The primary technical function of most conditioning products is to lubricate the hair surface and in doing so, facilitate manageability and provide detangling benefits and lower combing friction. A common and highly consumer-relevant approach for measuring this lubrication involves an instrumental combing experiment.
 
Testing involves use of an Instron tensile tester to measure frictional forces while a hair tress is pulled through a comb.
We perform such experiments in accordance with the widely-used method first proposed by Garcia & Diaz (JSCC, 27, (1976) 379-398 – Comb ability Measurements on Hair).  Combing experiments are performed in the wet or dry state after treatment.