The Science of Plant Extracts for Curly Hair Care

By simply observing product marketing, it’s obvious that the way products are being peddled to customers has noticeably shifted.

Thanks to access of information online and social media, people have become more educated and savvy in what they purchase – so companies must appeal to this new audience.

The trend has been towards less chemical-heavy and more organic products, although a few of these labels still leave something to be desired.

Plant extracts are increasingly becoming the latest buzzword in this sector as its natural properties offer great advantages for users.

In today’s blog, we’ll be looking at what plant extracts are and how they’re made, common extracts used in hair products and their benefits for curly hair.

So, let’s get into it!

What are Plant Extracts?

As the name suggests, plant extracts are plant-derived compounds that are used as ingredients in products.

Plant extracts are aqueous solutions or suspensions of bioactive molecules extracted from different parts of plants.

The goal is to access these bioactive molecules and then use them in a hair or skin care formula that will give users therapeutic or cosmetic benefits for their scalp, hair, and skin.¹

For centuries, humans have relied on plants to heal ailments and topical beauty applications. These natural extracts now serve a much broader range of purposes from pharmaceuticals to cosmetics products.

Overtime, extensive scientific research has been carried out to uncover new plant sources and extraction techniques, as well as formulate methods of incorporating these bioactive molecules into products that are easily accessible for consumers.

Nowadays, customers are looking for eco-friendly solutions to their hair and skin concerns. Worrying about an ingredient’s biodegradation rate, its bioavailability, and how it interacts with other ingredients has driven formulators to seek out greener options.

Particularly in hair care, research work is focused on finding a new range of bioactive molecules to improve scalp quality, hair fiber health, stimulate hair growth, and address the hair loss and other related concerns.²

Now, let’s take a detailed look at the most prolific botanical extracts and their cosmetic benefits to hair. 

Plant Extracts: How Are They Made?

Numerous extraction methods have been recorded by analytical chemists and botanists alike.

The first step is to choose the desired part of the plant, which could be a plant’s flower, bark, nascent leaves, fresh or dried fruit, or even the roots.

A common extraction process involves multiple steps, such as:

• Obtaining and selecting the desired parts of the plant body, and removal of undesired materials.

• Cleansing with water without compromising the natural texture of the plant and without damaging the plant body tissues. This generally involves rinsing off plant body parts at a normal temperature without using any surfactant.

• Drying the plant body parts under the shade (avoiding direct solar radiation), or in an oven at 40 degrees Celcius and controlled humidity.

• After the extraction process has been completed, a crude extract will be obtained. In order for this to be suitable for cosmetic formulations, it must then go through purification and concentration processes.

Different Methods of the Extraction Process

The extraction process can be carried out via different methods:

Steam Distillation

Plant body parts are soaked in distilled water and the liquid is boiled in a closed container. Vapors are condensed using a condenser and the condensate liquid is collected. 

Extraction Under Vacuum

This process is the same as steam distillation, except the entire procedure happens within a closed container with a negative internal pressure.

The apparatus is connected to a vacuum pump, which accelerates the boiling process and requires low heating input thus, extraction can be carried out at low temperatures.

The goal is to extract heat-sensitive biomolecules, minimize their evaporation, improve their stability, and preserve them during the extraction process to obtain higher bioactivity of the final extract.

Crude extract is purified and further concentrated under vacuum. The extract can be solubilized in water-glycerin or water-propylene glycol mixture to have higher solubility for organic components of extract.

Solvent Extraction

Solvent extraction uses organic solvent instead of distilled water. Generally, alcohols are used e.g. ethyl alcohol, propyl alcohol, or even acetone, and sometimes alcohol is mixed with distilled water (mixed solvent system).

With higher solubility in alcohols, some biomolecules from plants make it easier to achieve a higher concentrated solution of bioactive molecules.

Can We Make Plant Extracts at Home?

Yes, we can! There are various plant extraction methods that can be done at home.

Here is a simple step by step process for plant extraction:

1. Gather the plant material you are looking to extract. This can include plant stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, or roots.
2. Soak the plant body parts (e.g. flowers, roots, or dried leaves) in a measured amount of drinking water. For optimal comfort, heat the water to between 40-50 degrees Celsius.
3. Leave this soaking solution overnight in a closed container.
4. The next morning, filter the liquid and use the filtrate liquid as an extract for your cosmetic formulation.

Remember: 

This is a foolproof way to extract bioactive molecules at home. There may be low concentrations of these molecules, yet the most important thing to remember the chemical composition of the extract may vary for each batch you make.

Furthermore, homemade extracts are not always effectively preserved, so you’ll need to store them in the freezer if you wish to extend its shelf life. Also, you may have to prepare the extract every time you need it.

Examples of Biomolecules in a Plant Extract

A typical plant extract may contain more than 100 active molecules having different chemical and biological properties.¹

It may have:

• Terpenoids 

• Alkaloids

• Polyphenols

• Flavonoids

• Carbohydrates

• Lipids

• Hydroxy acids

Organic molecules are incredibly beneficial for the scalp and hair health due to their multifunctional properties. As a result, plant extracts can be deemed as a multifunctional ingredient!

Not only do they stimulate blood circulation in the scalp, but its polyphenols protect your hair and scalp against solar-induced oxidative damage.

Alkaloids and hydroxy acids provide a soothing effect and regenerative impacts on scalp cellular turnover.

Do Extracts Contain Protein?

Yes, they may contain small fractions of soluble proteins. However, they may not be the majority of extract composition.

Most plant extracts contain carbohydrates, polyphenols, certain essential oils, and vitamins while proteins are present only in a small concentration range.

Summary

Plants extracts are multifunctional ingredients offering a wide range of benefits to scalp and hair fibers.

The high concentration of polyphenols make these extract an excellent remedy to combat free radical induce hair damage.

These extracts are not only incredibly hydrating, but also actively improve the water levels of scalp cells and hair fibers.

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