If you spend any time at all online reading about healthier hair and beauty, you’ve probably stumbled across Karmatin.
We heard the buzz—so we were curious to find out more about this vegan, cruelty free keratin alternative that claims to be healthier for your dream hair and better for your overall wellness. Could this supposedly game changing ingredient really be all it was cracked up to be?
We took a closer look, and we were impressed with what we found. Here’s everything you need to know about the Karmatin craze, plus the recommended products that make the best introduction to this frizz fighting super ingredient.
The Problem With Keratin
Keratin has been around for a long time—at least since the 90s, when a funeral parlor operator in Brazil realized that this common embalming ingredient made corpses’ hair shiny and smooth. The process works by sealing the cuticle of your hair shaft, temporarily bonding hair strands back together to protect them and make them seem shinier and less frizzy.
However, it’s no secret that keratin treatments are far from a sure thing. Results aren’t guaranteed, and costly salon treatments take hours out of your day. Keratinized hair is also high maintenance, and often expensive to maintain. But it gets worse. Many experts now believe that keratin treatments may be dangerous—and could actually be damaging your hair.
Keratin treatments work using formaldehyde, which is heated to make the chemical bond to the hair strands, releasing fumes into the air. This can cause side effects including difficulties breathing, coughing, dizziness, mood changes, and more.
Formaldehyde has also been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and at one point the FDA attempted to ban formaldehyde infused hair treatments. If you’re pregnant, you should stay away—and it’s probably not the best idea to expose yourself even if you’re not.
Karmatin: A Better Way to Fight Frizz
For years, keratin was your only option if you wanted shiny, glossy, frizz free hair. Fortunately, now there’s a better way. Enter Karmatin, a safer, and hair healthier, keratin alternative.
Karmatin was created by clean beauty brand VEGAMOUR, who have long been a cult favorite for their high volume use of plant sourced bioactives. We love the way their products actually get the job done without harsh chemicals, unnecessary ecological impact, or animal testing—and we’re definitely fans of their 90 day satisfaction guarantee.
So when we heard that VEGAMOUR was behind the ingredient everyone’s buzzing about, we knew we had to give it a shot. But what’s in Karmatin, anyway?
Instead of formaldehyde, Karmatin uses microencapsulated vegan b-SILK protein to create the world’s first chemical free keratin product. When you use products that contain Karmatin, the b-SILK physically bonds to your hair follicles in the same way keratin does.
Just like keratin, this protective bond sheaths strands in a smooth, glossy layer, staying attached even after rinsing and helping banish frizz, fight back against matte textures, and give hair a smoother, softer, and shinier appearance by locking in hydration close to the core.
This all sounds great, but does it actually work? We were pleased to find out that it definitely gets the job done! After just a few washes, our hair was noticeably smoother. Split ends seemed to fade, and breakage seemed to become a thing of the past.
Even in challenging winter weather, when hair needs to go from freezing outdoor temps to balmy heated interiors—and put up with us taking on and off our hats all day—Karmatin kept our strands shockingly glossy and smooth.
Our Favorite Karmatin Products
It’s definitely worth giving Karmatin a shot, but which product should you start with? VEGAMOUR has a whole collection of Karmatin based formulas for every hair need, but honestly we recommend keeping it simple and starting off with their iconic GRO Shampoo and Conditioner Kit, which is color safe, and formulated without sulfates, artificial fragrances, or harsh chemicals.
Formulated specifically for thinning, matte, and just generally lackluster strands, this set is packed with the plant based phyto-actives that won VEGAMOUR its fame. There’s DHT inhibiting curcumin, isoflavonoid rich red clover, and mung bean packed in the copper you need to maintain hair and scalp health. And don’t forget about that Karmatin, which uses the power of b-SILK to bond with and fortify strands.
We loved the way this set gently but effectively cleansed our strands, majorly reducing signs of shedding. After a few weeks of use, we already noticed that our hair looked thicker, fuller, and denser—and it smelled amazing.
Unlike keratin, you don’t need to book an expensive or lengthy salon visit to get the benefit of smoother, shinier hair at home. And of course you don’t need to worry about being exposed to formaldehyde or any other unnecessary chemicals that might be hazardous to your overall health and wellness. It’s the cleaner, more affordable, and just as effective alternative to keratin we’d been searching for, but never thought we’d find.
So if you’re seeking a solution to the winter frizzies, we really can’t recommend VEGAMOUR’s Karmatin products highly enough. Check out the reviews and you’ll see we’re not the only ones singing this new ingredient’s praises! In fact, it’s amassed something of a fan club in the short time it’s been on the market. Check it out and let us know what you thinking—we promise you’ll be as obsessed as we are.
