Hair Transparency Decoding in Asia: From Stylists’ Perception to In Vitro Measurement

The study aimed to decode the concept of hair transparency by quantifying stylists' perceptions using a mathematical model. Workshops with 40 Japanese stylists and 12 consumers identified key parameters like color, luminosity, and shine, measured using the SAMBA Hair System. A pairwise comparison study with 100 Japanese stylists validated the model, showing higher luminosity and shine correlate with higher perceived transparency. The model was further validated with 100 Chinese stylists. Significant correlations were found between stylists' transparency scores and objective measurements, suggesting HTI can reliably predict hair transparency as perceived by stylists. Future work will expand the study to other regions and develop a technical performance model linking formulation science with HTI values.