Hair color: succeeding in your consumer tests with Repères

Hair colouring is one of the most demanding sectors in the cosmetics industry.

Whatever the objective – competitive benchmarking, formula reformulation or innovation – a successful consumer test requires a tailored approach and cutting-edge support, whether for home use tests or hairdressers tests.

A protocol designed for the specificities of hair color

Hair color presents particular methodological constraints. Results depend on hair profile, hair color, and chosen shade - and they evolve over time. Our protocols are built around several key principles.

• Monadic evaluation. Each participant tests only one formula. Without direct comparison, in conditions close to real-life use, scores reflect an authentic experience. The comparison between formulas takes place at the analysis stage, between independent cells - which guarantees its reliability.
• Three moments of truth: application day, after a few days, after a few weeks. A longitudinal follow-up that evaluates not only the immediate result, but also color longevity, coverage, and satisfaction over time. Photos and videos complement this approach - to document before/after results or better understand application gestures, enriching the interpretation of scores.
• A minimum of three shades and rigorous recruitment criteria to cover the diversity of hair types and market expectations. Beyond the specific composition of each shade, a formula can perform very differently depending on whether it is applied to fine, damaged, or curly hair, or according to the amount of grey hair. All segments to be analyzed precisely for a detailed understanding of performance.
• Cell matching: the key to reliable comparisons. Heterogeneity of hair profiles between monadic cells is highly probable: recruitment quotas are limited in number and cannot be applied shade by shade. To minimize these sampling biases, Repères has developed a proprietary solution to perfectly match test cells across a very large number of criteria: pre-recruited participants are paired on around thirty variables covering hair profile, usage, and expectations. The cells thus formed are truly comparable, which strengthens the reliability of conclusions and the robustness of recommendations.

In-depth analysis

Collecting reliable data is a necessary condition - but not sufficient. The true added value of a study lies in the quality of the analysis.

• Giving full voice to the consumer. Beyond quantitative scores, we give significant space to spontaneous expression from respondents: open-ended questions enriched by voice recording and AI-driven follow-up probes, enabling richer content; qualitative analysis at scale for a fine-grained understanding of color perception and consumer sentiment, and a stronger link with the technical and sensory performance of formulas.
• Operational insights, tailored to each challenge. Our consultants - senior professionals with dual sensory and marketing expertise - go beyond commenting on scores: they interpret them in context and formulate directly actionable recommendations. 

Whether it is understanding on which benefits a formula truly stands out, or validating the absence of risk in a silent renovation, we turn consumer data into concrete, operational levers.

Testing or optimizing a hair color formula? Contact us!

At Repères, product testing accounts for more than 60% of our activity. We support leading cosmetics players - in France and internationally - on both R&D and Marketing challenges.