conditioning improvers is to reduce hair friction, neutralize static electricity, enhance luster, and repair damaged hair scales.In the list of raw materials you provided, there are two typical types of conditioning improvers:
-MYEG-26 (Pglycereth-26 phosphate): This kind of conditioner can be adsorbed on the surface of the hair, neutralize the negative charge on the surface of the hair, reduce static electricity generation, improve hair gloss, and improve hair combing performance.It needs to be used in part of the formula and after neutralization. It is suitable for use with anionic surfactants. It can effectively solve the problems of dry hair and frizz. It is a common ingredient in repairing shampoo after perm dyeing.
In the dyeing and perm repair system, such conditioners are often used in conjunction with liposuction agents: liposuction agents fill the lipid defects of the hair scales, while conditioners form a protective layer on the surface of the hair to reduce the secondary damage to the hair caused by external factors.
2. Skin sensation and system improver: solve the hidden pain points of the formula
In addition to hair conditioning, improvers can also solve hidden problems such as skin feeling and stability in the care formula.：
-OILREE® MYLXT110 (c12-13 alkyl lactate): This kind of ester raw material is a typical skin feeling improver, HLB≈11, which is an ester with medium and high HLB value, which can bring lightness and softness to the formula, while improving the dryness caused by the surface system. It is suitable for adding to shower gels, body lotion and other products to relieve tightness and dryness of the skin after washing, and keep the skin soft to the touch.
-Rheology and stability improvers: The logic of improvers can also be extended to system stability optimization.For example, in a high-electrolyte system or a high-activity care formula, matching with a suitable non-ionic improver can help the system maintain stability and prevent problems such as stratification and turbidity.In suspension systems such as scrubs, improvers can also assist in thickening the suspension system and improving the suspension stability of particles.
III.Synergistic application of liposuction agent and improver
1. Softening solution for amino acid shampoo
-Pain points: The amino acid surface activity is mild but easy to dry, and the transparent system is prone to foaming and tightness after washing.
-Matching logic: main epigenetic activity (amino acid epigenetic activity) + lipid excipient (peg-7 glyceryl cocoate) + conditioning improver (glycereth-26 phosphate).
-Effect: peg-7 glyceryl cocoate works in concert with amino acid epigenesis to enhance the density of the foam, while relieving the tightness caused by epigenetic lipolysis, glycereth-26 phosphate is adsorbed on the surface of the hair, reducing static electricity and friction, and improving wet combing properties.
2. Repair plan for silicone-free shampoo for damaged hair
-Pain points: The silicone-free oil system lacks lubrication, damaged hair is wet combed and knotted, dry hair is frizzy, and static electricity is easy to produce.
-Matching logic: main epitaxial activity (anionic/amphoteric epitaxial activity) + lipid excipient (MY HA-2) + conditioning improver (cationic conditioning agent + phosphate ester conditioning agent).
-Effect: MY HA-2 penetrates deep into the gaps in the hair scales, fills lipid defects, reduces wet comb friction, reduces static electricity, enhances luster, and replaces silicone oil to achieve A supple effect without causing hair to collapse and become GREASY.
3. Gentle and softening solution for baby shower gel
-Pain points: The skin barrier of infants and children is fragile, susceptible to surface irritation, and prone to dryness and redness after washing.
-Matching logic: main active agent (APG active agent) + liposuction agent (AP-18) + skin feeling improver (c12-13 alkyl lactate).
-Effect: AP-18 is compatible with APG surface activity, gently cleanses and replenishes skin lipids to help thicken the system and enhance the use experience.c12-13 alkyl lactate relieves the dryness caused by surface activity, keeps the skin of infants and children soft, while reducing the irritation of the product, and adapts to the fragile skin barrier of infants and children.
Conclusion: From raw material to system
Liposuction agents and improvers are not supporting roles in the formula, but the core categories that define the product experience.From peg-7 glyceryl cocoate, which solves dryness after washing, to hydrogenated castor oil or sebacic acid copolymer, which repairs damaged hair, to phosphate ester improvers that optimize skin feeling and conditioning effects, each type of raw material has its own unique functional positioning and application scenarios.
For formulators, it is necessary to understand the HLB value characteristics of different liposuction agents, the functional focus of different improvers, and the synergistic logic between them and the main phenotypic system in order to build an adapted system based on product positioning and target population.
Hubei Mingya New Material Technology Co., Ltd.
