Pricey, high-tech tools promise innovations in hair and skin care

Abstract

Bad hair brushed away There is a surprising amount of science to a bad hair day. Now, a smart hairbrush hopes to give consumers more insight into their hair care challenges. The brush, called Hair Coach, includes a package of high-tech sensors that can tell you the health of your hair, explains Guive Balooch, global vice president for L’Oreal’s Research & Innovation Technology Incubator, which developed the device. The brush starts with an acoustic sensor, Balooch says. “While you brush, it can detect the friction and the force on the hair, which can tell you the level of damage the hair has,” he explains. It also detects whether hair needs more conditioning because brushing sounds different when the conditioner polymers no longer coat the hair. Other sensors include an accelerometer and gyroscope, which can examine brushing patterns, and a conductivity sensor, which can detect whether hair is dry or wet.