Like a little sucker, the day after I got my hair blonde, I was straight down the shops looking for new hair care products to adorn *cough* clutter *cough* my dresser. I really could open my own branch of Boots from my bedroom as the amount of cosmetics/beauty + hair products I own is insane.
On a not so glamorous trip to ASDA with Mother Bear, I made a beeline for my favourite isle! Oh yes, I have a favourite isle.
No not the cake isle!
THE SMELLIES ISLE! For all of you who are confused by the word "smellies" I'm not surprised. It's one of those words either your family uses or doesn't. Anyway, one offer caught my attention - ASDA currently have a 3 for £10 promotion on luxury haircare. I normally buy all my cosmetics from Boots; when I compared the prices they also have a 3 for £10 on the same lines.
The 3 items I chose were the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder shampoo, and the conditioner from the same range (normal price £5.89 each for a 250ml bottle), and the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder lightening spray (normal price £6.99 for a 100ml bottle).
PACKAGING:
Not the prettiest - I absolutely adore ultra-girly packaging by brand such as Soap & Glory, and packaging is obviously the first thing that attracts someone to a product. But it's not the outside what counts, it's what the product does. The bright white and yellow bottles can be spotted for a mile off, so I suppose that's a good thing. However, the packaging is nothing special and if the product hadn't been on offer it wouldn't have jumped out at me.
Not the prettiest - I absolutely adore ultra-girly packaging by brand such as Soap & Glory, and packaging is obviously the first thing that attracts someone to a product. But it's not the outside what counts, it's what the product does. The bright white and yellow bottles can be spotted for a mile off, so I suppose that's a good thing. However, the packaging is nothing special and if the product hadn't been on offer it wouldn't have jumped out at me.
SMELL/CONSISTENCY/VALUE:
I love fragrant products, and this is where the range really disappointed me. I expected a pretty-smelling shampoo and conditioner, and is the minimum you'd expect from a high end product like this. It's clean and simple smelling with a hint of menthol, but nothing special.
The consistency of the shampoo was good, and it lathered well- it's really thick so you don't need a lot (a 50p sized piece is more than enough for long hair), and the conditioner was rich and creamy. A little really does go a long way; use this product sparingly and it would last you 2 months or more. Personally, I'm going to use this product a few times a week as a way of brightening up my hair if I'm going on a night out/somewhere special - so hopefully it will last me longer than that!
The lightening spray is just a liquid you apply to your hair after you've washed it and whilst it's still damp. I sprayed liberally around my crown and blow dried my hair on a low heat (this product is heat activated so it's probably best to avoid straightening/high heat because you could really dry out your hair).
EFFECTIVENESS:
After one use of the shampoo and conditioner, I really did notice a change in the colour of my newly blonde hair. No, it wasn't drastic, and if you're looking for a miracle product, this isn't it. Ultimately, to get bright blonde tresses, highlights are the way to go. The shampoo and conditioner will simply enhance your blonde and will make it really dazzle. However, my hair certainly did look brighter and a more "clear" blonde, and it really helped to tone down the coppery tones. The spray on the other hand...WOW. I read reems of negative, terrifying reviews on the net so was apprehensive. I have used the spray twice now, and it's helped to lift the darker parts of my hair that will be lightened even further when I go for my second round of highlights. The darker bits now blend in much better with the blonder parts of my hair.
The consistency of the shampoo was good, and it lathered well- it's really thick so you don't need a lot (a 50p sized piece is more than enough for long hair), and the conditioner was rich and creamy. A little really does go a long way; use this product sparingly and it would last you 2 months or more. Personally, I'm going to use this product a few times a week as a way of brightening up my hair if I'm going on a night out/somewhere special - so hopefully it will last me longer than that!
The lightening spray is just a liquid you apply to your hair after you've washed it and whilst it's still damp. I sprayed liberally around my crown and blow dried my hair on a low heat (this product is heat activated so it's probably best to avoid straightening/high heat because you could really dry out your hair).
After one use of the shampoo and conditioner, I really did notice a change in the colour of my newly blonde hair. No, it wasn't drastic, and if you're looking for a miracle product, this isn't it. Ultimately, to get bright blonde tresses, highlights are the way to go. The shampoo and conditioner will simply enhance your blonde and will make it really dazzle. However, my hair certainly did look brighter and a more "clear" blonde, and it really helped to tone down the coppery tones. The spray on the other hand...WOW. I read reems of negative, terrifying reviews on the net so was apprehensive. I have used the spray twice now, and it's helped to lift the darker parts of my hair that will be lightened even further when I go for my second round of highlights. The darker bits now blend in much better with the blonder parts of my hair.
PROS:
:) Such a bargain when it's on an offer 3 for £10, you'll save around £7 if you take advatange of this!
:) The conditioner left my hair feeling extremely soft and manageable, despite it being processed quite heavily over the past week.
:) The lightening spray (when used CORRECTLY!) is amazing in brightening up existing highlights and blending roots and darker patches.
:) The conditioner left my hair feeling extremely soft and manageable, despite it being processed quite heavily over the past week.
:) The lightening spray (when used CORRECTLY!) is amazing in brightening up existing highlights and blending roots and darker patches.
CONS:
X The price of this stuff when not on promotion is a bit steep, and I can't imagine a lot of students could afford to replenish their supplies on a regular basis. However, I would be prepared to pay the £6.99 non-promotional price of the lightening spray, as it works absolute wonders.
X After I rinsed the shampoo off, my hair did feel quite dry- however the conditioner worked amazingly well in restoring moisture levels which the shampoo had stripped my hair of.
X After I rinsed the shampoo off, my hair did feel quite dry- however the conditioner worked amazingly well in restoring moisture levels which the shampoo had stripped my hair of.
X There's no denying the huge numbers of mainly negative reviews on the lightening spray. My hair is slightly damaged from taking it from black to blonde, but that's to be expected, and it's nothing a deep conditioning treatment and a good trim can't sort. But if your hair is naturally dry, or really damaged/brittle from colouring, I honestly wouldn't recommend you use this. Personally, the lightening spray made my hair feel a tad dry after use, but after a good old dousing with Argan oil treatment, it's back to being its silky-soft self. If in doubt, do a patch test before spraying it all over. DO NOT USE THE LIGHTENING SPRAY DAILY. Once a week will suffice!
OVERALL VERDICT:
Shampoo 3/5
Conditioner 4/5
Lightening spray 4/5 (if used correctly and sparingly)
*BEWARE*
! Do not use the Lightening Spray on intensely lightened/bleached hair, there's a big risk you'll damage your already over-processed locks (this product comes with a warning on the packaging). The spray contains hydrogen peroxide AKA bleach! This stuff can be nasty and extremely damaging. You have been warned. !
Love, hugs + blonde ponytails
xo
Love, hugs + blonde ponytails
xo
