Study paves the way for advanced hair color technologies

AVEDA and Keracol Limited developed a new method for tracking hair dye fading at the molecular level. Their study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Heliyon¹, reveals the chemistry behind hair color fading, and paves the way for the development of new testing methods and advanced hair color technologies.

Aveda is a leading company in hair, skin and body care innovation, while Keracol was founded by academic researchers specializing in color chemistry and sustainability at the University of Leeds.

The measurement technique 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 new testing methods and advanced hair color technologies.

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.

“This is a new approach to understanding hair dye on different hair types and textures, which will give us insight into new breakthrough technology in formulations and technology,” says Dr. Jeanna Zguris, Executive Director of Haircare Innovation and Analytical at Aveda. “It’s incredibly exciting because it 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. This knowledge can lead to longer-lasting, more vibrant color with less damage, empowering consumers to keep their hair beautiful and strong for longer.”

¹Hetherington, K., Tidder, A., Tack, B. J., Tokle, T., Rayner, C. M., & Blackburn, R. S. (2025). Method to analyse and quantify the propensity of hair dyes to desorb from human hair fibre. Heliyon, 11(12), e43528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e43528.