HAIR CARE
intensity of fluorescence detected in each well directly correlated with the degree of peptide binding to the specific immobilised keratin sequence.
Binding assay results Elevated fluorescence signals within specific wells indicated a selective and high-affinity binding interaction between the peptide and defined segments of larger keratin proteins. The results demonstrate its preferential binding towards key structural elements of the hair fibre, encompassing both the organised keratin filament structures and the proteins comprising the amorphous matrix. This selective binding capability underscores the biomimetic nature of this active and its precise molecular targeting.
Mechanical strength assessment: cyclic fatigue testing Everyday mechanical stresses, such as brushing, combing, and styling, can cause cuticle abrasion and loss of protective surface lipids, ultimately weakening the hair fibre. When force is applied to compromised hair, it can lead to cuticle lifting and de-cementation, making hair more susceptible to further damage and breakage. Cyclic fatigue testing provides a robust
assessment of hair’s dynamic strength by simulating these real-life, repetitive mechanical deformations.
Methodology Each hair fibre was subjected to a defined stress parameter within its elastic region at a constant strain rate. This repeated motion of force extension and relaxation simulates typical consumer grooming practices. The test measures how many cycles a fibre can withstand before breaking, as internal flaws gradually propagate over time. Data was analysed using the Weibull distribution, which characterises failure behaviour and provides the characteristic lifetime (α)—the number of cycles at which 63.2% of fibres have failed. A higher characteristic lifetime indicates greater fibre resilience and improved resistance to breakage. For each treatment group, 50 randomly
selected fibres of three-times bleached, type 2 Caucasian hair were tested under controlled laboratory conditions (40% relative humidity, room temperature). Statistically significant differences between treatments were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier estimator with a log- rank test at a 95% confidence level.
Results High Efficacy: In the first study, a 0.5% active peptide solution was compared against DI water (control) and animal keratin (0.5% active) after ten repeated applications. The results (Figure 2) show that the biomimetic peptide outperforms animal keratin in characteristic lifetime (α) proving hair is stronger and more resilient to breakage.
Dose-responsive improvement A study was also conducted from a leave-on formulation, to evaluate the impact of this active over time, measuring results after 5, 10,
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30,000
*
* 20,000
10,000
0 DI Water (Control) KeraBio K31 Animal Keratin
Figure 2: Graph showing the result of characteristic lifetime of three times bleached type 2 Caucasian hair treated with ten applications from leave-on solution (*p<0.05 compared to control)
40,000
Untreated ■ Placebo formulation ■ KeraBio K31 formulation ■ *
30,000 * * 20,000
10,000
0 Untreated 5x applications 10x applications 20x applications
Figure 3: Graph showing the result of characteristic lifetime of three times bleached type 2 Caucasian hair treated with five, ten and 20 applications from leave-on formulation (*p<0.05 compared to untreated and placebo formulation)
and 20 treatment applications. The formulation (0.5% active) was compared against untreated hair and a placebo formulation (no active). A statistically significant improvement in characteristic lifetime was observed after just five applications compared to the untreated control, with performance continuing to improve with each additional application (Figure 3). This dose-responsive data highlights that
the biomimetic peptide becomes increasingly effective with repeated use; its continued application leads to stronger hair and enhanced resistance to premature breakage.
Benchmark superiority Figure 4 presents additional comparisons from the same formulation study after 20 applications, expanding on the previous data. It compares the active in a formulation (0.5% active) to untreated hair, a placebo formulation (no active), an animal keratin formulation (0.5% active) and the leading commercial bond
building formulation (benchmark). The results demonstrate that the peptide
delivers superior strengthening performance in characteristic lifetime across all the benchmarks. Notably, hair is 100% stronger than the leading commercial benchmark. These comprehensive cyclic fatigue tests
provide robust evidence that the ingredient significantly strengthens and reinforces hair, making it more resilient to breakage and better able to withstand daily environmental and mechanical stresses. The biomimetic peptide outperforms all the benchmarks tested, even the leading commercial bond builder.
Structural integrity assessment: DSC analysis Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a highly sensitive analytical technique used to measure the denaturation temperature (TD ) of hair. TD , observed as the peak value on the wet- DSC heat flow curve, is directly influenced by
September 2025 PERSONAL CARE
Characteristic lifetime (α)
Characteristic lifetime (α)
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