Page: 7 of 7
Hair Colors: Ratings of Sources
Total of 25 Sources
1. Don't Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products Without Me
2004
Chapter 6: Hair of a Different Color
by Paula Begoun
Our Assessment

Paula Begoun, in her excellent book on hair-care products, does not review any specific hair-color products in this book. Normally we would not highly rate a source that does not specifically recommend tested products. However, Begoun's information on hair-color types, ingredients and safety is so solid that this is by far the best source of information we found. Begoun says that most hair-color products, at both the store and the salon, are fundamentally the same. She concludes that both types can do a good job of coloring hair.

expand

collapse

2. MakeupAlley.com
As of Mar. 2008
Hair Color
by Contributors to MakeUpAlley.com
Our Assessment

MakeUpAlley.com does not sell products at their website, but provides a forum where registered users can rate beauty products on a scale of one to five. There are 222 hair-color products listed and most only get a few reviews, although the major brands sometimes attract more than 200 reviews from those who've tried the products. Comments are extremely helpful, involving ease of use, the quality of the resulting color, odor and more. Of those hair colors with the most reviews, Revlon Frost & Glow, Garnier Nutrisse, L'Oréal Excellence, Ion Color Brilliance and L'Oréal Preference Shine Extending Color rate the highest.

expand

collapse

3. Allure
Oct. 2008
Best of Beauty 2008
by Editors of Allure Magazine
Our Assessment

Allure editors along with cosmetics chemists and dermatologists test thousands of products and choose 182 as the best in their categories. The products tested include new and old products alike in order to find the best of each category. Four products are listed under home hair color including a highlighting kit, two root coverage products and a single process kit. This review would rank higher if editors included any details about the testing results.

expand

collapse

The Year's Best Beauty Products
by Sally Wadyka
Our Assessment

Shape magazine editors, beauty professionals and nearly 5,000 Shape readers test beauty products in order to find the best for the 2008 annual Shape of Beauty awards. Both Clairol Perfect 10 and John Frieda Luminous Color Glaze earn top spots in the hair-color category. It's not clear which other products were tested, and editors don't provide any of the kinds of details about testing that would bolster credibility.

expand

collapse

5. Which.co.uk
Undated
Hair Dye
by Editors of Which?
Our Assessment Which? magazine tests five so-called "natural" hair color on seven people who regularly dye their hair. Editors conclude that most natural hair colors are not 100 percent natural. Furthermore, among truly natural hair color, the results don't last very long. Three of the five products, including Naturtint and Herbatint, perform well. Hair-coloring tips and health warnings are also included.
6. Marie Claire
Aug. 2007
At-Home Highlights 911
by Eileen Conlan
Our Assessment

Eileen Conlan documents her at-home highlighting experience for Marie Claire magazine. She enlists the help of stylist Rita Hazan, who shares expert advice. Hazan recommends taking a strand test before starting the process and wrapping hair in plastic wrap before blow-drying the highlight application. Hazan suggests two of the products which Conlan ultimately uses, but no other products are mentioned or compared.

expand

collapse

7. Allure
Oct. 2007
Best of Beauty
by Editors of Allure Magazine
Our Assessment

The 2007 Allure Best of Beauty Awards are no longer listed on its website, but the Cinnamon Kitten blog recaps them. Allure tests nearly 2,000 products for its 2007 annual beauty awards. 187 products make the final list, three of which are for coloring hair. Clairol Natural Instincts wins for single-process hair color, while L'Oréal Couleur Expert takes top honors for hair-color highlights. Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up is chosen as the best for root coverage, an honor it received for this year's awards as well.

expand

collapse

Hair Coloring -- Good Housekeeping Beauty Tips
by Editors of Good Housekeeping
Our Assessment

