SAMBA HAIR

Hair shine measurements
for claims and research

Using polarization-imaging to separate the different components of light reflected from hair swatches, the SAMBA Hair extract valuable data for research and claims on luster properties of hair

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Overview

SAMBA Hair is a unique device to analyze hair shine (also called hair luster or hair gloss). It is extensively used in the cosmetic industry to substantiate claims and evaluate products efficacy – such as shampoo, conditioners, shine sprays, etc. – on any straight hair.

SAMBA Hair comes as a turn-key system. It includes an imaging sensor head protected from the exterior within an in-vitro enclosure. The hair samples are positioned on a cylindrical mount that automatically moves in and out of the instrument.

Key features

  • Separation of Shine / Chroma / Diffuse images
  • Cylinder compatible with hair swatches  12.5 mm wide / 180 mm long
  • Software and computer included
  • Provides standard Luster coefficients (BNT, Reich-Robbins) for claims substantiation
  • Analyze images and provide data including profile intensity, band geometry, overlapping, etc.
  • Features a check-up cylinder to assess device performance, indicating PASS/FAIL status
Shina / Chroma / Diffuse images separation
Shina / Chroma / Diffuse angular distribution

Brochure / Specifications

Presentation

User Manual (4.0 & 4.1)

User Manual (4.2)

References

New luster formula for the characterization of hair tresses using polarization imaging

Authors: N. Lefaudeux, N. Lechocinski, P. Clemenceau, S. Breugnot
Publication: Journal of Cosmetic Science | Year: 2009
Description : This article formally defines the proprietary "BNT Luster" mathematical formula. Written by Bossa Nova Vision's own founders/engineers, it explains the exact algorithm powering the SAMBA Hair software.
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Study of hair shine and hair surface smoothness

Authors: T. Gao, A. Pereira, S. Zhu
Publication: Journal of Cosmetic Science | Year: 2009
Description : This paper helped establish the experimental standard for using SAMBA. It proves the system's ability to separate specular (gloss) and diffuse (color) reflection to accurately quantify hair luster and surface smoothness.
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AFM Study of Hair Surface Deposition, Smoothness, and Mechanical Properties and Their Effects on Hair Shine and Conditionings

Authors: Timothy Gao, Sam Zhu, Farahdia Edouard, Marni Dexter, and Jung-Mei Tien
Publication: IFSCC Magazine | Year: 2014
Description : This study highlights the SAMBA system's capability to validate structural hair repair claims. By pairing SAMBA's optical metrics (specifically the Apparent Cuticle Angle and Luster) with AFM microscopy, the authors successfully proved that smoothing the hair cuticle at a nanoscale level directly results in quantifiable improvements in overall hair shine and color vibrancy.
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Hair transparency decoding in Asia: From stylists' perception to in vitro measurement

Authors: L. Zheng, N. Matsumoto, A. Galliano, et al.
Publication: Skin Research and Technology | Year: 2021
Description : A major L’Oréal study that leveraged the SAMBA system's dual-polarized imaging to successfully translate subjective consumer language ("hair transparency" and "luminosity") into objective, quantifiable data points.
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Comparative Assessments of New Hair-Straightening Cosmetic Formulations on Wavy Type 2 Hair

Authors: C. Martins Junior, M. Henrique Vieira, et al.
Publication: Cosmetics (MDPI)y | Year: 2024
Description : A recent study highlighting SAMBA's modern application in the efficacy assessment of hair straighteners. It validates performance changes in hair shine and mechanical resistance after chemical treatments.
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Additional references