Within the span of just a few years, cleansing conditioners have gone from occupying a niche within the  hair care market to the mainstream shelves of big box retailers. This product format has intrigued consumers, perplexed formulators and revealed an open space for growth in a crowded marketplace. To understand the popularity and potential of cleansing conditioners, it is necessary to learn why and how consumers are using these products and how formulas can be tailored to address a wide variety of  hair concerns. Croda conducted a consumer research study to discover key insights into the drivers behind successful cleansing conditioners and how  hair care finished product companies can expand into this area.

Why are consumers using cleansing conditioners? The key reasons can be grouped into three categories:

1. Damage Avoidance. Consumers commented that the overall health of their  hair is improved by reducing the frequency of washing with traditional shampoos containing harsh surfactants that strip  hair of its natural protective oils. More recently, some consumers have identified—and seek to avoid—specific shampoo ingredients that they believe cause damage to their  hair. Cleansing conditioners present an option to avoid this damage by reducing the frequency of washing with traditional shampoos.
2. Convenience. By including a cleansing conditioner into their  hair care regimen, consumers reduce time spent in the shower, as a previously two-step, shampoo/conditioner process becomes a single step with the use of just one product. Interestingly, the time-saving benefits of cleansing conditioners extend beyond the use of one product verses two. Consumers commented that while using cleansing conditioners in the shower, their  hair had fewer knots and tangles, allowing for easier washing. The post shower process became much faster and easier.  Consumers found their  hair combed out more easily and required fewer styling products. 
3. Better Results. After using cleansing conditioners, consumers with thick  hair said their  hair seemed healthier, shinier and silkier with less frizz and dryness. Consumers who colored their  hair said the product helped preserve their  hair color and kept it from fading. In addition, consumers liked that their  hairstyle seemed to last much longer than with regular shampoo and conditioner.

Adding Cleansing Conditioners

The key learning from this research was that consumers were not necessarily using cleansing conditioners as replacements for their previous  hair care regimens; rather, they were incorporating this product format into their existing  hair care routines with the ultimate drivers relating directly to convenience, healthier  hair and better end results. 

Consumers perceive a number of functional benefits from using cleansing conditioners. For consumers, especially those with thick and/or curly  hair types, the moisturizing and frizz-reducing benefits of this product format allows for easier styling, resulting in time-saving and reduced effort. In addition to the reduced time and effort when showering, cleansing conditioners are also viewed as a milder way to cleanse. Many consumers have become quite loyal to cleansing conditioners, which is a phenomenon perhaps best attributed to the fact that they say their  hair looks better and is healthier afterwards. The important takeaway from these learnings is that consumers are using cleansing conditioners for convenience and as part of an overall healthy  hair care regimen, along with the weekly use of a traditional shampoo.


Personalized Products

Based on the findings of this study, it seems very likely that the cleansing conditioner format is here to stay. While still relatively new to the market, and perhaps viewed as niche to some, consumers want something that will be gentler to their  hair and a more convenient way to cleanse with better results.

How can businesses expand into this market space? Croda’s consumer research study revealed a number of areas within the cleansing conditioner category that offered potential for future product development. These areas all relate to making cleansing conditioners appealing to the needs of consumers other than the early adopters with especially thick and/or curly, frizz-prone  hair. Consumers with different  hair types and specific needs are attracted to the benefits of cleansing conditioners and are interested in incorporating them into their  hair care regimens. Making it easier for consumers to get one that is targeted to the specific needs of their  hair type will reduce the confusion at the point of purchase and clearly convey the value to the consumer.  Indeed, cleansing conditioner variants have already begun to proliferate in the market.

To assist  hair care formulators, Croda developed a number of targeted cleansing conditioner formulations based on the needs uncovered in the company’s consumer research.

