From shine and ‘skinification’, to sustainability, AAK’s LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ provides a solution to meet the haircare industry’s leading trends.
In the ever-evolving world of haircare, consumers are embracing trends that blend health and innovation with sustainability.
Continuing to lead the way in 2025 is Skinification – a trend which applies skincare principles to hair, bringing health to the fore . There is a growing focus on scalp health, and the incorporation of nourishing skincare ingredients in haircare routines. Demand is increasing for products that maintain hair's natural keratin, and protect from oxidative stress and photoageing.
Driven by climate change and rising humidity levels is the Anti-Frizz trend1. Consumers are looking for products that smooth frizz, enhance hair health and protect the hair and scalp against UV rays. They’re moving away from quick fixes and towards solutions that enhance hair health and provide long-lasting control.
The Glass Hair trend is all about creating ultra-smooth, reflective hair with mass-market brands investing heavily in this area.2 Shine-boosting products are particularly popular on TikTok, where #ShinyHairTips has garnered over 185 million views from the UK and US audiences.3
Underpinning all of these trends is a shift towards ‘greener’ and healthier products for 2025. New regulations and rising consumer preference for natural, ethical and environmentally-responsible products are increasing pressure on brands to disclose details about ingredient origins, sourcing, and manufacturing processes.
As a result, consumers are becoming more knowledgeable about what’s in their products, and are moving away from ingredients such as parabens, sulphates, mineral oils, and silicones due to perceived negative impacts.4,5 Instead, they want sustainable hair product ingredients.
Decrease in dimethicone use
Dimethicones are a versatile family of silicones. These synthetic polymers are extensively used in haircare products, as they help form a thin, protective layer over hair which locks in moisture, improves hydration and protects against environmental stressors. Creating this barrier also helps reduce frizz, smooths, and enhances shine – making them ideal for achieving the key trends outlined above.
Although they are not subject to legislative restrictions and are generally considered safe for cosmetic use, dimethicones are under increased scrutiny due to their lack of biodegradability and potential accumulation in ecosystems. Additionally, dimethicone production is energy-intensive, requiring high-temperature processes and reliance on non-renewable carbon sources.
Some consumers also believe dimethicones can build-up on the skin and hair, potentially clogging pores and causing breakouts, as well as imparting a heavy, greasy feel to hair.
These concerns are prompting consumers and brands to seek natural silicone alternatives for hair products and dimethicone alternatives, a trend reflected in a slow but steady decrease in dimethicone use in haircare applications.6
The SheaLuxe Solution: Our natural silicone alternative
LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ is AAK’s new innovative shea-derived emollient ester – providing an effective natural alternative to low-viscosity dimethicones.
It has been expertly processed to achieve a low viscosity and sensory profile comparable to a dimethicone – which is ideal for use in leave-on applications as it is a light texture, with a non-greasy feel, excellent spreadability, and quick absorption.
To see how it compared, we put LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ through rigorous trials against dimethicone in key trend applications. Here is how it performed:
- Key to the Skinification trend, LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ demonstrated similar barrier protection properties to dimethicone, locking in moisture helping to prevent dryness and maintain hydration –– effectively reducing both short and long-term transepidermal water loss.
- In terms of the Anti-Frizz trend, LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ provides a significant short and long-term anti-frizz effect, superior to that of the tested dimethicone.
- In relation to the Glass Hair trend, shine was evaluated visually immediately after application and after 8 hours at 85% humidity – with LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ maintaining shine after exposure to extreme conditions.
A trained panel also evaluated the sensory profile of a low-viscosity dimethicone and LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ as pure ingredients. They were both described as light, oil-like, dry, non-greasy, and highly spreadable, with no significant difference found between them.
Sustainability credentials
Like other plant-based esters, LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ is readily biodegradable and produced using an eco-friendly process involving low temperatures, low pressure, non-toxic catalysts, and 100% renewable sources, addressing a key drawback of dimethicone. Compared to other natural alternatives, it has unmatched supply chain credentials.
It is sustainably-sourced from AAK’s Kolo Nafaso program – which engages hundreds of thousands of women shea collectors across three West African countries and is the region's most extensive direct sourcing program in terms of scale and impact. It focuses on improving the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the women shea collectors and their communities through long-term direct trading partnerships, interest-free micro-credits, and training to support economic development, mitigate climate change, and improve health and safety.
Additionally, LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ is a climate-compensated ingredient. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) following ISO 14040/4 methodology was conducted to calculate all major emission contributors for production from cradle to the AAK factory gate, including shea growing, processing, crushing, and refining, all transportation, and packaging materials.
The resulting carbon footprint was then offset with Fairtrade and Gold Standard carbon credits generated from an energy-saving cookstove project in Burkina Faso operated by FairClimateFund. The fair-trade premium is paid to participating households to finance climate resilience and adaptation projects in their communities.
In summary
LIPEX® SheaLuxe TR™ provides a strong alternative to low-viscosity dimethicones in haircare formulations, aligning with leading trends and offering opportunities for further innovation.
By integrating this innovative ingredient, brands can meet consumer expectations for natural, effective, and ethically-sourced products, supporting the industry's shift towards sustainability without compromising quality or performance.
1. A year of innovation in haircare, styling & colour, 2024, Mintel
2. Cosmetics Business reveals the top 5 hair care trends of 2024 in new report (https://cosmeticsbusiness.com/top-5-hair-care-trends-2024)
3. TRESemmé targets 2024’s shiny hair trend with new products, Unilever. (https://www.unilever.com/news/news-search/2024/the-shineboosting-technology-helping-tresemme-target-2024s-hottest-hair-trend)
4. Euromonitor International Ingredient-Led Beauty: How Consumer Interest in Ingredients is Transforming the Hair Care Industry, May 2023
5. Mintel GNPD, launches in hair care containing free-from claims (parabens, sulfates, silicones) in the period 2019-2023
6 Mintel GNPD – Launches in skin and hair care 2018-2023 containing dimethicone.