Peptide-keratin interactions for enhanced hair properties

Summary Fusion peptides inspired by natural elastomeric proteins are fused to a keratin peptide (KP) and tested on damaged hair. Here, we report thermal and mechanical tests conducted on treated damaged hair in conjunction with the peptides physicochemical properties, resulting in a statistical multiparametric analysis. Among the parameters, the Youngs modulus and the keratin helix denaturation temperature show high potential for selecting peptides with notable hair recovery performance. Here, we demonstrate that KP::Resilin(1) is the best candidate for recovering or enhancing hairs mechanical and thermal properties. Additionally, KP::Resilin(1) shows color-protection potential against high-temperature procedures. The cosmetics industry is being revolutionized by bioinspired peptides, which stand out as sustainable and viable alternatives to chemical ingredients. They enable the creation of safer and more effective cosmetics, reduce the need for synthetic ingredients, and provide consumers with high-performance products that minimize irritation while lowering environmental impact throughout the products life cycle.