• HP-385 Cleansing Conditioner for Color-Treated  Hair was created to reduce the barrier for consumers with color-treated  hair because they are reluctant to try new products that don’t specifically have the words  “for color-treated  hair” on the label.
• HP-393 Weightless Cleansing Conditioner for Fine  Hair was designed for consumers who fall outside of the thick/curly  hair category, in particular those with fine or thin  hair because they are more likely to find that cleansing conditioners can weigh down their  hair, resulting in undesirably limp or oily-looking styles.
• Consumers in this demographic find formulations that incorporate lighter conditioning and volumizing ingredients especially appealing.
• HP-388 Low Foam Cleansing Conditioner is targeting consumers who seek in-use cleansing cues because they are more likely to use cleansing conditioners that can offer benefits such as foaming.  Offering this feature presents a difficult formulating challenge that Croda’s applications team overcame by using an exceptionally mild surfactant and emulsifier along with moisture and shine enhancing ingredients.
• HP-392 Flaunt Your Curls Cleansing Conditioner is for consumers seeking products designed to enhance their curls and control frizz.

When viewed in terms of the diversity in the marketplace, cleansing conditioners represent an opportunity for consumer care companies to offer new product solutions for the unmet needs of many different consumers. To fully capture existing white space, companies may want to consider the needs of consumers with varying  hair types and conditions, while understanding that these products should not be expected—or feared—to replace existing product regimens, but be incorporated into and complement them.
On the following pages are some formulas to get you started; all ingredients are Croda/Sederma unless noted.

Cleansing Conditioner for Color-Treated  Hair

Ingredients	%Wt.
Part A
Water	78.85
Arlasilk PLN  (Linoleamidopropyl PG-dimonium chloride phosphate dimethicone (and) aqua)	2.00
Part B
Crodazosoft DBQ (Quaternium-91 (and) cetrimonium methosulfate (and) cetearyl alcohol)	1.00
SP Brij S20 MBAL (Steareth-20)	1.50
SP Incromine SD MBAL (Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine)	0.50
Keradyn HH (Bis-ethyl(isostearylimidazoline) isostearamide)	1.00
SP Crodacol C 95 MBAL (Cetyl alcohol)	6.00
SP Crodacol S 95 MBAL  (Stearyl alcohol)	4.00
Crovol A70 (PEG-60 almond glycerides)	1.00
Crodamol SFX (PPG-3 benzyl ether ethylhexanoate)	1.00
Lustreplex (Polyquaternium-70 (and) dipropylene glycol)	1.00
Cropure Olive  (Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil)	0.50
Cropure Apricot Kernel (Prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil)	0.50
Part C
Kerestore 2.0 (Water (and) laurdimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed keratin)	1.00
Euxyl K100 (schülke) (Benzyl alcohol (and) methylchloroisothiazolinone (and) methylisothiazolinone)	0.15

Procedure: Combine A ingredients in a beaker and heat to 75-80°C with mixing. Heat and mix B separately and add to A when it reaches 75-80°C. Cool to 60°C while lowering mixing speed and switch to side sweep blade. Cool to 40°C with mixing and add C. Cool to room temperature with mixing. Adjust pH to 5.0-5.5 with citric acid, if necessary.

Low Foaming Cleansing Conditioner

Ingredients	%Wt.
Part A
Water	53.40
Crodateric CAB 30 (Cocamidopropyl betaine (and) water)	15.00
Crodateric CAS 50 (Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine (and) water)	8.00
Butylene glycol	1.00
Part B
Versaflex V-150 (Steareth-100 (and) steareth-2 (and) mannan (and) xanthan gum)	1.50
Glycerin	4.50
Part C
Rejuvasoft (Quaternium-91 (and) behentrimonium chloride (and) myristyl myristate (and) cetearyl alcohol)	3.00
Crodacol 1618 (Cetearyl alcohol)	12.00
Lustreplex (Polyquaternium-70 (and) dipropylene glycol)	1.00
Part D
Vitamin A E F WS (Polysorbate 20 (and) PEG-20 glyceryl laurate (and) water (and) tocopherol (and) linoleic acid (and) retinyl palmitate)	0.25
Chufa Milk (Water (and) Cyperus esculentus tuber extract (and) xanthan gum)	0.25
Neolone (Dow Chemical) (Methylisothiazolinone)	0.10

