ICYMI: We recently launched our newest innovation, AirWash™, a non-aerosol dry shampoo scientifically proven to recognize, suspend, and eliminate odors for up to 3 days* and leave behind a light, easily layerable fragrance.

AirWash™ is a game changer in the world of haircare and scalp care. It addresses the root cause of odor with no white cast, buildup, or heavy fragrance.  But how? By formulating smarter and sustainably with synthetic biotechnology and more specifically—genome mapping.

the beauty of biotech

Biotechnology (aka biotech) is what makes K18 formulas game changers in the haircare space. Our new reinvention of dry shampoo, AirWash™,  is powered by new odorBIND™smart-release biotech created with synthetic biology, a multidisciplinary field under the biotech umbrella that involves redesigning existing natural biological systems for new, useful purposes. 

This groundbreaking ingredient is the result of genome mapping. That means that the first step our team of K18 bioscientists took was to identify the location of all of the genes on a chromosome, or the package that contains an organism’s DNA. 

why genome mapping?

It’s important to note that genome mapping goes well beyond haircare and beauty. Without it, scientists would not have the blueprint of human life, the DNA instructions for human development, function, and reproduction. 

Uncovering this vital genomic information through genome mapping also presents K18 with the opportunity to synthetically produce cruelty-free, vegan, and environmentally friendly ingredients inspired by nature. It’s even more sustainable since mindfully creating one trusted ingredient that goes beyond the surface to target the issue rather than simply masking it leads to less wasted product, energy, and resources overall.

how we used genome mapping for AirWash™

To create odorBIND™, K18 identified the superior odor-detection abilities found in the pig genome.

Through genome mapping, K18’s team of bioscientists were able to intentionally select these impressive abilities and recreate them in a lab—without touching an animal at all, making AirWash™100% vegan and cruelty-free. 

Our bioscientists then genetically engineered E. coli (a sequence of genes found in warm-blooded organisms, not the kind that makes you sick) to produce a fusion protein that combines the odorant-binding protein fragment found in the pig genome.