Chromophoric Keratin‐Cysteine Particle Synthesis Using Factorial Design of Experiment

The quest for novel chromophoric materials with tunable properties to match the natural spectrum of skin tones lacks comprehensive solutions, particularly in harnessing natural proteins for pigment synthesis. This research delved into the synthesis of sub‐micron Keratin‐Cysteine particles inspired by natural pigment production pathways. Adjustment of the initial conditions of the water‐based reaction between keratin, tyrosinase and cysteine, yielded Keratin‐Cysteine particles with colors tunable within the light to intermediate skin tone range. A systematic investigation of the reaction conditions through factorial design of experiment (DOE) identified the sequence of addition of tyrosinase and cysteine as the key determinant of color tone. Ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐Vis) spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy and color analysis were performed to elucidate the reaction mechanism. This research presents a promising approach to chromophore synthesis for cosmetic and biomedical applications. Keratin‐Cysteine chromophoric particles, inspired by the pheomelanin pathway, are synthesized with adjustable colors. This research provides a promising approach to chromophore synthesis for use in cosmetics and cosmetic and biomedical applications