We couldn't find this Good Housekeeping video on the GH website, but it's posted at YouTube. Editors test Color Oops and find that it works to restore hair color when you're dissatisfied with a dye job. They suggest getting a glaze to restore "lifeless" hair and recommend John Frieda Luminous Color Glaze for do-it-yourselfers. The Roux 'Tween Time Touch Up Stick is also recommended for temporarily covering roots.

expand

collapse

9. Redbook
Dec. 2008
Beauty's Top 40 of 2008
by Cheryl Kramer Kaye, Krista Bennett DeMaio, Crystal Martin, Nadeska Alexis
Our Assessment

This article lists the best beauty products of 2008 for Redbook's annual MVP Beauty Awards as well as 24 "beauty must-haves" and monthly MVPs featured throughout the year. The writers say that this year's winning products are innovative and "work smarter, not harder". Two hair-color products are included in the list: Ken Paves Healthy Hair Boost Up Color Drops and Fekkai Salon Color. Clairol Nice 'n Easy Perfect 10 is also listed as a monthly MVP. It's not clear how many products were tested for this article.

expand

collapse

10. Flare
Not Dated
Insiders' Choice: Most Recommended Hair Care
by Editors of Flare magazine
Our Assessment

Editors of the Canadian magazine Flare list winners of the 2008 I Recommend Beauty Awards, the results of an annual survey performed by Cosmetics magazine. The trade publication surveys approximately 200 beauty pros each year in order to find the best beauty products in 12 categories, including hair care. Clairol Perfect 10, Just For Men and John Frieda Luminous Color Glaze take top honors for hair color.

expand

collapse

11. Good Housekeeping
Feb. 2008
Home Haircolor -- in Just 10 Minutes!
by Editors of Good Housekeeping
Our Assessment Good Housekeeping editors test Clairol's Perfect 10 hair color, finding that it lives up to its promise of hair color in just 10 minutes. Testers also like the fruity fragrance that it imparts. This article includes tips for choosing the right hair color but no other products are discussed or compared.
12. Flare
Apr. 2008
Beauty News
by Editors of Flare magazine
Our Assessment Editors of Flare magazine describe three different types of blonde hair color and point out whom they are right for. L'Oréal's Superior Preference Dream Blonde system is recommended for those who want to try going blonde on their own. Clairol Perfect 10 hair color is tested by at least one staffer, with good results, but no other products are mentioned.
13. Cosmopolitan
May 2008
Get a Sexy New Hair Color
by Ashley Buford
Our Assessment Cosmopolitan discusses some of the newest hair dyes that are less damaging to hair. Editors like Clairol Perfect 10, which they say gave them glossier color in half the time. Do-it-yourself highlighting tips are included but products are not ranked or compared.
14. Prevention.com
Apr. 21, 2008
Dye it Your Way
by Jessica Matlin
Our Assessment Prevention magazine lists three rules for coloring hair at home as well as tips to get a professional look. Five products are recommended for shine, highlights, blondes, extra dimension and quick results, but they are not ranked and the extent of testing isn't clear.
15. iVillage.com
Undated
At-Home Hair Color to Look Like a Star
by Ysolt Usigan
Our Assessment

This slideshow recommends particular shades in various brands to help readers accomplish the same hair color as some of their favorite stars. The author also includes tips for deciding whether or not you can pull off the same shade. A link to iVillage's Makeover-o-Matic is included, where readers can upload a photo of themselves to see how different colors and styles will look. Hair-color products are not rated or compared in this article.

expand

collapse

16. TotalBeauty.com
Undated
Reader's Picks for Best At-Home Hair Color
by Charli Schuler
Our Assessment

This slideshow spotlights TotalBeauty.com's top 15 reader picks for at-home hair color. Picks include both hair-color highlight and single-process products, most of which are reviewed upwards of 70 times. Those with the highest ratings and highest number of reviews include L'Oréal Paris Excellence Crème, Clairol Herbal Essences Colour Me Vibrant, Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Cream and Clairol Natural Instincts.

