- Background
- What we're looking for
- What we can offer you
- Q&A
Hair lightening, or lift, is achieved by oxidizing natural melanin pigments inside the hair fiber to reach lighter shades or create a base for coloring. To enable this reaction, professional bleaching systems rely on alkaline conditions to swell the hair fiber and open the cuticle, allowing oxidants to penetrate into the cortex, where melanin is located.
Today, most bleaching systems use hydrogen peroxide at relatively high concentrations combined with strong alkalinity. While effective, this approach is chemically inefficient, as a significant portion of the oxidative power is lost to non-selective side reactions, including peroxide decomposition and oxidation of hair proteins and lipids. As a result, high peroxide doses and high pH are required to compensate, which leads to structural hair damage, reduced strength, and limited control over the bleaching process.
There is growing interest in moving away from classical bleaching chemistry toward more selective and efficient oxidation pathways. If oxidative activity could be directed more precisely toward melanin, or generated and controlled in situ, it may be possible to achieve salon-grade lift at significantly lower hydrogen peroxide levels and reduced alkalinity, thereby minimizing unnecessary oxidative damage to the hair fiber.
We are looking for alternative oxidants, activators, or catalytic systems that deliver salon-grade hair lift at significantly lower H₂O₂ (hydrogen peroxide) concentrations and reduced alkalinity. We are particularly interested in approaches that selectively target melanin oxidation, reducing uncontrolled reactions that contribute to hair fiber damage. We encourage submissions from researchers and organizations with expertise in oxidation chemistry, catalysis, materials science, protein chemistry, or delivery systems, including adjacent fields.
- Melanin-selective oxidation catalysts or targeting mediators
- Cuticle permeability and penetration aids (e.g., mild swelling aids, deposition polymers, carrier systems)
- Activators (e.g., controlled peroxide activation at mild pH, moderated Fenton-like activation)
- Peroxide stabilization and kinetic control beyond chelation (e.g., encapsulation, controlled-release peroxide donors, water activity control)
- Improves oxidative efficiency and/or selectivity (e.g., better use of oxidant, reduced side reactions, or improved melanin targeting)
- Compatible with oxidative hair lightening systems and salon-relevant application formats (e.g., creams, gels, powders, liquids)
- In line with cosmetic regulations for hair products (primarily EU cosmetic regulatory frameworks), or includes a well-reasoned scientific and regulatory pathway demonstrating how compliance could be achieved
- Includes qualitative or quantitative testing on hair fibers (e.g., lift, strength, microscopy, color change)
- Comparative results showing equal lift at lower H₂O₂/pH, or greater lift at equal H₂O₂/pH
- Approaches that introduce uncontrolled radical chemistry, excessive hair fiber damage, or unacceptable scalp safety risks relative to conventional oxidative bleaching systems
The Q&A is now closed.
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