I don't even need to leave a tip! (Boots Permanent Hair Colour)

Member Name: hypno06

Product:	Boots Permanent Hair Colour
Date:	13/06/09 (168 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, easy to use

Disadvantages: Ammonia - I would prefer nicer sounding ingredients!

Much as I love the whole salon experience - flicking through magazines for ideas, having someone massage my scalp as they shampoo and condition my hair, having expert colourists make my dull brown hair look full of life and shine, whilst being offered a coffee and being asked about my hols....(ok, so I don't love that bit, I wish they would just shut up and let me read Vogue for an hour or so, uninterrupted!)......- much as I love it, I just can't justify the cost. There is always something else that needs doing or paying for, and it is years since I had more than a cheap cut.

I am fairly lucky that despite my advancing years (I am 38), the grey hair that made itself known to my mother and sister at a very early age, has taken pity on me, and only the odd one or two peep through my dark brown hair.

But I still like to have a bit of life to my brown locks, and to cover those cheeky greys that sneak in, so I have been colouring my own hair for a few years now.

Having tried numerous brands, I now return time after time to Boots own brand of permanent hair colour. Opting for the chocolate brown, as this is the closest in colour to my natural colour, so the roots don't appear obvious after a couple of weeks!

This box of colour is just £3 and I usually pick up a couple when they are on 2 for £5.......eat your heart out toni and guy.......!

Like all colours, you should take precautions. This is strong stuff, and it is always advised, whether you have used the product before or not, to do a skin sensitivity test and a strand test on your own hair. You don't want to end up with sore skin, an itchy scalp or worse.....especially if you have sensitive skin, or are under the weather for any reason.

The strand test is necessary so you know what the colour comes out like - there is no point in you bunging a whole load of colour on your hair, waiting 20 mins and then finding that the colour is way off what you thought it would be. Much better to do a test on a hidden strand of hair first, so that you can avoid a potential colour disaster. This is especially important if the colour you are aiming for is very different to your natural colour, or the one you are used to using.

So, once you're happy with the strand and skin tests, find yourself an old towel, read the instructions on the packet and the enclosed leaflet, and away you go - this is a really simple colour kit to use. It is one colour only - you are not aiming for highlights, or multi layer colours, so it is not complicated.

There are three tubes in this box - one is the dye, one is the developing lotion and one is a conditioner for when you wash your hair afterwards.

Simply squeeze the tube of colour into the developing lotion. Put the lid on, and shake it for about 15 seconds.

Now, with the plastic gloves on, that are provided for you, start applying the colour to your hair, starting at the roots and working to the ends, section by section. It is useful to have a friend do this for you if possible, but if not, just position yourself in front of the mirror and get working, trying to keep the application even, and making sure that all hair is covered.

The smell from the lotion is, as you might expect, a little chemical, so you may want to have a window opened in the room where you are working. The smell is not overpowering though, so don't get too worried if you can't do this.

It is important to pay attention to what you are doing - this colour gets everywhere if you are not careful, so don't be tempted to try and answer your phone part way through.......

I have an old towel dedicated to colouring - don't use your best John Lewis towels, because they will get stained and look horrid. The older the better in this instance! The towel stays round my shoulders until the job is done!

Once your hair is covered in the colour, massage it in to your hair. You may notice it becomes a bit foamy, and the colour of the foam may be terrifying - fear not, though, as the colour of the foam is NOT what you will end up looking like!

Then, once your hair is all covered, and keeping the towel round your shoulders to catch any stray drips or runs, go and make yourself a cup of coffee or pour a glass of wine.....

20 minutes later, put the bottle of wine away, and rinse your hair with warm water, until the water runs clear. There will be a lot of excess dye to rinse out, so don't rush this, and if your hair is long and thick, then make sure that you aim the shower right into the thickest part of your hair, otherwise you will only end up rinsing the outer layers.

When the water runs clear, you then reach for the third tube that came in the box - the conditioner. This smells divine and says that there is enough for 3 applications - athough I am generous with my conditioner as I have thick and reasonably long hair, so I reckon I get two decent applications out of a tube.

Condition your hair as normal, leaving it to work for 2 minutes before rinsing out. No shampoo is needed.

And voila - you're done! Dry and style your hair as normal.......and enjoy your new look!

This is a permanent hair colour, so make sure you read the instructions carefully and do the necessary preliminary checks. Make sure you are happy with the colour before you start. Mistakes could be costly to rectify, depending on what colour you are trying to become!

There are a number of precautions on the box - these include, but are not exclusive to:

- contains hydrogen peroxide and ammoina, can cause an allergic reaction.
- do not use if you have an itchy or sensitive scalp,
- do not use to dye eyelashes or eyebrows
- avoid contact with eyes. Remove contact lenses before using.
- wear suitable gloves
etc - common sense stuff really.

The box says you can use this over other colourants except metallic dyes, colour restorers and henna compounds.

You can use this colour on bleached or highlighted hair as long as your hair is in suitable condition.

If your hair is very long and thick, you may want to use two boxes of this to ensure coverage.

My verdict - well, I don't want to try and be clever with my hair colour, I just want to look natural, and to cover those cheeky greys. Boots colour doesn't dry my hair out, doesn't irritate my skin, and holds its colour well. This does it for me - cheaply, easily and without having to listen to "Tales from Ibiza 2009" or to leave a tip.......

Summary: Why pay more?