Normally, we take you on a journey through the ingredients commonly found in perfumes, but today we're focusing on a different ingredient: keratin. You may have heard your hairdresser talk about it, or perhaps you've noticed it listed on the label of your shampoo or conditioner.

At LABO-NOIR, we're particularly fond of the hair care collection by ACCA KAPPA, which uses keratin to help maintain healthy, beautiful hair.

What Is Keratin?

Keratin is a naturally occurring protein produced by the body. It is formed from various amino acids and belongs to a family of structural proteins responsible for strength, protection, and flexibility. Keratin is one of the main building blocks of our hair, skin, and nails.

Hair itself is primarily composed of keratin, minerals, and moisture. The exact amount of keratin varies depending on hair type, but regardless of texture or origin, keratin plays a crucial role in maintaining strong, healthy hair.

Why Is Keratin Important?

Keratin supports both the internal and external structure of the hair. Every day, our hair is exposed to factors that can weaken this natural protein structure, including pollution, poor nutrition, hormonal changes, chemical treatments, colouring, blow-drying and heat styling.

When the protective outer layer of keratin becomes damaged, the inner layers of the hair become more vulnerable. Unlike our skin, hair cannot repair itself once damaged. As a result, hair may become weaker, lose elasticity, appear dull, and break more easily.

Maintaining healthy keratin levels is therefore essential for preserving shine, strength, and overall hair health.

Where Does Keratin Come From?

Traditionally, keratin used in hair care products was often derived from animal sources. Because human-derived ingredients are prohibited in cosmetics within Europe, manufacturers looked to alternative sources to recreate the benefits of natural keratin.

Today, many high-quality formulations use plant-based keratin. This is created from amino acids derived from ingredients such as corn, soy and wheat. These amino acids closely resemble the composition of natural keratin and can help support the hair's structure in a similar way.

Because these plant-derived proteins are hydrolysed into smaller molecules, they are able to penetrate the hair fibre more effectively, helping to restore strength, improve hydration and reduce breakage.

Keratin in Hair Care

The popularity of keratin has led to its inclusion in countless shampoos, conditioners, masks, and treatments. However, not all keratin products offer the same benefits. Lower-quality products may contain only small amounts of keratin or use proteins that are too large to be effectively absorbed by the hair.

Professional keratin treatments can provide impressive results, but daily care remains just as important. Consistent use of quality keratin-infused products helps support the hair's natural structure, protect it from future damage and maintain a healthy appearance.

The Benefits of Keratin

Healthy keratin levels contribute to stronger, smoother, and more resilient hair. Hair enriched with keratin often feels softer, appears shinier, and is less prone to frizz and breakage. It can also improve manageability, making styling easier while helping to protect against environmental stress and daily wear.

For anyone who regularly colours, styles, or heat-treats their hair, keratin can be an invaluable ingredient in maintaining healthy-looking hair.

Keratin: The Foundation of Healthy Hair

Whether naturally present in your hair or added through carefully formulated hair care products, keratin remains one of the most important components of healthy hair. By helping to strengthen, protect, and restore the hair fibre, it forms the foundation for stronger, smoother, and more beautiful hair every day.