Ion • Color Brilliance • Hair Color

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*TOP REVIEWER* onegoodcat on 11/5/2006 8:54:00 PM more reviews by onegoodcat

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Wow, this is so much better than other hair dyes. I bought the dye in Intense Red (cream) and the 20 volume Developer for sensitive scalps. I bought the bowl, the brush, and the measuring cup and it was all really cheap. I mixed it (it was so easy) and then my mom dyed my hair. I waited about 45 minutes and didn't get any itchiness which is good. When I washed it off, it was this rich pretty red color. I'll keep updated on how long it takes to fade. Anyway, it didn't damage my hair and keep in mind that I bleached my hair 2 days prior to doing this. My hair is so soft too. The after sealing color treatment is really good too.

Edit: I went to the salon to get my hair cut and the lady asked me where I got it done. Rarely does that ever happen. I told her I did it at home and she was amazed.

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HippyChick0u812 on 11/5/2006 6:37:00 PM more reviews by HippyChick0u812

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I Bought the Ion Hair Color on a whim at Sally's. They were out of my Normal Loreal Exellence that I have been using for a few years now. I am getting alot of grays for my age * I * think at 42. when my roots come it they are 50% at least.

I choose a darker shade this time for a change, The darkest brown color. 2N or N2.
My color before was a light brown. I have long waist length curly hair so yeah I needed 3 tubes to do my hair a new shade. I used the cream formula thinking it would be easy to use and it was very easy to do. I bought the Sensitive Scalp Developer in 20 also and mixed 2oz to the cream and on it went.

This color went on very easy and was not as badly smelling as most, kind of fruity.
I let it sit for a full 45 minutes without feeling anything on my scalp which is great. No itching at all.

Upon washing it out I am so happy at the outcome. Exactly as I wanted it to look. The color itself is fantastic , rich , deep and very shiney. My Hair felt great after use and much less dry than with the loreal I had been using. I am extremly happy with this color and will be buying it again. I already have 2 tubes on hand. My overall impression is very very good and I would recomend this to anyone :)

Update 1/29/07 Still totally loving this color. It has such amazing gray coverage I can hardly believe how great my hair looks after. The other thing is that my hair is so soft and not nearly as damaged after as it was with other colors. Yay! Try it out!

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jentalkin2u on 11/1/2006 3:00:00 PM more reviews by jentalkin2u

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

This color is great! It's the most natural, most flattering color I've ever used. I had gone too blonde and was looking to go to a dark blonde, which is my natural color. I tend to be a little ashy, but was scared to try a warm color, so I stuck with neutral. I bought a level 7 neutral liquid color with a 10 volume developer. I used the 10 volume because I didn't need to lift my hair since it was already too light. This colored over my light blonde hair beautifully and evenly (I might have to attribute some of that to the neutral protein filler I used before I colored). The color came out nice and warm, but not golden or orange. Just a nice, neutral color that looked great with my skin tone (I tend to be warm-toned). Because this was a demi-permanent color since I used 10 vol developer, it's starting to fade a little. Part of the problem is my fault - I've been using clarifying treatments to get rid of product build-up. Even then, you'd think with all the clarifying that the color would be completely gone - not so. It's just faded a little to a medium blonde. I loved the dark blonde so much that this weekend I'm going to buy some 20 volume developer and the same 7N color for more permanent results. I just have to say that this color really seemed to nourish my hair. It covered so well. I have nothing but great things to say about Ion color. I've tried other brands in the past and this is by far my favorite. My husband has complimented me multiple times as well as co-workers. Everyone says it looks so even and natural. I highly recommend this product! I used the liquid color and cream developer and apply from an applicator bottle. That's the easiest method for me!

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lovecosmetics on 10/4/2006 3:07:00 PM more reviews by lovecosmetics

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I tried this haircolor based on recommendations from the boards and I'm so glad I did. I've always colored my own hair because I hate salons and can't see paying someone to do it. This is great hair color and I have no itchy scalp which I can get from many haircolors. I used the Med Red Brown and it was a little darker than I like so I'll use the Light Red Brown or Dark Red Blond next time.

