Yes folks in her quest for the reddest hair of them all, the Mack has tried another hair dye for your pleasure. Whether or not it'll be her pleasure after all this is anyone's guess.

As my last dyeing session was less than satisfactory and very time consuming, I decided to speed things up with one of my old faithfuls. Feria has lots of lovely red shades to choose from, and has recently extended their range with even more varieties of colour. So today we have number 74, Copper Shimmer. It is a permanent gel colourant and there are also blonde and brunette shades in this range, so something for everyone.

* What's in the box, Mack? *

We have, along with the instruction leaflet, five other items:

1) Gel colorant
2) Developer Cream
3) Perfumed oil
4) Nutri-protective conditioner

Lastly, there are fetching plastic gloves in a tiny plastic bubble. These have to be put on before all the chemicals are opened.

The four numbered items above, are, actually numbered! I really don't think you can go wrong with the application but here's a brief summary of what to do.

* Mixing the potion *

Number 2 bottle is where all the action happens. It's the largest bottle and has a black nozzle. Number 1, the colour, goes into said bottle 2, along with bottle 3, the aromatic oil. You then put the nozzle back on bottle 2 and give it a good old shake. There's a snap top on the very end of the nozzle so break that off and you're ready for the application.

* Methods of madness *

There are 2 separate methods, one is for first time dyers (tee hee) or someone who hasn't dyed their hair for several months.

Both methods instruct you to wet your hair first (but do not shampoo). This has always annoyed me with this particular brand of dye. Nearly every other one I've ever used is on dry hair. As my hair's quite dark normally, it makes it more difficult to apply the product when my hair's wet. However, I shall do what they say! Once the hair is wet, towel dry it.

First observation - this smells REALLY bad, guys! I started coughing as soon as I started applying it. The aromatic oil actually smells quite flowery and pleasant but unfortunately the chemicals kill that pretty soon. So be prepared!

Apply the mixture starting at the roots, parting each section with the nozzle. Go for it until the hair is fully covered.

Massage it in to ensure even coverage. Wait for 30 mins. Tick tock.

Method two is for hair already coloured and you just want a touch up application at the roots (Mack's hand is in the air, that's me).

Pretty much the same as method one except you apply one third of the mixture to the roots and wait for 20 minutes.

You then apply to the rest of the hair and leave for a further 10 minutes. So the developing time is the same.

* Time up *

Once the 30 mins have passed, you add a little warm water to your hair, work it into a lather (it doesn't usually soap up too much) and then rinse with water until it runs clear. This takes some time. There's no need to shampoo after.

* After thought *

Last thing is to apply the conditioner to your hair and leave for 2 minutes, then rinse off.

* What's it look like, Alfie? *

Well give me a chance! It takes a good 15 minutes or so to wash the colour off, and be careful to keep washing the goo down the plughole because it does get up the walls and mostly everywhere, including your eyes! And boy, it's almost enough to make a grown Mack cry! Ouch!

However, after drying my hair (which was unnaturally soft - not good for the curls ya know!) - I was VERY pleased with my new colour. :-D

* Ease of use *

Well I'd say you can't really go wrong with the numbered bottles and clear directions. Very easy to mix up and apply.

* Price *

Widely available, this can even be bought in supermarkets. It's around £5.79 in Boots and I've seen it in Savers for £4.99, although the selection of shades is somewhat limited.

* Warnings *

Do not use if you've had any kind of reaction to a hair colourant before.

Do not use if you have a sensitive, itchy or damaged scalp.

If unsure, always perform a skin sensitivity test 48 hours before using the product .

Do not use to colour eyelashes or eyebrows.

Do not use on hair that has been coloured with henna.

Do not use after a bleach or on straightened hair, GHD gals!

Do not use if you have more than 30% grey hair or concentrated grey hair in one area as the result will be very bright!

Keep out of reach of children.

* Other info *

Just in case you have any mixture left over, if you have very short hair for instance, never keep any. Please dispose of it safely.

There's enough of the conditioner to keep and use the next time you wash your hair.

* Questions *

L'Oreal Consumer Advisory Service
FREEPOST WD649
London
W6 8BR

Tel: UK 0845 399 1939
Eire 1850 399 939

www.lorealparis.com

* Verdict *

Was I pleased with my new choice? Yes sirree Bob! This colour was much more natural than the last red I used, it was more a golden copper than a red and I got a pretty even tone all over.

The whole process took just over an hour from start to finish so I can't really quibble that it wasted a whole lot of my evening.

Recommended? Yes. And 5 stars from me. I think I've found my new colour, and I'm going to stick to it!

I may just be worth it now. Whatever 'it' means! ;-)

Thanks for reading.