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National Post

We stepped into the sunflower fields of Dyson Farm to learn more about its latest hair-care launch

Article content 'We were, at that time, starting to study the crops,' says Justina Mejia-Montane, senior vice-president of Global Product Innovation at Dyson Beauty. 'As the research was coming in for the sunflower seed oil, we recognized that it's chock full of omega fatty acids, and that actually is an ingredient that is really beneficial for dry hair. So we started playing around with, how do we incorporate this into a formulation?' Article content They first had to develop a cosmetic-grade ingredient that could be used in a mass hair-care product. Then, they had to find the right mix of oils that could nourish strands, without weighing them down. Article content The formulators settled on a mix of seven oils: sunflower, Abyssinian, macadamia, sesame, corn, olive and avocado. Aside from the sunflower seed oil, which is sourced from the Dyson Farm, the other raw oil materials for the blend are primarily sourced form France, Mejia-Montane notes. Article content 'We wanted a blend of different oils that would help to penetrate into the hair,' she says of the selection. 'It was quite a bit of trial-and-error to figure out what was the right combination of the different oils that didn't give you something that was too heavy and that they were all enhancing each other.' Article content Article content In development for about two years, the launch features a leave-in conditioning spray and a hair oil. Article content Rather than rely on silicones, which are a common ingredient in many smoothing hair-care products that can feel heavy or greasy on strands, the Dyson team looked to find nourishing ingredients that boasted the conditioning benefits, along with heat protection. Article content 'The team sought out to be able to find polymers. 'What are some of those polymers that really helped to maintain the curl retention?,' and that's how we uncovered Chitosan,' Mejia-Montane explains. 'And I would say that Omega is continuing on that story, because heat protection is something that continues to come up.' Article content With the new Omega products, the company now offers options for hydration, styling, heat protection and style retention. The Chitosan and Omega hair products are formulated to work both with Dyson and other heat-styling tools. Article content Mejia-Montane recommends applying the Omega leave-in spray — which she notes is 'like a cloud of moisture on the hair' — on damp strands post-shower, then following with the Chitosan pre-styling cream for those who have hair that's more resistant to styling techniques. Article content Article content Heat styling would follow, and then a few drops of the Omega oil can be applied to add shine and provide a 'humidity shield,' she notes. The Chitosan post-style serum could then be used to really lock in a style on more stubborn hair. Article content Dryness, a common hair concern that a Dyson study found one-in-three people worldwide deal with, can be caused by a variety of concerns including heat-treating, colouring, the environment, water hardness and more. Article content 'We want to ensure that we're kind of stress-testing it … so that it is able to solve the issue for consumers, no matter where they're living in the world, or if they're travelling as well,' Mejia-Montane says, noting the global testing Dyson carried out with the products before their release. Article content The beauty category, Mejia-Montane notes, has become a strong pillar for the business, which started with a home vacuum cleaner launched in May 1993. In 2022, Dyson invested half-a-billion GBP into hair-care research.