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sierra1980 on 9/30/2006 8:46:00 PM more reviews by sierra1980

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I picked this color up in 3N-3.0 Dark Brown and the Sensitive Scalp Conditioner in 20 Volume. I am very impressed with the Ion Line, all of the products are affordable and do what they say they will. The products are consistant. That being said, I was pleased with my results. The developer didn't dry my scalp or irritate . The color was even and after 3 weeks my hair is still a beautiful chestnut brown. The only issue I have with this product is the metal tube it comes in. When I went to squeeze the product out it broke the seal at the top of the tube and began coming out from there. Grr. Overall, I'm still a happy camper. Will I still use this product? Yes!

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*TOP REVIEWER* stellar on 9/25/2006 8:50:00 PM more reviews by stellar

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I just used this stuff (in Light Copper Brown) for the first time last night. I must admit that the color didn't turn out exactly how I thought I would, but that's probably my own fault. First of all, I left it on for too long considering my hair was previously dyed. So it turned out a little darker than I thought it would, but it's definitely not TOO dark and I'm sure it will fade with washings. My second screw up was that I added Ardell Red Gold Corrector Plus drops to avoid potential brassiness, but it ended up neutralizing some of the copper tone. So I'm now left with more of just a darkish brown color with a very SLIGHT hint of copper. But like I said, I know that's user error. I did notice that it stained the skin around my face, which is also my fault because I was really sloppy with it and didn't bother wiping it off right away. But just a warning - be real careful with this stuff. I still haven't been able to get it all off.

On the plus side, it left my hair sooooooo soft. I did use a ton of Feria conditioner after, but I always do after dying and my hair has never felt this good. Plus, the color is sooooo rich and vibrant! And shiny! It's also quite cheap. I bought the color, the 8 oz developer, gloves, application bottle, and Ardell drops for about $13.00. Next time I'll just have to buy the bottle and color! I'll definitely continue to use this brand, but I might have to Colorfix and try to go lighter next time. Just for fun. :) Will update!

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muse66 on 9/25/2006 8:36:00 AM more reviews by muse66

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

If you must color your own hair, use this product!! It gives the most gorgeous and realistic results. I used the Light Brown(5N) on my naturally dark brown, long, curly, fine hair and got a rich, glossy walnut color. I did call the 1-800# and was recommended the Medium Brown (4N), but I knew from previous experiences that you need to go a shade lighter with this line due to its color saturation. My hair had been previously salon colored and highlighted and i just wanted a nice rich brown color for the fall. My hair now is super glossy and GORGEOUS, and it only cost me around $10. Try it, but remember to go a shade lighter for best results.

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jareed on 9/15/2006 3:02:00 PM more reviews by jareed

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Most beautiful natural haircolor selection. I found this at Sally and tried medium brown. I have fine curly mouse brown hair with some gray. I wanted a rich brown like Angelina Jolie. I applied this for the recommended time for grey coverage. I think it may have been too long because I came out pretty black/brown. I washed several hundred times and loved my color. I called the hotline for future refence and was told that fine hair picks up color faster than normal. My bad, and I do not blame Ion for that. I will probably purchase light and med brown next time and mix the two. Its really pretty now and did not come out orange like I always do at salons.

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AnnieLen on 9/9/2006 1:42:00 PM more reviews by AnnieLen

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Well, I didn't have quite as wonderful of an experience as the others. I had dark brown hair with medium golden brown highlights. I wanted to go more of a medium brown with auburn highlights, so I opted for the light reddish brown knowing that my hair was porous. My hair is now a very dark brown with a very slight reddish tint in the right light and not what I expected at all. However, my hair feels amazing and is in fantastic condition. This is a color I am used to, so it's fine, but not what I wanted.

I gave the product a 3 overall because I am not sure if it was the condition of my hair or operator error (me!) or a bit of both that led to the color oddity. The cream is very hard to mix. I thought it was odd that it was turning purple in the bowl as well.