Procedure: Pre-mix Versaflex and glycerin. Mix water phase and add Versaflex/glycerin to water mixture. Heat to 75-80°C. Heat B to 75-80°C separately and add to water phase. Cool to 40°C and add C. Adjust pH to 5.0-5.5 with 10% citric acid.

Flaunt Your Curls Cleansing Conditioner

Ingredients	%Wt.
Part A
Water	87.90
Part B
Incroquat Behenyl TMC-25 (Cetearyl alcohol (and) behentrimonium chloride)	1.00
Brij S20 (Steareth-20)	1.50
SP Incromine SD MBAL (Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine)	1.00
SP Crodacol C95 MBAL (cetyl alcohol)	10.00
SP Crodacol S95 MBAL (stearyl alcohol)	8.00
Crovol A-70 (PEG-60 almond glycerides)	1.00
Crodamol SFX (PPG-3 benzyl ether ethylhexanoate)	1.00
Lustreplex (Polyquaternium-70 (and) dipropylene glycol)	1.50
Cropure Olive (Olea Europaea (Olive) fruit oil)	0.50
Cropure Apricot Kernel (Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil)	0.50
Part C
Kerestore 2.0 (Water (and) laurdimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed keratin)	1.00
Mirustyle CP (Polyquaternium-72)	2.50
Mirustyle MFP PE (Hydropropyl trimonium hydrolyzed corn starch (and) water)	2.50
Neolone 950 (Dow Chemical) (Methylisothiazolinone)	0.10

Procedure: Heat A to 80-85°C. Mix and heat B to 80-85°C separately. Then add B to A with mixing. Cool to 60°C then switch to side sweep blade. Add C ingredients individually at 40°C with mixing. Check/adjust pH to 5.0-5.5 with 50% citric acid.

Weightless Cleansing Conditioner for Fine  Hair

Ingredients	%Wt
Part A
Water	64.40
Versaflex V-150 (Steareth-100 (and) steareth-2 (and) mannan (and) xanthan gum)	1.25
Glycerin	3.75
Crodateric CAB-30 (Cocamidopropyl betaine (and) water	10.00
Part B
Crodafos CS20A (Cetearyl alcohol (and) ceteth-20 phosphate (and) dicetyl  phosphate)	2.50
SP Incromine SD MBAL (Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine)	0.50
SP Crodacol CS50 MBAL (Cetearyl alcohol)	8.50
Crovol A70 (PEG-60 almond glycerides)	1.00
Crodamol SFX (PPG-3 benzyl ether ethylhexanoate)	1.00
Cropure Apricot Kernel (Prunus amygdalus dulcis  (sweet almond) oil)	0.50
Cropure Olive (Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil)	0.50
Keradyn HH  (Bis-(ethyl(isostearyl imidazoline)) isostearamide)	1.00
Part C
Voluminis (Ethyltrimonium chloride methacrylate/hydrolyzed wheat protein copolymer)	5.00
Neolone 950 (Dow Chemical)	0.10
Citric acid (25% Solution)

Procedure: Heat A in a beaker to 75-80°C with mixing. Heat and mix B separately and add to water when it reaches 75-80°C. Cool to 60°C, lower mixing speed, and switch to side sweep blade. Cool to 40°C with mixing and add C. Cool to room temperature with mixing. Adjust pH to 5.0-5.5 with critic acid, if necessary. 

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About the Authors
Denise Costrini is marketing manager,  hair care, and Christophe Toumit is marketing director, insights marketing, both for Croda Personal Care North America. To request a copy of the whitepaper for more information on the consumer research study contact [email protected]