What is a conditioner typically composed of?

Conditioners are most often direct emulsions (with a majority of aqueous phase, minority of oily phase) that come in a creamy, milky texture or in the form of a transparent gel. 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 conditioners through texturizing agents which are most often synthetic polymers like 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").

• Detangling Agents : The primary function of a conditioner is to detangle hair to facilitate styling. In natural care products, several detangling compounds can be added: biodegradable ingredients derived from plant sources such as beets and rapeseed (INCI: "Arachidyl/Behenyl Alcohol"), cetyl alcohol (INCI: "Cetyl Alcohol"), and flaxseed extract (INCI: "Linum Usitatissimum seed extract").

• Humectant Compounds: The humectant property of an ingredient relies 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 conditioner are the glycerin, 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.

• Fatty substances: Conditioners contain vegetable and/or mineral oils, in order to deposit a film on the surface of the hair and limit dehydration. As a reminder, Typology excludes from its formulas all oils derived from petrochemicals. Fatty substances also help to detangle hair shafts. The fatty substances frequently present in conditioners are for example theavocado oil (INCI: "Persea Gratissima (avocado) Oil"), the mango butter (INCI: "Mangifera Indica Seed Butter"), the shea butter (INCI: "Butyrospermum parkii 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 natural skincare products, the surfactants used may bear the INCI names of "Behenamidopropyl dimethylamine", "Cetearyl Alcohol", and "Stearyl Alcohol".

• Preservatives: Conditioners typically contain an aqueous phase, making them 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 cancause skin allergies, neurological disorders, and effects on reproduction. Moreover, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products attributes side effects such asmoderate 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 (INCI name: "Sodium Benzoate") is often used as an antifungal preservative. While approved for organic use, it is still regulated. The maximum allowed concentration 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.

Note : There are other types of ingredients sometimes present in conditioners such as synthetic fragrances, essential oils, or even active ingredients. Indeed, even though the primary function of a conditioner is to detangle hair, some treatments can also be hydrating thanks to, for example, hyaluronicacid or aloe vera, or contain repairing actives like ceramides.