HYDROLYZED KERATIN

Description: HYDROLYZED KERATIN — hydration, film-forming, strengthening.

All Functions: hydration, film-forming, strengthening

Quick Facts:

• Category: humectant

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Hydrolyzed keratin is a water-soluble form of keratin, the structural protein found in hair, skin, and nails
• Research in mice suggests oral hydrolyzed keratin peptide may promote hair growth by activating growth-related cellular pathways
• Different hydrolyzed keratin products vary significantly in their chemical properties depending on how they’re made and their molecular weight
• In laboratory settings, hydrolyzed keratin has shown ability to support skin cell vitality and proliferation

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🧪 HYDROLYZED KERATIN

HYDROLYZED KERATIN

CAS Number: 69430-36-0

Also Known As: —

Category: humectant

EC Number: 274-001-1

Korean Name: 하이드롤라이즈드케라틴

Keratins, hydrolyzates. A biological material consisting predominantly of partially hydrolyzed keratin

HYDROLYZED KERATIN is a humectant ingredient used in skincare formulations.

🌍 Regulatory Status

📊 Comedogenicity

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Hydrolyzed keratin (HK) is created by breaking down keratin—a tough, fibrous structural protein—into smaller, water-soluble pieces using acid, alkali, enzymatic, or other chemical methods (ACS Omega, 2025). This processing changes keratin’s properties substantially, making it useful in skincare formulations where the original fibrous form wouldn’t work. #1: In mouse studies, oral hydrolyzed keratin peptide promoted the transition of hair follicles from a resting phase to a growing phase and increased markers of cell proliferation (like β-catenin, cyclin D1, and PCNA) in hair follicle cells and skin cells. Male mice also showed upregulation of growth factors and antioxidant enzymes (J Med Food, 2026).

#2: In human cell cultures, hydrolyzed keratin peptide enhanced the proliferation of follicle dermal papilla cells and improved antioxidant capacity in skin cells (J Med Food, 2026). Important caveat: these are early-stage findings from animal and lab studies—human clinical evidence is not presented in these sources. A critical limitation exists in understanding commercial hydrolyzed keratin products: they are not standardized. Research shows that different HK products marketed with the same ingredient name vary considerably in their chemical-physical properties, primarily due to differences in molecular weight (ACS Omega, 2025). Products with higher molecular weight (>3000 Da) and greater protein content show better emulsifying and thickening properties for topical formulations, while very small molecules (<1000 Da) don't provide these benefits (ACS Omega, 2025).

#3: In laboratory tissue models, hydrolyzed keratin-based materials successfully supported the vitality and proliferation of skin cells, including human skin fibroblasts, over a 4-day period (Front Bioeng Biotechnol, 2019). The sources suggest hydrolyzed keratin has potential as a functional ingredient, but human clinical data on topical or oral effectiveness in real-world use is absent from these abstracts.

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

🧴 Products Containing HYDROLYZED KERATIN

• Balea, Balea professional Glossy blond Spülung, naturblondes und blondiertes Haar
• CONAXESS TRADE NORGE AS Brillance Hårfarge 872 Intense Red
• Henkel, Schauma Sports Power-Shampoo
• Henkel, Schauma, Schwarzkopf & Henkel Frucht & Vitamin Shampoo
• Henkel, Schauma, Schwarzkopf & Henkel Himmlisch Lang, Langhaar Shampoo
• Henkel, Syoss Repair gezielte Reparatur 02 Spülung
• Henkel,Syoss Power Shampoo for Men
• Skintec Advance Incorporated KERATIN plus Gold
• Henkel, Schwarzkopf Gliss Kur – Hair repair – Oil Nutritive Shampoo
• Henkel, Syoss Repair Therapy Conditioner
• Hosc distribution aps Jan Thomas Shampoo Volume 250ml
• Bioélixire Odżywka do włosów zniszczonych
• cadum cadum
• CONAXESS TRADE NORGE AS Live Urban Metallics U69 Amethyst Chrome
• CONAXESS TRADE NORGE AS Brillance Hårfarge 924 Choco Couture
• CONAXESS TRADE NORGE AS Live Urban Metallics U67 Blue Mercury
• CONAXESS TRADE NORGE AS Live Urban Metallics U72 Dusty Silver
• CONAXESS TRADE NORGE AS Blonde Blondering Highlights M1
• CONAXESS TRADE NORGE AS Blonde Blondering Ultra Lightener L1+
• primer amino keratina loquay

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Kim S et al. (2026). Hydrolyzed Keratin Peptide Enhances Hair Condition and Promotes Hair Regeneration. J Med Food.
• Perinelli DR et al. (2025). Exploring the Functional Properties of Hydrolyzed Keratin: Filling the Knowledge Gap on Surface Active, Emulsifying, and Thickening Properties. ACS Omega.
• Fortunato GM et al. (2019). Electrospun Structures Made of a Hydrolyzed Keratin-Based Biomaterial for Development of in vitro Tissue Models. Front Bioeng Biotechnol.