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*TOP REVIEWER* abbyten on 9/8/2006 5:15:00 PM more reviews by abbyten

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

Even though I go into Sally's regularly I hadn't been looking in the haircolor section because I had been using Clairol Hydrience for years. When they discontinued my color and there was nothing comparable, it was time to try something new. Based on the reviews here I decided to give the Ion a try. There is a great selection of colors, and the price can't be beat. It's nice spending around $3 instead of $9. I chose the light reddish brown. The color was a little more intense that I was expecting, but after living with it for a few days, I really like it. It left my hair shiny and in great condition. The developer (which you buy separately - also priced very reasonably) for sensitive scalps is wonderful. Whenever I used the Hydrience my scalp would itch for days. Absolutely no itching or irritation with this developer. I will definitely keep on using this product.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

amyov on 8/31/2006 1:55:00 PM more reviews by amyov

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Other    

After reading reviews here, I went to Sally and, using the haircolor swatches, chose their Darkest Brown. I was going to buy cream, but the salesperson said liquid wasn't that runny and she preferred it. I also bought the Sensitive Scalp Developer and a squeeze bottle for mixing/application. I think the total was under $10. The process was very easy - despite me being totally inexperienced at hair color. I just imitated what I've been seeing my salon do for ten years. I got better gray coverage than I've been getting from salon applied Wella products and my hair is still evenly colored and very shiny 10 days later. I'm curious to see whether I get flat tones or root/end differences over time, but at this point, I'm very, very pleased with the price and the results.

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*TOP REVIEWER* spooky_natalya on 8/24/2006 8:19:00 PM more reviews by spooky_natalya

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

yeah buddy! what great hair coloring. i use high lift in very cool blonde, gentle, effective, nice price, good color!

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jewel777 on 8/23/2006 10:44:00 AM more reviews by jewel777

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

After reading the reviews here I too went to Sally's to purchase this haircolor and was very impressed with the results. First, there are numerous shades to choose from and you can do either the liquid or the creme. I chose to do the creme and it was really thick. I used a tint brush to apply and it was really nice not to have any odor from this. I think the developer was extremely gentle too. The color turned out exceptional. I will update at a later date to discuss how well the color holds up but my first impression is that I probably won't use another brand since this one was so nice to use unlike others from the past! Stay tuned!

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JanC on 7/15/2006 8:10:00 AM more reviews by JanC

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I love ION cream haircolor. I've used the light red brown, medium red brown, light copper brown, medium copper brown and medium golden brown shades so far. I think ION hc has superior gray coverage - my gray temples and gray streak roots don't cover at all when I use Preference hc but they completely cover when I use ION cream haircolor.
Also love ION's gentle developer for sensitive scalps (I use the 20 volume).
The ION shades are beautiful and leave a ton of shine on the hair.
I also use the ION Color Defense shampoo and the ION Color Seal after color treatment. Love those products too.
The ION hc mixture is very thick - you have to mix it in a bowl with a brush.
Don't try mixing it in a bottle because it's like pudding and won't come out of the bottle.
I love ION haircolor and am so happy I finally found a haircolor product that covers my grey temples.
The red brown shades are sooo pretty.

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chocoRERE on 7/13/2006 3:46:00 AM more reviews by chocoRERE

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I would agree with the other reviewers on many points, great coverage , nice shades, ease of use. I was pleasantly surprised today also becuase I got my hair highlighted and my stylist made a face when I told her I colored at home. She asked me what kind I used, I was afriad. I told her and she had never heard of it but said as long as it wasnt drugstore stuff. She mentioned that ones like Feria were horrible and reacted badly with bleaching agents, etc. I crossed my finger and she checked the foils many times as was pleased with the color that had developed, as was I. Not only did I have great all over color from Ion for like 2 weeks, I got great highlights today without brassy effects. Great product and value!
UPDATE:(1/09) Still liking this , found a real gem in the Reds collection which I usually overlook. Turns our that 4RC gave me wonderful rich warm tones on my dark brown hair. Wondering why I have been messing with the neutral and gold tones. Everyone is different though. Also I think rating a hair color is kind of decieving- most of us are NOT professionals at home at take a developer and color mix em in a bottle and expect great results. Now I know my color wheel however sometimes I have not been successful in correcting brassy or wrong hair color and choosing too dark a shade like the post with the dark blonder color that turned black! Hair type varies, porosity varies so damaged hair WILL turn dark brown or black even if the color is "blonde" because your cuticle is open and all that color is depositing on it. Even with their chart, I am still experimental and trial and error has come to be my thing with at-home color.

