Ammonia-Free Hair Color Base Buffer System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hair lightening compositions often cause damage to hair and scalp due to high alkalinity, and struggle to achieve efficient color lift and deposition while maintaining cosmetic attributes like ease of application and uniformity.
Innovation Solution
A hair color base comprising a buffer system with ammonium chloride, sodium metasilicate, ammonium hydroxide, and monoethanolamine, used in conjunction with an oxidizing component, to maintain an alkaline pH and facilitate color lift and deposition with minimal damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional hair lightening compositions use high alkalinity to achieve color lift, then the color lifting effect is improved, but hair and scalp damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the pH parameter by using a buffered ammonia-free system that maintains pH between 8.5-10, avoiding the excessively high alkalinity of conventional compositions while still achieving adequate color lift. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by finding a middle ground that provides sufficient alkalinity for cuticle swelling and dye penetration without causing severe damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an oxidizing system using hydrogen peroxide (3-12% concentration) as an intermediary agent that enables color lifting through oxidation rather than relying solely on high alkalinity. This intermediary mechanism allows the composition to achieve color lift by oxidizing melanin and facilitating dye precursor conversion, thereby reducing the need for extreme pH levels that cause damage.
2Productivity
If ammonia or ammonia-generating compounds are used to achieve color lift, then the lightening effect is improved, but scalp irritation and damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes ammonia and ammonia-generating compounds from the composition entirely, replacing them with an alternative buffered system containing aminomethylpropanol and other non-irritating alkalizing agents. This extraction eliminates the source of scalp irritation while maintaining the necessary pH levels for effective color lifting through alternative mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by substituting ammonia-based alkalizing agents with ammonia-free alternatives that provide similar pH elevation without the harmful effects. The buffered system using aminomethylpropanol achieves comparable alkalinity for cuticle swelling and dye penetration while being gentler on the scalp.
3Reliability
If oxidation dye precursors are used to deposit color, then color deposit is improved, but the composition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs oxidation dye precursors that serve multiple functions: they act as colorants that deposit on the hair, serve as pH indicators to monitor the coloring process, and participate in the oxidative crosslinking that provides permanent color fixation. This multi-functionality maintains reliable color deposit while avoiding the need for separate indicator systems or additional complex components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves effective hair color lift and deposition, minimizing damage and ensuring better color visibility and coverage, with a pH range of 8.5 to 10, allowing for a tone height increase of 0.5 to 4, comparable to traditional dyes but with reduced harm.
Implementation Method 1
a hair color base comprising a buffer system, wherein the buffer system comprises ammonium chloride, sodium metasilicate, ammonium hydroxide, and monoethanolamine (MEA)... the pH of the composition for altering the color of hair ranges from about 8.5 to about 10
Implementation Method 2
These oxidation dye precursors are colorless or weakly colored compounds which, when combined with oxidizing agents, give rise to colored complexes by a process of oxidative condensation
Implementation Method 3
The alkalizing agent causes the hair shaft to swell, thus allowing the small oxidative dye molecules to penetrate the cuticle and cortex before the oxidation condensation process is completed
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are hair color bases, hair color compositions, and methods for altering the color of hair. Hair color bases comprise a buffer system including ammonium chloride, sodium metasilicate, ammonium hydroxide, and monoethanolamine (MEA). Hair color compositions comprise a hair base comprising a buffer system including ammonium chloride, sodium metasilicate, ammonium hydroxide, and monoethanolamine (MEA), and an oxidizing component.