My hair is exactly the same as before! (Wella Shaders & Toners)

Member Name: Dooyaa

Product:	Wella Shaders & Toners
Date:	21/12/07 (832 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely smell

Disadvantages: Doesn't even work a little bit

Introduction

I get really bored of my dull light brownish hair and this week I decided I wanted something more exotic, like a deep brown. Being pale and a big scaredy cat I thought I'd try a wash out colour first to check it would look ok, and I came across this. It was 99p in Superdrug and also buy one get one free, so it seemed like a great deal, especially compared to brands like L'oreal casting creme gloss. I now now that it is so cheap because it doesnt actually do anything. Very shady!

Packaging and colour range

The packaging is a silver foil packet with blue design and a model on the front who is wearing the shade, apparantly. I suspect they have used proper hair dye on these models though, no way could they get those results with this stuff. It is a tear design which is a bit annoying in the shower with wet hands, and leads to shader and toner all over the shower door (if you're clumsy and useless like me that is) Thankfully it rinses off very easily! One plus of this stuff is that at least it doesn't dye all of the shower funny colours...it's not strong enough to dye anything!

There is a range of colours in many shades of blonde, red and brown. I went for dark brown but they also had rich velvet brown which is lighter, plus warm red, mahogany (also red), plum and light golden blonde and golden sand, both quite cheap looking beachy blonde colours. As well I think I have seen light ash blonde, copper blonde and deep mahoganey, so a wide range of shades. Check the wella website for the full range of colours available but bear in mind that most shops don't stock the full range. They come with recommendations as to which colours will work best on which hair colours, such as dark brown works best on light to mid brown hair.

Generally they say that it is very difficult to go lighter with non permanent dyes. If you are planning to go blonde and have brown hair I can tell you now that it's not going to work. The only effect the blonde shades will have is to pick up golden tones already in the hair and brighten them, but without any peroxide they simply can't lighten hair very much.

Directions for use

The idea is that you lather the product in like a shampoo, taking care not to splash any on your skin in case it dyes (i doubt this product is even powerful enough to dye skin) leave it for five minutes and then just rinse out. The results are supposed to last for about three washes depending on the condition of your hair, but the packet says that the effect on grey or bleached hair will be more intense (as in it might actually work maybe?). The packet also warns against leaving it on for more than the directed five minutes and the usual stuff like rinsing well if it goes into your eyes.

The product itself

The dark brown version came out of the packet an odd, if quite appealing purpley colour. It smells delicious, like watermelons, and it lathers up easily in your hair. It actually lathers in clear not brown or purple which means it is quite easy to miss a bit! It also rinses out well and is easy to rinse off skin and shower surfaces like I said before!

The results

Ok so my hair smelt faintly of watermelon, and I do absolutely love the smell of this stuff. But the colour was not remotely different. At first I thought MAYBE my roots were a bit darker but they weren't. If anything the golden tones in my hair seemed stronger, so my hair looked LIGHTER. What a waste of time and of 99p that could have been spent on chocolate or something. It didn't make my hair especially soft or shiny, at least not any more that I noticed, and I was just generally disappointed.

It also says on the packet that the effect is stronger if you wash your hair with it each time. So the next day I tried again, thinking maybe a cumulative effect would show a subtle colour change. In short, no it didn't, and I have now run out and won't be buying more to check if three applications makes it work.
I was really disappointed with this because the colour did look really beautiful on the packaging and I was looking forward to seeing my new look!

My advice is to not waste your money buying these. I have never personally tried the L'oreal version (as advertised by Penelope Cruz!) but I know people who have and they seem to give a much better result. These may be bargainous but it may be one situation where you do indeed get what you pay for.

If you are interested in getting them, they are 99p from most Boots and Superdrug stores. Remember to always read the ingredients list just in case there's something nasty in there that you might be allergic to, and if so steer clear.

Summary: Waste of money