Skinification of Haircare

Consultant Trichologist Eva Proudman FIT IAT cuts through the noise around ‘the ‘Skinification’ of Haircare’

The concept of “skinification” has made its way into haircare, with many experts and high-profile brands applying the same facial skincare principles to hair and scalp health. Key elements of this trend focus on the scalp microbiome and which skincare ingredients should be incorporated into haircare formulations such as hyaluronic acid, peptides, and antioxidants.

Here, Consultant Trichologist Eva Proudman FIT IAT, an expert in hair shedding and loss, as well as scalp health, cuts through the noise to tell us what ingredients we really need to look out for in a shampoo and/or conditioner for differing hair types.

What ingredients do we really need to look out for in a shampoo and/or conditioner?

First and foremost, it is important to remember what a shampoo and conditioner are meant to do! In the case of shampoo, it is meant to clean the hair and scalp and leave it balanced, with a conditioner then providing the hydration, smoothing, strength and in some cases volume.

Over the last 10 years, I have been ‘banging the drum’ that our scalp is made of skin, and therefore, just like our faces, it needs cleansing and balance, if not daily, then regularly.  The scalp is the growing medium for the hair and needs to be well managed and balanced to ensure optimum hair health.

As such, an effective shampoo needs to be able to clear the very moist, sticky environment of the scalp effectively, without stripping or drying the skin and hair fibre.  To do this you need a good foamy lather that wraps around the dirt, debris and skin cells to take them away, leaving behind a clean, balanced environment.

A good shampoo formulation is usually broken down into 5 phases and it is the ratio and balance of these phases that makes a good or average formulation:

• Cleansing: When you look at the label on a shampoo, you will find that the main ingredient is usually aqua (ie, water), with the next ingredient usually being ‘the cleaner’. I recommend looking out for TEA or MEA as they clean really effectively, without drying the skin or hair. Due to their makeup, they produce thousands of tiny bubbles that appear to be a rich foam and are amazing and luxurious. Then we need to look at what active ingredients are added to this basic mix.  There can also be secondary cleansers in this phase; a common one is lauryl betaine, which is derived from sugar beets and adds a hydration element to the cleansing process. Examples of really good scalp cleansing shampoos with high-quality natural active ingredients are Tricotain Hair Retaining Shampoo, which is formulated to reduce oxidative stress in the hair follicle to retain the hair and Juniper Scalp Therapy Shampoo, which is amazing at clearing and balancing scalp conditions, while still being gentle to the hair structure. Both are available at https://tricoextra.com/shop-shampoos/
• Conditioning: this phase makes sure that the balance on the skin and hair is maintained typically using a hydrating ingredient such as glycerine.
• Active Ingredients: These are the main claim of the shampoo and need to be effective, typically amino acids are volumizing agents. The ingredients in this phase target the cuticle (the outer protective layer of the hair) and the cortex (the inner protein structure of the hair that gives it its strength). Both penetrate and wrap around to provide strength, smoothness and volume.
• Aesthetic: this is usually just adding in a pleasing fragrance.
• Preservative statutory requirement is the ingredients needed to make it safe and to preserve it for the life of the product.

Then, moving onto the ‘conditioning’ phase, typical conditioners are made up of 7 phases as follows:

• Conditioning agents: such as behentrimonium chloride, is derived from rapeseed oil, provides softness and moisture to the hair, whilst reducing static and acting as an effective detangler. Good formulations will have 3 or 4 agents, another common one used is amodimethicone, which leaves the hair feeling soft, smooth and shiny. It is also a great detangler and forms a protective barrier around the hair shaft reducing damage from friction, heat, environmental factors and chemical damage.  It is also anti-static and best of all, water soluble so does not build up on the hair like some other silicones do.
• A wax or combination of waxes: Cetearyl alcohol is one of the most found, it is an emollient that softens and smooths the hair and skin, it also helps oils and water to mix making the conditioner more cohesive. It does not cause any dryness or irritation and can help to make the texture of a product thicker; it is typically derived from coconut or palm or and does not have any of the drying or irritating effects of alcohol, despite its name.
• Oils: are added to conditioners for many different reasons. You will find an array in a conditioner from coconut, sweet almond, olive, rosemary, tea tree and castor. They all have different benefits from hydrating, penetrating and wrapping the hair to hydrate, smooth strengthen and volumize.
• Humectants, active technologies, fragrances and preservatives: as per the ingredients in shampoos these are also all found to a greater or lesser degree in conditioners.

Many conditioners are formulated to work with the shampoos helping to maintain the healthy scalp, Examples are the Tricotain hair retaining conditioner and the Juniper scalp therapy conditioner, although they can be mixed and matched due to the formulations. Both are available at https://tricoextra.com/shop-shampoos/

Personalised hair care, additional new buzz words now being used in the industry, to deliver tailored solutions for every strand. It will come as no surprise that different hair types*, need different types of products! Straight or wavy hair has a fairly flat cuticle which is the outer protective layer of the hair, with curly or coily hair having a cuticle that is flattened at the bend of each curl, kink or coil making it more fragile and easier to damage.  Therefore, with curly coily hair, you are looking for hydration, and protection as this is lost if the cuticle is damaged, so additional strength is needed from products that penetrate and wrap both the cortex and cuticle of the hair. With curly, coily and kinky hair look for peptides, Glycerin, antioxidants and oils to add strength, protection and smoothness.  Straight and Wavy hair is generally stronger in structure, however you are still looking for Glycerin, and antioxidants alongside oils.

Scalp Health

Scalp health is often neglected and overlooked, yet it can be key to hair conditions as it is the ‘growing medium’ for the hair! We need to care for our scalps in the same way that we care for the rest of our skin and treating it with in-salon and home treatments can really help. The easiest way to care for our scalp is to make sure it is clean and washed ideally daily, or at least every other day. using a good quality shampoo is a good start. Conditioners can be used, but they are aimed at the hair usually from mid-length to the ends; therefore, a specific scalp treatment, either at home or in salon, can help to give the scalp some care it deserves. A growing number of salons are now starting to introduce scalp treatments as part of their offering. Look for products that contain the following cleaning agents to soften any loose skin and gently lift it away. Or if you have a scalp condition such as Psoriasis or Seborrheic dermatitis, consider a stronger cream that contains salicylic acid that will not only lift the scale away but will treat the surface below it. A stimulating cream will help in conditions such as Alopecia Areata or Pattern loss by stimulating the scalp and encouraging blood flow to the follicles, which can increase hair growth. Occasionally, using such creams can lead the hair to become a little dry, so a reconditioning treatment including Glycerine can help to retain the moisture and give the hair a natural shine.      

There is a range of scalp treatment creams available at https://tricoextra.com/shop-tricopro-creams/                                                  

So, in summary, yes, I do recommend tailoring your hair care routine to your particular hair type and concur that it’s important to treat our scalp in the same way we care for the skin on other areas of our body.

For more information on hair loss and scalp health visit: ukhairconsultants.com