Ingredient Glossary
A working glossary of the active ingredients across the Milk_shake range — what they do, how they work, and which Milk_shake formulas use them. Sourced from manufacturer ingredient sheets; updated as the range grows.
Bond repair & structural proteins
Hydrolysed Quinoa Proteins
Small-molecular-weight plant proteins that penetrate the cuticle and reinforce keratin chains weakened by bleach, heat, or colour. Behaves like a maintenance bond builder rather than an in-salon repair treatment. Found in Curl Passion Shampoo, Conditioner, Mask, Leave-In, and styling line; Moisture & More; the Thermo Protector and Lifestyling line; Amazing Curls & Waves.
Hydrolysed Milk Proteins (Hydrolysed Casein)
Milk_shake's signature ingredient and the brand's namesake. Casein hydrolysates supplement the hair's internal protein structure and bind to negatively-charged damaged sites for slip and softness. Across nearly every Milk_shake product — Curl Passion, Silver Shine, Moisture & More, Colour Care, Incredible Milk 12 Effects, the Lifestyling line, every hairspray.
Hydrolysed Wheat Protein
Builds a thermal barrier on the cuticle and conditions during heat styling. Effective up to about 230°C / 450°F. Found in Colour Care Shampoo and Conditioner, the Deep Colour Maintainer Balm, Blow-Dry Primer, and the Thermo Protector.
Hydrolysed Silk Proteins
Film-forming heat shield that creates an invisible barrier against blow-dryers, straighteners, and curling wands. Featured in the Thermo Protector.
Hydrolysed Keratin
Restores the hair's natural keratin structure where it's been damaged by colour or bleach — particularly the cortex, where mechanical strength lives. Found in the Integrity range (Nourishing Conditioner, Intensive Treatment, Leave-In Conditioner).
Amaranth Seed Extract
Squalene-rich seed extract that smooths and strengthens the cuticle while protecting against oxidative stress. Plant-based, suited to severely-damaged or chemically-processed hair. Featured in the Integrity Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner.
Amino Acid Complex (Soy, Wheat, Arginine)
A blended supply of amino acids that the hair shaft can incorporate as building blocks for keratin repair. Found in Icy Blond Shampoo, the Integrity Nourishing Shampoo, and the Integrity Intensive Treatment and Leave-In.
Glyoxyloyl carbocysteine
A modified amino acid that bridges broken cysteine bonds in the cortex. Used in protein-strengthening masks. (The "salon" cousin of OTC bond builders — bridge-forming chemistry rather than cuticle-coating.)
Integrity 41® (Sunflower Seed Extract)
A proprietary Milk_shake antioxidant complex derived from sunflower seed extract. Protects colour-treated hair from environmental damage and oxidative stress. Featured throughout the Colour Care, Silver Shine, Icy Blond, Moisture & More, Curl Passion, and Lifestyling lines — close to a brand-wide ingredient.
Plant oils & butters (emollients)
Organic Pracaxi Oil (Pentaclethra macroloba)
An Amazonian seed oil exceptionally rich in behenic acid, which restores lipids and repairs damage without weighing curls down. The signature emollient of Curl Passion — primary or secondary ingredient in every Curl Passion product, from cleanse through definition.
Organic Babassu Oil (Attalea speciosa)
A light, fast-absorbing palm-family oil. Mimics the hair's natural sebum for balanced, non-greasy moisture. Featured across the Curl Passion line as the partner emollient to Pracaxi.
Organic Muru Muru Butter
A solid-at-room-temperature Amazonian butter rich in lauric and myristic fatty acids. Deeply nourishing for severely dry, bleached, or chemically-relaxed hair. The hero emollient of the Integrity range and the Icy Blond Conditioner.
Argan Oil (Argania spinosa)
Vitamin-E-rich Moroccan seed oil that smooths the cuticle and adds shine without sealing the shaft. Featured in the Icy Blond Conditioner, the Integrity range, and the Glistening Argan finishing oil.
Shea Butter
A heavier, occlusive butter that creates a moisture-locking barrier on coarse, dry, or porous hair. Used in the Curl Passion Conditioner and Mask, plus the Integrity Pre-Wash Treatment.
Coconut Oil
Lauric-acid-rich saturated fatty acid that penetrates the hair shaft (one of the few oils proven to do so). Best on fine to medium hair; can build up on coarse hair if overused. Found in the Integrity Pre-Wash Treatment.
Cocoa Butter
Conditioning butter rich in oleic and stearic acids. Smooths and protects the hair surface during pre-wash treatments. Featured in the Integrity Pre-Wash Treatment.
Castor Oil
Ricinoleic-acid-rich oil that strengthens hair strands and promotes a thickening, fuller-feeling finish. Used in the Integrity Pre-Wash Treatment.
Avocado, Grapeseed & Rice Bran Oils
A trio of lighter-weight conditioning oils used across the Icy Blond range. Avocado nourishes; grapeseed adds shine without weight; rice bran provides ferulic-acid antioxidant support for colour-treated blondes.
Jojoba Seed Oil
Technically a liquid wax — molecularly similar to human sebum, which is why it absorbs without residue. Featured in the Curl Passion Mask and the Curl Shaper.
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil & Date Seed Extract
The natural-oil base of the Glistening Serum (No Frizz). Erucic-acid-rich oil that creates a high-heat-resistant barrier against humidity.
Humectants & hydration
Hyaluronic Acid (4 molecular weights)
A multi-weight hyaluronic blend penetrates the hair shaft at multiple depths — high-weight for surface conditioning, low-weight for cortex hydration. The signature actives of the Moisture & More range.
