Virtue® has something no one else does: Alpha Keratin 60ku®, a first-of-its-kind, multi-patented protein that’s nearly identical to the protein that makes up our hair, skin, and nails. It is derived from human hair and welcomed by the body as its own, adapting strand by strand to forever change the health, quality, and appearance of your hair.

But how does it work? How is it extracted? You have questions, and we have answers. To help you understand all there is to know about this mane-mending ingredient, we sat down with our lead scientist, Erin Falco. Here’s how it’s made.

How did you discover this protein?

It started with Dr. Luke Burnett, a retired US Army Colonel working in regenerative medicine. He had been using this keratin protein to mend the wounds of battlefield soldiers when, one day, a member of his team ran some tests on the keratin’s performance on damaged hair––the results were incredible. After years of testing, Virtue was born.

Where does Alpha Keratin 60ku® come from?

It’s ethically sourced from untreated human hair that is shipped to our lab in North Carolina. All hair is acquired from reputable suppliers that have been vetted by the Company, has been purchased at the will of the individual sellers––never donated–– and is hand-cut, assuring quality of the hair and care for the sellers. The hair has never been dyed or chemically treated.

Once it arrives at the lab, the hair is put through a series of chemical baths to gently open and extract the water-soluble proteins from the cortex of the hair. Once the proteins have been extracted, we purify the proteins to select the fraction of protein we need for each product. All keratin proteins created at Virtue Labs undergo extensive quality testing to ensure they each meet their individual specifications.

So how long does it take to extract the keratin from the ethically sourced hair?

The process varies based on the fraction of protein we are extracting. In general, it can take anywhere from 3–30 days.

What sorts of tests are performed to ensure Alpha Keratin 60ku® is ready to be used?

We believe ours is the most rigorous testing ever done in the industry: a combination of clinical instrumentation testing, consumer perception, professional evaluation, and comparative performance studies at five independent third-party testing labs. And Virtue products are never tested on animals. Tests include:

• Safety Testing
• Human Repeat Insult Patch Testing (HRIPT)
• Preservative Efficacy Test (PET)
• Eye Irritation (HET-CAM)
• Molecule Efficacy Testing
• Comparative Instrumentation Studies on the Molecule versus Hydrolyzed Keratin and Control
• Professional Evaluation of Efficacy on the Molecule versus Control
• Consumer Perception Studies on the final formula
• Individual and Regimen Consumer Perception Testing on the final formula

What sorts of tests are performed to ensure Alpha Keratin 60ku® is ready to be used?

We believe ours is the most rigorous testing ever done in the industry: a combination of clinical instrumentation testing, consumer perception, professional evaluation, and comparative performance studies at five independent third-party testing labs. And Virtue products are never tested on animals.

How does Alpha Keratin 60ku® set Virtue apart from its competitors?

We are the only hair care brand with this technology, and this kind of innovation has the power to truly transform our hair. It’s the first time a luxury hair care brand has been able to use regenerative medicine to actually improve hair on a cellular level. It’s a big deal! When hair is healthy it’s easier to style; it’s shinier, softer, bouncier. Color is more vibrant. This can also improve our confidence. Feeling strong and healthy is beautiful. It’s truly a game-changing protein, and we’re really proud of it.

What sorts of tests are performed to ensure Alpha Keratin 60ku® is ready to be used?

We believe ours is the most rigorous testing ever done in the industry: a combination of clinical instrumentation testing, consumer perception, professional evaluation, and comparative performance studies at five independent third-party testing labs. And Virtue products are never tested on animals. Tests include:

• Safety Testing
• Human Repeat Insult Patch Testing (HRIPT)
• Preservative Efficacy Test (PET)
• Eye Irritation (HET-CAM)
• Molecule Efficacy Testing
• Comparative Instrumentation Studies on the Molecule versus Hydrolyzed Keratin and Control
• Professional Evaluation of Efficacy on the Molecule versus Control
• Consumer Perception Studies on the final formula
• Individual and Regimen Consumer Perception Testing on the final formula