The science behind Calmbay: why peptides are the answer to dandruff

Dandruff affects one in three adults worldwide. Yet it remains one of the least understood scalp conditions in cosmetics. Many products promise relief, but few explain what is actually going on. And fewer still are built on the latest science.

Calmbay does things differently. We believe you have the right to understand what you apply to your skin and why it works.

Dandruff is not a hygiene problem. It is an ecological imbalance.

For a long time, dandruff was seen as a sign of poor personal care. That is simply not true. Dandruff is a chronic scalp condition in which the balance of the microbiome — the ecosystem of micro-organisms living on your scalp — becomes disrupted.

On a healthy scalp, bacteria and yeasts coexist in balance. The three most prevalent micro-organisms are Malassezia (a yeast species), Cutibacterium acnes and species of Staphylococcus. Research published in the British Journal of Dermatology (2024) shows that in people with dandruff, this balance shifts significantly: Malassezia restricta increases, Cutibacterium acnes declines, and Staphylococcus capitis becomes more dominant.¹

This disruption has consequences. Malassezia feeds on the fatty acids in sebum and produces irritating by-products in the process. These by-products damage the skin barrier, accelerate cell turnover and cause the visible flaking, itching and redness we know as dandruff.

The goal of effective treatment is therefore not simply to 'kill the yeast', it is to restore balance.

Why conventional treatments fall short

For decades, the anti-dandruff category was dominated by zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, selenium sulphide and piroctone olamine. These are broad-spectrum antifungals: they suppress Malassezia, but they do not distinguish between beneficial and harmful micro-organisms.

The result: once you stop using the product, dandruff returns, sometimes faster than before. That is because the underlying imbalance was never addressed. Furthermore, zinc pyrithione was banned in the EU in 2022 over concerns about reproductive toxicity.²

There was a clear need for a new approach. One that is more selective, more effective over the long term, and safe for daily use.

What are peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. They occur naturally in the human body and play a key role in countless biological processes: from cell communication and tissue repair to immune responses.

Peptides have been used in skincare for more than twenty years. In premium anti-ageing products, they have become a gold standard, valued for their ability to steer cellular processes without placing stress on the skin. They work with precision: they communicate with specific cells or micro-organisms in a way the body naturally recognises.

Calmbay now applies this technology, proven in skincare for years, to the scalp.

The active ingredient: hLF1-11

At the heart of the Calmbay formula is hLF1-11, a synthetic peptide inspired by lactoferrin, a protein found naturally in human breast milk and saliva, and one that plays a central role in the body's defences.

The full lactoferrin protein has antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. Researchers discovered that the a specific group of 11 amino acids are responsible for a significant portion of this biological activity.³ This fragment was named hLF1-11.

hLF1-11 is bio-identical: it mirrors a mechanism the body uses itself. That is the essence of biomimetic technology: not introducing something foreign, but amplifying what the body already knows.

How does hLF1-11 work?

Scientific research published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy and confirmed in recent studies (2024) demonstrates that hLF1-11 works on multiple levels simultaneously.³⁴

1. Direct antifungal action hLF1-11 binds to the cell wall of Malassezia yeast and disrupts its integrity. This leads to cytolysis: the breaking down and destruction of the fungal cell. Research published in 2024 in Antibiotics (MDPI) demonstrated that hLF1-11 is effective against 30 different strains of Malassezia furfur, the yeast species associated with seborrhoeic dermatitis and pityriasis versicolor.⁴

An additional mechanism: lactoferrin-derived peptides sequester iron from the surrounding environment (iron scavenging). Because Malassezia depends on iron for growth and virulence, the fungus is indirectly deprived of a critical resource.⁴

2. Strengthening the skin's natural defences hLF1-11 has demonstrated immunomodulatory effects. It stimulates monocytes (a type of immune cell) to respond more effectively to threats. Research published in The Journal of Immunology shows that hLF1-11 inhibits the enzymatic activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO), thereby regulating the inflammatory response without suppressing the immune system.⁵

This is a subtle but important distinction from conventional antifungals: Calmbay does not suppress the immune response, it modulates it. The body learns to manage the imbalance more effectively, rather than becoming dependent on an external agent.

