Beyond the basics of textured hair care

Traditional textured hair products should cover certain essentials, including moisturization, conditioning, frizz management, styling hold, strengthening, protection, and repair.

But those are just the basics, and with such a diverse market, there are plenty more uncatered needs of textured hair to explore. For starters, the team at BASF has been delving into the science of scalp care, style preservation, protective styles, and porosity.

An estimated 65% of the US population has curly, coily, or wavy hair (TextureMedia, 2018).

To help you understand the possibilities, we created some of our own formulations to serve as inspiration for your next big idea.

81% of Black consumers agree healthy hair is the ultimate beauty accessory (Kantar Profiles/Mintel, 2022).

Protective styles like braids and twist outs have been around for centuries, preserving the health of textured hair by reducing manipulation and protecting it from environmental stressors. To keep these styles going strong, hair care products should aim to keep hair feeling fresh between washes and reduce scalp irritation caused by tension.

Inspiration: Refreshing Scalp Hydro Serum

Specifically designed to support scalp health for protective styles, the Refreshing Scalp Hydro Serum delivers deep hydration and nourishment with Rambuvital®, an upcycled rambutan seed extract that also tackles unwanted odor. With its light, gel-like consistency, the serum reduces dryness and irritation while supporting an optimal environment for healthy hair follicles.

Inspiration: Sculpting Twist Butter

To prepare and protect the hair before twisting or braiding, pre-treat it with Sculpting Twist Butter. This rich and creamy formula softens the hair with enhanced conditioning. Drawing softness and nourishment from a combination of naturally derived ingredients such as Cetiol® Softfeel, Cetiol® C5, and Myritol® 331 N, it reduces breakage and alleviates stress from extended styles.

Existing scientific research on hair porosity is limited. In general, high porosity hair has more gaps in the cuticles, which lets moisture in quickly but makes it difficult to retain.

Consumers with high or low porosity hair — a concern typically shared by those with textured hair — tend to use more solutions that can address these factors in their routines. The chemists at BASF are currently working to better understand the factors that influence hair porosity, and we look forward to sharing our solutions with you in the near future.