JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE 274 This study evaluated the performance of fi ve oils and three butters extracted from Bra- zilian plants with different fatty chain compositions on hair mechanical properties, split end formation, combing analysis and gloss measurements. The fi ve oils used in this work were passion fruit seeds extract (Passifl ora edulis), Brazilian nuts extract (Bertholletia excelsa), palm olein (a low-melting fraction of palm oil (Elaeis Guineensis)), buriti extract (Mauritia fl exuosa) and palm stearin (the most solid fraction of palm oil (Elaeis Guineensis)). The three butters used in this work were tucumã (Astrocarium tucuma), ucuúba (Virola surinamensis) and sapucainha (Carpotroche brasiliensis). Mineral oil was used as the control. The composition of the fatty acids is described as follows: passion fruit seed (77% linoleic acid), Brazilian nut (38% oleic acid and 35% linoleic acid), palm olein (47% oleic acid), buriti (79% oleic acid), palm stearin (42% palmitic acid and 41% oleic acid), tucumã (48% lauric acid and 27% myristic acid), ucuúba (75% myristic acid), sapucainha (47% chaulmoogric acid, 27% hidnocarpic and 19% gorlic acid). MATERIALS AND METHODS HAIR SAMPLES The tresses of virgin dark-brown and bleached hairs were obtained from De Meo Brothers Inc. (NY, USA). The hair samples were cleaned with lauryl sodium sulfate solution (10 w/v), combed using a polypropylene comb and stored at room temperature prior to use. Hair treatment: 0.5 ml of oil was applied to a 5 g hair tress and rubbed on it for 1 minute. The tresses were then kept in a climate controlled room for 15 minutes before the measure- ments. For dry combing tests the tresses were maintained in a climate controlled room (25 ± 5°C) for 24 h after the measurements in wet condition. TRIGLYCERIDES SAMPLES The samples were extracted from Brazilian plants. The Tucumã, Ucuúba and Sapucainha butters were processed by Natura Inovação e Tecnologia de Produtos Ltda (Brazil). The palm olein and stearin palm were processed in association with Agroplama (Brazil). The passion fruit seed oil was supplied by Croda Brazil, Brazilian nut oil by Cognis Brazil Ltda and buriti oil by Beraca Ingredients (Brazil). MECHANICAL PROPERTIES Mechanical properties of the treated hairs and the reference (hair without treatment) were achieved by stress/strain curves obtained using 50 bleached hair fi bers of each treated hair sample. The analysis was performed by a 4301 Instron Machine using a 10 N load cell at 50 mm/min constant speed. The fi bers were maintained at 25 ± 5°C and 50 ± 5% RH for 24 h prior to the measurements. The diameter of each fi ber was mea- sured after conditioning using a Mitutoyo micrometer. The results were interpreted us- ing the Xlstat software applications with Anova and Turkey statistics tools at 90% confi dence level.

2008 TRI/PRINCETON CONFERENCE 275 FORMATION OF SPLIT ENDS The bleached hair tresses were submitted to cycles of combing and drying (1 h) using combing equipment that was developed by Natura especially for this experiment and that simulates the daily care combing. The equipment was automatically operated and has an accessory with four fi xed combs that moves in a circle with speed 40 times/min, permitting a combing of the tresses (18 cm and 5 g) that were fi xed in front of the equip- ment. During the experiments, a hair dryer (1800W) was put 5 cm distant from the tresses at 70°C. After the time, the formation of split ends was quantifi ed by visual count- ing (number of split ends per gram of hair). EVALUATION OF THE GLOSS Gloss measurements were performed in a Glossmeter Rophoint using specular refl ection at the angle of 85°. The tresses were attached to a slide, which permitted the alignment of the fi bers. The tresses were dried in a climate controlled room at 25 ± 5°C for 24 h before the test. The gloss was given by the difference between treated and no-treated tresses, which was analyzed by the t-test at 95% confi dence level. Five measurements were recorded for each tress and three tresses were used for each treatment. COMBING EXPERIMENTS The measurements were performed by a 4301 Instron Machine with the comb fi xed acces- sory developed by Natura, using a speed of 500 mm/min and a 10N load cell. Tresses of dark-brown hair 20 cm long and weighing 3 g were used. Before the measurements the tresses were manually combed once for disentanglement. The results of wet and dry combing experiments (reported in percentage) were the average of 10 tresses per each treatment (one time per tress). The measurements of reference conditions were realized before the applica- tion of oils to the tresses. The wet combing was performed to the tresses after 15 min of the treatment at 25 ± 5°C, and dry experiments were performed after 24 h of wet experiments. For this test, the tresses were maintained in a climate controlled room at 50 ± 5% RH and 5 ± 5°C. Statistical analysis was performed using the t-test at 95% confi dence level. RESULTS GLOSS MEASUREMENTS Figure 1 shows the gloss difference of the hair tresses after different treatments. Gloss difference means the difference value of gloss between hair tress before treatment (refer- ence) and the same tress after treatment. All treatments provide an increase in the gloss difference of the hair tress compared to ref- erence (tresses before treatment). The results were analyzed by t-test with p 0.05. Treat- ments were statistically different among themselves and between the hair tresses treated and the reference. The buriti and mineral oils render the highest signifi cant values of gloss difference. As expected, oils promote higher gloss difference than butter. These effects are closely related to the lubricating and the easy spreading characteristics of oils on the hair.