Rich in fatty acids and provitamin A, pequi oil helps define curls and tame frizz, while making hair soft and shiny
Sao Paulo, Brazil, March 16, 2016 – A leading provider of natural ingredients sourced from the Brazilian biodiversity,Beraca places its bets on a natural alternative for treating curly hair – pequi oil. The new ingredient will be presented to the international market during in-cosmetics 2016, to be held from April 12 to 14, in Paris.
Pequi is a tree native to the Cerrado (Brazil’s tropical savanna), whose fruit has an important role in the Northeastern and Midwestern Brazilian cuisine. The oil extracted from its pulp has several health benefits and can help control cholesterol and blood pressure. It is rich in fatty acids – oleic and palmitic acids – and has a high content of tocopherols and provitamin A.
Tests conducted in 2016 by an independent laboratory have proven the effectiveness of pequi oil in hair care formulations. When applied to products such as shampoo, conditioner, leave-on conditioner, serum, low poo and co-wash conditioner, it acts as a powerful emollient by nourishing and hydrating the hair follicle. Its anti-frizz effect leaves hair shiny and soft, while reducing hair volume, defining and enhancing curls.
“The keratin fibers of curly hair have a large contact surface with the environment, which means it tends to get dry more easily than other types of hair,” says Juliana Checon, R&D manager at Beraca. “The fatty fraction of pequi oil adheres to the hair and forms a protective film around the hair shaft, helping to restore its oleic content and prevent water loss.” She adds that, as a short-chain fatty acid, the oil does not weigh the hair down, nor makes it look heavy or greasy. Another benefit of the pequi oil is that it adds less color to formulations if compared to other ingredients that are also rich in carotenoids, allowing for greater versatility.
The efficiency test was conducted with 15 hair shafts. They were washed, detangled and separated into three groups that received placebo (control group), leave-on conditioner with pequi oil at 1.5% and leave-on conditioner with pequi oil at 3%. The hair shafts were maintained in an air-conditioned environment and exposed to standard humidity for 24 hours. After this period, the shafts that were treated with pequi oil at 1.5% recorded a 31% increase in curl retention and 23% reduction in frizz in comparison to the control group, while the shafts that were treated with pequi oil at 3% had a 36% improvement in curl definition and a 34% decrease in frizz.
Beraca’s pequi oil is produced in partnership with local communities working in the sustainable harvesting and processing of the fruit. Over 200 people from the Coopcerrado cooperative network are involved in this activity in the Brazilian states of Goiás and Minas Gerais. It provides an alternative source of income for the local people and contributes to regional development.
The new release is an addition to Beraca’s portfolio of natural hair care ingredients, which includes Beracare BBA, Beracare ADA, ARS Hair, patauá oil, buriti oil and murumuru butter.
About Beraca – Beraca is a Brazilian-based company with an international reach, which has been investing in the development of sustainable ingredients and technologies since 1956. Beraca is present in over 40 countries around the globe, with international subsidiaries in Paris and New Jersey. It is a leading provider of natural and organic-certified ingredients ethically sourced from the Amazon Rainforest and other Brazilian ecosystems. Beraca’s high-performance active ingredients add value to a wide number of brands operating in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and personal care industry worldwide. The company’s portfolio includes oils, butter, clays and multi-functional ingredients with clinically proven results.
For press enquiries, please contact:
Fernanda Bonifacio
fernanda.bonifacio@beraca.com
www.beraca.com
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