Summary
From the stutdy of cosmetic books, formularies, reports in the literature, and two surveys conducted, the following observations are made:
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1.
Vegetable products have played an important part in the history of hair preparations.
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2.
The use of plant products in today’s commercial market is limited.
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3.
Essential oils are important in all types of hair preparations, although the use of synthetic fragrances is increasing.
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4.
From a commercial standpoint, almost no vegetable dyes are used in hair coloring.
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5.
Although vegetable oils are used in hair dressings, mineral oils are preferred.
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6.
The majority of shampoos are synthetic surface-acting agents, but some vegetable oils are used in the manufacture of soap shampoos.
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7.
Plant powders are used in the formulation of dry shampoos, but this product is not popular.
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8.
Gums and mucilages are still widely used in hair set lotions.
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9.
Medicated products contain few plant constituents of any importance.
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10.
Plant products are comnionly used as perfume fixers and suspending or thickening agents.
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11.
No new plant products, except perhapsSophora spp. for baldness, appear to have any promise in future hair and scalp formulations.
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Supported by a grant from John H. Breck Inc. Paper prepared as part of Harvard Summer School course “Plants and human affairs.”
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Roia, F.C. The use of plants in hair and scalp preparations. Econ Bot 20, 17–30 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02861923
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02861923