A printing ink composition includes a disperse dye, a surfactant, a water soluble dye, and a dispersant, in which an IOB value A of the disperse dye, an IOB value B of the surfactant, and an IOB value C of the water soluble dye satisfy the following Equation (1), A<B<C (1), and the IOB value B is 1.0 to 2.0.

The invention relates to cationic direct dyes of the formula I (1), wherein m and n are independently from each other 0 or 1, D is an aromatic or a cationic heteroaromatic group, which are further specified, K is an aromatic or heteroaromatic group, E.sub.1 and E.sub.2 are independently from each other CH or N, An is an anion and a is a number from 1 to 6 and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently from each other and further specified. The compounds show washfastness at hair-dying. ##STR00001##

Provided are a sublimation thermal transfer sheet and a combination of a sublimation thermal transfer sheet and a transfer receiving article that meet the demand for increase in the density of a color image to be formed, that prevent decrease in the adhesiveness of a protective layer optionally formed on the color image.

In a sublimation thermal transfer sheet including a substrate and yellow, magenta, and cyan colorant layers provided on one surface of the substrate, the yellow, magenta, and cyan colorant layers each contain at least a binder resin and a sublimable dye having a molar absorption coefficient of not less than 50000 and a molecular weight of not more than 650, and the average of the mass ratios of the respective binder resins and sublimable dyes (sublimable dye/binder resin) in the yellow, magenta, and cyan colorant layers is not less than 0.7.

The invention relates to cationic direct dyes of the formula I (1), wherein m and n are independently from each other 0 or 1, D is an aromatic or a cationic heteroaromatic group, which are further specified, K is an aromatic or heteroaromatic group, E.sub.1 and E.sub.2 are independently from each other CH or N, An is an anion and a is a number from 1 to 6 and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently from each other and further specified. The compounds show washfastness at hair-dying.

##STR00001##

Disclosed are hair color compositions comprising novel stable violet-blue to blue imidazolium azo compounds that have a simplified chromophore and high relative solubility in aqueous systems, and that are surprisingly stable under the conditions of use and storage. These compositions are useful for dyeing fibers such as hair and other keratinaceous materials. The compositions can optionally include an oxidant.

Disclosed are hair color compositions comprising novel stable violet-blue to blue imidazolium azo compounds that have a simplified chromophore and high relative solubility in aqueous systems, and that are surprisingly stable under the conditions of use and storage. These compositions are useful for dyeing fibers such as hair and other keratinaceous materials. The compositions can optionally include an oxidant.

Described herein is a method of dyeing the hair. The method includes applying to the hair a hair color composition including one or more direct dye compounds and rinsing the hair with water. The one or more direct dye compounds each include a blue-violet or blue chromophore, one or two permanent cations, one to four incipient cations, and one or more hydrophobic moieties. The incipient cations are pendant to the core structure and are neutral. The direct dye compounds enter the hair shaft after the hair color composition is applied to the hair. The hair color composition has a pH of from about 6 to about 11. The pH of the hair after rinsing is from about 3.5 to about 6. The rinsing of the hair causes one or more of the one to four incipient cations to change from neutral to positively charged inside of the hair shaft.

Described herein is a method of dyeing the hair. The method includes applying to the hair a hair color composition including one or more direct dye compounds and rinsing the hair with water. The one or more direct dye compounds each include a yellow chromophore, one or two permanent cations, one to four incipient cations, and one or more hydrophobic moieties. The incipient cations are pendant to the core structure and are neutral. The one or more direct dye compounds enter the hair shaft after the hair color composition is applied to the hair. The hair color composition has a pH of from about 7 to about 11. The pH of the hair after rinsing is from about 3.5 to about 6. The rinsing of the hair causes one or more of the one to four incipient cations to change from neutral to positively charged inside of the hair shaft.

Described herein is a method of dyeing the hair. The method includes applying to the hair a hair color composition including one or more direct dye compounds and rinsing the hair with water. The one or more direct dye compounds each include a yellow chromophore, one or two permanent cations, one to four incipient cations, and one or more hydrophobic moieties. The incipient cations are pendant to the core structure and are neutral. The one or more direct dye compounds enter the hair shaft after the hair color composition is applied to the hair. The hair color composition has a pH of from about 7 to about 11. The pH of the hair after rinsing is from about 3.5 to about 6. The rinsing of the hair causes one or more of the one to four incipient cations to change from neutral to positively charged inside of the hair shaft.

A hair dye composition comprising the following components (A) and (B), in which the mass ratio of the component (B) to the component (A), (B)/(A), in a whole composition is 1 or more and 100 or less and the pH (25 C.) during application is 7.5 to 12: (A): one or more azo dyes selected from the group consisting of the following (A-1), (A-2) and (A-3)

##STR00001## (B): 2-amino-2-methylpropanol.