Working with Aveda’s R&D arm, a U.K.-based chemistry research team has announced a novel method for analyzing hair color that the brand says will pave the way for longer lasting, fade resistant, and less damaging color formulas of the future.
Aveda says the new research method — introduced in the peer-reviewed journal Heliyon — is a first-of-its-kind analytical technique that will help scientists better understand how hair color fades and why some colors last longer than others.
Adapted from techniques used to study historic textiles, the method goes beyond surface color examination to reveal how hair color chemicals interact with the hair fiber at a deeper molecular level.
Aveda researcher and chemical engineer Jeanna Zguris, who worked on the study, calls the method “a new approach to understanding hair dye on different hair types and textures,” and a gateway to innovations in color formulations and technology.
The research was conducted with the brand's longtime collaborator Keracol Ltd., a company founded by University of Leeds researchers specializing in color chemistry and sustainability.
The new research method “gives us deeper insight into not just dye retention, but also how hair color formulation can interact with and impact the overall health of the hair fiber,” says Zguris, the Executive Director of Hair Care Innovation and Analytical at Aveda’s parent company, The Estée Lauder Companies.
“This knowledge can lead to longer-lasting, more vibrant color with less damage,” Zguris says, “empowering consumers to keep their hair beautiful and strong for longer.”