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Nice 'n' Easy Perfect 10
by Dragonfairy
I bought this last week from Wilkinson, as it was on offer at £4.50 I normally pick a mid to cheap price range dye. This one is normally £6 and is a bit more then I would pay normally. I chose it as, apart from it being on offer, I was attracted to the comb like applicator. I have been dying my hair for about 6 years since I was 30 (I ... blame my husband :) ), and have tried a variety of different dyes. I would say that normally I am pretty good at dying my own hair, although the last few times (possibly as a result of using cheaper dyes) I have struggled to dye the stubborn grey hairs at the front of my head, and as I wear my hair tied back for work this can be annoying. I thought that with this being towards the dearer end of the market and having the comb applicator it would hopefully provide better coverage, and be easy to use.
The packaging
This is quite a wide thin box, it is glossy and attractive. On the front is a picture of a woman with the dyed hair colour (in this case dark brown), and on the right of her is a picture of the comblike applicator. Under the branding the box claims "Salon inspired formula", as well as a "High gloss colour and healthy looking hair in just 10 minutes" It also claims "100% long lasting grey coverage". On the side of the box are safety warnings. On the back of the box are questions and answers telling us about their special colour creme formula, that is specially formulated to dye hair quicker, and to cover grey hairs for longer. There are also several helpful colour swatches to give you an indication of what colour you will get, depending on what colour your hair is to start with.
In the box
The box contains the High gloss colour creme, Activating creme with choice of ordinary tip or comb, intensive conditioner (enough to last 6 weeks), and some particularly strong plastic gloves, as well as instructions.
My Experience
Now I will admit that I compromised myself by dyeing my hair on the same day as I was going out with some friends, meaning I felt added pressure to not get it all over my face :)
I pretty much followed the instructions although I must confess to being rebellious and not first testing it (I don't think I ever have, I've never understood how you can both test dye 48 hours before and yet use it as soon as it is made up). I also put some vaseline around my forehead, but away from my hairline to help protect my face.
Anyway apart from this I followed the instructions, first combing and dividing my long hair into sections, then adding the Activator to the Colour Creme before giving it a good shake. Now my grey root line was about an inch, so I chose just to use the applicator comb. I started by applying it to the roots at the front using the comb to comb through the hairs and over them, I then proceeded to unclip the rest of my hair and try to comb it through my long fine hair. I found this quite messy and tricky, as with my hair being long the hair and dye went everywhere, thankfully I was wearing an old long sleeved top as otherwise I would have ended up with dye all over my back and shoulders. In the end I did what I normally do when I dye my hair, scooped all my hair up on my head and squeezed the dye on it (still through the comb), and used my fingers to make sure it was all covered. I think the comb would have been much easier to use with shorter hair, or if I had, had someone to help me dye my hair. There was plenty of dye for my hair, although being fine when squeezed my hair all together is only about half an inch thick. I also ended up with a lot more in the sink, then I normally do, but this did wash of easily.
I then went and sat while the dye did it's work for what was actually about 12 minutes as I lost track of time, and then had to wait for the shower to heat up to wash it off. I then rinsed the dye of in the shower, before using the conditioner. It was recommended that you use a 10p size dollop of conditioner, but this didn't cover all of my hair so I ended up using two.
So did it live up to it's claims
Salon Inspired Formula, hard to tell I've never had my hair professionally dyed :)
High Gloss colour and Healthy looking hair in 10 minutes.
Well as said I left mine on a couple of minutes more, but to be honest I'm not really happy with the result. I think this is a result of the problems I had with the comb, but when I went outside to show my husband he pointed out that I had managed to dye my hair two tone. My natural colour is a light mousy brown (with grey :( ), and I had somehow managed to only dye parts of my hair, so it is now a mix of light and dark brown. Now don't get me wrong it looks nice and the dark brown is glossy, but it's something i've never managed to do before, and wasn't the look I was going for.
100% Long lasting Grey hair coverage
This also fell somewhat short here, again it may be because I used the comb, but I know for sure that I had covered all of my grey hairs with the dye. I know this as while around the front of my hair I still have grey hairs, the skin underneath has dark brown track marks made by the comb. In fairness the grey it did cover looks nice, and is a nice glossy rich colour. I don't know how long this will last, but I will update this review when I find out.
6 weeks intensive conditioner
This is a nice big bottle, and even though I had to use extra for my hair I can believe it will last 6 weeks. It is a nice conditioner and did leave my hair soft and glossy.
The smell
This was milder then the normal dye I use, and if not pleasant was ok. This does contain Ammonia so isn't natural.
