The Upcycled Beauty Company has launched a plant-based active ingredient for hair care applications manufactured from a by-product of hummus.
Faba Toniq is named after aquafaba, the liquid leftover from cooked chickpeas, and complements the existing range of upcycled water-soluble actives that include Gin Toniq and Barley Toniq.
The British company says Faba Toniq is rich in carbohydrates, proteins, polypeptides and amino acids which help to style and condition the hair, delivering better hair manageability, easier detangling, and sleeker, longer-lasting curls.
Backed by ex vivo studies, the film-forming natural polymers have been proven to have a curl retention effect on the hair.
The company says the zero waste Toniq has been shown to achieve tighter, and noticeably sleeker curls when compared with water.
Further studies revealed that the retention of curls significantly increases after a single application and has a 48-hour effect, delivering additional benefits such as conditioning and frizz control.
“Faba Toniq demonstrates that the beauty industry can waste less without compromising product quality or performance,” said general manager Harry McIlwraith.
“Approximately 12 million tonnes of chickpeas are produced every year, and the ever-growing popularity of hummus is prompting more and more manufacturers to yield the crop,” he added.
“But with mass production, comes waste. By identifying an industry that creates unused waste products, we work to help beauty and personal care brands transition towards a circular economy.”
