The Color Attach System by L'ANZA Healing Haircare features two professional back-bar products for use during service-time, and two products recommended for continued at-home color maintenance. All these products are designed to help your clients achieve and maintain richer and brighter hair color, even color coverage and longer-lasting results.

So how do each of the products actually work? MODERN interviewed Bill Topolinski, VP of Research and Product Development, who gave us a rundown of the technology found in the system.

How does Color Attach Step 1 boost color deposition?
Color Attach-Step 1 uses Cortical Adhesion Technology to boost color density up to 48%. To understand how it works, think about the anatomy of hair and how color molecules or “pigments” attach in the first place. Oxidative color pigments reside inside the cortex of the hair. During processing, color pigments enlarge and become loosely lodged inside the hair structure. Although this generally works out fine, wedging color pigments into place is not a very effective way to keep color attached with great permanence – especially when hair is damaged.

We know hair is protein-rich. Unfortunately those proteins do not give color pigments anything to attach to, because they can’t adhere to protein – they need lipids. L’ANZA scientists developed Cortical Adhesion Technology to infuse Lipophilic Receptors into the cortex of the hair, so they may affix to the cortical membrane. You can actually see this occurring in polarized light microscope images. Once the Lipophilic Receptors are established throughout hair’s cortex, color pigments are able to adhere with tremendous tenacity. The result is greater color deposition, more pigment density per square micrometer, and improved color richness. A Colorimeter can confirm the increased color intensity based on the red, blue, and green components of light absorbed. 

How does Color Attach Step 2 seal in color pigments?
Color Attach-Step 2 seals in color pigments using the Regenerative Therapy Complex, which provides improved color durability and longevity.  During processing, hair has literally been opened up for color pigments to be inserted into the cortex. This allows for proper color uptake, but the hair fiber is distressed during the process.

Color Attach-Step 2 immediately goes to work to close up the wounds and let the hair healing process begin. Cystine Amino Acids re-build damaged disulfide bridges to ensure color richness and durability. Then Monomers close down the cuticle to guarantee color pigments remain secured and locked in place. Lastly, Clear Seal delivers a weightless, durable color shield that offers an additional layer of protection to seal in color pigments.

Color Guard contains Flower Shield Complex; what does this do? How is the Lotus Plant incorporated into the technology?
Color Guard has two separate technologies to stop color loss and avert color fading. Over 70% of hair color fading is caused by water alone, and Wash Shield was developed to prevent color pigment washout. Wash Shield restores the CMC layer with essential lipids, while the cuticle is closed down and bonded via reactive monomer interlinking. Adaptogens from the Lotus Plant add a third protective layer to stop water ingression.

Color Guard also uses our proprietary Flower Shield Complex to stop color fading. It contains the same powerful anti-fade compounds flowers use for their own color protection. Like in nature, it works under the harshest UV and environmental conditions, offering full-spectrum color protection for all hair color shades. Carotenoids (from rose, calendula, hibiscus) protect hair color in the Yellow - Red range. Flavonoids (from echinacea, cornflower) protect hair color in the Blue - Violet range. Chlorophyll (from green orchid) protects hair color in the Green range.

How does Color Illuminator boost color intensity and provide richer and brighter color?
Color pigments live inside the hair, and it’s often difficult to see them because the cuticle layer obstructs our view. The goal with Color Illuminator is to reveal and magnify the colors that already exist inside the hair.  Groundbreaking Optical Refraction Technology matches the refractive index of the cuticle which increases hue vividness and intensity, while renewing existing hair color.

Optical Refraction Technology also uses Color Dispersion Angling to separate white light and illuminate dominant hair colors. Similar to a prism, Color Dispersion Angling takes white light the human eye sees visually, and separates it to illuminate more dominant colors. The result is brighter, richer color with renewed vibrancy.