Hair styling

Introduction

A well-groomed appearance also includes hairstyling that suits your type. Beautiful hair makes us attractive and confident, it emphasizes our personality and highlights our individuality. Although the selection of hair styling products is now enormous, it is important that the products are suitable for the desired style and free from harmful ingredients.

These hairstyling products are currently available

Before blow-drying, apply a dollop of mousse to the hair, as this makes styling easier. If you regularly use a curling iron or straightening iron, you should treat your hair with heat protection spray beforehand. This protects against drying out and the high temperatures involved in styling.

Hairspray gives your hairstyle hold and stability. It is available in different strengths and provides a shimmering shine. Hair lacquer has an even more intense effect and is particularly suitable for very unusual or extreme styling ideas. Hair gel is ideal for a fashionable wet look or to accentuate individual strands. And if you want to style your short to medium-length hair, use hair wax.

Types of hairstyling products and their characteristics

Hair gel

Hair gel is water-based and can be easily washed out or combed out.

It makes the hair stiff, so that once the hair gel has dried, the hairstyle cannot be restyled.

Synthetic gelling agents are usually used here, while natural gelling agents are used in natural cosmetic products. However, natural gelling agents do not achieve the stability required for extreme hairstyles.

Hair wax

Based on natural waxes (e.g., carnauba, candelilla, beeswax, rice wax) or paraffin-based waxes (synthetic wax, petrolatum, Cera Microcristallina). These waxes give the hair strong hold but do not dry it out. This means that the hairstyle can still be changed afterwards. However, this product form is less suitable for fine hair and is difficult to wash out due to its hydrophobic nature.

Hair pastes

This product form is not clearly defined and its consistency ranges from very sticky products to toothpaste consistency. They are only slightly shiny and give the hair a matte touch. Pastes are easy to rinse out and, like hair gels, are water-based products.

Styling creams

These are practically the oldest hair styling products and are defined as water-based creams. They provide only light to medium hold, but offer a lot of care for the hair and scalp.

Pomade

This product category is available in oil- and water-based forms. Pomades give the hair a smooth appearance and a strong shine.

Clay

These products contain clay in the form of bentonite.

Clay products make the hair appear thicker and provide hold without weighing it down. This makes them ideal for voluminous hairstyles.

Problematic ingredients in hairstyling products

Many hairstyling products still contain a lot of synthetic raw materials, which in turn contain problematic additives. Formaldehyde, for example, is a substance that triggers allergies and irritates the mucous membranes. Halogenated organic compounds are also unfortunately not uncommon. And many brands still rely on artificial substances such as silicones and paraffins. Although these do ensure that the hairstyling products can be distributed well, on the other hand, these substances cause the gels, waxes, and sprays to weigh down the hair and scalp. This often results in an itchy scalp or the formation of dry dandruff.

Good clean beauty hair styling products should never contain the following raw materials:

– Butylphenyl methylpropional (Lilial)

– PEG/PEG derivatives

– Fragrances that can trigger allergies (e.g., cinnamal)

– Diethyl phthalate

– More than one percent silicone compounds and/or paraffins

In addition, good, high-quality hairstyling products should be free of microplastics. These include the following substances, among others:

– Acrylates/C1-2 succinates/hydroxyacrylates copolymer

– Acrylates/steareth-20 methacrylate crosspolymer

– Polyquaternium-11 and polyquaternium-69

– Vinyl caprolactam/VP/dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer

– Ammonium polyacryloyldimethyl taurate

But which active ingredients are suitable for clean beauty hairstyling products?

Rice bran wax profile

One example is rice bran wax. This organic wax is a neutral carrier substance and also an ideal substitute for microplastics.

INCI: Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax

CAS number: 8016-60-2

Effect: Co-emulsifier and consistency enhancer

Panthenol profile

Or panthenol: When applied to the skin and hair, this precursor to vitamin B is converted into valuable pantothenic acid and has many wonderful properties. Panthenol improves hair elasticity, prevents hair damage, and protects against environmental influences by improving moisture retention.

INCI: Panthenol

Alternative names: Dexpanthenol, provitamin B5

Effect: protective, nourishing, moisturizing

Additional Active Ingredients

The 3HC Hair Stimulation Complex is one of the noteworthy innovations in modern hairstyling. This blend of highly effective botanical actives — green walnuts, arugula, and green grapes — supports hair cell vitality. Studies indicate that the complex can significantly prolong the lifespan of individual hairs.

A different mode of action is offered by the Hairspa Complex. It delivers intensive moisture while soothing the scalp. By strengthening the scalp’s natural protective barrier, it helps minimize irritation and visibly reduces itching and dandruff. The complex is composed of lactitol and xylitol on a glycerin base.

The Karkade Hair Complex also brings unique benefits. Derived from a special variety of Hibiscus sabdariffa, it provides a synergistic effect on the hair. Its polysaccharides and fruit acids smooth damaged hair structures by supporting keratin chain repair, while the fruit acids additionally stimulate cell renewal on the scalp.

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Sophisticated hairstyling products without critical substances from Cosmacon

Are you interested in clean beauty hairstyling products? Cosmacon will be happy to assist you with development and implementation.

When you need it fast:

✨ Our partner Tojo Cosmetics offers innovative, active ingredient-rich private label products – quickly available, high-quality, and perfect for brands that want to impress with passion and quality.