A science-based shampoo goes natural
Pantene, a now-classic shampoo that has built its success on its scientific image, being the only haircare regimen associated with Pro-V technology, has followed the natural-organic-eco-green wave with the launch of Pantene Nature Care, a range of products whose star ingredient is the cassia seed. Procter & Gamble recently invited media to Singapore, where the new shampoo was unveiled to regional press with a thorough interactive and hands-on presentation of its nature-science fusion.
The new range addresses the needs of women who like the idea of natural products but don’t think they’re as effective or powerful as those pumped up with complex components. Pantene wouldn’t be the world’s best-selling shampoo had it not proven to deliver in shine and bounciness, and its commercials will always be remembered for the almost cyborg-like quality of women’s long, lustrous hair. Moving on with the times, however, the brand is moving out of the laboratory and into the garden and digging up centuries-old wisdom from traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine.
Native to India and China, cassia is a tropical plant known for its yellow, buttercup-like flowers and from fruit to root has been used as a versatile healing herb for years, used for gastrointestinal conditions, fever and pain. The team of scientists at P&G has found a way to harness the benefits of cassia for the hair through the cassia seeds. Extracted from the nutritive tissue within the seed, the cassia plant polymer naturally protects and strengthens cell walls. These protective qualities are then enhanced using scientific techniques, basically adding amine groups to the cassia polymer and distributing positive charges along the surface of the molecule. Now called a supercharged Cassia Complex, it provides an invisible layer of natural protection on hair at the rinsing stage.
“Our quest to develop a truly unique lineup with proven results began with the seed of a discovery, cassia, and that bore fruit when our team of scientists discovered the key to unlocking this ancient botanical’s power,” says Dr. Jasmine Karsono, principal scientist at P&G Beauty.
The press were able to see the cassia in action through a series of demonstrations led by Selin Mariadhas, senior engineer of beauty and grooming at P&G. Mariadhas showed how when the crushed cassia seed powder was mixed with water, the extract turned into a clear gel-like substance, virtually similar to the final form of Pantene Nature Care, which, unlike other shampoos, comes as a clear liquid. Then came the cleanliness test: both Nature Care and a leading competitor shampoo were shaken together with water and chili oil and left to stand for five minutes. After a while, it was clear that Nature Care pulled up much more oil out of the water into the lather than the other brand. “In use, this later would rinse away, leaving behind clean, healthy hair,” Mariadhas explains.
As a final treat, we were given a salon treatment using the Pantene Nature Care collection. My hair, unwashed for three days, reveled in the rich lather that the clear gel produced. The scent of the shampoo may be a turning point, too — the original Pantene fragrance, iconic for its unique non-natural smell, is subdued here under floral and fruity topknots of Anjou pear, passion fruit, and pineapple. Creme de Cassis gives it a heady sweetness, making it a strongly feminine shampoo. Now what remains to be seen is whether Pantene will capture the imagination of a new generation of beauty consumers who are more attuned to the stuff they put on and inside their bodies with this new nature-on-steroids formulation.
