Provital expands its family of ingredients dedicated to improving hair care. On this occasion, it does so with its new active ingredient Kromboost™, and one of its particularities is that it is composed of proteins and joins this trend. Proteins have become a universal symbol of performance in beauty, nutrition, and well-being. As the category evolves beyond damage repair, preserving the long-term performance of the hair fiber is becoming an increasingly relevant consumer expectation: according to Mintel, 43% of hair product launches between 2020 and 2025 already incorporated protein-based ingredients.
Hair is a highly structured biological fiber whose properties progressively deteriorate as thermal, chemical, and mechanical stress accumulates over time. As a result, consumers are increasingly looking for solutions that go beyond repair and help preserve the functional life of the hair fiber. Provital responds to this new paradigm— the evolution of Hairspan, hair understood as a living biological system with Kromboost™, an upcycled protein active ingredient capable of strengthening hair, providing deep hydration, and protecting color against accumulated damage from thermal styling.
Kromboost™ is obtained from barley malt rootlets, a byproduct of artisanal beer production, sourced from Lo Vilot, a local supplier located a few kilometers from Provital's facilities. Through an enzymatic hydrolysis process, these malt roots 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 double-action ingredient: on the surface, film-forming peptides coat the cuticle, limiting pigment loss and protecting the fiber against thermal and chemical aggressors; inside, peptides diffuse into the cortex to strengthen the keratin structure, while serine retains water to maintain elasticity and softness.
Kromboost™ was evaluated ex vivo on strands of straight Caucasian (type II), wavy Brazilian (type III), and curly Afro-American (type V) hair, after bleaching, dyeing, and intense thermal aggression. At a 2% dose, Kromboost™ reduced hair breakage by up to 152% compared to placebo, improved keratin thermal stability by up to 15%, and increased internal moisture retention by up to 19%. In color protection studies, a 4-day leave-on routine preserved color by up to 199%, while a single 3-minute rinse-off application improved color retention by 166%, both compared to placebo.
Formulated for use at 2% in aqueous systems, Kromboost™ is a clear liquid, soluble in water-based formulas, suitable for leave-on and rinse-off use. It is Halal certified, Cosmos approved, vegan, compliant with Chinese regulations, and 100% natural origin according to ISO 16128.
With Kromboost™, Provital offers formulators a sustainable and science-backed answer to one of the most persistent challenges in hair care: maintaining strength, hydration, and color vitality intact in any hair type, no matter how demanding the styling routine.