Givaudan Active Beauty unveils Silkgel, the unique vegan biomimetic silk for hair care

Published: 11-Nov-2019

Crafted by white biotechnology, the next generation of biopolymers is more effective than silicon

Givaudan Active Beauty presents Silkgel, a unique vegan and sustainable biomimetic silk crafted by white biotechnology. The new hair care benefits of Silkgel will be announced during SCS Formulate in Coventry (UK) on November 12th.

Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of their choices on the planet. To counteract it, many of them choose to go vegan or opt for plant-based lifestyles. Veganism is growing rapidly in popularity around the world and extends to beauty.

Launches of vegan beauty products more than doubled globally in the last five years1, with 25%2 of British women aged 16-24 seeking natural or organic hair care products made from vegan ingredients. These statistics are meant to improve if we take into account that the percentage of vegans increased by 360%3 in the last 10 years in the United Kingdom.

Silkgel answers high consumer demand for more vegan beauty options, doing away with silicone, an ingredient defined as “nasty” by 53%4 of people. Produced by biotechnology, the biomimetic silk was created to be natural silk twin for skin and hair care.

Produced by means of fermentation using plant starch as natural source of energy, Silkgel has many hair care benefits. Innovative and high-performing, it repairs, but also protects hair from pollution and ensures a perfect long-lasting colour due to its film-forming properties. As a multifunctional product, it also nourishes the hair and improves smoothness.

Kristin Schacht, Product Development Manager Biopolymers, said: “The use of vegan silk yields outstanding benefits. The biodegradable polymers built a layer around the hair fibre that protects them from thermally or chemically induced structural damages.

"Additionally, vegan silk is proven to r epair damaged hair fibres by regenerating their structure. Furthermore, in hair dye applications, it can prevent premature colour fading. Silkgel is a powerful ingredient due to its cosmetic benefits and also because of its sensoriality, as it adds texture and leaves a silky touch as soon as it’s applied.”

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