23-07-2025
K18 Launches HeatBounce, Haircare's First Intelligent Heat Protectant
Photo courtesy of K18
K18 just embarked on its biggest launch of the year. The biomimetic hair brand released its HeatBounce conditioning heat protectant on July 23. Powered by proprietary ResiliCore heat-shielding technology, the patented development was inspired by nature's most flexible and heat-resilient protein resilin. The cutting-edge formula was designed to be the first of its subcategory.
'It dynamically activates with heat, reinforcing the inner structure of the hair fiber,' co-founder and CEO Suveen Sahib said exclusively, comparing it to Gore-Tex waterproof fabric. 'It's lightweight, breathable protection from within, unlike the old-school rubberized approach. It's designed to keep hair resilient during styling and long after, when external heat and mechanical exposures can do just as much harm. It's proactive, it's responsive and it's built on years of research into how nature defends itself from heat.'
The Decision To Launch HeatBounce
With only eight original SKUs since launching its groundbreaking $75 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask in 2020, each K18 release comes with meticulous detail and execution. The current launch follows the March 2025 release of AstroLift Reparative Volume Spray.
'We only launch when we can believe we can truly change the game,' Sahib said. 'Heat protection has stayed stagnant for decades, relying on surface coatings that act like rubber raincoats. They're heavy, temporary and ineffective where damage really starts. Meanwhile, heat styling has evolved, with faster tools, dynamic temperatures and more frequent use. Yet, the tech to protect hair hasn't kept up.'
This is where HeatBounce entered the chat. Calling it the 'first intelligent heat shield for hair,' Sahib went on to stress the importance of treating heat protection with all-day maintenence.
'The biggest misconception in heat care is that protection is a one-and-done event: apply, style, done,' he explained. 'But in reality, heat stress is progressive. It starts in the salon and continues long after the client walks out, especially under environmental heat exposure and our daily styling routines.'
Sahib insists there's no innovation on the market that compares.
'Traditional products protect the outside, and HeatBounce defends from the inside where thermal breakdown starts,' he said. 'ResiliCore activates with heat to reinforce internal bonds and create a resilient, flexible defense network. And unlike traditional coatings, it doesn't break down or build up. It continues protecting through additional exposures such as mechanical and environmental stress.'
Photo courtesy of K18
Maximizing The Benefits of HeatBounce
The brand will spread education on HeatBounce through its longtime ambassador Devante Turnbull, who has most recently been using K18 products on tour with SZA.
The new formula starts as a lightweight cream, then transforms into a fine mist for even, weightless application. It can be use on damp or dry hair before any kind of heat, blow-drying, flat-ironing, curling or diffusing. It can also double as a shield for daily protection. All K18 products were formulated to work cohesively as a full system, and no matter the launch, the brand will always stick to its pillars.
'Biology knows best,' Sahib said. 'Our work isn't cosmetic, it's molecular. With K18Peptide, we repaired broken keratin chains. With HeatBounce and ResiliCore, we're helping prevent that damage from happening in the first place. For us, this is not a line extension. It's a leap forward, marking a new era in proactive, biotech-powered styling.'
