No More Blonde Bombshell... (Schwarzkopf Live)

Member Name: karenuk

Product:	Schwarzkopf Live
Date:	25/11/02 (1059 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: vibrant colours, easy to mix

Disadvantages: very messy, hard to squeeze out

WHAT DID YOU DO?

I dyed my hair bright red.

WHEN?

Today. Just now, in fact.

WHY?

Well, I fancied a change. I have been blonde for the last two or three years and I was getting bored. On a heavier note, since being diagnosed as suffering from depression, I have been trying to work out what makes me happy. This was why I ‘came out’ as being bisexual on Ciao and Dooyoo, why I wrote my ‘hardest opinion’ piece and why I wanted to dye my hair.

SO WHAT DID YOU DYE IT WITH THEN?

I used Schwarzkopf Live ‘unlimited colors’ range (Bloody American spelling!) and the shade I chose was R37 – Hypnotic Red – permanent. I asked Blurbubble for advice yesterday as I didn’t want my hair to go green or something and I wasn’t sure if it was possible to dye bleached blonde hair safely. She gave me lots of good advice, but unfortunately our local chemist didn’t stock the brands she requested. I did avoid plum and burgundy shades as suggested and opted for a bright red, although I was tempted by a violet one too.

HOW MUCH DID IT COST?

It was on offer for £3.99 but is usually a pound dearer.

WHAT DID YOU GET FOR THE MONEY?

The box contained 40ml of colo(u)r gel, 50ml of developer, 22.5ml of conditioner, a pair of gloves and an instruction leaflet.

SO HOW DID YOU GET ON WITH IT?

Well, the mixing bit is usually pretty fiddly, but this one was the easiest of the three brands I have tried. You unscrew the cap from the Color Gel, then put the developer bottle on top. They screw together, then you just turn it upside down. You shake it until the colour is mixed, which is fun to watch too!

Then you just wet your hair (you don’t need to use shampoo, as the gel has some in it), towel dry it and apply the dye to your hair. Leave it in for 30 minutes, rinse it off, condition and you’re finished –
; so pretty straight forward really.

WAS IT A LOT OF HASSLE?

The mixing bit wasn’t, but I found it a bit awkward squeezing the dye out. You have to put pressure on the top half, which is a bit tricky to do, as it feels natural to squeeze the bottom bit. But other than that, it wasn’t too bad.

DID IT STINK?

No, it didn’t smell strongly at all. It does have that chemical whiff you’d expect, but it didn’t affect my eyes in the slightest.

DID IT HURT?

Nope. No stinging, itching or anything.

WAS IT MESSY?

<laughs> Yes, just a bit!! I ended up getting it down the side of the toilet, all over the sink, the bath, one wall, two towels, one flannel, my ears, my forehead, my chin, my arm, my bra and the top of my jeans! So very very messy. I suggest you dye your hair naked and scrub the bathroom afterwards. I discovered that if you wash everything (you and the room!) quickly after dyeing, it will come off fairly easily.

SO HOW DID IT COMPARE TO OTHER DYES YOU HAVE USED?

Well, on the plus side, it was the easiest to use and I thought the mixing process was fast and rather clever. It didn’t smell unpleasant or sting and I found it easy to apply myself, which I haven’t managed successfully before! On the negative side though, the mixture was hard to get out the bottle and the whole process was exceedingly messy.

SO WHAT’S THE RESULT LIKE?

Well, it is a very bright red. We are not talking subtlety here! It is the sort of red you see on joke wigs! But it is also really pretty, it’s very slightly orangey and definitely vibrant.

My hair doesn’t feel dry or in poor condition, it feels soft and was easy to brush through. It looks lovely, but will turn a few heads. Still my depression has caused me to have some paranoia, including thinking everyone is talking about me. Now I can be sure they are ;-)


WOULD YOU BUY IT AGAIN THEN?

Probably. I like the idea of changing my hair colour regularly, maybe every month or so and I do still fancy that violet one. But yes, I would buy Schwarzkopf Live again, I was impressed with it.

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