Cosrx Peptide-132 Treatment and Shampoo Review – Can Cosrx Master Haircare after Skincare?

According to Cosrx, they literally went – well guys, we mastered skincare. Hair’s not so different. Well, they’re technically not too wrong – hair is formed similarly with an inner, living layer and the rapidly dividing outer layer that forms a protective, keratin-based layer. The visible part of hair that we see is not living (which is similar to our outermost layer of skin) and is pushed outwards by newer, growing cells that live in our scalp. And the part that is in our scalp is vital for lasting hair health. 

The little bud (follicle and erupting cuticle) that lives in our scalp is the living part that determines our hair shape (curly, straight, frizzy) and making sure we have healthy, strong hair. Important factors that have been shown to affect hair length and density include stress, inflammation (think dandruff), poor nutrition and poor sleep. So, can adding proteins to your hair improve its strength?  

In Cosrx’s own studies, they showed that with repeated use, their protein complex (Peptide-132) is a little different. It was designed specifically for keratin repair and Peptide-132 accumulates in hair, continuing to strengthen it over time and reducing the amount of breakage that occurs in your every day. Impressive enough, but their formula also claims to be sensitive-scalp safe and also treat dandruff. 

It’s a big claim – so we’ve put it to the test on two different hair types, to see if it truly is for all hair types. Our first hair type is straight and glossy – but with a sensitive, dandruff-prone scalp. The second hair type is dry and frizzy, but with an oily scalp. 

So, can Cosrx’s Peptide-132 Shampoo and Treatment treat both scalp type and different hair type to good success? Let’s get on with the dual review! 

With hair care, you can’t just test shampoo on its own or a scalp treatment on its own – so it’s crucial we used both to maximize the effect. 

Cosrx Peptide-132 Shampoo contains their patented peptide complex (of course), along with a variety of amino acids, hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate (to boost hydration). 

Peptide-132: as mentioned above, it’s Cosrx’s patented and scientifically proven keratin-repair molecule. Tiny in size, it absorbs quickly into strands of hair and is equipped to seal cracks together to strengthen hair with each use. 

Citric acid: lowers pH to make it more scalp friendly and boost natural skin biome on head and enhances structural strength of hair. 

Piroctone Olamine: a sensitive-safe molecule that reduces fungi and helps manage dandruff on sensitive scalps. Also, contains antioxidants to reduce hair shedding. 

4 Hyaluronic acid derivatives: gently hydrates scalp and prevents drying/flaking. 

Soluble collagen: protein molecule to help moisturize and strengthen hair. 

It also contains background notes of oat extract (to soothe), Vitamin E (for antioxidants) and caffeine (which has been shown to naturally stimulate hair growth). All in all, it seems to be a cocktail of all the goods that soothe your scalp, strengthen hair and cleanse your skin (with four surfactant cleansers that are generally gentle to the scalp). 

Cosrx Peptide-132 Treatment contains a similar base (especially with vitamins, hyaluronic acids, collagen and Peptide-132) - but also kicks into gear the presence of ceramides [NP, NS, AP, AS, EOP] to create a deeper and lustrous shine to hair and a mixture of oils (argan, olive and jojoba) to moisturize and soften hair. 

Let’s test it out! 

This product is meant to be used overtime, but both testers trialed it out for two days to see the immediate results and evaluate its suitability to hair type. 

Tester 1 – Straight, thick hair with dry scalp and dandruff 
With my dandruff, I typically have to use high-grade dandruff shampoo and conditioner, as my scalp is deeply reactive and itches as the sight of anything less. It is a lasting and common struggle to find both soaps and shampoo that my skin doesn’t react to as, even over time, products that worked for me in the past might not work in the future. 

Being said, the shampoo was perfect. In the before picture, you can see redness and irritation on my scalp leftover from a conditioner I used the week prior, still trying to get back to baseline. After using both the shampoo and treatment, my hair was immediately calmed and softened. It genuinely felt like high-quality salon products and although I liked the treatment – the shampoo was really stand-out for me.  

It had an earthy scent which was relaxing, lathered well and provided a deep, lasting cleanse and following with the treatment left my hair feeling calm and strong. I would super recommend for sensitive hair types, especially with dandruff – as it stands out well against the current treatment options available at your pharmacy. 

Tester 2 – Curly, dry hair with oily scalp 
My hair has been through a lot of dye over the years and has a similar texture to straw most of the time (although I have been working on it!) I’m not at all fussy with shampoo, but love a good conditioner that hydrates my hair and leaves it feeling silky.

The shampoo and treatment have the same scent as a bottle of home hair dye – which really threw me off. It smells like I’m bleaching my hair, which was so, so weird. But once, I got over that, the shampoo was okay. The lather kind of sinks into your hair, so I found it hard to go over my whole head. With an oily scalp, it’s important to do a deep clean, so if you have an oily, non-sensitive scalp you might not need the shampoo as much. 

But the treatment? Oh, the treatment was amazing! It turned my hair into literal marshmallow to the touch. It sinks in immediately similar to the shampoo, so it felt hard to coat my whole hair in, but I did my best to because the softness was incredible! 

It was literally like a moisturizer for your hair and my strands melted to the touch. So, if you have dry hair strands – I would so, so recommend the treatment. It comes in a little bottle – but I think it’s really worth it. The shampoo didn’t suit me as well – and with such a small bottle, I would be out of it within two weeks.  

Overall, similar with hair products they don’t always suit everyone. But! The shampoo was a great item for sensitive hair and actually helped treat dandruff. Our tester continued using over the week and was excited to note that his general itchiness was well handled and he was dandruff free. The treatment was great for the hair types tested – as it’s like a deeper conditioner, with tons of hydrating agents, but was a favourite for dry hair type. 

So, is it worth getting the Cosrx Peptide-132 range? The shampoo was a resounding yes for our dandruff tester and the treatment was a hearty yes for the dry tester – so it’s likely a good idea to pick and choose what your hair needs and follow its advice.