The Science of Perfect 10 Haircolour

Perfect 10 is the first product to use Clairol's breakthrough formula, which works so efficiently that it does the job in just 10 minutes. The advanced colour crème with micropearls allows for fast penetration into the hair fibers. Once inside the hair, the unique combination of effective ingredients targets the natural melanin pigment and deposit the new colour without reacting as much with the surrounding hair protein. The complete colouring process is accelerated and we can achieve high gloss colour and 100% grey coverage in 10 minutes.

Micropearls are the colour molecules that exist within Perfect 10's advanced colour crème formula. Each shade of Perfect 10 contains a unique mix of different coloured molecules and conditioning ingredients to create the desired shade. Perfect 10's advanced colour crème with micropearls is what provides consumers with high gloss colour in just 10 minutes.

Perfect 10's formula is totally different from anything else out there. It's not just about one ingredient—it is the combination of new elements that makes it so exciting. It uses a unique lightening system—which is the heart of any colourant—to prepare the hair and speed up the colour reaction, energizing colour to move inside the hair, creating beautiful, high gloss colour in just 10 minutes. It works at a pH closer to that of hair itself, making it gentler and better protecting* the hair surface. It is this total package that makes Perfect 10 the first big colour breakthrough in over 50 years.

Absolutely not! Interestingly, when we developed Perfect 10 our first objective was to create a 'better' hair colourant—and along the way we realized the new technology was so good that it could do the job in just 10 minutes. Most other 10-minute products use existing, conventional technology—just changed a bit to give faster results. This is very different from the approach we took with Perfect 10.

Perfect 10 is less damaging* to the hair surface because of its unique advance colour crème formula. Its active ingredients work best at a lower, gentler pH than most colourants, so Perfect 10 better preserves hair's natural protective coating called the f-layer. In addition, we have shown that the advanced colour crème reacts more selectively with the pigments inside the hair than with the hair itself, causing less surface damage.* On top of that, the ingredient glycine, which is an essential amino acid and one of the fundamental building blocks of hair, works as an antioxidant, reducing the effect of free radicals/damage molecules (for CA) formed during colouring. And last but not least, Perfect 10's weekly ColorSeal treatment helps protect hair, keeping it smooth and soft.

The development of the PerfectColor Comb was based on feedback from our consumers who struggled with the traditional colour applicators. It is designed to envelop each strand of hair in the rich colour crème from root to tip for even colour results and flawless grey coverage. The comb has 14 outlets to provide optimum colour distribution—five at the tip of each nozzle, five halfway down each nozzle and four at the bottom between the nozzles. This ensures even coverage regardless of the length or thickness of the user's hair.

Perfect 10 owes its great scent to our formulators and fragrance artists. The formulators invented a highly efficient colour technology which works at a lower pH and therefore contains less free ammonia than other products. Ammonia is the ingredient responsible for the harsh smell of many colourants. In addition, our fragrance artists created a scent which not only masks the remaining colourant odor but is also based on the same principles as a fine fragrance product and has beautiful top, body and base notes.

A lot of work has gone into making sure that each shade of Perfect 10 matches the colour results shown on the box. First, the shades were tested repeatedly in our salons on consumers to confirm just the right colour results. Then, hundreds of natural hair samples of appropriate starting colours were treated with Perfect 10 in our colour development labs and analyzed. The technical colour readings were then translated into on-pack images. Latest imaging and software programs have turned this work into a truly high-tech process because we know how important it is for our consumers to get exactly the haircolour they want expect.

Perfect 10 gives shiny, glossy hair in several ways. First, it deposits high-intensity colour deep inside the hair fiber, leading to more intense light interactions—visible as shine. Second, it works at a lower, gentler pH with an antioxidant, reducing the effect of free radicals formed during colouring and better protecting the hair surface. A smooth, intact surface is shinier than a rough, broken one. Third, Perfect 10 uses a dual conditioning system with the colour crème and the weekly ColorSeal treatment, allowing the hair fibers to be more aligned and reflect light better.

Perfect 10 is the only product in the market that uses our patented AminoGlycine technology—so it is totally unique. The huge number of 18 filed patents shows the level of innovation that went into this product. Some patents cover the effective ingredients that form the colour in just 10 minutes. Other patents refer to the low, more gentle pH or the addition of glycine as an antioxidant. Yet other patents describe our unique PerfectColor Comb and the advanced colour crème. So 18 patents really means we've put a lot of research, science and innovation into Perfect 10, to make it a truly unique haircolour product.