Split decisions: what it takes to ensure healthy hair

A guar-based hair care innovation to durably fix split ends

Syensqo’s Polycare® Split Therapy is a naturally derived hair care active ingredient. Designed for shampoos, conditioners and serums, it is remarkably efficient at repairing damaged hair.

Extensive testing has shown that serums and shampoos containing Polycare® Split Therapy make hair appear smoother and thicker after just one application. The secret? It contains an innovative guar derivative, obtained from this legume cultivated in Northern India. This non-ecotoxic, naturally-derived ingredient offers an efficient solution that works miracles on damaged hair.

Better hair care, naturally

Syensqo’s Research & Innovation teams created Polycare® Split Therapy to meet growing demand in the hair care market for a versatile, efficient and natural product. 

“There are many products for split ends on the market, but they all have their limitations,” explains Vincent Miralles, Global Marketing Manager for Hair Care at Syensqo. “For example, some products, which tend to be silicon or synthetic-based, leave a powdery or sticky substance on the hair. We wanted to develop a solution using a natural-based product that didn’t necessarily need to be rinsed off after use.”

Polycare® Split Therapy offers a host of advantages. It is a versatile and compatible active ingredient that can be easily integrated into formulations for shampoos, conditioners and serums. For consumers, it delivers instantly perceivable and long-lasting split end repair, as well as a pleasant texture. And because it’s plant-based and non-ecotoxic, it’s better for the planet too. 

“Moving towards natural products is a strong market trend, and it’s also the direction we want to take at Syensqo,” says Vincent.

Polycare® Split Therapy has proven its efficiency. After one serum application, 90 to 95% of split ends are repaired, compared to 60 to 73% with commercial serums. After three applications, the split ends are fully sealed. When used in shampoo, results are similarly impressive: after just one wash, 40 to 60% of the hair is repaired, compared to 48% with commercial shampoos.

“This product offers great durability too,” continues Vincent. “You can wash your hair with neutral shampoo, comb your hair and use a hot iron on it, and most of the repair obtained is retained, especially after an initial application as a serum.”

Bridging the splits

So how does it work? Polycare® Split Therapy interacts with the chemistry of split surfaces, and capillarity brings the split parts back together. Once the hair has dried, Polycare® ST remains on the fibers, forming a thin film that bridges and locks the split ends in a closed state.

Launched globally at the In-cosmetics trade fair in 2017, Polycare® Split Therapy marked Syensqo’s first step into the niche market of split end repair and has now been adopted by hair care manufacturers worldwide. Typically, a 0.5% concentration is enough for shampoo, serum and conditioner formulations, delivering visible repair and improved hair health that lasts.

Expanding our hair care toolkit

Since 2017, Syensqo has also added two other products to the Polycare range, expanding our portfolio of solutions to offer a more comprehensive hair care toolkit.

Polycare® Heat Therapy is a bio-based, guar-derived active designed to protect and care for hair exposed to the extreme temperatures associated with the use of hair styling tools. This natural alternative to synthetic silicones forms an invisible and imperceptible barrier on the hair surface that helps maintain the physical and sensory qualities of the hair, protecting it against heat damage.

We’ve also developed Polycare® Frizz Therapy, a low-viscosity cationic polymer designed for use in leave-in treatments, styling creams and sprays applied to the hair before the use of heat or other hair styling tools. This innovative ingredient works by neutralizing the negatively-charged hair surface to minimize frizz and flyaways, delivering durable anti-frizz performance and high humidity resistance, as well as a non-sticky, non-greasy feel.

With the three solutions in our Polycare range, Syensqo is able to address hair care challenges from damage repair through heat protection, anti-frizz and split end mending, pursuing smarter and more efficient solutions that respond to consumer desires and our customers’ needs.