Bond Building

What is the bond building trend? 

Regardless of hair type, the main demand for consumers in the hair care space is stronger, healthier hair. Consumers understand that beautiful hair is derived from healthy hair and the demand for strengthening products, of which bond builders are one aspect, is growing. For bond building specifically the global market is valued at $237 million in 2023 and is projected to reach $442 million by 2030 with a CAGR of 9.3% (1).

Spate report that google searches of bonding treatments are seeing a 36.5% year over year growth showing what a hot topic this is online. Until now, true bond builders have been quite rare. Olaplex pioneered the category in 2014, while K18 evolved it with the introduction of biomimetic repair technology. In both cases, the technology is patented to the specific brand. Now, however, KeraBio™ K31 from Croda Beauty is the first true biomimetic bond builder offered by an ingredient supplier, which promises to rapidly accelerate the growth in this space.  

How do bond builders work? 

Bond building treatments target the structural integrity of the hair at a molecular level. Instead of coating the hair or temporarily masking damage, they repair broken bonds within the hair to rebuild the hair’s structure  

To explain the mechanism behind bond builders in more detail, let’s first look at the structure of hair. 

Hair is made of the protein keratin. All proteins are made out of amino acids and these bind together through peptide linkages which are strong covalent bonds that form the main structural backbone of the hair. 

Keratin contains 3 categories of bonds: 

• Hydrogen bonds form between certain groups of amino acids which give rise to the secondary structure of proteins which we see in some parts of hair known as intermediate filaments. 
• Ionic/salt bonds are formed from interactions between positively and negatively charged amino acid side groups. 
• Disulfide bonds are formed between two sulphur atoms and are very strong, permanent bonds. 

These bonds give hair is structural integrity which in turn provides its strength and elasticity. It makes hair durable and able to hold its shape, whether it’s curly, straight, or somewhere in between.  

Unfortunately, bonds are fragile. Both hydrogen bonds and salt links are temporary bonds which can easily be broken and reformed through addition of water or heat, or through changes in pH. These are weaker types of bonds but, due to the number of them, they can contribute quite significantly to the overall mechanical strength of hair. Disulfide bonds are stronger but can be broken by chemical treatments like colouring or perming. When bonds break, hair can become weak, brittle, dry, and prone to damage. And when damage occurs on a large scale, the hair often loses its ability to look and feel healthy. 

This is where bond building comes in. Bond building treatments repair these broken bonds, helping hair become stronger, more resilient, and able to withstand the stressors that typically lead to damage. 

To make a bond building claim the following must be true of the product. 

• The active must penetrate into the hair because something that's sitting on the surface of the hair can't really be a bond builder. 
• The active must change the mechanical properties of the hair making it stronger.  
• The structural change must be working through affecting bonds in the hair. 

KeraBio K31 is a biomimetic bond builder, that is identical to human keratin so works in harmony with the hair’s own biology.  

Think of it like a keratin recharge. 

Who is the bond building trend for? 

Bond building products are for just about anyone regardless of hair type, but they’re especially beneficial for those who: 

1. Have fragile hair: Some hair types are naturally fragile (such as textured hair) or see increased fragility though ageing. Bond builders strengthen all hair types, so even if you’re avoiding damage from styling and treatments, bond building products still provide a noticeable improvement. 
2. Have dry or damaged hair: If hair feels brittle or looks dull, it may be caused by broken disulfide bonds. Bond building treatments work wonders for reviving weak, dry hair and restoring its shine and strength. 
3. Colour or chemically treat their hair: Bleaching hair, highlights, perms, and chemical treatments all break down hair bonds. Bond building treatments can repair the damage done by these processes, making hair healthier. 
4. Use heat styling tools frequently: Flat irons, curling wands, and blow dryers can all weaken hair over time. Bond building products help mitigate the damage caused by everyday heat styling. 
5. Want to improve hair strength and resilience: Bond building can be an excellent preventive measure to keep hair strong and healthy for years to come before any damage is noticed. 
6. Want longer, stronger hair: Healthy hair grows better. More robust hair strands, means less breakage, and longer hair without fewer splits and breaks. 

What do you need to know about the bond building trend? 

The hair care market is saturated with products claiming to strengthen hair. To help consumers understand the future of hair repair, it's essential to distinguish next-generation biomimetic bond builders from both conventional strengthening products and even earlier bond building technologies. 

While many products offer temporary improvements to hair's external appearance or mask damage, biomimetic bond builders, like KeraBio K31, go further. KeraBio K31 doesn't just repair bonds; it delivers a keratin recharge, replenishing the hair's very building blocks with a molecule that mirrors its natural structure. This approach, differentiated from earlier bond building technologies, such as Olaplex, offers a more fundamental and bio-integrated approach to restoring hair's inherent strength and resilience. Marketing can focus on the concept of "molecular repair" or "next-gen keratin recharge" to highlight this advanced approach. 

Other on pack claims could include (if using KeraBio K31):

• 100% stronger hair 
• Repairs broken bonds 
• Reverses 3 years of damage  
• Reset to virgin hair 
• Recharges keratin 
• Works in harmony with the hair’s own biology 
• Hair de-ageing 

Another differentiating factor is long term results. Emphasise that bond building is an ongoing process. The more consistently consumers use bond building treatments, the stronger their hair will become over time. 

What ingredients meet the bond building trend? 

KeraBio K31 is the world’s first biomimetic bond builder, from an ingredient supplier.  

Developed using synthetic biology, KeraBio K31 is a keratin engineered to mimic the structure of human hair keratin. Unlike traditional animal- or plant-derived proteins, KeraBio K31 is a vegan option that features a human hair-identical sequence, ensuring unmatched performance. It has intact active sites which allow it to bind within the fibre and also has elevated potency which results in unrivalled repair performance in formulation, wash after wash. 

This is your opportunity to lead the bond building revolution, offering consumers a solution that goes beyond traditional repair. With KeraBio K31, keratin isn’t just replaced, it is recharged, and hair is elevated to a new level of strength.

1. Persistence Market Research