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narsmakeup1 on 6/9/2006 9:23:00 AM more reviews by narsmakeup1

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Through the years, I have used virtually every hair color brand on the market starting with store brand and having moved on to professional brands (Loreal, Matrix, Redken, Chi Ionic, Paul Mitchell etc...)and I have to say that the Ion Color Brilliance permanent hair color cream is by far the best!!! I was so skeptical of using this product when I saw it on the shelf at Sally's but after reading the brochure and of course checking to see if there were any reviews posted on MUA, I decided to give it a try. It is honestly the most gentle, conditioning permanent color that I have tried to date, even the developer is made for sensitive scalps. The colors are rich, lasting and most importantly gentle and non-damaging to the hair. I would highly recommend this product over anything available in the salon or anywhere else for that matter. Oh and BTW, just for reference I must say that of all the professional hair color lines I've used that Loreal is very harsh and the new Paul Mitchell hair color line that is bees wax based and supposed to be gentle is absolutlely awful, not gentle, hard to mix and horrible gray coverage...try the Ionic color it really is hands down the best on the market right now. The styling products and shampoo/conditioners are winners too! :)

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*TOP REVIEWER* jinglecat on 6/2/2006 8:31:00 PM more reviews by jinglecat

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Got this on rec from the Sally Beauty Supply lady who was helping me find the best product to correct a blonde brassy mess.(5 weeks post my salon color and feeling poor..)This is permanent color, and I usually use semi, but this whole brass issue has been annoying me for months, and I'd had enough. I used brown leval 5n. Bought a small seperate bottle of Sally's 20 vol developer, a single use tube of anti-brass additive and a small bottle of protien fill and walked out for $10.Ion color brilliance comes in both a liquid and cream formula, I choose the cream because I wanted to do a brush on application. Its very thick and no drips or splatters for my dh to complain about on the rug. No bad odor. A final result that is THE single MOST AUTHENTIC looking haircolor from a bottle that was DIY I've used ever.(I'm 40 and have been experimenting with dye since I was 15.) The only issues were that even though I used a protien fill, my ends still sucked up too much color, which I solved by applying some Revlon dimension highlights I had laying around. I only highlighted a few strands just to visually break up the demarcation, which was not severe anyway. Directions suggested a develop time of 30 min, but I could tell after 10 that it needed to come off because my hair is so porous and ends were quite dark already. Next time I'll be more careful to save my ends out of mix till the end. The insert chart also suggested that 10 vol peroxide would be enough. (The one bit of Sally-lady advice that was off.) Since it was like 12am when I was ready to color, I mixed in less of the 20vol and made up the difference with some conditioner. (You can cut 20 vol with distilled water in a 50:50 mix to make 10 vol peroxide. I was afraid to use tap water for this, so tried conditioner.) Despite less than perfect mixing and some dark ends, this was easy to use and buy, and the color result is dead-on to my natural color, and is niether too ashey or brassy! Condition of my hair is no dryer than before color. (I use Paves poo/conditioner.) If you shop for this, open a box to read the insert; it will guide you from starting to finish color and what developer works best for desired result. There is a wide range of color choices. You probably won't need a brass-busting additive unless, like me, your hair turns orange just looking at a bottle of peroxide. I'm done paying $80 for salon color. Sorry, Jen- but you'll still be my go-to for cuts!
UPDATE:just used this again after a summer hiatus from color of any kind, and wanted to return the brassy dark blond portions of my hair to match 2inches of natural roots. I applied with a brush to just the ends, and I am amazed still at how great this brand is! The matchup is great, the color totally natural looking, the only difference is the colored area is shinnier than my virgin hair. I also prepped with ion clarifying treatment before hand to remove sillicone styling buidup and any mineral depots from hard water, and used protien fill prior.

