New Hair Fixative Technology at Ashland

Ashland has announced the commercial launch of Advantage 4910 polymer, a hair fixative with a long history of use in hairspray formulations. The legacy polymer known for lending lasting hold, stiffness and humidity resistivity to hair styles, is included in more hairspray product launches than any other hair fixative. With the addition of Advantage 4910 polymer to its portfolio of hair styling, conditioning and fixative products, Ashland now offers hairspray manufacturers all of the major polymers required to produce today’s consumer-desirable formulas.
 
Prior to the introduction of Advantage 4910 hair fixative polymer, only one polymer manufacturer supplied octylacrylamide/acrylates/butylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer. Ashland now supplies the technology on a commercial scale for manufacturers of hair fixative and styling products, having fully incorporated the polymer into its production system. A chemical equivalent, the Advantage 4910 polymer may be used in virtually any aerosol base formulation, across all VOC levels. The polymer is demonstrated compatible in anhydrous, hydroalcoholic and 100 percent water systems.
 
According to Dennis Hublitz, sales director, Ashland Specialty Ingredients, Advantage 4910 polymer  delivers all of the consumer benefits one would expect in a traditional hairspray. “Including this polymer within our major portfolio of polymers for hairspray, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone-based polymers and methyl vinyl ether and maleic acid (PVM/MA) copolymers, allows us to deliver a dynamic set of solutions to manufacturers of spray products, from a natural, flexible hold, to stiff hold.”
 
A range of polymers may also be used in conjunction with the Advantage 4910 hair fixative to enhance the performance attributes consumers require in today’s fashion-forward hair styling products around the globe. Ashland is working with product manufacturers to demonstrate how style creation and fixation, along with key attributes such as humidity resistance and long lasting hold, may be obtained when using the polymer along with one or more of its broad palette of styling and fixative polymers.