Ingredient glossary / Conditioning agent
Hydrolyzed keratin
On the label: Hydrolyzed Keratin · Conditioning agent
What it is
The hair protein broken into fragments that cling to damaged hair; usually from wool or feathers.
Conditioning agents: Conditioning agents smooth hair or skin and reduce static; most are cationic (positively charged) so they cling to the hair shaft.
In the research
12 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- A Keratin and Polyacrylamide Dual Network Hydrogel Based on Dynamic Coordination between Polydopamine and Mg2+ for Infected Wound Repair · ACS applied materials & interfaces, 2026
- Hydrolyzed Keratin Peptide Enhances Hair Condition and Promotes Hair Regeneration · Journal of medicinal food, 2026
- Prevention of Hair Heat Damage via Thermoresponsive Organic Silicon-Modified Keratin · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other conditioning agents
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.