Analysis of Hair Shine Using Rendering and Subjective Evaluation

Abstract

Hair shine is a highly desirable attribute to consumers within the cosmetic industry and is also an important indicator of hair health. However, perceptual evaluation of shine is a complex task as it is known that even subtle manipulation of local hair properties such as colour, thickness, or style and global properties such as lighting or environment can affect the evaluation. In this article, we are interested in the physical, optical, and chemical characteristics that affect the realism of hair along with the perception of shine. We have constructed a Computer Graphics (CG) setup, based on current physical testing systems, that reduces the number of variables that affect the perspective. Physically based shading models were used to create the images that participants assessed on realism, health, naturalness, and shine through three different evaluation experiments. Our results provide new insights on how hair is perceived, the factors that affect its realism, and the potential of using CG techniques in the cosmetic industry to replace physical testing.