Ashland introduces new Advantage 4910 polymer

Written on: January 16, 2015 by SprayTM

Ashland announced the commercial launch of its new Advantage 4910 polymer with a trade press luncheon and tour of the company’s research and development facility on Wednesday, Jan. 16 in Bridgewater, NJ.

The polymer, a hair fixative known for providing long-lasting hold, stiffness and resistance to humidity, gravity and vibration, is included in more hairspray products than any other polymer, according to Ashland, and the technology has existed for at least 30 years. It is now available from Ashland Specialty Ingredients’ for the first time, substantially expanding the company’s dynamic portfolio of solutions for manufacturers of hairspray products–especially given its ability to be used in conjunction with a number of other polymers.

The assortment of possibilities was put on display in Ashland’s Consumer Science Lab Wednesday afternoon. Five models sported five different hairstyles, while an Ashland resident cosmetologist explained the various formulations used in each of the five sprays–all including the Advantage 4910 polymer. Ingredients used with Advantage 4910 included the Aquaflex FX-64 polymer, Advantage LC A/S polymer and PVP/VA copolymers.

In the Materials Science Lab, Ashland exhibited some of its Dynamic Hairspray Analysis procedures, examining attributes like flexibility, elasticity, stiffness, plasticity and resistance to factors like differing temperatures, humidity, gravity and vibration. The idea was to study the impact of everyday stress on treated hair fibers.

Ashland is only the second manufacturer to supply the octycrylamide/acrylatesbutylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer, according to the company. Advantage 4910 can be used in both aerosol (including BOV) and non-aerosol product formulations.