Hair Colorant Assessment, Selection And Formulation System

Abstract

A hair colorant selection and formulation system including one or more of a hair color analyzer operable to determine hair color of a hair sample and match the determined hair color to a color in a color space, a hair color selector operable in combination with a fiber optic hair sample to generate the color selected in a color space in the optical fibers of a fiber optic hair sample, and a hair colorant mixer which operates to mix a hair colorant, which can be individually, or in various combinations, operably coupled to one or more computing devices through one or more server computers via a network which supports a hair colorant selection and hair colorant formulation program accessible by the one or more computing devices.

1 . A method of making an apparatus, comprising:
 disposing an optical tube having an optical tube first end and an optical tube second end in spatial relation to at least one light emitter to transmit emitted light to said optical tube second end;   disposing a light receiving tube having a light receiving tube first end and a light receiving tube second end in said optical tube to receive said visible light reflected from a substrate disposed at said optical tube second end; and   disposing a first color detector in said light receiving tube to detect said visible light reflected from said substrate disposed at said optical tube second end.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing said at least one light emitter which emits visible light within a shell having a reflective interior surface. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising
 connecting a base having an optical aperture to said shell;   connecting said optical tube to said base to orient an internal hollow delimited by said optical tube to overlap said optical aperture.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising configuring said optical tube to deliver said visible light onto said substrate at an angle theta. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising coupling at least one light emitter driver circuit to said at least one light emitter, said at least one light emitter driver circuit delivers power to said at least one light emitter to emit said visible light. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising selecting said at least one light emitter to emit visible light having a full spectrum or broad spectrum. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising connecting a controller to said at least one light emitter driver circuit to control emission of said visible light from said at least one light emitter. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising coupling to said first color detector a non-transitory computer readable memory containing a program code executable to convert color data generated by said first color detector to a color in a color space. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising forming said substrate with a hair sample. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising orienting a second color detector relative to said shell to detect light reflected from said reflective interior surface of said shell. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising providing said program code executable to determine a ratio of underlying pigments in said hair sample based on said color data generated by said first color detector. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing said program code executable to, based on said determination of said ratio of underlying pigments in said hair sample, provide an analyzed hair color of said hair sample. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising providing said program code executable to provide an analyzed hair color based on said color data 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing said program code executable to allow user to select a hair color by selection of said color in said color space. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing said program code executable to apply a set of rules based on said analyzed hair color and said selected color to generate a hair colorant formula of a hair colorant which when applied to said analyzed hair color results in said selected hair color. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing said program code executable to correlate said ratio of underlying pigments associated with said analyzed hair color to a ratio of primary intermediates and a ratio of couplers in a hair colorant which upon reaction and in combination with said ratio of underlying pigments associated with said analyzed hair color results in said selected hair color. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing said program code executable to determine a level of difference between said analyzed hair color and said selected hair color. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing said program code executable to correlate said level of difference to a concentration of an oxidizing agent to admix with said ratio of primary intermediates and said ratio of couplers in said hair colorant. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing said program code executable to, in accordance with said set of rules, to determine a concentration of an alkalinizing agent to admix with said hair colorant containing said concentration of said oxidizing agent and said ratio of primary intermediates and said ratio of couplers to achieve a neutral or alkaline pH of said hair colorant. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising providing said program code executable to match said hair colorant formula to an amount of each of said primary intermediates, said couplers, said oxidizing agent or said alkalinizing agents, and combinations thereof.