Protein has become a universal symbol of performance across beauty, nutrition and wellness. As the category evolves beyond damage repair, preserving the long-term performance of the hair fibre is becoming an increasingly relevant consumer expectation: according to Mintel, 43% of hair product launches between 2020 and 2025 already featured protein-based ingredients.
Hair is a highly structured biological fibre whose properties progressively deteriorate as thermal, chemical and mechanical stress accumulate over time. As a result, consumers increasingly seek solutions that go beyond repair and help preserve the functional life of the hair fibre.
Provital answers this shift — the Hairspan Evolution, hair understood as a living biological system — with Kromboost, an upcycled protein-based bioactive designed to help preserve the structural integrity, hydration and colour of the hair fibre under repeated thermal and chemical stress.
Kromboost is obtained from barley malt rootlets, a byproduct of craft beer brewing, sourced from Lo Vilot, a local supplier just a few kilometers from Provital's facilities. Through an enzymatic hydrolysis process, the rootlets are transformed into hydrolyzed proteins rich in peptides and polyphenols, and enhanced with serine, a hygroscopic amino acid naturally present in hair keratin.
The result is a multifunctional, dual-action ingredient. On the hair surface, film-forming peptides coat the cuticle, limiting pigment loss and shielding the fibre from thermal and chemical aggressors. Within the fiber, peptides diffuse into the cortex to reinforce the keratin structure, while serine binds water to preserve elasticity and softness.
Kromboost was evaluated ex vivo on Caucasian straight (Type II), Brazilian wavy (Type III) and African American coily (Type V) hair tresses, after bleaching, dyeing and intense heat styling. At 2% dosage, Kromboost reduced hair breakage by up to 152% versus placebo, improved keratin thermal stability by up to 15%, and increased internal moisture retention by up to 19%. In collar protection studies, a 4-day leave-on routine preserved dyed colour by up to 199%, while a single 3-minute rinse-off application improved colour retention by 166%, both versus placebo. These results demonstrate Kromboost's ability to help preserve the functional integrity of the hair fibre by maintaining its strength, moisture balance and colour performance despite repeated exposure to thermal and chemical stress.
Formulated for use at 2% in aqueous systems, Kromboost is a transparent, water-soluble liquid suitable for both leave-on and rinse-off formulations. It is Halal certified, Cosmos approved, vegan, China-compliant and of 100% natural origin according to ISO 16128.
With Kromboost, Provital offers formulators a sustainable, science-backed answer to one of hair care's most persistent challenges: keeping strength, hydration and colour vibrancy intact across every hair type, no matter how demanding the styling routine.
