FROM COLOR PIGMENT TO COLOR TREND

Dr. Hollenberg is Director of Product Development for Hair Coloring at Schwarzkopf & Henkel.

Dr. Hollenberg, how can an outsider imagine the work of your team?

Product Development works on the research, development and application of cosmetic formulas. We have chemists, chemical technicians, laboratory assistants, and hair stylists working for us, who perform in laboratories everything from chemical analyses of the first formulations up to the final technical application tests. Half of the team does the underlying research: the search for new color molecules, cream bases, color fixes, oxidants and UV filters. The other half of the team is responsible for current product lines and the development of new products based upon the knowledge gained by this research.

What preliminary steps occur before a hair color comes out on the market?

First a formula is developed, chemically analyzed and tested in the laboratory.

During the second step, we test the color effect and the authenticity of all its nuances upon hair samples under differing conditions such as temperature change, light exposure and storage time. When this series of laboratory tests is completed, we move to the final, decisive round: the test salon.

…and what is tested there?

In the test salon, our hair stylists examine the final coloring with consumers. Through partial colorations (e.g. on only one side of the hair), we compare the color result of the test product with other colorations and/ or with the original color. The testers evaluate the new product or new nuance with regard to user friendliness, color result and durability. The product will be produced only after this decisive phase has been successfully completed.

In the lab you test color on hair samples. However, hair structure and its properties vary from person to person. Do these differences compromise your results?

To lay a sure foundation for development, we always conduct laboratory tests for hair products on “standardized” hair, that is, on a blend of real hair. In order to simulate the market, we work with as diverse subjects as possible in the test salon.

What kind of tests do you perform on hair samples?

We test color authenticity, that is, whether the result of the color nuance stays even and keeps its tone after, for example, sun exposure, frequent washing or repeated use. It is also important that it is “rub-proof”, so that it does not rub off onto collars or bed linens, and sweat-proof, in order to avoid any colorful puddles at the gym. The benefits of a coloration can be analyzed physically and chemically, e.g. to measure comb-ability and sheen. Of course, our dermatological and toxicological departments also test the product for safety. All cosmetic products must be tested according to strict legal guidelines.

Does Schwarzkopf & Henkel test on animals?

No. The compatibility of our products is evaluated by our experts using the known data about the ingredients. Our only “laboratory rats," so to speak, are the subjects in our test salon.

A thankless job…

Not at all! The director of the test salon, master hairdresser, Andreas Scholten, and his team have over 600 test subjects in their files and regularly receive offers from others who are interested. After all, our testers get to try new, high quality colorations for free, including a professional consultation. Like I mentioned, this final test phase is above all about consumer acceptance – negative surprises with hair color are impossible.

How long does it take to develop a hair color, from the first idea to its actual production?

It depends how much scientific work has already been done beforehand. With an existing formula, we need about three months for the development of a new nuance as well as for tests on application and shelf life. The development of a new formula including tests lasts about six months. The development of a totally new hair color product that is based on an entirely new color molecule takes three to five years.

Schwarzkopf & Henkel is represented around the world with its coloration products. Are they all developed in Düsseldorf?

The core brands are developed in Düsseldorf, but are tested by our colleagues in the local markets and optimized if necessary. Even within Europe, the needs of a hair color vary greatly. Natural hair colors are different, as well as subjective sensibilities like taste; the red tinged result of a blond hair color on dark hair, which might be perceived as a miss in Germany, is very much in demand in southern Europe. The French generally perceive colors a tone lighter than German customers. What is seen here as medium brown, the French call light brown.