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by Ali Syed
SALON 0
PRODUCTS ike many consumer products, nance of a products' basic character,
L
certain salon products are best an enduring uniformity of its blend
used during a particular incre- and the preservation of a homoge-
ment 'of time. This interval of neous state. An unstable formulation
time is called shelf life, and it is many times evidenced by product
j describes the period wherein a product \"separation\", whereby the ingredients
can be used with maximum effective- become tinolen&d. -Both environ-
ness and safety. Within this article, the ment and gravity are key factors in
average shelf life of various salon stability. As a product ages, the envi·
products will lie discussed. First, let's ronment (Le. temperature, exposure to
tum our attention to the primary deter- air, etc.) may cause the product to sep-
minants of shelf life. arate. Gravity also affects a product's
life in that, over time, the weightiest
ingredients (such as water) will segre-
Factors Which Affect gate towards the bottom of a mixture,
Product Shelf Life as others (like oils) are relegated to the
upper pans.
I. Product Development
B. Ingredient Selection
A. Stability Certain ingredients are by their very
nature more stable than others. For
The formulation of high-quality hair instance, animal proteins. particularly
care products is both an art and a sci- when used in high volume, are less
ence. As experienced hair care stable than some other types of condi-
chemists well realize, the way a prod- tioning agents-because· of their pro-
uct is formulated has a profound clivity for bacterial growth. And too,
impact upon its shelf life. Expert emulsifiers, used in formulas contain-
chemists strive to develop products that ing both oils and water, can be rela-
meet or exceed the market standards in tively ineffective in ensuring oil/water
i ,terms of performance, and always with miscibility, (a uniform blending of
:! the objective of achieving product sta- these two components), over extended
.SCANNED bility. Stability refers to the mainte- periods of time.
SHOPTALK 27 NOVEMBER 1993
-_I!!~'~-~,-~ :~:'\":\"~':':-:----:-~~~._ .. ., . ,....----. ----.-. ----
.. ..,

in this article, other methods of gauging PERMANENT WAVES Oxidation will occur to some extent
prl)duct freshness will be offered. Shelf Life: 6 to 12 months Curl with any exposure to air, even with the
simple aCt of opening the container in
Boosters
which the booster or rearranger is pack-
The Average 6 to 12 months Rearrangers aged. More often, the process of oxi-
Shelf Life of Salon 1 year Neutralizers dization is greatly accelerated by the
Products bulk packaging typically used for pro-
fessional perming products. By using
large packaging, which is often
SHAMPOOS demanded by stylists, the packaging is
Shelf Life: 1 to 2 years
Temperature op~ned and closed on multiple occa-
sions as clients are serviced. Also, more
air is left inside the containers, called
Well formulated cleansing and lightly-
\"head space\", with each successive use
conditioning shampoos have relatively
long shelf lives. Detangling shampoos,
however, are more difficult to stabilize
extremes... of the products. (For this reason, the
perms sold in the general market, (for
curling naturally straight hair), are
from a product development standpoint
because of the amount of conditioning
agents utilized. The shelf life of detan-
gling shampoos may therefore be as
can cause a almost always packaged in single-use
kits.) Due to the reactivity of ammoni-
um thioglycolate to the air, compounded
by the use of bulk packaging, the shelf
limited as six months to a year.
CONDITIONERS
product to life of curl boosters and rearrangers is
generally six to 12 months.
Sh\"lf Life: 1 to 2 years
After-shampoo conditioners will last a
separate much Neutralizers, which do not contain the
highly reactive ammonium thioglyco-
late, are effective for up to a year.
year or two. If the formula contains an
unusually high amount of organic mate-
rial such as animal protein, the life of
sooner than it HAIRDRESSINGS
Shelf Life: 2 years 100%
the product may well be much less due Oils
to an increased susceptibility to bacteri-
,·1 ~rowth problems. ordinarily 1 to 1 1/2 years Cremes
The 100% oils are the hairdressings
RELAXERS
Shelf Life: 1 to 11/2 years
(Sodium Hydroxide
would. commonly referred to as \"greases\" or
\"pomades.\" They have a relatively long
shelf life. Cremes, however, (i.e. oil
moisturizers and creme hairdressings),
2 years (Guanidine Hydroxide) are oil and water emulsions and have a
shelf life of up to one and one-half
Of the most widely used relaxers, those years. This is because over time, the oil
The chemicals used to formulate perma-
formulated with sodium hydroxide are will strive to the top of the emulsion,
nent wave systems are very difficult to leaving the water at the bottom.
the most challenging to formulate. An stabilize, primarily because the active
improperly formulated relaxer can have Depending upon formulation, cremes
ingredient, (ammonium thioglycolate),
a shelf life of six months or less. Well- may even have a shelf life as short as
readily reacts with air. This is called
developed formulas will work effective- six months.
