Ximenia seed oil (INCI: Ximenia Americana Seed Oil) : It spreads as a thin film that dries to create a very light, flexible protective barrier for hair and skin, trapping in water and repelling the elements thanks to the erucic acid. These fatty acids form into triglycerides that are considered “drying”, that is to say they will “harden to a tough, solid film after a period of exposure to air, the oil hardens through a chemical reaction in which the components cross-link (…polymerize)…as a result of auto-oxidation. The adding of oxygen to an organic compound…” (Reference)
The film is a uniform, plasticized*, soft-solid film that can protect hair and skin, but remains flexible. This is how it works as an anti-frizzing ingredient – it prevents water from entering the hair cuticle – and a shine enhancer – light bounces off the uniform film on the hair strand.
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