3. Synergistic action with other active ingredients Research has shown that hLF1-11 works synergistically with fluconazole, a conventional antifungal.⁶ This means the combination is more powerful than the sum of its parts. This principle of amplifying the performance of other active ingredients, makes hLF1-11 particularly well-suited as a core ingredient in a leave-in formula, where actives have optimal time to interact with the scalp.

Leave-in: the key to time-on-scalp

Calmbay has been deliberately developed as a leave-in treatment, not a shampoo. That choice is scientifically grounded.

Shampoos are rinsed off: active ingredients have literally only seconds to minutes of contact with the scalp. For a peptide whose action is based on cellular interaction, that is insufficient. hLF1-11 needs time to work: to reach the cell walls of Malassezia, to activate immune cells and to rebalance the microbiome.

The Eurofins study conducted on behalf of Calmbay (2025) confirms this. In 30 participants with sensitive scalp and dandruff, statistically significant improvements in erythema (redness), itching, and both adherent and non-adherent dandruff were measured after just 10 days of twice-daily application. After 60 days, the average dandruff score had decreased by more than 80%. No adverse events were recorded.⁷

Safety as a starting point

A treatment that works but stresses the skin is not a good treatment. hLF1-11 is derived from a protein that occurs naturally in the human body. It has an excellent safety profile for daily use, a quality that has been studied in both in-vitro and clinical settings.

The Calmbay formula deliberately contains only what is necessary. No unnecessary fragrance compounds. No aggressive preservatives. No ingredients that needlessly disrupt the microbiome.

The future of dandruff treatment

The science is clear: dandruff calls for an integrated approach that respects the microbiome, supports the skin barrier, and addresses the root cause rather than the symptom. That requires a new generation of active ingredients — selective, biomimetic and proven.

hLF1-11 meets all of those criteria. Calmbay is the first cosmetic line to translate this peptide technology into a daily, premium anti-dandruff scalp treatment. Precise, effective and pleasant to use.

References

¹ Liang B. et al. Dandruff scalp microbiome exhibits flake severity and sex-related differences. British Journal of Dermatology Supplements, 2024.

² European Commission. Regulation (EU) 2021/1902, ban on zinc pyrithione in cosmetic products.

³ Lupetti A. et al. Synergistic activity of the N-terminal peptide of human lactoferrin and fluconazole against Candida species. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2003; 47(1): 262–267.

⁴ Brouwer CPJM, Theelen B, van der Linden Y, Sarink N, Rahman M, Alwasel S, Cafarchia C, Welling MM, Boekhout T. Combinatory Use of hLF(1-11), a Synthetic Peptide Derived from Human Lactoferrin, and Fluconazole/Amphotericin B against Malassezia furfur Reveals a Synergistic/Additive Antifungal Effect. Antibiotics (Basel). 2024 Aug 22;13(8):790. PMID: 39200089. PMC11351325

⁵ Van der Does A.M. et al. The human lactoferrin-derived peptide hLF1-11 exerts immunomodulatory effects by specific inhibition of myeloperoxidase activity. The Journal of Immunology, 2012.

⁶ Lupetti A. et al. Synergistic activity of the N-terminal peptide of human lactoferrin and fluconazole against Candida species. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2003.

⁷ Eurofins EVIC Romania. Evaluation of the anti-dandruff effect and the soothing effect of the Calmbay Anti-Dandruff Treatment (CB25003D). Final study report, December 2025.

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A closer look on the science

What are peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the smallest building blocks of proteins. They are not new: they occur naturally in the body and direct processes such as skin repair, cell communication and immune responses.

In premium skincare, peptides have been a gold standard for more than twenty years. They are valued for their precision: they communicate with specific cells or structures without overloading the skin. That is the difference from broad-spectrum ingredients that target everything, including what does not need
to be touched.

What does the Calmbay peptide do for the microbiome balance?

The most sustainable treatment for dandruff is not one that makes the scalp sterile. It is one that brings the microbiome back into balance so the skin can maintain itself.

The scalp microbiome is a delicate ecosystem. A healthy scalp has a richer, more diverse microbial community. With dandruff, diversity decreases: Malassezia
restricta dominates, while beneficial species such as Cutibacterium acnes fade into the background. The result is a dysregulated system that repeatedly falls out of balance, even after treatment.

