REVIEW: I tried this permanent hair color that has hyaluronic acid
After a traumatic hair coloring experience years ago, I finally had the courage to dye my hair again.
The problem:
I've been coloring my hair ever since college and while I love it, it’s wasn’t really healthy for my hair. After years of dyeing and heat styling, my locks eventually became damaged. During the pandemic, I noticed that not only has my hair become more dry and brittle, but my hair fall has gotten worse. I decided to have the dry, colored parts cut and not do any harsh treatments for a while.
Recently, I was invited by Revlon Professional to try their newest hair coloring product, Revlonissimo Colorsmetique. At first I was hesitant to say yes because I wanted to give my hair a rest from chemicals. I was also traumatized from my last hair coloring experience at a salon—which I shall not name—that had me leaving with very dry and dull hair. However, a part of me wanted to give hair coloring another go.
The process:
I sent my peg to Revlon a few days before my appointment and they told me they needed at least five hours to achieve this look. I chose a grayish bronze color as my peg, which I had been seeing from many celebrities.
I arrived at their office at 10 a.m. but told the PR that I needed to leave before 2.p.m. to pick up my nephew. My artist, Caleb Matthew, said he’ll try his best to finish by then.
To achieve ash tones, bleaching is required. Honestly, when I heard him say “bleach,” I flinched because number one, I’ve never bleached my hair, and number two, I heard it’s painful. Caleb assured me though that I won't feel anything at all because Revlon has improved its ingredients.
Caleb said we needed to do at least two rounds of bleaching because my hair was jet black. But since I needed to leave early, he said one might be enough.
And so, he first applied the Revlon Professional Blonderful bleaching product on small sections of my hair very carefully and meticulously. It took him about an hour to finish bleaching my very thick hair (thank you, Mommy). This technique, he says, is called Balayage, or a free-hand technique to create soft, natural gradients in the hair to add dimension.
When it was time to remove the foil and wash my hair, I have to admit, I was surprised to see it suuuuper light. He must’ve seen my eyes widen because he immediately told me it’s going to get darker once he adds color. *phew*
Now comes the coloring part. Caleb used the Revlonissimo Colorsmetique Pure Colors in 017, a bronze grey shade, and mixed it with the Revlonissimo Colorsmetique Color & Care in 8.13, a light ash golden blonde shade.
You won’t be able to see the changes yet during that stage, but I could say that I already like the product. For one, didn’t have that unpleasant smell that most hair colors have. This is life-changing for an asthmatic like me. Second, it also did not make my eyes burn!
I learned that not only are the hair coloring products ammonia-free, but they are also infused with hyaluronic acid—yes, the same hero ingredient that’s popular in skincare products. Together with soy protein, hyaluronic acid protects the hair by sealing the cuticle and end. It also keeps the hair moisturized, which is very important for the overall health of hair.
After the next wash, my hair stylist then used this amazing treatment which smelled like a spa. He mixed a concoction of the EKSperience™ Boost Strengthening Booster Dose and massaged it on my scalp. Oh, how I wish they also offer 30-minute scalp massages!
Caleb said that this strengthening treatment uses seawater and other marine ingredients which is very beneficial for fragile hair like mine as it hydrates and enhances shine.
After it was done, they blowdried my hair and styled it into soft waves.
Conclusion:
My hair coloring treatment lasted for more than five hours (we had to extend a bit since my hair was so thick!), though Caleb said he would’ve done a better job if we had more time. Nevertheless, I liked the results! Not only was the color achieved, but my hair became less dry and frizzy. I also noticed less hair fall.
The Revlon team also gave me products to take home, which they said would help enhance the color and retain its natural shine. I got the Nutri Color Creme 3 in 1 Cocktail in 812 Pearly Beige, a wash-off color treatment especially designed to maintain the vibrancy of the hair; the UniqOne Lotus Flower Hair Treatment, a 10-in-1 leave-on spray; and a bottle of Cynos Morocco Argan Oil Thairapy.
The next time you visit your trusted salon, ask if they have the Revlonissimo Colorsmetique products. You can even buy your own from Revlon’s stockists and have a professional apply it!