/oss/taxonomy/term/1001/all en /oss/article/you-asked/where-does-colour-go-when-i-bleach-my-hair <p><span>Hair naturally gets its colour from a pigment molecule called</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanin"> melanin</a><span>. There are 2 types of melanin:</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanin#Eumelanin"> eumelanin</a><span>, which gives hair and skin a brown or black hue, and</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanin#Pheomelanin"> pheomelanin</a><span>, which gives the red hue.</span></p> Wed, 28 Feb 2018 18:52:47 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 6939 at /oss /oss/article/general-science-history/why-black-hair-dye-became-popular-1930s-detroit <p>Well, because Henry Ford decided that younger men could work more productively on his automobile assembly line and so began to fire older workers and higher younger ones. This prompted some of the veteran workers to try to disguise their age with what else, but black hair dye. While Ford does deserve credit for laying the foundations to the modern automobile industry, particularly by introducing the concept of the assembly line, he also can be roundly criticized for his labour practices and ideological views.</p> Mon, 06 May 2013 21:30:22 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1929 at /oss /oss/article/science-science-everywhere/no-more-dirty-looks-gets-dirty-look <p>Siobahn O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt are two very pleasant ladies who came to see me when they were doing research for their recently published book, No More Dirty Looks. I was a little apprehensive about speaking with them, because frankly, I knew they shouldn’t be writing such a book. Not only did they have no knowledge of the science of cosmetics, they had no knowledge of science at all. It seems, though, that these days having expertise in a subject is not a requirement for writing about it.</p> Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:20:16 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1630 at /oss /oss/article/food-quirky-science/coloring-hair <p style="text-align:justify"><a href="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/?attachment_id=3647" rel="attachment wp-att-3647"><img alt="drink" height="150" src="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/files/2012/11/Kool-Aid-150x150.jpg" width="150" /></a>Just mention “Kool Aid” and my memories flop back to summer camp. That was the beverage we were served with every meal. And it was the same with my kids. They used to tell me about the "bug juice" that was blended in large garbage cans to serve the whole camp. I’m not sure why they called it bug juice, maybe it was because of the insects that inevitably met their doom in the brightly colored liquid. And as you know, Kool Aid colors are bright! Intense reds, bright blues, fluorescent greens! Just like the colors that adorn the hair of some adventurous teens. There is a good reason why some punkers look as if they had dipped their hair into Kool Aid. They have!</p> <p style="text-align:justify">Some bright kids figured out that Kool Aid could be used as an effective temporary hair dye. Just the right thing to amaze your friends and scare your parents. <a href="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/2012/11/24/coloring-hair/">Read more</a></p> Sun, 25 Nov 2012 04:35:47 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1832 at /oss