Conventional anti-dandruff treatments reduce Malassezia, but do not always positively influence the broader microbiome composition. Once treatment stops, the imbalance returns — sometimes more quickly, because beneficial micro-organisms have also been disrupted.

hLF1-11 works with greater selectivity. By curbing Malassezia overgrowth through direct cell wall interaction and iron sequestration, while simultaneously
strengthening local immunity, it creates the conditions under which the microbiome can restore itself. The skin does not become dependent on an
external agent — it is empowered to regain its own regulatory capacity.

How does Malassezia disrupt the balance on your scalp?

On a healthy scalp, Malassezia is always present. It is a lipophilic yeast, meaning it feeds on the fatty acids in sebum. In a healthy state, Malasseziaexists in balance with other micro-organisms, including Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

With dandruff, that balance shifts. Malassezia restricta grows excessively, while Cutibacterium acnes declines. This is not coincidental: C.acnes produces propionic acid, which helps regulate Malassezia overgrowth. When that bacterium declines, the scalp loses part of its own self-regulatory capacity.

Inovergrowth, Malassezia metabolises sebum and produces free fatty acids such as oleic acid in the process. These fatty acids irritate the skin barrier, trigger inflammatory responses and accelerate the rate at which skin cells divide. The result: the rapid flaking we see as dandruff, combined with itching
and sometimes redness.

The solution is not to eliminate Malassezia entirely. It is always present and plays a role in the ecosystem. The solution is to restore balance: curbing the
overgrowth, supporting the skin barrier and creating the conditions in which the microbiome can self-regulate again.

That is precisely what the active ingredient in Calmbay does.

What is HLF1-11?

hLF1-11 is the name of the peptide at the core of the Calmbay formula. The name refers to the amino acid sequence.

Lactoferrin is a protein the human body produces itself. It is present in breast milk, saliva, tears and mucous embranes, wherever the body meets the outside world and needs to defend itself. Lactoferrin has strong antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, and plays an important role in innate immunity.

Researchers discovered that much of lactoferrin's potency resides in a specific fragment. This fragment was found to possess broad antifungal activity, antimicrobial properties and immunomodulatory effects.

hLF1-11 is the synthetic, stable reproduction of this fragment. That may sound technical, but the implication is simple: it is an active ingredient the body recognises as its own. Not a foreign chemical compound, but a molecule inspired by what nature has already designed.

In the Calmbay Anti-Dandruff Scalp Treatment, this peptide acts directly on the fungal cells that cause dandruff and simultaneously on the scalp's own immune system.

How exactly does the Calmbay peptide work on the yeast cells?

hLF1-11 works through multiple mechanisms simultaneously. That is what sets it apart from conventional anti-dandruff treatments, which typically operate through a single mode of action.

Direct action on the cell wall
hLF1-11 binds to the cell wall of Malassezia and disrupts its integrity. This process leads to cytolysis: the rupture and death of the fungal cell. The yeast cannot defend itself against this mechanism, because the
peptide targets fundamental structures in the cell wall.

Depriving the environment of iron
Lactoferrin-derived peptides bind iron. Malassezia requires iron for growth and virulence. By sequestering iron from the yeast's immediate environment its growth is slowed, without placing any burden on the skin itself.

Strengthening local immunity
Beyond direct antifungal action, hLF1-11 modulates the skin's immune response. It activates monocytes and macrophages — immune cells that can themselves clear fungal cells — and regulates inflammatory signals so the skin remains calmer.

Synergy with other active ingredients
Laboratory research shows that hLF1-11 works synergistically with other antifungal agents: the combined effect is greater than the sum of its parts. This makes the peptide exceptionally well-suited as a core ingredient in a multi-active formula.

Together,these mechanisms deliver something conventional products rarely offer: targeted, lasting action on the cause, not the symptom.

Why are peptides now central to scalp care?

The scalp is not an extension of the hair: it is skin, with its own microbiome, its own barrier function and its own vulnerability to imbalance. The challenges are specific, and call for specific active ingredients.

Calmbay uses a bio-identical peptide that acts directly on the root cause of dandruff: the overgrowth of Malassezia yeast and the associated microbiome disruption.