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MkChic on 5/28/2006 1:53:00 PM more reviews by MkChic

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I really like this product. I got medium brown in the cream fromula and colored my almost black hair to cover white. It covers all and leaves my hair super shiny and silky. The color is a rich chocolate brown, the color I've been looking for. It's better than nutrisse, preference, clairol, anything i've ever tried. it's at sally's for really cheap and is better than the salon stuff imo. hth!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Tresha on 5/20/2006 3:08:00 PM more reviews by Tresha

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Tan, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

ION is a European brand only available in the US at Sally's. It's not suppose to oxidize. It conditions the hair and colors are suppose to be rich and long lasting... and it is! This has got to be one of the most gentle hair dyes ever! (Wella is also gentle.) ION doesn't bother my scalp at all, and the developer is made for sensitive scalps! I got Ion at Sally's for about on sale 3.99 (regular price around $4.69) a tube and the 20% developer was not more than $6. I mixed two colors and added in some anti-red drops, left it on for 30 minutes, and gorgeous! It's so easy to use. I was a little intimidated at first, but I found a really helpful sales lady at Sally's who was a retired hairdresser. I'm so glad I gave Ion a try. I got the best results ever. I highly recommend this hairdye to anyone who wants fabulous rich color and has a sensitive scalp. It's actually cheaper than drugstore hair color because a huge bottle of developer is good for multiple applications, and it's just better all around. I just have to buy the tube of color next time. I'll never go back to any drugstore hair dye in a box. This stuff is better and actually very easy to use. I also rec getting a bowl, brush, and gloves. The mixture is very thick so it's better to mix it in a bowl as oppose to putting it in the bottle. Even if you rather apply it with a bottle instead of a brush, still mix it in a bowl first. Or, it also comes in liquid formula, so the liquid will probably be better with the squeeze bottle application. Everything you need is available at Sally's for super cheap. I don't see any reason to do my haircolor at a salon from now on. I love this stuff. I Highly recommend it! UPDATE: At first, I was equally loving Wella Color Charm Gel haircolor and ION Brilliance, but I can say that I prefer Ion Brilliance haircolor more. The color seems richer, and I like the fact that the developer is made for sensitive scalps. I'm definitely going to be sticking to ION.

UPDATE: I just did a retouch. I did my roots first and waited 30 minutes, then put the remaining haircolor on my roots for 10 minutes. Looks perfect! My hair is very porous, but this touch up blends very well and evenly, and I don't see any lines of demarcation. I do see some red tones, but I think it's going to fade, and I am very happy with this hairdye. Also, this hairdye is dark and super richly pigmented, so if its too dark, give it a day or two because it will definitely soften up, and remain true to it's color. I love the results every time! I love being a brunette that I keep going darker and darker. No more highlights for me. Being brunette is so low maintenance, and there is such a small room for error. Darker hair colors look more polished and natural on me anyways. I'm sticking with it! UPDATE: I called the 1800 number to see what I could do to get rid of unwanted red tones and go a little darker, but not completely black, and what a help they were. I'm so glad I called the number. My hair is naturally black and has a super strong tendency to pull red even if I use Ash colors, no matter what. I wanted a deep dark chocolate brown with no red tones, so the lady told me to mix neutral Darkest Brown & Medium Ash Brown with 1oz 20% Developer and 1oz bottle water. Also, the lady at ION told told me that Neutral is a brown base and the Ash is a green base, so using it on my hair would break through the red and make it more brown. She was right! I did exactly what she told me to do and red tones are gone! But my hair is pretty much black with chocolate highlights because I had highlights previously. My hair looks and feels so healthy. It's very close to my natural color, but richer. I know it's going to fade, and next time, I'll use neutral 3 Dark Brown (instead of 2 Darkest Brown) and Medium Ash brown to make it more Chocolate. I'm going to see how it fades first. But I do love the look of this color. I don't know why I've waited for so long to return to my roots! (I know this is long, but I hope this helps somebody. Great haircolor doesn't have to cost a fortune or be damaging!) UPDATE: I find that using a mixture of ION's after color conditioner and Redken Silk Fuel to condition after coloring leaves my hair feeling devine! I'm never straying again from ION haircolor! I make a huge mistake trying Clairol Complements and Radiance. UPDATE: Just for those who are wondering the Level 1 Black color is a cool black with slight blueish undertones, not raven pure black. And the Level 2 brown is a black/brown. Level 3 is dark chocolate brown. hth

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