REVIEW - SCHWARZKOPF COLOR XXL

Everyone is going wild and red at the moment, so it seems only right that a review of the reddest home hair dye kit appears on the blogosphere. This home dye kit is Schwarskopf Color XXL, retailing at around £5 in various different drugstores.

HOW DO I APPLY THE COLOUR?

The easiest answer to this question is read the instructions. Please do read them and follow their guidance, especially if you are a first time colour user. The application is simpler than you think - brush the solution through all of your hair until it looks wet. Make sure every part of your hair is covered equally to avoid varying tones of red. Best to ask a friend (my flatmate was my unwilling victim: 'what if it goes wrong? You'll blame me!') to help you ensure you've got the back of your hair covered. I then twist my hair into a knot and clip whilst waiting for the dye to work.

HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?

Every person's hair is different. For example, my hairdresser tells me my hair is porous and therefore doesn't hold colour very well. Red is a colour which does need high maintenance because it is known to quickly fade out on all heads. I can't tell you exactly how long it lasts, as I had a slight problem! To anyone who has bleached their hair, the colour will fade within two weeks from the areas bleached. I ombre'd the ends of my hair a couple of months previously and every two weeks the colour begins to fade at the ends, leaving me with a browny red ponytail!

IS IT GOOD?

Depending on your desired result, the colour is probably the best available. If you are going red for the first time, it definitely turns your hair red (see the photo above). Having seen the photo of the packet and my hair, I can see that it turned my hair the colour it said it would - so that's great! The retail price is similar to others on the market, yet the colour is unparalleled in other ranges.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IT?

Despite the problems I've had with the product fading on bleached hair, I would definitely recommend the colour. It's a strong colour, is easy to apply and retails at a very reasonable price. So find yourself a colour savvy friend, a towel that you won't miss if it turns red, and get dyeing!