Can 'green' technology really help reduce water use during hair washes?

People are increasingly turning their attention to new technologies in response to the issue of over-consumption of water, and the beauty industry is now stepping up. Photo: AFP

Over-consumption of water is a major environmental issue, and while many surveys have shown that the inhabitants of several countries are trying to cut their water waste on a daily basis, people are now turning their attention to new technologies to respond to the urgency of the situation.

At international trade show CES 2021 held just last month, L’Oreal presented a new green technology, called L’Oreal Water Saver. It is designed to reduce water consumption by nearly 80% when washing hair.

“We believe it is our responsibility at L’Oreal to do our part to preserve the earth’s natural resources. Every drop of water is precious, and our new technology makes every drop of water count," explained Nicolas Hieronimus, deputy CEO, L’Oreal Group.

"L’Oreal Water Saver represents the next phase of our beauty tech ambition-one that delivers an exceptional personalised beauty experience while embodying our commitment to sustainability in every aspect of our business."

Developed by L’Oreal’s Tech Incubator, in collaboration with Gjosa, this technology promises to not only make it possible to considerably reduce water consumption – by up to 80% – but also to reinvent the application of hair care products.

The “high-powered water-optimising technology” was directly combined with specially designed L’Oreal Professionnel and Kerastase products that flow directly into the water stream.

The technology, which applies the principle of fractioning used in rocket engines to water flows, means that “water droplets collide according to a defined direction and uniform distribution.

This reduces their size and accelerates their speed, ensuring every drop of water is used in the hair washing and rinsing process while making shampoos, conditioners, and other treatments easier to rinse," says the cosmetics giant.

This would allow, among other things, to use only two litres of water per minute, compared to an average of eight litres per minute for a home shampoo at present.

Already available in a selection of salons in New York, L’Oreal Water Saver will arrive in some Parisian salons this month, before being deployed internationally between 2021 and 2022.

Professionals should also benefit from a dashboard providing data on savings in water and energy consumption, and a history of the treatments used.

Individuals won’t be left out since L’Oreal has announced that an at-home shower device “will be launched at a later date”. – AFP Relaxnews