HALLOWEEN: How to recreate a scene from the horror film 'Carrie'. (L'Oréal Couleur Experte)

Member Name: sirg0508

Product:	L'Oréal Couleur Experte
Date:	19/10/06 (1473 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Has a nice almond smelling conditioner

Disadvantages: Many - see review

My hair was naturally dark brown almost black looking but in the sun would shimmer a little red. I didn’t have plans to dye my hair but I received L’Oreal Couleur Experte (3.54: Chocolate Cherry – as pictured) for free and after careful consideration decided to give it a go. This was my first attempt at dying my hair and even weeks on I’m growing unhappy with the result… lucky it’s growing out!

The picture on the box doesn’t actually look too appealing. Obviously the models hair has been straightened but it still looks a bit of a mess and the result of my hair looks nothing like hers does which is visibly misleading for anyone who does buy it based on the box. It states “For natural looking multi tonal hair. Results so unique and natural no one will believe you created it yourself.” I disagree – I was asked if I had dyed my hair (think that was obvious!) and was told it was noticeable.

I won’t be running through every detail of what needs to be done as that is easily followed in the instructions.

The supplies:

There seems to be a lot to the kit – there are two layers each in separate containers but the top layer of the kit contains the colourant for the overall base colour. I did do a 48 hour test and had no reaction. They do use strong chemicals and I advise using in a well ventilated area because it can make your eyes water just with the smell. The second layer contains the powder and crème to create the highlights. Each of the bottles and tubes are numbered and the instructions are easy to follow with times to follow so not much can go wrong. I’d have preferred the instructions to be in book form rather than a piece that unfolds into a long sheet although I guess it does have its advantages but mine did get soaked and found it awkward to use and move about.

The whole process is time consuming although not so boring that I was sat there for hours waiting with nothing to do. I was reading the instructions, preparing the next step, trying to get the dye off the places it shouldn’t be – including me and the rest of the room and trying to keep tidy and binning what was finished so it didn’t get in the way. Old towels are advised although the ones I used washed pretty well. From start to finish it took a good few hours so best to be done if you have a lot of spare time.

Part 1: Base Colour

The first step was relatively easy after mixing the appropriate liquids as it just involved covering the whole head in the colourant but apparently I still missed a bit at the back. My hair is about shoulder length and I did use up all the liquid so might be an idea to have a second box handy if your hair is longer. I don’t think mine was down to lack of liquid as I seemed to have covered the rest pretty well. I did find that as I’d started with my centre parting that maybe it was left on a bit long there while I was doing the rest of my head but as there is a nozzle on the applicator bottle it was a lot easier to get right into the roots. A tip I forgot was to put Vaseline around my hairline so my face wouldn’t get covered… as it did. The gloves although not bad quality just weren’t long enough – I ended up with dark red splodges all around my wrists where the gloves were too baggy and even on my arms but it washed off easily without dying me.

I was sceptical knowing I had 25 minutes to wait as even after that time was up it didn’t seem to have changed at all as my hair turns black when wet. It then had to be washed out and does become a little like shampoo and lathers up a little with water. It was almost horror-like washing it out. It was like a scene from Stephen King’s ‘Carrie’ with blood red water dripping everywhere which was pretty scary as that was not the colour I was supposed to be dying it. I was just in the bath rather than using a shower and it did get it everywhere and took a while for the water to run clear. As I started towel drying I could see the result and was a bit shocked as I was expecting a natural ‘chocolate’ brown colour rather than the unnatural red. I did hold back on the reaction as my hair still had to be damp (I even splashed with a bit more water) for part 2.

Part 2: Highlights

The second layer of the kit for the highlights involves using lightening crème and lightening powder which can be mixed up on the plastic separator with the little spatula into a kind of mousse. I thought I mixed it well but the result showed I probably didn’t. I did my best to use the precision brush which is like an enlarged mascara brush with more of a point at the other end. I did do bigger streaks than I probably should have and only had 9 streaks starting with two underneath and two on my parting on each side and one at the back. Even though I started on the left it was underneath on the right that came out much brighter and pumpkin orange after I had blow dried it. It is hard trying to do this on your own. I had been advised not to leave on for longer than the 15 minute recommended time as it can lighten too much but it seemed rather than using sparingly which was mostly caused by the mascara brush end spreading it too thinly, if just applying liberally it takes the colour much better. There was a lot of it left over which has to be binned. I was a little worried at what was going to happen as there are warnings not to use the highlighter near the scalp and to keep gloves on even when washing it out.

The final part using the conditioner was probably the best part of the kit as it didn’t involve chemical smells but a very prominent almond smell. It only had to be left on for 2 minutes and really makes a difference as it is an intensive treatment. Best of all this can be kept and used at a later date – half on first colouring and the second half two weeks later. It didn’t really smell nice after initially dying it as my hair seemed to be holding the strong chemical smells from the dye rather than the almond.

The final result:

After getting over the initial shock of the horror that was to be my hair, in just normal conditions my hair doesn’t look very different to what it was before – dark/mid brown but if it catches the light then it turns a kind of purple plum or an unnatural red (I guess that’s the cherry). There are no streaks on my parting which part of me is glad about because sometimes when it’s tied back the underneath sections where I did apply liberally and have came out more pumpkin orange and peek through. At times it can look natural and then very unnatural in a movement. As my natural colour started growing back I didn’t have noticeable roots which is a big plus on choosing one suited to my original colour.

Weeks later:

Having washed my hair many times since dying it I find that compared to drying it that first day there is a huge difference in colour. Even after a couple of hours of having a vibrant colour I decided to wash my hair as I could still smell the chemicals and found it had dulled even then. There was enough conditioner for 3 washes rather than two but even on using that again a couple of weeks later as suggested I really didn’t see the colour brighten up any compared to my regular conditioner. I haven’t used Head and Shoulders as I’ve heard that can be quite harsh and removes the colour.

This kit sells for around £10 which looks to be around double the cost of other kits which if using to do the roots every so often is going to mount up in cost. It’s not natural as it says, the highlights are no where to be seen and it is difficult trying to put in highlights – especially at the back if you are on your own. The colour dulls considerably and really is more of a disappointment than anything else. Personally, the dye isn’t for me and I won’t be using it again.

Summary: A misleading hair dye that is not natural, dulls considerably and is expensive.