Use of quaternized cassia galactomannan for hair conditioning

There is a continuing need for hair care formulas to deliver superior conditioning benefits with highly efficient deposition of hair-enhancing components. In this paper, we describe high-charge-density (3.0 mEq/g) cassia hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (cassia HPTC), a quaternized galactomannan from the endosperm of Cassia tora and Cassia obtusifolia. Cassia HPTC is shown to participate in the coacervate phase of conditioning shampoos, from which it is deposited onto hair to provide conditioning benefits. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry were used to observe and characterize the cassia HPTC deposits left on hair. The high-charge-density cassia HPTC resulted in improved deposition efficiency compared with a quaternized guar-containing formula. Cassia HPTC offers benefits as an alternative to traditional cationic polymers as conditioning agents or as an adjunct conditioner to decrease the amount of cationic polymer needed to achieve the desired conditioning performance.