In conclusion
I was left feeling disappointed by this dye, I found it awkward and messy to apply, the colour and coverage wasn't particularly better then cheaper brands, and while it was a nice colour I can't help feeling it's not really worth the money, and the comb is gimmicky. Worse then that the dye staining the skin on my hairline narrowed down my choices of hairstyle for going out last night meaning I ended up leaving my hair loose (thankfully for once it wasn't windy). The marks are still there today, but will hopefully be gone by the time I'm back at work on tuesday.
Therefore I'm giving this 3 stars as while it's a nice colour, and with help or short hair would probably have worked better, it's not one for me.
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Clairol Nice 'n' Easy Root Touch Up
by Kantankrus
I have been using this product for the last couple of years and don't know what I would do without it. I have been going grey for longer than I care to remember and colouring my hair for years. It's a real pain and something I could do without but the alternative is just not an option!
*** What do you get?***
The ... product comes in a box with a pictue of a woman with medium brown hair on the front. Clairol is printed at the top and just underneath it has a number 6 and states the colour matches other light brown shades. It is a permanent colour with 100% grey coverage. It states it works in 10 minutes and there is a picture of a little blue brush which is used to apply product.
Inside the box you get an instruction leaflet with some plastic gloves attached, 15ml Permanent colour creme, 15ml colour activating lotion, a small tray to mix the products in and a blue handled brush.
It's a good idea to look on the side of the box as it gives a list of other hair colouring products and their colours which the Root touch up product is proven to match.
On the other edge of the box there are lots of safety warnings advising to do an allergy test 48 hours before using and advice about not using product if you have a rash, sensitive skin or have ever had a reaction to such products in the past. It may seem obvious but DO NOT USE ON EYEBROWS OR EYELASHES.
There is also a help line number for any queries you may have.
***How to use***
First thing I always do is to smear vaseline around my hairline and ears. This just makes it so much easier to remove from skin afterwards. Next mix the Colour creme and activting lotion in the mixing tray. I usually stand this on some kitchen paper to avoid any getting on worktop. Protect your clothing by putting an old towel around you.
The brush provided can be used to ensure all the product is well mixed. Then you are ready to apply.
I start at my temples as this is where my grey is worst and using the brush apply to all roots. Sometimes my husband will assist as it is easier for him to see bits that I have missed. The blue brush is a real help to target the roots.
When I have used all the product I set my timer for twenty five minutes. The box and instructions say ten minutes but I find that ten minutes isn't enough to give good grey coverage. I then wipe away any small drips and wait for the timer to go off.
Next I rinse off the colour until the water runs clear, then I wash, condition and dry as normal. I then look human again for another 3 weeks : )
***Summary***
I like this product because as I only do the roots, I feel that I'm not drying out my hair as much as using an all over colour would do. It works out cheaper for me than either going to the hairdresser, or using a full colour.
***Price and availability***
The product can be bought in Tesco at the moment on a 3 for 2 deal £4.70 each but can be bought in all the other usual supermarkets, boots and superdrug.
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John Frieda Precision Foam Colour Hair Dye
by Helrobs
I have been dying my hair for over ten years now and have used a variety of products. While I used to have favourite types of dye I never had a strong brand loyalty and often switched. That was until this product came out. For a year now I have been using their 'Radiant Red' which is a medium brown colour with a hint of red. It is a ... beautiful shade and the red tone only becomes apparent in bright light which helps give it a more natural feel. I have been using it ever since it hit the shelves and I will now only use this product even though it costs a bit more than other similar products. (it's £9.99 per box so it's not a huge expense, but other self dye kits are probably about a third cheaper.)
Remember to do a patch test on skin before using this product, like with any other dye.
To mix the product you need to add the colourant into the developer. After putting the lid back on the developer bottle you tilt the product to mix, don't shake it! It says to tilt the bottle 5 times, I just feel that it normally needs to be tilted a little bit more, about 8 times, to get the foam to be thick and get an even colour. Once the dye is mixed you should use it straight away. Remove the cap and add the pump to the bottle.
I really like the pump action and it seems to work really well at distributing the colour evenly. The foam is thick and creamy and easy to spread through hair. I have very thick hair and it's about shoulder length but I find that the colour covers all of it well, as long as I use the whole bottle. I also have quite a lot of grey hairs around the front of my head and it covers them well too. To do this the dye needs an extra 10 minutes as grey hairs take a bit longer to absorb the colour. The intensive conditioner that comes in the box should be applied after washing ALL the colour out, it does take quite a while to ensure all the colour is out but be patient, it's worth it!
This product also gives nice shine. There are lots of different colours available and so there is bound to be one right for you. It really is a well made, well priced product. It doesn't have the pungent smell of some of the other dyes and is incredibly easy to use. As it is foam it drips far less than other dyes but be careful not to put too much foam in your hand at once as it can spill and then stain carpets or clothing!
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