Not all keratin is created equal… and here’s the science to prove it.
When it comes to strengthening hair, restoring elasticity, and boosting shine, keratin has long been the hero ingredient in everything from salon treatments to supermarket shampoos. But as keratin continues to trend, a growing number of people are beginning to ask: What kind of keratin are we using, and does it work?
The answer lies in the difference between hydrolysed keratin and functional keratin—two ingredients that sound similar but perform very differently. At Kiri10, we’ve chosen to work exclusively with Functional Keratin™, because it’s not just a marketing term, it’s science-backed and seriously effective.
Let’s break down the difference.
The Keratin Confusion
Most mainstream beauty products use hydrolysed keratin, a form of keratin that has been broken down into smaller peptide fragments. The theory is that these tiny molecules can penetrate the outer layer of the hair, providing a quick fix by smoothing the surface and temporarily improving shine.
But here’s the problem: because these peptide fragments are so small, they lose the structure that gives keratin its strength. They may coat the hair, but they don’t have the integrity to repair it. The result? A temporary boost that washes out after a few shampoos.
On the other hand, functional keratin, sometimes referred to as bioactive keratin, maintains the complex protein structure that mimics the natural keratin found in human hair, skin, and nails. This form is carefully extracted to preserve the disulfide bonds responsible for keratin’s strength and resilience. Instead of sitting on the surface, functional keratin binds to the damaged sites within the hair’s internal structure, actively rebuilding and reinforcing from the inside out.
Why Functional Keratin Works
Functional keratin is more than a feel-good label. It’s clinically proven to reduce hair breakage, improve shine, and restore elasticity. Unlike hydrolysed keratin, which merely masks the symptoms of the damage, functional keratin addresses the root cause by physically repairing the keratin infrastructure within the hair shaft.
What sets it apart isn’t just the size of the molecule, but its structure. By preserving the full, bio-identical protein chain, functional keratin communicates directly with your body’s keratin-producing cells. It doesn't just “condition”, it regenerates.
What This Means for Your Hair
If you’ve ever felt like keratin-infused products leave you with temporary softness but no lasting strength, you’re not imagining it. Hydrolysed keratin can’t deliver the same results because it doesn’t function like real keratin anymore. It’s a diluted solution to a deep problem.
Functional keratin, by contrast, is designed to deliver real results. We’re talking about stronger hair after every wash. Hair that resists breakage. Hair that doesn’t just look healthy but is.
At Kiri10, we’ve chosen to use functional keratin in every formula we create. Not just because it sounds impressive but because we’ve seen the science, we’ve seen the results, and we believe you deserve products that work.
Backed by Research. Proven in Practice.
Functional keratin has been tested in both laboratory and real-world settings. Clinical studies show that it can reduce hair breakage by over 60% after just one month of use. It also helps repair thermal damage, improve shine, and restore hair’s ability to retain moisture.
We’re not in the business of band-aid beauty. We're here for long-term, visible transformation and that starts at the molecular level.
Ready to See the Difference?
If you’ve been cycling through keratin treatments and still find yourself with brittle, tired strands… it’s probably not your hair it’s the type of keratin you’re using.
Functional keratin is the next evolution of hair repair. And at Kiri10, it’s the foundation of everything we do.
🧡 We chose Functional Keratin because it actually works and we’ve got the studies to prove it.
