We Considered Switching to a Vegan Hydrolyzed Keratin for Our Nourishing Hair Oil — Here’s Why We Didn’t
Haircare is full of decisions that aren’t always straightforward. One of the questions we’ve been exploring recently is whether to switch the hydrolyzed keratin in our Nourishing Hair Oil to a vegan alternative. On paper, it sounds like a simple upgrade: plant-based, vegan-friendly, aligned with conscious ingredient choices.
But in reality, it’s a bit more nuanced.
The Science of Performance vs. Claims
Hydrolyzed keratin, the protein currently in our hair oil, is derived from wool and is structurally very similar to the keratin that naturally makes up your hair. That similarity is what makes it so effective: it strengthens hair, reduces breakage, and supports damaged strands.
We tested a vegan alternative derived from plant amino acids. While it’s a great ingredient, it doesn’t behave in exactly the same way. To achieve the same results as our current formulation, we’d need to use more of it—and even then, the performance may not fully match what our current formulation delivers.
This presented the question: do we prioritise a vegan claim, or do we prioritise maximum efficacy—especially for those of you dealing with hair fall, thinning, and scalp concerns.
What This Means for Our Products
After speaking with our community, the answer was unanimous: you value results first. That’s why we’re keeping the original hydrolyzed keratin in our Nourishing Hair Oil.
We also want to highlight a nuance: the hydrolyzed keratin in our Leave-in Scalp Spray is already vegan. Science has advanced to create a water-soluble, high-performing vegan hydrolyzed keratin, though oil-soluble alternatives haven’t yet matched the performance of wool-derived keratin. This means you can enjoy a vegan option in that category without compromising efficacy.
Why Ingredient Choices Matter
This exploration reinforced an important lesson: haircare isn’t just about labels. Performance comes from understanding how ingredients interact with hair and scalp. A product can be vegan, natural, or clean, but results are what truly matter when it comes to strengthening strands and supporting hair health.
 |
Unlock Your Hair’s Potential with the Formulated Products Bundle Every product in this bundle is crafted with performance-first ingredients, designed to strengthen, nourish, and support your hair from root to tip. No gimmicks, no shortcuts—just formulas backed by science to deliver real results. Your hair deserves products that work as hard as you do. |
What This Means for You
Our commitment is simple: your hair goals come first. Where possible, we continue to explore conscious and vegan alternatives, but not at the expense of performance. So the hydrolyzed keratin we use in the Nourishing Hair Oil remains conscious, but not vegan.
Related Reading
We’ve written about similar questions of ingredient claims and hair performance before, and you might find these helpful:
Leave a comment