AVEDA and Keracol Limited Collaboration on Novel Hair Color Tracking Method Published in Peer-Reviewed Journal Heliyon, Advancing Hair Dye Science

Aveda, recognized globally for its leadership in sustainable innovation in hair care, together with Keracol Limited — a company founded by academic researchers specializing in color chemistry and sustainability at the University of Leeds — has announced the publication of their groundbreaking research in the peer-reviewed journal Heliyon¹.

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This significant study introduces an innovative measurement method that correlates dye molecular desorption with hair color shifts, irrespective of hair type and texture or background color. By enabling a deeper molecular-level understanding of how hair interacts with dye molecules, this new extraction technique paves the way for the development of innovative testing methods and advanced hair color technologies.

Hair dyeing is a global practice embraced in salons and at home, yet fading color remains a common challenge for consumers. Until now, most assessments of hair color and its longevity have relied on Spectrophotometric color analysis, which only measures bulk properties. These methods fail to capture the complex chemistry and interactions between dye molecules and the hair fiber itself. What actually happens beneath the surface when hair dye fades?

“We adapted advanced dye-analysis techniques that were originally created for examining historical textile artefacts in museums,” said Dr. Richard Blackburn, Professor of Sustainable Materials at the University of Leeds and a co-founder of Keracol Limited. “It's exciting that we've been able to use knowledge from heritage conservation for cutting-edge contemporary application. Building on a decade of collaboration with Aveda, we have established this unique analytical method that goes beyond visual assessments to reveal molecular-level insights.”

This method uses a specialized solvent mixture of water and pyridine to extract dye molecules from hair in a variety of colors, textures, and conditions, including blonde, grey, black curly, and bleached blonde samples. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of these extracts tracks dye retention across different hair properties giving us added insight into factors that influence color longevity and overall hair fiber health.