Keratin hydrolyzate useful as hair fixatives

摘要

Water-soluble keratin hydrolyzate having at least two mercapto groups in one molecule and having an average molecular weight of 2,000 to 20,000, suitable for cosmetic application to the hair, particularly as hair fixatives. The hydrolyzate is prepared by reducing keratin in an aqueous solution of a reducing agent under alkaline conditions and subjecting the resulting reduction product to enzymatic hydrolysis.