Hair that has been colored by dye products can fade as a result of various external influences (e.g. washing, heat styling, sun exposure).  If you are interested in measuring how your products, or devices, affect these color changes, then you might consider performing hair color fade measurements.  These experiments are often used by our clients to support hair color protection claims.

Hair color measurements use an instrument called a colorimeter.  This instrument is able to measure the intensity of the color (on a light to dark scale), and the hue of the color (measured simultaneously on two scales: a red to green scale, and a yellow to blue scale).  Measurements before and after treatment show subtle changes in the intensity and hue of the hair color.  Most popular are repeated washing experiments for investigating hair color fade.

Key to all color fade experiments is the exact protocol used to induce the color changes in the first place.  In order to have reliable results, and the best possible discrimination between color protection treatments, these protocols have to be very controlled and reproducible.  TRI has many years’ experience performing these tests and can advise on the best protocols for your study.

Publications

Evans (2015)