From unicorn purple and pumpkin spice to cream soda and everything in between, consumer use of hair color has evolved well beyond blonde highlights and covering gray to become an individual style statement. While consumers’ desire to look chic is helping drive 8-plus-percent annual growth in the global hair color market, it’s their increasing concern around hair health that’s driving what goes into – or doesn’t go into – today’s hair colorant formulations.
In response to the growing market demand for alternatives to commonly used alkalizing agents, such as monoethanolamine (MEA) and ammonia, ANGUS Chemical Company (“ANGUS”) is introducing DMAMP ULTRA PC (INCI: Dimethylamino Methylpropanol), a multifunctional alkalizing agent for use in professional and retail oxidative hair colourants.

“When compared to commercial and formulated systems that use the same chassis but with alkalizing agents like MEA and ammonia, our hair color formulations using DMAMP ULTRA PC showed superior color deposition and improved wash fastness on bleached hair, especially in red and black shades. It also performed better on grey coverage, maintaining the colour even after 15 washes,” said Ruth Kuriyama, Customer Application Specialist for ANGUS in Latin America. “In addition, DMAMP ULTRA PC does not have a harsh odour, which makes it an ideal alternative to ammonia in hair colouring applications.”

DMAMP ULTRA PC is globally compliant with the industry’s most stringent standards and regulations governing product purity, as well as secondary amine and nitrosamine content. DMAMP ULTRA PC is 80% active, and is a stronger base than ammonia and MEA, with a lower nucleophilicity.

“The addition of DMAMP ULTRA PC to our portfolio of personal care and cosmetics ingredients builds on ANGUS’ decades long legacy and expertise in hair care applications,” said Julie Carnes, North America Personal Care Technical Account Manager, ANGUS. “As certain segments of the market continue to push toward ammonia- and MEA-free hair colourants, DMAMP ULTRA PC provides manufacturers with a new formulation tool that helps them meet both the performance and market demands for their specific hair colourants.”

Sample quantities of DMAMP ULTRA PC are currently available for testing in one-litre packaging. Commercial volumes are expected to be available in early 2019 for all regions. For additional information, visit angus.com, or contact an ANGUS Personal Care representative at info@angus.com.