Another highlighting disaster! (Schwarzkopf Poly Color Effects Highlighter)

Member Name: pink_glitter

Product:	Schwarzkopf Poly Color Effects Highlighter
Date:	02/05/08 (1017 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: can look OK if left under the suggested time

Disadvantages: leaving for the full 20 min guves a very intense result

My hair is naturally a dark blonde/mousy brown colour, but I dye have been dying it dark brown for a few years now. I have tried adding highlights to it before, first with a Garnier kit, and then with a L'Oreal kit, but both times I ended up with quite a mess - the Garnier kit I seem to remember ending up with a few random orange patches, and the L'Oreal didn't even change the colour of my hair!

Lately I started noticing a few natural highlights coming through out in my hair, and I decided to try another highlighting kit to enhance them. I decided on trying Schwarzkopf Poly Color Effects Highlighter.

There are three different sets in the range -

Set 1 - Light Blonde
Set 2- Golden Highlights
Set 3- Caramel Highlights

I bought Set 3 as it is for dark hair.

~Packaging~

This comes in a smallish red box with a picture of a woman who has subtle highlights in her dark hair. There is a guide on the back of the box showing what sort of result you should expect depending on your hair colour.

~What's in the kit?~

In the kit you get the following

- 1 pair of gloves
- Instruction leaflet
- Plastic mixing tray
- Spatula
- Application brush
- 1 bottle of developer lotion
- 1 sachet of lightening powder

~Using it~

The first step is to do a skin sensitivity test to make sure you're not allergic to the product. If all is OK, then you must make up the colourant. Mixing it is fairly easy, you simply pour the developer lotion into the plastic mixing tray, add the lightening powder, then stir with the wooden spatula. Once done, you must use the lotion straight away.

You need to use the product on dry, unwashed hair which I thought was glad about, as one of the previous kits had to be used on damp hair, and I remember finding it difficult to see where I had already applied it.

The brush you get for application reminds me of a smaller version of a bottle brush. It is sort of wires, with spiky bristles, if you know what I mean. It was easy to apply the cream to my hair, and the instruction leaflet also gives tips on how to apply it to get the best results for you hair style.

You need to wait 20 minutes for the colour to develop, after which it states you should apply warm water to the hair and work into a lather. I don't know if I did something wrong, but when I applied the water I didn't get any lather. You then need to wash with a mild shampoo and rinse until the water runs clear.

~Results~

Once my hair was dry, I could clearly see the results. On one side of my head I had near perfect highlights, that fitted in with my hair colour really well, and looked quite natural. On the other side, I also had a few near perfect highlights as well as two very obvious, very blonde patches near my scalp. I was having flashbacks to the Garnier kit, as virtually the same thing had happened then, except that time the patches looked orange, not blonde.

I'm not sure if this is something I'm doing wrong. I think it could have been down to the fact that the side with the blonde patches was the side I applied the cream to first, therefore it had been on longer than the side that came out well. Saying that though, as soon as I started I set the timer for 20 minutes, so it was not on my hair longer than the maximum time.

~Price~

This kit cost £2.99 from Wilkinsons, but you can also get it for the same price from Superdrug.

~Conclusion~

I think I'll give up trying to highlight my own hair, as I'm obviously incapable. I am now trying to decide whether or not to risk dying over the blonde bits, and in the meantime am wearing my hair back so it's less noticeable.

Saying that though, I was impressed with the side of my hair that came out OK, but I would suggest that if you were to buy this product, you shouldn't leave it the full 20 minutes, unless you want a very intense result.

Summary: highlighting kit