Glycerin (vegetable)
Humectant that pulls moisture from the air into the hair shaft. Excellent in medium-humidity UK climates; in very dry or very humid environments, balance with an occlusive oil on top.
Panthenol (Vitamin B5)
A pro-vitamin that converts to pantothenic acid in the hair shaft, hydrating from within and improving elasticity. Found in the Curl Passion Conditioner, the Moisture & More Conditioner, and the Whipped Cream Leave-In.
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
A vitamin that strengthens the hair shaft and supports moisture balance. Particularly relevant for dry or processed hair. Featured in Moisture & More Shampoo, Conditioner, and Whipped Cream.
Cleansers & surfactants
Sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate
A mild "non-sulphate" surfactant that cleans without stripping colour or moisture. Foams less than SLS but is just as effective at lifting product build-up. Used across the sulphate-free Milk_shake formulas.
Cocamidopropyl betaine
A coconut-derived co-surfactant. Boosts foam, reduces irritation potential, and is widely tolerated by sensitive scalps.
Soy Proteins & Moringa Extract (vegan cleanse)
A plant-based cleanser combination featured in the vegan Colour Care Flower Vibes Shampoo and Conditioner. Soy proteins replace milk proteins for vegan customers; moringa adds nutrient-dense scalp support.
Colour pigments & toning
Violet Pigment (Acid Violet 43, sometimes 50% reduced)
A direct dye that neutralises yellow and brassy tones in lightened or grey hair. The toning active of Silver Shine Shampoo, Conditioner, and Whipped Cream. The "Light Shampoo" version uses 50%-reduced pigment for frequent or beginner use — gentler tone-down without the over-violet of stronger formulas.
Carbon Black Pigment (CI 77266)
A cool-pigment counterpart to violet, used to neutralise warm/orange tones in platinum and ash-blonde hair. The toning base of the Icy Blond Shampoo, Conditioner, and Toning Spray.
UV Filters
Photo-protective filters (benzophenone-4 and methoxycinnamate-class compounds) that prevent the photochemical oxidation behind colour fade and brassy-tone development. UV defence in haircare is a real, measurable mechanism — not a marketing flourish. Featured in Curl Passion Conditioner and the Lifestyling Smoothing Cream.
Antioxidants & vitamins
Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate)
Lipid-soluble antioxidant that protects against free-radical damage and adds shine. Featured in the Silver Shine Whipped Cream, the Integrity Nourishing Conditioner, the Colour Care line, and the Whipped Cream Leave-In Foam.
Vitamin C (Ascorbyl Palmitate)
A stable, oil-soluble form of vitamin C. Antioxidant brightening and protection — adds radiance and defends against environmental damage. Featured in the Whipped Cream Leave-In Foam.
Mixed-Berry Antioxidant Complex (Blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Strawberry)
A polyphenol blend that protects colour-treated hair from oxidative fade. Polyphenols act as free-radical scavengers — particularly relevant on porous bleach-blonde hair where colour leaches fast. Across the Silver Shine line, the Icy Blond Conditioner, and Incredible Milk 12 Effects.
Apple, Lemon & Blueberry Fruit Extracts
The fruit-acid trio used in the Curl Passion Shampoo, the Amazing Curls & Waves styler, and the Lifestyling fruit-extract base. Provides mild AHA action plus antioxidant conditioning — toning and revitalising.
Curl, smoothing & styling actives
Behentrimonium methosulfate
A high-conditioning quaternary ammonium compound — the gold standard in cream conditioners. Despite the "sulfate" in its name, it isn't a cleanser and isn't related to SLS or SLES.
Next-Gen Film-Forming Polymers
The finishing polymer system in the Amazing Curls & Waves styler. Forms a flexible, humidity-resistant film that holds curl shape without crunch.
Cyclopentasiloxane & Volatile Silicone Blend
Heat-stable, water-soluble silicones that disperse heat, reduce mechanical damage, and rinse out cleanly with sulphate-free shampoos (so they don't build up the way "old-school" silicones do). Featured in the Glistening Argan and Glistening Serum oils, the Thermo Protector, and Amazing Curls & Waves.
Silica
Mineral dry-styling powder that absorbs root oil and provides instant lift. The hero of Powder Pop.
Special botanicals
Organic Papaya Extract
Enzyme-rich (papain) extract that conditions softly and supports moisture penetration. The signature active of Moisture & More, used across the Shampoo, Conditioner, Whipped Cream, and Lotion.
Organic Honey Extract
Natural humectant rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Featured in the Universal Leave-In Conditioner.
Mango & Goji Extracts
Vitamin-rich fruit blends featured in the Universal Incredible Milk 12 Effects (mango) and Moisture & More Shampoo (goji). Both add antioxidant protection plus a vitamin-A and vitamin-C contribution.
Chestnut Extract
Tannin-rich extract that smooths and conditions individual curl strands during styling. Used in the Curl Passion Curl Shaper.
Sensitivity & what we flag on PDPs
We flag products containing common sensitisers (methylisothiazolinone, formaldehyde-releasers, strong synthetic fragrances) on the relevant PDPs. The Milk_shake range as a whole skews toward gentler chemistry — sulphate-free shampoos, water-soluble silicones, and milk-protein-balanced surfactants — but it isn't a "sensitive scalp" range. If you have a known reactive scalp, the vegan Flower Vibes Shampoo and Conditioner (soy proteins, moringa, no milk) are the cleanest starting point, and the Integrity range is the gentlest in terms of mechanical handling. Always patch-test a new line before full use.