Scalp care is top-of-mind for consumers and cosmetic chemists. Online searches for terms such as “scalp” increased 40%, according to recent Spate data. Meanwhile, a Mintel survey found that 34% of respondents said they were interested in scalp care products.

Clearly, interest in the scalp is growing.

“If you’re not working on scalp care products today, you’ll be working on them tomorrow,” asserted Valerie George, founder/president of Simply Formulas and Happi’s Dear Valerie columnist.

George was a featured presenter at the recent Southwest Chapter of the Society of Cosmetic Chemist’s Suppliers’ Day (SWSCC). Suppliers’ Day was held last month in Irving, TX and attracted a record crowd of more than 1,000 attendees.

Despite increased interest in all things scalp, industry observers still don’t understand the category or the chemistry, according to George.

“People aren’t getting it right; they’re calling it the ‘skinification’ of the scalp,” George told the audience. “That’s my biggest pet peeve. The scalp is skin! But you don’t want to formulate scalp products with ingredients designed to be used on the face.”

That’s because the scalp has its own unique physiology. The scalp is a complex structure that changes over time. The scalp is one of the thickest areas of skin on the body, but it thins with age. According to George, the scalp is 8mm thick at 30 but declines to 5mm at 90. The scalp is highly irrigated with nerves and blood vessels, but that number declines with age, too. Fewer blood vessels mean fewer nutrients reach hair follicles, which contributes to hair loss.

Fewer proteoglycans reduce hyaluronic acid production, which translates into a loss of elasticity and hydration. A lack of elasticity means hair follicles become more rigid. By the time a person reaches his 50s, there is less blood flow to hair follicles, which contributes to hair loss. The target consumer’s age, then, become important when developing scalp care products.

“Who is using your product?” asked George. “A young person or an older person who needs more hydration?”

Microbiome Considerations

But a healthy scalp needs more than hydration. The microbiome is important because it metabolizes biotin and B vitamins and feeds them to skin, she explained. Sebum levels, moisture content, transepidermal water loss and pH are critical, too. Microorganisms play an important role. According to George, C. acnes is the predominant organism on a healthy scalp. The minor bacteria are S. epidermis. In fact, clinical dandruff results when C. acnes no longer dominate the scalp.

AI and Scalp Care

While working at John Paul Mitchell Systems as executive vice president, research and development, George and her team developed Hair AI, which is designed to be used with JPMS’s compact scanner. The Hair AI scanner clips on any iPhone to turn the hair stylist’s phone into a professional-grade hair and scalp diagnostic tool. The app uses advanced algorithms to rapidly provide an in-depth hair and scalp analysis and personalized product recommendations from the JPMS portfolio.

There are plenty of causes for scalp irritation: chemical processes on hair, sun exposure, harsh exfoliants and even medical conditions. And while many products promise to “soothe” and “calm” the scalp, the fact is that most consumers don’t have an irritation problem, according to George. A challenge for scalp products is their low adoption rate‑they are inconvenient to use. George is not a fan of scalp scrubs, either. Most are oil-based and include sugar, which feeds bad bacteria and yeast.

“At the end of the day, most people just need a very good shampoo,” maintained George.

Among the ingredients to avoid are triglycerides, physical exfoliants, strong chemical exfoliants, sensitizing glycols, monoethanolamine, natural extracts and botanical fragrances.

“Triglycerides feed bad organisms on your scalp, but fractionated coconut oil (C8) is okay,” she explained. “Think twice before adding long-chain (C16-18) fatty acids to your scalp.”

Her ideal scalp cleanser would include surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate, which doesn’t leave residue. The cleansers should also include penetration enhancers, gentle exfoliants and microbiome regulators.

“Remember less is more!” added George. “Your scalp just needs a little help, and the less you put in your formula the better. But remember the pH and make sure everything rinses off with leaving any residue.”