Hi everyone - life is a bit of a disaster area at the minute, so I'll pop in as much as I can, but I...
Hi everyone - life is a bit of a disaster area at the minute, so I'll pop in as much as I can, but I wont be around very much. Play nice, y'hear!
Member since:08.10.2002
Reviews:75
Members who trust:30
Any of you that read womensmagazines will have been bombarded with the advertising campaign for L'OrealCouleur Experte lately. As you know, there is a magnet in my purse that is attracted to my true North (aka Boots the Chemist) and on a search and buy mission last week, I decided that this new hair colour didn't look half bad - also there was £3 off, which helped.
The basic premise is that you use a "base" colour all over your hair, then add your own highlights after. This was especially appealing to me, becuase I had my hair highlighted about three months ago, and was showing a serious amount of unappealing rootage.
(On a side note - does it annoy you that the "professionals" charge exactly the same amount to do your roots as you paid for the first go? And they have you over a bit of a barrel as well, because you either stay an unattractive two tone, undo all the good work with an all over tint, or pay the extortionate prices!! Not much of a choice if you ask me!)
So, I forked over my £9.99 (normal RRP is £12.99, so get down there quick if you fancy giving this a try!!) and hot footed it home with my new toy.
Onto the important things,
PACKAGING
Yes, it comes in a box. It's quite a distinctive red, and larger than a normal hair colour. Apart from that, it's nothing to get excited about, so we'll move on.
INSIDE THE PACKAGING
This is where all the goodness is. The internal packaging is split into two sides. One side contains all you need to apply the base coat. The other contains all the bits for the highlighting - including another pair of gloves. Seems like someone at L'Oreal has bought some common sense from a dealer she met in the pub. Yay!!
THE "DOINGS"
Assuming it is the first time you have used the product, you need to apply it to dry, unwashed hair. Again, I'm not going to go through all the directions as this is a bit tedious - suffice to say that the instructions are clear, all the bottles and tubes are well labelled, and so long as you have your glasses on, you can't go too far wrong.
Development time is 25 minutes for the "base" which you then rinse out thoroughly. After a quick towel dry, you are ready to do your highlights, and again, there are plenty of tips in the leaflet.
THE WARNINGS
Do a patch test first. You know it makes sense. I read about a woman who had been using the same product for years with no problem - one day she had an allergic reaction to it and nearly died. You have been warned.
If you aren't confident then get a mate to come round and do the highlights for you. Just make sure that your ideas of thin and thick are the same thing - failure to communicate may lead to disappointment and falling out.
This product is PERMANENT. Don't do it for the kicks.
MY EXPERIENCE
I found this pleasant and easy to use. As you would expect there is a quantity of hydrogen peroxide in the product, but the smell was not a gag-inducing horror experince that you get in some salons.
I found the instructions clear and easy to follow, and I was pleased that a certain amount of thought had gone into the product. My hair looks great, and for a damn sight less than the £68 quoted by my mask wearing hairdresser. (Highway robbery reference for those looking befuddled) The colour was of a standard that I would have happily paid over £50 for at a salon previously. Result.
The product is available in 13 different shades, from palest blonde to a very fetching dark brown/ black. All have excellently coordinating highlights. For those of you that are interested, I chose no 7.0 Biscotti (Natural Blonde)
I found no downside at all to the product, and although the price is quite high for a DIY hair colour, I think in this case, it's definately a matter of you get what you pay for. So a rare five stars from me then. Oooh, and in the packet is a voucher for another £3 off - so I'll buy another ne in the special offer for £6.99. That's a bit more like it.
Thanks for reading
Nikkixx
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I'd never be brave enough to do this at home, not a chance! Stick to going to the salon for my highlights as I had a nasty experience when I was about 14 with a home dye kit! Sarah x
beatlemanic 22.08.2003 18:05
So well written! I really enjoyed reading it. Jo
kirstymack80 13.08.2003 11:25
Sounds good but my hair is already coloured so it probably wouldn't show up! Good op, may try it in the future. KirstyM
Advantages: Glossy colour, shows up well, good price Disadvantages: Very strong smelling & messier than all other dyes I've used (probably due to the fact you need to dampen hair)
Jun 2nd, 2003
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