Cuticle The cuticle consists of 6 to 8 layers of overlapping scale-likecells arranged so that their free edges point toward the tipof the shaft.It protects the cortex beneath and acts asa physical barrier against external insult.It consists of 2 parts, the exocuticle and the endocuticle.
External to the cuticle is the F-layer, tightly joined tothe cuticle by covalent bonds.5It consists of a single-molecule---thick layer of 18-methyl eicosanoic acid, a highly hydrophobic branched-chain fatty acid,5considered by someto act as a natural hair protector or natural conditioner