Fading of artificial hair colour and its prevention by photofilters

Fading of artificial hair colour has been investigated by simulating actual usage conditions through exposure to artificial radiation in a weatherometer, with 0.35 mW (m(2)nm)(-1) at 340 nm, for 16-48 h, and by periodical washing. Hair colour was produced by using commercial two-part, permanent hair dyes with light auburn, medium auburn and dark auburn shades. Formulations based on red couplers, such as 4-amino-2-hydroxytoluene and 1-naphthol, as well as primary intermediates, such as 1-hydroxyethyl-4,5-diamino pyrazole sulphate, were employed. Results indicate that the extent of fading, as measured by the total colour change parameter, dE, is greatest for coloured hair subjected to both irradiation and shampooing, and significantly smaller for hair undergoing only irradiation or washing. Colour loss has been also found to be dependent upon the hair type employed, with coloured natural white and bleached hair undergoing much greater change than coloured brown hair. It has been also shown that hair colour based on pyrazole intermediates displayed the deepest fading as a result of shampooing (dE 4-6 after 10 shampooings) and irradiation per shampooing (dE 14-16 after 32 h of light exposure and four shampooings). The contribution of UV light (UVB + UVA) to the artificial hair-colour loss was found experimentally to be dependent upon the irradiation dose and varied from 63% at 16 h of irradiation time to 27% at 48 h of light exposure. The theoretical extent of photoprotection by a formulation was assessed by calculating the percentage of UV light it attenuates in the wavelength range from 290 to 400 nm. The results indicate that UVB photofilters, such as octyl methoxy cinnamate, absorb <25% of the total UV irradiation at concentrations as high as 30 mg (g hair)(-1). UVA absorbers were found to be more effective, with benzophenone-3 and benzophenone-4 absorbing about 40% of UV at the same concentration. Corresponding experimental data were in reasonable agreement with the theoretical predictions. The data are also presented for colour protection with treatments containing two photo-absorbers: benzophenone-3-ZnO; benzophenone-4-ZnO; octyl methoxy cinnamate-ZnO; and dimethylpabaimidopropyl laurdimonium tosylate-benzophenone-3.