Mushrooms for hair protection? Symrise unveils Symhair Thermo

29 Apr 2022 --- Symrise has revealed a natural, mushroom-based ingredient, Symhair Thermo, to protect hair from heat damage during styling. The award-winning ingredient is based on traditional Chinese medicine, consisting of a unique blend of hair beneficial properties. 

“The effectiveness of SymHair Thermo protects hair from heat, and also improves the hair sensorial,” Marcia Paula, global category director hair care at Symrise, tells PersonalCareInsights. 

The ingredient is touted as making hair styling easier by shortening the time required to use heat-based tools. The active ingredient will also provide long-lasting styling effects despite high humidity levels. 

“Consumers are looking for products that make their hair healthy and beautiful. With SymHair Thermo, we combine heat protection, easier styling and long-lasting effectiveness in one ingredient,” continues Paula. 

Symrise promotes the ingredient as a “sustainable alternative” to popular synthetic silicones, as it is derived from mushrooms. “Symhair Thermo works well in leave-on shampoos, conditioners and care products.” 

Traditional Chinese medicine
Symrise shares that Symhair Thermo is derived from Polyporus umbellatus mushroom, used in traditional Chinese medicine.The mushroom composition forms a film on the hair’s surface that protects it from heat damage.

“We source the Polyporus umbrellatus mushrooms from China,” shares Paula. 

Unique properties of the mushroom include high levels of polysaccharides, hyaluronic acid and saccharides. This composition makes it special for cosmetics applications. 

“The rare, edible species Polyporus umbrellatus mushroom grows on tree trunks in forests. It  delivers a key ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine with a high content of a polysaccharide alpha glucan,” continues Paula.

The composition also forms a film on the hair’s surface that protects it from heat damage, explains Symrise. 

“Hairstyling tools, such as hairdryers and flat irons, can cause damage to the hair as most tools reach temperatures up to 240 °C.”

Its natural origin makes it attractive to formulators, says the company. 

Environmentally sustainable cosmetics
“SymHair Thermo highlights our commitment to innovating with sustainability top of mind,” says Paula. 

Unique properties of the mushroom include high levels of polysaccharides, hyaluronic acid, and saccharides.

The company has been recently acclaimed this month for four sustainable climate innovations. Symhair Thermo won the 1st prize at the European BSB Innovation Awards, under the category “Natural Products & Raw Materials.”

The company’s Track4Trust app, which allows consumers to track and trace products through the sourcing process also won in first place. 

The buzz around hair care
Olay and Pantene introduced boosters for the hair for consumers to customize their care routines. These booster products are free of parabens, mineral oil and fragrance, and can be added to consumers’ regular hair and skin products.

Consumers want personalized beauty solutions based on individual demands, according to Olay and Pantene’s research and development teams.

Business moves in the hair care space saw Helen of Troy’s subsidiary acquiring Recipe Products, the owner of Curlsmith, for US$150 million in cash. Products by Curlsmith are designed for curly and wavy hair textures.

Furthermore, Perfect Corp. has released its Global Beauty Trend Report, which showcases the top 2022 hair color trends, delving into the popularity of virtual try-on. 

Hair routines influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in more time at home to embrace “low-maintenance hair routines,” says the company.  

By Venya Patel