\"oxidation>! and describes a process that
h' for up to a year and a half. neutralizes or deteriorates the active
chemicals contained in curl boosters
FINISHING PRODUCTS
Guanidine hydroxide relaxers are a lit- and rearrangers. Shelf Life: Up to 2 years
tle easier to stabilize from a product
development standpoint, and can be These two components of perm sys- Most of the products in this classifica-
effectively used for up to two years. (If tems, which are critical to the tion have relatively extended shelf lives.
the creme portion of the relaxer system straightening and curl formation of the Styling Gels maintain performance-
seems a bit dry on the upper surface, do hair, can easily lose up to 15% to 20% integrity from one to two years, depend-
not assume that the product is beyond of potency due to ordinary exposure to ing upon the formula. Setting Lotions,
'\" shelf life. This is characteristic of the air. This potency loss significantly Oil Sheen Sprays, Holding Hair
relaxers in this category, which contain slows down the chemical reaction of the Spray sand Laminates can last for two
calcium hydroxide.) products. years or more.
SHOPTALK 29 NOVEMBER 1993 COI/finued Oil page 70

1
- PRODUCTS
SALON store products near windows. ...a product
ContifluedJrom page 27
HAIR COLORINGS
Some Tell Tale Signs of
Shelf Life Expiration thafis beyond
Shelf Life: 1 to 11/2 years
In a similar fashion to that described for
The following properties will signal
that a product is beyond its shelf life:
its shelf life
permanent wave products, the active
- Product Separation will not
It is not - Foul Odor (likely caused by bacterial
contamination) perform as
agood idea - Loss of Product Viscosity (product
becomes much thinner) effectively
to mix - Build up of Viscosity (product
becomes much thicker) as it did
together - Rancid Odor (characteristic of natur-
al oils that have been exposed to air
and/or sunlight for extended periods)
initially..
different What if a Product is Used product, which is beyond its shelf life, is
Past its Shelf Life?
products... At best, a product that is beyond its
when bacterial growth has
occurred. Should a contaminated prod-
uct, wherein the preservative system has
to concoct shelf life will not perform as effective-
ly as it did initially. Product applica-
tion may be impaired and the way it
broken down, be inadvertently rinsed.
into a client's eyes, severe infection
and/or impairment may'r.esult.
one's own reacts to the hair may very well be
hindered. At worst, the product could
cause harm to a client. In the case of
How is a Professional
Cosmetologist to Know?
special an unstable or separated sodium
hydroxide relaxer, the result will either
be ineffective straightening or extreme Other than being on the lookout for the
formula. causticity. This is because once a
relaxer separates, the oils rise to the
top and the water, containing most of
\"tell-tale\" signs listed above, there is
really no good way for a cosmetologist
to know precisely the age of a product
the sodium hydroxide, descends to the and its shelf life as estimated by the
chemicals in many hair colorings are manufacturer. Manufacturers normally
bottom of the jar. When the stylist
highly sensitive to the air. With oxidiza- code each product so that they will
applies the upper portion of the mix-
tion, the ability of the color product to know precisely when it was manufac-
ture, the hair will be treated with the
deposit within the hair shaft is impaired. tured. and via their scientific tests, man-
most impotent part of the relaxer.
To help prevent oxidization and the ufacturers can also predict the shelf
When the lower portions in the jar are
resultant potency loss, many such prod- lives of their various products. (By law,
used, the relaxer is much too strong
ucts are packaged in single-use bottles. companies must also retain samples of
and will likely damage the hair and
bum the scalp. Stylists must not think each batch of product; which they pro-
Proper Product Storage that merely mixing the contents of a duce for three years, in order to track the
separated relaxer will again stabilize impact of product aging within a con-
the formula because it won't. Relaxers trolled environment.) Should you have a
Generally, salon products should be
: stored at room temperature, away from must be blended at a temperature of 80 specific question regarding the shelf life
C under scientifically-controlled con- of a certain product, contacting the man-
heat, direct sunlight and extreme cold.
'I Storage of products in refrigerators is ditions in order to get a stable mixture. ufacturer may be the best avenue to pur-
sue.
not recommended and products should
never be placed in a freezer. .To pr9t~£! '. Another instance in which a client Ali Sycd is president and master chemisl of Avlon
products from excessive sunlight and may actually be harmed by the use of Industries. Bedford Park, IL
,
\"
SHOPTALK 70 NOVEMBER 1993
I
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