Ashland to 'revitalize your roots' with new BiotHAIRapy™ biofunctional solutions for hair

BARCELONA, Spain – Ashland Specialty Ingredients, a commercial unit of Ashland Inc., today announced additions to its BiotHAIRapy™ series of biofunctional ingredients that help consumers to achieve healthier, fuller and younger-looking hair. Procataline™ biofunctional, a special pea extract, is designed to combat oxidative stress by helping to maintain high levels of protein expression in hair follicles ex vivo. Chromafend™ biofunctional, a special extract of flax seed, helps boost in vitro tyrosinase expression and other essentials required for the protection of natural hair color. Follisync™ biofunctional, a breakthrough formula containing vicia faba seed extract, has been designed to target in vitro protein expression in the dermal papillae, which is believed to play an important role in orchestrating cellular functions that support a healthy hair growth cycle. All three products created at Ashland’s Vincience™ laboratory in France are designed to target follicles to help revitalize hair roots.

“Hair damage associated with aging may be addressed using biofunctional ingredients, and these new products significantly expand Ashland’s portfolio of anti-aging hair care technologies for the mass marketplace,” explained Sangeetha Subramanian, global marketing director, Hair Care, Care Specialties, Ashland Specialty Ingredients. “BiotHAIRapy ingredients for hair are all biofunctional products that may play an important role in boosting the expression of various proteins and enzymes necessary to maintain the appearance of younger-looking hair. The biofunctionals we are introducing today target the hair follicle in support of various protein and enzyme expressions believed to be essential in hair defense and melanin preservation and to help delay the onset of age-related hair loss. With the launch of these biofunctional ingredients, Ashland offers innovative new strategies that will enable the hair care industry to ‘revitalize your roots.’”

Procataline biofunctional
Procataline biofunctional, a patent-pending formula based on pea extract, is specifically formulated to focus on oxidative stress at the follicle. Demonstrated by in vitro studies, the formulation helps maintain high levels of select protein such as p63, a protein associated with epidermal tissue renewal. The same formula is shown in vitro to decrease caspase 3 expression, a direct cause of hair-cell death. Procataline biofunctional is also shown in vitro to boost catalase expression, an antioxidant enzyme that may help preserve the structure of hair following UV and environmental exposure. All of these benefits favor a positive environment required for healthier, younger-looking hair.

Chromafend biofunctional
The graying of human hair may have been the subject of research throughout the ages, but until now, few have targeted the protein markers key to the control of melanin synthesis. Chromafend biofunctional is a unique, patent-pending technology based on flax that may help conserve melanin in the hair follicle. Research shows that Chromafend biofunctional helps to boost essential protein expressions for protecting natural hair color, as demonstrated by in vitro and ex vivo studies. The principle proteins targeted are tyrosinase and TRP1 expressions to assist in the production of melanin. A total of six protein expressions studied in vitro were boosted to help favor melanin production, synthesis, processes and transfer mechanisms.

Follisync biofunctional
Boosting hair renewal and maintaining natural hair growth cycles is the focus of Follisync biofunctional. The new offering is based on research that shows the hair growth cycle may be linked to CLOCK genes. Follisync biofunctional, made with vicia faba seed extract, may enhance the expression of CLOCK proteins in vitro to help regulate hair in the anagen phase. Specifically, the technology targets CLOCK protein expression in the dermal papilla area of hair follicles. Research shows that the dermal papillae – cells that send out signals to nearby keratinocytes to multiply and form the hair shaft during the growth phase (anagen) – plays a vital role in hair formation, growth and cycling.

According to Subramanian, these new products are some of the proof statements in Ashland’s commitment to transforming the science behind beauty and making cutting-edge technology available for use in the mass market. “Made possible by our advanced research team in France, Ashland now offers a full range of technologies within the BiotHAIRapy series,” Subramanian explained. “These new introductions build upon the technological choices available to formulators. Now, we’re ready to support anti-aging in a whole new generation of trend-forward hair care products.”

About Ashland Specialty Ingredients
Ashland Specialty Ingredients offers industry-leading products, technologies and resources for solving formulation and product performance challenges in key markets including personal care, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, coatings and energy. Using natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic polymers derived from plant and seed extract, cellulose ethers and vinyl pyrrolidones, Ashland Specialty Ingredients offers comprehensive and innovative solutions for today's demanding consumer and industrial applications.

About Ashland
In more than 100 countries, the people of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) provide the specialty chemicals, technologies and insights to help customers create new and improved products for today and sustainable solutions for tomorrow. Our chemistry is at work every day in a wide variety of markets and applications, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, food and beverage, personal care, pharmaceutical, tissue and towel, and water treatment. Visit www.ashland.com to see the innovations we offer through our four commercial units –Ashland Specialty Ingredients, Ashland Water Technologies, Ashland Performance Materials and Ashland Consumer Markets.

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Jennifer Knoblach
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jknoblach@ashland.com