What are hair masks formulated from?

This refers to a formula that typically serves to repair hair fibres and protect them from damage. Generally, these hair treatments can be applied before shampooing, on dry hair, or afterwards, on wet hair. However, it is necessary to wait a few minutes post-application before rinsing it off. Moreover, some hair masks are primarily intended for the lengths, while others are designed for the scalp. In this case, it mainly serves to cleanse this area and regulate sebum secretion, which can give the hair a greasy appearance.

Hair masks are most often direct emulsions (predominantly aqueous phase, minor oily phase) that come in a creamy or even milky texture. They contain various categories of ingredients.

• The solvent : Also known as an excipient, it is often thewater, which is most commonly listed first on the INCI list. It dissolves the other compounds present in the formula.

• Gelling Agents: The thick texture is provided to hair masks via texturising agents which are most often synthetic polymers such as carbomers or natural ones like sclerotium gum (INCI name: "Sclerotium Gum"), the xanthan gum (INCI name: "Xanthan Gum") or even the tara gum (INCI name: "Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum").

• The active ingredients: Generally, those present in hair masks are moisturising (e.g: hyaluronic acid, aloe vera) or repairing (e.g: ceramides).

• Humectant compounds: The humectant nature of an ingredient is based on its ability to retain water molecules due to its hygroscopic power (strong affinity for water). On the market, the potential humectant compounds present in a hair mask are the glycerine, the propylene glycol, polyethylene glycols (PEGs) or even the pentylene glycol. As a reminder, as a precautionary principle, Typology excludes PEGs, as well as propylene glycol, from its formulas. The hair mask presented below contains vegetable glycerine.

• Fatty substances: Hair masks contain vegetable and/or mineral oils, in order to lay a film on the surface of the hair and limit dehydration. As a reminder, Typology excludes from its formulas all oils derived from petrochemicals. The hair mask presented below contains avocado oil (INCI name: "Persea Gratissima (avocado) Oil") and mango butter (INCI name: "Mangifera Indica Seed Butter").

• Emulsifiers: The blending of fatty substances with water is made possible by the presence of surfactants, which disperse oil droplets in the aqueous solution to form a stable emulsion. For instance, in the hair mask, the surfactants used bear the INCI names of "Behenamidopropyl dimethylamine", "Cetearyl Alcohol" and "Stearyl Alcohol".

• Preservatives: As hair masks typically contain an aqueous phase, they are susceptible to bacterial growth. To maintain the product's effectiveness and safety, it is essential to incorporate preservatives. For instance, one might find phenoxyethanol. This compound can cause skin allergies, neurological disorders, and effects on reproductionMoreover, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products attributes side effects such as moderate to severe eye irritationto this preservative. Given these factors, it is advisable not to choose a hair mask that contains phenoxyethanol. In natural care products, the sodium benzoate is often used as an antifungal preservative. While authorised in organic products, it is still regulated. The maximum concentration allowed in finished preparations is 2.5% (in acid) for rinse-off products, excluding oral care products, and 0.5% (in acid) for leave-on products. Sodium benzoate (INCI name: "Sodium Benzoate") is the preservative found in the hair mask by Typology.

Note : There are other types of ingredients sometimes found in hair masks, such as synthetic fragrances or essential oils. For instance, our hair mask contains Ho Wood essential oil with a relaxing woody scent, combined with Yellow Mandarin essential oil that imparts a subtle fresh fragrance.