Lee Hae-shin, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), who developed dye shampoos and hair loss prevention shampoos, has now introduced a spray with hair loss alleviation properties. The startup Polyphenol Factory, founded by Lee, held a press conference on the 15th in a traditional Korean house in Jung-gu, Seoul, where it showcased its functional volume spray product "Gravity Hair Lifting Shot."
The professor initially developed a dye shampoo that uses the browning principle of apples, which turns hair brown even with a cold. This dye shampoo induces hair browning naturally using polyphenols, a plant-based substance, without any dyes. The technology was transferred to a private corporation and became a popular product achieving hundreds of millions of won in sales.
In August 2023, the professor founded a startup called Polyphenol Factory. Learning from conflicts with private corporations over the dye shampoo technology, he decided to start his own business. He developed a patented ingredient, "Liftmax 308," utilizing the properties of polyphenols and used it to launch the hair loss prevention shampoo "Gravity," which is said to help reduce hair loss by preventing the shedding of hair structure materials.
Gravity achieved cumulative sales of 18.8 billion won within one year of its launch. A representative from Gravity noted that "sales this year are targeted to be around 70 to 80 billion won," adding that sales have begun in Japan, with plans to extend to the United States, Southeast Asia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The polyphenols included in the shampoo developed by the professor bind well with proteins due to their abundance in plants and possess antioxidant functions that capture reactive oxygen species, which damage cells. Since hair is ultimately a type of protein, the use of polyphenols has been deemed effective in preventing hair loss.
The professor remarked, "If you count the time spent researching polyphenols so far, it totals 110,000 hours," adding that he has surpassed the rule of 10,000 hours to reach the rule of 100,000 hours. The 10,000-hour rule posits that at least 10,000 hours of training is required to become an expert in any field, a concept introduced by Swedish psychologist Anders Ericsson in a paper published in 1993. Having invested ten times that amount, he essentially claims to be a true expert in polyphenols.
The product newly launched by Polyphenol Factory is a functional volume spray with hair loss alleviation properties. They modified the Liftmax 308 used in Gravity into a mist-type tonic suitable product. According to Polyphenol Factory, the root volume that keeps hair upright and looking plentiful can be maintained for 48 hours with just one application.
A representative from Polyphenol Factory stated, "We created a new raw material inspired by the natural principle that the bark of ancient trees does not burn in high heat," explaining that the raw material binds to hair proteins to form a solid protective layer and prevents hair damage even under strong heat stimuli from hair dryers or curling irons.
They also confirmed the hair loss alleviation effect through clinical trials. Polyphenol Factory reported that a two-week experiment involving 30 individuals experiencing hair loss showed an average alleviation of hair loss symptoms by 60.95%.
Professor Lee noted, "Many people who struggle with hair loss tend to repeatedly engage in a vicious cycle of using setting products like sprays, waxes, and gels, damaging their hair health," and stated that he aimed to present a sustainable alternative that can satisfy both a healthy scalp and natural volume.
During the press conference, Kim Myung-ja, chair of KAIST, emphasized the need for innovations that can contribute to the concerns of ordinary people in everyday life and improve their quality of life, urging support for Gravity.