Beautiful hair with collagen instead of silicone
More than 20 million people in Germany over the age of 14 regularly use hair treatments or conditioners. These often contain silicones, which have no nourishing or repairing properties, but merely coat the hair to cover up damage. Silicones and other liquid plastics can, like microplastics, accumulate in the environment through our wastewater and cause damage to aquatic ecosystems.
The aim of the project is therefore to develop a natural cosmetics-certified hair care product based on jellyfish collagen as a natural biopolymer, which should give hair combability, resistance and shine. The marine collagen should not be washed out after use, but should be firmly bound to the protein structure of the hair through an enzymatic reaction in order to sustainably replenish and repair damaged hair structures.
Shiny hair without plastic: This is the goal of MAREPAIR, a project from the innovation space “Bioeconomy on Marine Sites”. Together with the company oceanBASIS, the project team is developing natural hair care based on jellyfish collagen, completely without silicones or synthetic polymers.
The key feature: The marine collagen is not intended simply to coat the hair, but to permanently bond with the hair structure through a targeted enzymatic reaction, for sustainable repair of damaged hair.
Classic hair treatments rely on silicones, which smooth the hair superficially. But they do not repair anything, and they burden the environment and bodies of water through wastewater. MAREPAIR wants to change this and has developed a true bio-based alternative for this purpose.
The use of jellyfish collagen from the root-mouth jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum is being researched, which is used together with special plant-based protein hydrolysates and the enzyme transglutaminase. The active ingredient is intended to sustainably fill damaged hair structures instead of merely concealing them.
• The hair care was tested on real hair, with a focus on shine, tensile strength and combability.
• The combination of different plant-based proteins and the enzyme showed positive effects on the strength of the hair.
• The marine collagen acts primarily on the hair surface, for shine and smoothness.
• First formulations were developed that have a refatting effect and stabilize the hair structure.
• A two-stage packaging system was designed: Enzyme and care complex are only combined shortly before application in order to preserve effectiveness.
The final formulation is still under development. Positive results from previous trials are to be scientifically validated more strongly before market launch. In addition, the formulation is to be further optimized and adapted to different hair types in order to be able to offer a coherent care concept for every hair type in the future.
MAREPAIR is exemplary for the connection between marine biotechnology, sustainability and cosmetics. Instead of questionable ingredients from petrochemistry, the project relies on bio-based active ingredients with real added value for the environment and consumers.
