South Korean global cosmetics original design manufacturer (ODM) Kolmar Korea Co. drew international attention at a recent international academic conference for its research on a natural ingredient that is highly effective in strengthening hair roots and promoting hair growth.

Kolmar Korea said on Wednesday that it presented the results of its research on sophora root extract, a functional ingredient that relieves hair loss, at the World Congress for Hair Research which took place recently in Dallas, Texas, the United States.

The World Congress for Hair Research, now in its 13th edition, is recognized as an authority in the field of scalp, hair, and hair loss treatment worldwide.

Sophora root is a native Korean plant that belongs to the legume family and is used for digestive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer purposes. Kolmar Korea is the first in the industry to discover that sophora root can help alleviate hair loss and apply for a patent.

The company confirmed that sophora root extract is effective in strengthening hair roots and promoting hair growth while also inhibiting the expression of genes that cause stress-induced and fine dust-induced hair loss. As a natural ingredient, sophora root extract also causes minimal skin irritation compared to the synthetic ingredients commonly found in hair loss products.

Based on its research, Kolmar Korea now plans to develop premium hair loss cosmetics using the extract. The company aims to release products that can be used not only by adult men and women, but also by pregnant women, infants, and others who are prone to skin irritation.

“The demand for premium hair loss cosmetics is increasing alongside the growth in global market for hair loss products in recent years,” a company official said. “We will accelerate our research and development of various hair loss products, including those made using sophora root extract that will be an industry-first.”

Kolmar Korea has been striving to secure technological capabilities to target the Korean hair loss cosmetics market, which continues to grow every year. It developed an ingredient in 2023 that inhibits harmful bacteria causing androgenic hair loss, the most common type of hair loss, which drew attention at the World Congress of Dermatology.

By Lee Sae-bom and Yoon Yeon-hae

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