News Release | May 5, 2020

BASF introduces Luviset® 360: a new styling polymer for exceptional textures and very strong but flexible hold

  • Superior styling performance: Luviset® 360 provides long-lasting hold even under high humidity conditions
  • Luviset® 360 needs less carbomer thickener to achieve target viscosity and has self-thickening capability

BASF launches its new styling polymer Luviset® 360 providing an efficient styling performance in six dimensions: The innovative product offers strong, flexible and long-lasting hold as well as low flaking. It supports anti-pollution claims and allows for new textures. Luviset 360 is perfectly suited for producing high viscous styling products with no or low movement inside the package. It has been designed for a wide range of final hair styling products such as gels, creams and waxes.

Thanks to its self-thickening properties in concentrations above 4 percent, Luviset 360 ensures a pleasant consistency in styling gels. Hair care manufacturers using Luviset 360 need less carbomer thickener to achieve target viscosity.

“Consumers are increasingly looking for styling products that offer flexible, but strong hold and are less likely to flake. Luviset 360 is the perfect solution to develop styling gels for this very demanding market,” says Hans-Martin Haake, Head of Market Development Hair, Body, Oral at BASF Personal Care Europe.

Proven efficacy
Performance tests have shown that Luviset 360 provides a high degree of bending stiffness and curl retention even in formulations with low concentrations and shows excellent hold, especially under conditions of high humidity. BASF experts use standardized methods to measure the flexural stiffness of hair strands in climate chambers. In sensory tests for Luviset 360, this flexibility in hold is perceived as a more natural bending without breakage of the film. The innovative styling polymer also showed significantly lower flaking with a smaller and less visible size of the flakes.

Sensory tests have shown that formulations with Luviset 360 provide better peaking and cushion effects during the application on hair strands. Luviset 360 is also suitable for styling products with additional claims related to anti-pollution: BASF experts carried out tests in a pollution chamber that showed that less pollution remained on hair strands treated with Luviset 360 than on those treated with a placebo formulation. Its compatibility with numerous actives also makes Luviset 360 perfectly suitable for styling products with claims for caring effects such as moisturizing or hair strengthening.

Luviset 360 can be used alone or in combination with other BASF polymers such as Luvigel® FIT UP, Luviskol® K 90 or Tinovis® GTC UP, providing excellent synergies for strong claims and creative textures.

About the Care Chemicals division at BASF
The BASF division Care Chemicals offers a broad range of ingredients for personal care, home care, industrial & institutional cleaning, and technical applications. We are a leading global supplier for the cosmetics industry as well as the detergents and cleaners industry, and support our customers with innovative and sustainable products, solutions and concepts. The division’s high-performance product portfolio includes surfactants, emulsifiers, polymers, emollients, chelating agents, cosmetic active ingredients and UV filters. We have production and development sites in all regions and are expanding our presence in emerging markets. Further information is available online at www.care-chemicals.basf.com

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.