One of the leading specialists in natural waxes, Kahl has launched a new corporate identity, which includes fresh branding and a new website.
Kahl specialises in natural waxes, such as beeswax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax and many others. The company has a long tradition of refining and manufacturing waxes, functional ingredients, powders and emulsions. From its production site near Hamburg, Germany, Kahl ships its goods worldwide. The supplier’s in house laboratory researches and develops new products while providing extensive formulation assistance and technical support to customers. In September 2023, the company launched its brand-new KAHL look, including a new Kahl World website, logo and corporate branding. The aim is to reposition the business as a manufacturer of specialty ingredients with a focus on quality, service and technical know-how. Kahl is shifting its focus from product-based to offering a solutions-based approach, which helps customers to easily find products that match their needs. In South Africa, Kahl’s products can be sourced from Savannah Fine Chemicals.
Waxes to enhance hair care
Waxes are a class of natural compounds that are malleable at room temperature. Typically, they are harder, less greasy and more brittle than fats, and show extreme resistance to moisture, oxidation, and microbial degradation.
Most hair conditioners or masks already contain waxy substances such as fatty alcohols, but only rarely contain actual waxes, because their melting point can be quite high, or their performance is unknown. In general, waxes can thicken products and bind high amounts of oils. This makes them very useful to improve and regulate texture. Additionally, waxes also show interesting caring effects on hair.
Waxes deposit on hair and add softness. Yet unlike cationic conditioning actives, they do not attach firmly, which makes them easier to remove and less likely to cause build-up. Depending on their chemical composition, waxes can add gloss, reduce combing force and detangle, have anti-static properties, and protect the hair against breakage and environmental stress. Some waxes can also provide slip and lubricity making the product easy to apply on wet hair, while others give more grip, which can be necessary for a good manageability.
Versatile and sustainable raw materials
Besides classic waxes like beeswax and natural speciality waxes like myrica and tea wax, Kahl also offers other functional ingredients that are perfectly suited for hair care applications. One example from the portfolio is KahlJelly 7038 Coco. This special blend is based on coconut oil, which is widely used in hair care and has been shown to be very effective in protecting hair. It also contains nourishing olive oil; low-melting berry wax, which provides a creamy texture and good spreadability; and upcycled sunflower seed wax for additional stabilisation.
KahlJelly 7038 Coco can be used in a variety of applications. It is easy to emulsify and ideal for use in cream conditioners and hair mask products. KahlJelly 7038 Coco has been shown to improve combability of wet and dry hair, without leaving a heavy residue.
As solid cosmetics have become a booming trend in recent years, formulators are now looking for new ingredients to create high-performance cosmetic products that meet consumer’s expectations. KahlJelly 7038 Coco is an excellent ingredient for solid hair care formulations, where it acts as a binder for surfactants and as a caring ingredient. It is suitable for vegan, halal, and natural cosmetic formulations (ISO 16128: 100%), making it a perfect choice of raw material to use in both emulsion-based and anhydrous hair care products, like the solid shampoo featured in table 1.