Formulation Design and Performance Testing of "Silk Aura," a New-Generation Hair Care Line with a High Concentration of Silk PPT
かずのすけ
Translated from 日本語
In the mass-market hair care segment sold at drugstores and similar outlets, how far salon-exclusive levels of repair can be achieved at a low price has long been a matter of debate. Against this backdrop, Silk Aura, an all-new hair care series from JPSLAB, takes an approach that is extremely rare in its price range: it uses a silk PPT surfactant, an expensive protein-derived cleansing agent, as its primary ingredient. Drawing on ingredient analysis and testing on human hair extensions by cosmetic ingredient expert Kazunosuke, this article explains the product's formulation design, the differences between its two finishes, and practical points to keep in mind.
A Cocoon-Inspired Bottle and the Background Behind Silk Aura
JPSLAB, the maker of Silk Aura, is the company behind Unlabel Lab, known for products such as its high-concentration vitamin C serum. Unlabel Lab has also offered hair care products focused on ingredients such as vitamin C, collagen, and keratin. The speaker points out that although Silk Aura is a completely new brand, it is effectively positioned as a higher-tier line.
In keeping with the product's silk concept, the bottle design takes its motif from the silkworm cocoon. Unlike typical smooth plastic bottles, it has a soft, warm feel with a slight roughness reminiscent of washi paper. The dispenser pump is large and rounded, and the product name is engraved directly into the bottle itself rather than printed.
The lineup comes in two variants: Hug Moist in a white bottle and Mellow Straight in a pink bottle. The former is positioned as the moisturizing type, the latter as the smooth, silky type.
The Significance of Sodium Lauroyl Hydrolyzed Silk at the Core of the Shampoo
The most notable feature of the Silk Aura shampoo is that Sodium Lauroyl Hydrolyzed Silk appears second on its full ingredient list. Since cosmetic ingredient lists are ordered by concentration, this means that, apart from water in first place, it is effectively the cleansing agent present in the highest concentration (the primary ingredient).
Sodium Lauroyl Hydrolyzed Silk is a type of ingredient known as a PPT (polypeptide) surfactant. Because hair is made up mainly of proteins (polypeptides) such as keratin, supplementing hair with protein ingredients of the same type is considered effective for repairing damage. This cleansing agent, made by hydrolyzing silk, offers low-irritation, mild cleansing similar to amino acid surfactants, while being rich in the peptides and amino acids that make up silk, so it can be expected to repair hair while it cleanses.
According to the speaker, PPT surfactants are expensive and difficult to work with, and in mass-market shampoos they have almost always been added only in trace amounts as beauty ingredients. While they have been used as the primary ingredient in a handful of premium salon-exclusive shampoos, the speaker says they cannot recall any formula sold at drugstores in the high-1,000-yen price range that placed this ingredient right after water.
A Sulfate- and Olefin-Free Cleansing Design and Shared Hair-Repair Ingredients
The cleansing agents other than the primary ingredient are also chosen to balance low irritation with moderate lather.
- Sodium Lauroyl Methylaminopropionate: A well-balanced amino acid cleansing agent widely used as the primary ingredient in salon-quality shampoos.
- Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate: A taurate cleansing agent that is mild yet leaves a refreshing clean feel.
- TEA-Cocoyl Glutamate: A mild amino acid cleansing agent with a moisturizing feel.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauramidopropyl Betaine: Amphoteric surfactants responsible for lather and reducing irritation.
In addition, several PPT surfactants are included in smaller amounts, such as Potassium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Potassium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Keratin (wool), and Sodium Lauroyl Silk Amino Acids. The cleansing base is free of sulfates (sulfate surfactants) and Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, and its degreasing power is extremely gentle, making the design suitable even for hair severely damaged by heavy bleaching, chemical straightening, and similar treatments.
Both types also contain a generous array of shared repair ingredients, including the following:
- Sericin: A protein that forms a protective coating on the surface of silk threads; it protects the cuticle and imparts a smooth shine.
- Silylated silk (Dihydroxymethylsilylpropoxy Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Silk): A heat-activated ingredient that adheres to and repairs the hair surface when exposed to heat from a dryer or flat iron.
- Hydrolyzed Silk: A moisturizing peptide ingredient that retains moisture inside the hair.
- Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine (commonly known as Pellicer): Highly penetrating, it contributes to damage repair and to care for frizz and distortion in the hair.
- γ-Docosalactone, Meadowfoam Delta-Lactone: Lactone derivatives that react to heat to protect and repair hair.
- Various hydrolyzed proteins (hydrolyzed pea protein, hydrolyzed milk protein, hydrolyzed keratin, hydrolyzed collagen, and others).
Where Hug Moist and Mellow Straight Diverge in Ingredients
The base cleansing agents in the shampoo are nearly identical in both types, but clear differences are made in the beauty ingredients that determine the hair's finish.
Hug Moist (Moisturizing, Softening Care)
Ingredients that control dryness and frizz and give hair a moist texture are reinforced.
- Five human-identical ceramides (Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NG, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AG, Ceramide AP, etc.): Known as barrier lipids in skin, they also act as a barrier inside the hair, protecting it from dryness and external stress.
