Kao’s waterless solution for shampooing in outer space and drought-impacted communities
19 Sep 2022 | Kao
Kao’s hair care R&D director, Dr. Hiroshi Yoshida, shares the inspiration behind creating a waterless shampoo. The product is launching with Crew-5 to the International Space Station on October 3. Delving into the importance of waterless technology, he highlights the products ecological benefits and value for those who have difficulties washing their hair in hospitals, water shortage areas as well as in outer space.
Hello, I'm Vina Patel, journalist at Personal Care Insights, speaking with Kao.
Could you maybe introduce yourself and briefly share some of your research?
Mhm.
My name is Hiroshi Yoshida at the Kaw Corporation.
I'm working for the, haircare Product Develop bench.
So, thank you for the, interviewing me for today.
I have been working, for CWO for over 20 years.
First, I used to, work as a, fundamental part, especially for the, biological science Moscow.
And then I was moved to the haircare laboratories.
So, , I used to work for the development of the hair care products, especially for the shampoo or conditioner or the hair growth agent, that's a type of the product.
I have been, I have been working for development.
What was the inspiration behind GO's shampoo product development?
OK.
When we decided to apply, and develop the, the product for the space, we had the main, we had two inspirations, mainly.
The first one is, , no one left behind for clean hair and the scalp.
And the other is that, advanced hair wash and shampoo by running from, most severe, special condition.
The first one, regarding the no one left behind, first, we watched a video of female astronaut washing hair.
She has difficulties for washing her hair using dry shampoo and very tiny amount of drinking water.
We want to provide them, more convenient and effective way of, making hair and scalp clean, even for the astronauts in the, EISS, not to leave them behind.
And the other one, to advance, hair wash and shampoo from severe condition means that is in the space.
They have to wash.
And the rest gravity.
And as I mentioned, with very limited, use of water.
So by developing the product for hair wash, in such a situation, we would like to get some hints for ethical and sustainable, hair wash system, for inclusive, to everyone and wastewater use for the next generations.
That is our inspiration.
Can you provide insight into waterless technologies and why they are important on Earth and on space?
Mhm.
So, when we wash, , by regular shampoo on us, we remove the dirt or seva on, hair and, scalp, by, shampoo ingredient.
And also, and then we lease off into the large amount of water.
But in contrast, we need to leave the, transfer those dirt or seba, onto other, subject, than water, in waterless wash system because we cannot use so much amount of water.
So we need to think that this element is a cleansing solution and wiping subject.
In this case, the seed that we developed Technology, we have to include in our shampooed seed.
So, the, this water, rest, washing technology for hair wash, we can apply them, to the situation, such as physically, difficult to regular hair wash.
Or no access to the enough water on earth.
For those stations, we can think of hospitalization station or the shelter in Zor or the water shortage area on Earth and so on.
So, I ask one question to you.
Do you have any idea, how much water, people use per one hair wash?
No, I, I don't have any idea actually.
When we, conduct the observation about the Japanese female hair wash, on average, 20 L of the water, used.
Hm, OK.
It's quite a lot of water.
Mhm.
So, this, and also, we do not use cold water.
It's a kind of hot water.
So this hot water use in hair wash result, larger, carbon dioxide emission.
If we think of the product life cycle, in shampoo, the timing of in use.
Emit large amount of the CO2.
So thus, if we think about those kind of situation, water-ri hair wash is also provide us another option to, sustainable or ecological hair wash system.
How can personal care in space be improved, or what needs further developments?
Mhm.
So, I want you to ask, to the some organization or the, astronaut directory.
So, I can, answer from my, best knowledge.
So upon, this, our application, JASA, that is a, Japanese Organization for Space, provided the insight and opportunities, what is called Space life storybook, storybook, yes, that is provided from Jefferson.
To improve the, quality of life of the astronauts.
So in this book, 10 categories, to improve the QOL of the astronaut are described.
As one of them, there is a personal care category.
So, in this personal care category, former details, like the taking a shower or the bath.
Toothbrushing or face wash?
Nail cut, skin care, especially for the dryness.
Yeah.
Indicated, as as a hair wash.
So I think the common issue of personal care, of, personal care category in the space, waterways or less gravity or refreshing and convenient time-saving and kind of the issue, that they want to, resolve.
So this might be the possible factor, to improve the personal care in space.
So, actually, at the same, first, living wear products recruitment from JASA, as I, as we applied, the other, other, products candidate, oral care or body care products are also adopted.
Mhm.
What are some ingredients that should not be used in formulations for space personal care and why?
Mhm.
At the same way, the last question, with the correct, answer, you should ask to the, such an organization, who handles the ISS or the spacecraft.
But in our case, I can answer in our case, so this is a, issue, on the ingredient, make, , allowed us to use in the space, made us difficulties to develop the our products, comparing to the, our regular products on Earth.
For example, B, evaporating agent like alcohol, are often used, in personal products, very limited to use in space.
So therefore we need to seek, other ingredient to help, cleansing or adding recreation, feeding, or the product stability and so on.
Mhm.
So, as far as I know, the reason why, the, use of this evaporating agent like alcohol is limited is told that to avoid the air circulation system, of the ISS.
So in addition to that, we have to pay attention to the weight and size.
Our products because those personal products is also delivered to the by spacecraft.
So to carry by then it's very expensive, as you know.
So, the capability to carry personal personal care items space is also very limited.
So, all they have, we have to pay attention.
To find a good balance, between the product performance and weight and size limitations in our products.
OK.
Thank you.
