Steeping Beauty – International Style and Beauty

One of the most interesting things to happen at the Total Beauty Summit last month was the time we got to spend in the L’Oreal building.  The focus was on haircoloring and how to get the best results at home.  You never know when this info will be asked on your next game show, think about it, you could have all the right answers!

I’ve been dying my hair at home since I was an early teen with permanent haircolor and without parental permission.  24ish years has seen the good, the bad and the ugly.  My hair is very fine so I did it for the extra volume and lift which worked out well for most of the time.

The first step is one that cannot be dictated by any company – taste.  I always like to have a somewhat believable shade but if you’re looking for a dramatic change that is completely foreign to your race really consider and perhaps reconsider.   This is especially true when you’re going from dark to light hair as the chemicals are harsher and may fry out your hair no matter what they say.

Speaking of fried hair that brings me to the point that no one will mention… hair condition.  I found I had my best results when I was active, eating well, drinking lots of water and taking vitamins.  Once again, be sure the shade you select is on the box you are purchasing and that your hair is in top condition to be colored.  I am quite sure that my bad results are due to my horrible diet and 7 years of breastfeeding and pregnancy which has depleted me on every front.  (more on this later)

Other tips mentioned at the meeting… don’t wash your hair before dying, the natural oils on your hair protect it!  When you lather the product, those suds are washing your hair so it will be clean at the end of the process.

An answer to the age old question… why don’t they sell the conditioner that comes in the kit seperately?  The experts at L’Oreal have responded…  the conditioner only works when used with the dye so it wouldn’t be effective. 

Application is best done at home by a friend as it is really hard to get the color on yourself!  Not impossible, but hard.  Be sure to have enough product on hand, if you have long hair you may need two product kits to cover thoroughly.

On every box of L’Oreal dye (and possibly other great brands) there is a toll free number to call and get information and advice.  One day I will call in incognito and ask some questions, I’ll report back on the experience. 

Haircoloring has good and bad points.  The cons are the possible damage to your hair, color shade surprises and my biggest deal breaker at this point — upkeep.  Permanent color will need root touchups every few weeks or months depending on your tolerance for such things.

Haircolor pros may include, a nice change of color, texture and shine and achieving a style that compliments your personality or completes your look.  Red heads are “fiery” and blondes have more fun, what do they say about brunettes by the way??

I don’t expect to color my hair until gray hair sets in which will hopefully be in a VERY long time.  I suspect haircolor is an impulse buy for many women, but I would like to see more info and products that would help BEFORE you dye your hair at home.

L’Oreal’s UV Protect Spray (part of the EverPure Sulfate-Free Color Care System) protects hair using UVA/UVB filters. Protecting hair from the sun will protect your color treated hair from fading and damage.

As you may already know, I cut off my color treated hair in August with the goal of growing long healthy hair as soon as possible.  When I received this product as part of Total Beauty’s Sneak Peek I took it as a sign that I should protect my hair against future sun damage and used it on my non-color treated hair.  Please note that it specifically says on the bottle: “Exclusively for color treated hair”.

If you do have color treated hair you probably already know how the sun can change the color of your hair.   Hair color takes time and money so it’s a great idea to extend the life of your investment with products formulated to do just that! 

My experience with the product was very good.  The scent is very pleasant to me as I love Rosemary and Mint.  The spray function is adequate and it doesn’t weigh down my fine hair.  I’ve used UV Protect two ways.  First it started off in the car, I would spray it on when I was off somewhere with the kids.  Then it moved into the house next to the sunblock.  It’s a great product to have for outdoor days which we hopefully will have a few more of!

It’s suggested to use L’Oreal’s UV Protect Spray with EverPure Shampoos and Conditioners.  Find out what the lovely ladies at Total Beauty thought.