expand

collapse

17. Buzzillions.com
As of Mar. 2009
Hair Color Reviews
by Contributors to Buzzillions.com
Our Assessment

Buzzillions.com is an excellent source of user reviews, although most of the reviews posted come from other consumer websites. What makes Buzillions.com different is that a list of features frequently commented on is provided with each product. Reviewers' Choice winners and finalists are also marked as such; making top consumer picks easy to find. Most products, however, have fewer than 10 reviews, and ratings vary from one color to the next, even within the same brand.

expand

collapse

18. Drugstore.com
As of Mar. 2009
Hair color
by Contributors to Drugstore.com
Our Assessment

Drugstore.com sells many drugstore items, including at-home hair-color kits, and allows consumers to post reviews and rate products on a scale of one to five stars. Although the reviews are not as easy to navigate as those at MakeUpAlley.com and most product ratings vary from one color to the next, we still found the reviews to be useful in showing which brands are most popular. John Frieda Luminous Color Glazes receive high ratings overall. Revlon Color Silk Root Perfect and L'Oréal Color Spa do not receive nearly as many reviews, but are rated highly as well.

expand

collapse

19. About.com
Undated
Everything You Need to Know About Hair Color
by Julyne Derrick
Our Assessment

Julyn Derrick, About.com's beauty guide, lists 11 tips for coloring your hair that every stylist knows. Tips range from choosing the perfect shade of blonde to covering gray and deciding whether or not to do it yourself. A few home coloring products are recommended, but no details about them are given and it isn't clear whether or not they were tested. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

expand

collapse

20. BellaSugar.com
Jan. 30, 2009
Take a Look at Fekkai's At-Home Color
by "BellaSugar"
Our Assessment This blog documents the experience of one tester with Fekkai Salon Color. The unnamed tester claims that the resulting color is rich, shiny and natural but that the application process is more difficult than it is with other at-home hair-coloring kits. She states that it is a two-person job and that there is barely enough product for a full head of thick hair.
Find the Right Hair Color for You
by Leesa Suzman
Our Assessment Good Housekeeping outlines tips to get the best blonde, brunette and red shades both at home and at the salon as well as how to care for the color afterwards. Tips for going gray are also included. A few products are recommended but they are not rated or compared.
22. Amazon.com
As of Mar. 2009
Hair Color
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Our Assessment There are a lot of hair-color products listed for sale at Amazon.com, but they can be hard to find, and they don't always have a lot of reviews. You may do better at this site if you search for a specific product. Fekkai Salon Color, with fewer than 10 reviews, is reviewed more than any other product. MakeupAlley.com and TotalBeauty.com are better sources for user reviews of hair color.
23. MakeUpLovesMe.com
Nov. 17, 2008
Clairol's Perfect 10 at Home Hair Color
by "makeup loves me"
Our Assessment This anonymous blogger shares her experience with Clairol's Perfect 10 hair color and even shows before and after photos. She loves that it only takes 10 minutes and that it costs a lot less than salon coloring. Other products are not compared or even mentioned, however.
24. BlogHer.com
Undated
Natural-Looking Hair Color at Home – My Cheap and Easy Secret
by "kgseymour"
Our Assessment

This unnamed blogger says that you can't go wrong with Clairol Natural Instincts hair color and claims to have tried several shades after a coloring mishap in college kept her away from at-home coloring products for years. She states that since the color is temporary, it's safe to experiment with your color. The included conditioner is worth the cost of the kit in itself, she says. No other products are discussed.

expand

collapse

25. Shape magazine
Oct. 2007
Get Gorgeous Hair Color at Home
by Mary Rose Almasi
Our Assessment Mary Rose Almasi describes how to get the color coverage you want, whether it be covering gray hair or roots or creating more shine and highlights. Specific products are recommended for each need, but it is unclear whether or not the products have been tested. Post-color care tips are also provided from professional stylists.

Back to top