THE CLEANING PROCESS
Take a close-up look at the chemistry of a hair wash
OILY BUILD-UP
The scalp produces a waxy substance called sebum; this stops hair from drying out but also attracts dirt.
DILUTION
As the surfactants and dirt are washed away, the bond between conditioner molecules and their fatty acid coating weakens.
TARGETING OILS
Shampoo surfactants have a watersoluble head and an oil-soluble tail. Their tails attach to the hairs’ oil and dirt, surrounding and isolating it. The water-soluble heads allow the dirt to be carried within the water.
ISOLATED CONDITIONERS
Conditioner molecules are positively charged, so they attract a fatty acid coating. This stops them from binding with the shampoo molecules’ negative charges instead of the hair grease.
CONDITIONER COATING
The released conditioner molecules have a positive charge and are drawn to the clean hair. This forms a moisturising coating.