- Phytosteryl Macadamiate: An ingredient the speaker particularly recommends, it penetrates the hair and has a softening effect that leaves stiff hair soft and airy.
- Isostearoyl Hydrolyzed Silk: A peptide ingredient bonded to a lipid that enhances repair of the hair surface.
- Conditioning ingredients such as polyquaterniums are placed high in the formula, reinforcing the moist feel after washing.
Mellow Straight (Curl, Frizz, and Straightness Retention)
This design emphasizes controlling humidity-induced frizz and waves and delivering a smooth, silky feel when running fingers through the hair.
- Diammonium Aminoethyl Thiosuccinate (commonly known as Tostea): A curl-care ingredient that has drawn attention in the hair care industry in recent years. It reacts to heat from dryers and flat irons to repair and cross-link the hair, and is said to improve how well a style set with a flat iron holds. It does not straighten curly hair on its own, but it helps prevent humidity from disrupting the style and improves the longevity of straight hair.
The Treatment Formula and Its Approach to Heavily Damaged Hair
Unlike the shampoo, the treatment does not use PPT surfactants as its primary ingredient; instead, it adopts a high-adhesion formula built around standard silicones and cationic surfactants.
The silicone base differs between the two. Mellow Straight, which emphasizes a smooth, silky feel, contains larger amounts of volatile, lightweight Cyclopentasiloxane and Dimethicone, while Hug Moist is combined with Amodimethicone, which leaves a coating feel. Because the softening ingredient is Behentrimonium Chloride, a quaternary ammonium salt, the treatment is effective at thoroughly smoothing heavily damaged hair, but users with sensitive skin are advised to avoid the scalp and apply it mainly to the ends.
In terms of repair ingredients, the treatment follows the same luxurious formulation as the shampoo. One notable point is Hydrolyzed Silk/PG-Propyl Methylsilanediol Crosspolymer, which is included only in the treatment. This combines silicone with a silk component; it adheres to the hair surface to form a hydrophobic protective film, imparting silk-like shine and smoothness.
Because the shampoo in this series has very mild cleansing power and the treatment is designed to form a substantial protective film, the speaker adds that "to prevent buildup of styling products and layering of coatings, it can also be effective to alternate, as needed, with a clarifying-type shampoo that provides stronger cleansing."
Hands-On Testing with Human Hair Extensions
Using two bundles of 100% human hair extensions, the speaker compared how the two types perform.
Checking the Pump and Liquid Color
The large, rounded pump head resolves the difficulty in pressing and dispensing seen in some past products, making it easy to press. The shampoo dispensed from the pump is a distinct brown in both types. Since PPT surfactants are brownish as raw materials, the speaker explains that the depth of this color is visual evidence that the PPT surfactant is present at a high concentration.
Cleansing Feel and the "Foam Pack"
The shampoo lathers richly, producing fine, smooth, silk-like foam. Even when washing human hair extensions that have undergone heavy damage treatment, there is no squeaky tangling at all. To enhance the repair effect, a "foam pack" is recommended: after spreading the foam throughout the hair, leave it on for about one minute rather than rinsing it off immediately. Fingers glide smoothly through the hair even during rinsing, and the shampoo alone leaves a softness similar to that after using a treatment.
As for fragrance, Hug Moist features a "Blanc Silk Bouquet" scent and Mellow Straight a "Smart White Lily" scent, both of which were praised as refined compositions reminiscent of salon-exclusive products.
Applying the Treatment and Comparing the Results After Drying
When the treatment is applied after thoroughly wringing out excess water, both types blend in quickly, giving the sensation of the hair being softened and loosened. Hug Moist has a somewhat richer texture, while Mellow Straight feels somewhat lighter.
After blow-drying under identical conditions, the following differences were observed:
- Appearance: Both produce a high level of shine and cohesion, with little obvious visual difference.
- Feel (Hug Moist): A strongly moisturized finish, with added suppleness that leaves hair soft and settled. Suited to dry hair and hair prone to frizz.
- Feel (Mellow Straight): A finish that stands out for its tangle-free, smooth silkiness, maintaining a light, natural straightness. Suited to fine or soft hair and hair that is regularly styled with a flat iron.
Because both types are rich in heat-activated ingredients, the properties of these ingredients can be drawn out even further by finishing with a flat iron in addition to blow-drying.
Pricing and Distribution
All products in the Silk Aura series, both the Hug Moist and Mellow Straight shampoos and treatments, come in 380 ml sizes and are priced at 1,980 yen including tax.
Although this places them in the upper price tier for drugstore hair care at around 2,000 yen, formulas built around silk PPT surfactants typically cost several thousand yen even among salon-exclusive products. The speaker therefore concludes that, given this formulation, the products offer extremely high value for money and represent a formula that pushes the limits of what affordable hair care can be.
As for distribution, advance sales began at Loft stores nationwide on March 20, 2024, and from April 25 onward, distribution has been gradually expanding to drugstores and mass retailers such as Tsuruha Drug and AEON. Arrival times may vary by store, but the products are also available through various online stores.
For those struggling with heavily damaged hair from repeated chemical straightening or bleaching, and for users seeking shine and suppleness in their hair, this offers a practical option for trying a salon-grade silk PPT formula through readily accessible retail channels.
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