Ion • Color Brilliance - Demi Permanent Hair Color • Hair Color

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*TOP REVIEWER* heyannette on 4/19/2013 12:21:00 AM more reviews by heyannette

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

So many well written, detailed and positive reviews here I won't go on. Believe the good reviews. This stuff lasts! After 2+ weeks using #3RVR burgundy brown it's STILL shiny and coloured. I had these light ends from using drugstore permanents and nothing would blend it. My hair dresser did a great job blending it with a semi I think but for $100 and having it wash out in under two weeks, it wasn't worth it. This demi though is amazing! :o I'm so shocked. For $3 on sale plus developer, the colour is complex and gorgeous. I'm so impressed. I used it 1:1 because my hair doesn't take colour well and it did end up quite dark and saturated but I adore it. I would recommend this to anyone!

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dHAh0tChiik on 3/29/2013 12:35:00 AM more reviews by dHAh0tChiik

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Tan, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I used the color 9NG on really light golden hair and my roots turned GRAY?! but my length was a decent color, still not close to swatch color. Will not be repurchasing.....Be Careful if you have really blonde hair....Use Porosity filler beforehand

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emily0212 on 3/18/2013 9:23:00 AM more reviews by emily0212

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I've had the weirdest coloring experience with this product. I have an e-mail in to Ion right now but I figured I'd write my review here while I am waiting for an answer. I am naturally a level 5 mousy brown brunette. I am no stranger to red hair dyes, both demipermanent and permanent - I've been doing my own color for 20 something years! My hair was its virgin color before I started. I wanted a subtle red and not crazy red so I went with 6R. I used 10 volume developer 1:2 ratio (color:developer) for 40 minutes - no heat. When I rinsed it out and got out of the shower I was shocked to see that my color was absolutely the same! I thought it didn't take. So I dried it and went out (I had plans) and looked in my car mirror and realized that when I'm outside under bright sunlight - my hair is bright red!! But under fluorescent/incadescent light - it's still my natural brown! SO weird!! I want it red all the time! So I e-mailed Ion and I hope they can give me some suggestions. Maybe I should use 20 volume peroxide? Maybe I should use it with a 1:1 ratio? I will update my review when I hear back from Ion. I do like the product - it smelled nice, rinsed out really well and made my hair shiny! I just want it to work.

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kjh128 on 3/10/2013 8:24:00 PM more reviews by kjh128

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

This review is for shades 8N and 7N. I want to start by saying that if it weren't for the reviews here on MUA, I wouldn't have taken the plunge and colored my own hair. I am so glad I did! I am like many reviewers, natural color is around the 6N swatch- dishwater blonde or light brown- mousy. I was a heavily highlighted blond for years, then a couple of years ago I went brunette. I loved the rich shiny chocolate color, but when my roots grow out, they are noticeable. I was spending $$$ on keeping that brunette, because my color would also fade quite a bit. The last 2 times I got professionally color treated (single process, demi) I was disappointed that no one could achieve the color I wanted- rich but medium brown- just a richer and slightly darker version of my natural color. I also have about 5-10% silver now. So after reading a lot of blogs, I bought Ion Demi in 8N&7N with volume 10 developer. I was very nervous that I would mess up my hair because after all, the professionals couldn't even get it right! On dry, clean hair, I used 1 oz of 8N, 1 oz of 7N and 2 oz of developer, started at the roots (it had been 4 months since my last color at the salon) and then immediately applied through the rest. My hair is fine, and it soaked up all the product, so next time I will make more (length=midback). I let it sit for 40 minutes- no stinging at all. Nice fragrance. I shampooed with Ion sulfate free shampoo, then conditioned with a packet of after color conditioner (also Ion) that I got at Sally's checkout counter. The Result: Perfect! Very shiny, no staining anywhere, the perfect medium rich brown! I noticed in the sun that I saw copper highlights- but that's my hair- tends to pull reddish-orange. I don't mind them- I love the color! In indoor light, there is no sign of the coppery highlights. Next time if I change anything else, I would go for 7N- I was afraid it would be too dark. Demi color is the bomb! Don't waste anymore of your $ at the salon- or save it for a great haircut!

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Cburtcher on 3/2/2013 7:37:00 PM more reviews by Cburtcher

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

This is an amazing demi-permanent hair color. I will be using this again and again. I went through selecting 4 different demi-permanents from ION to correct my copper red hair that I wanted, I was progressing from being a platinum blonde for the past couple years. The copper was just impossible to keep, so I picked out 3 red bases from Ion, but I settled on 5N Light Natural Brown... Which I will let you know 5N is not Light Natural Brown, it's more of a Chocolate Brown. 5N is a chocolate brown if you've ever seen 5N before. I think the names are misleading. But anyways, I left the hair color on my roots for 15 minutes the first time initially and my ends for 5. Yes my hair looked black, and I did freak out but the color came out a stunning chocolate brown, unfortunately my roots still red/brown. I did a second process about two hours later just on my roots and left it on for about 10 minutes and it evened out my hair perfectly.

My pros: makes hair unbelievably shiny, brush-able, soft, and smells wonderful.

My cons: if anything they need to edit the names they use for their products.

Before I used this product my hair was dry as the Sahara, and I wanted to cry every time I brushed it. The color is great and for an ammonia free non damaging product it is a win. My hair looks like it has soft caramel blonde and red highlights put through. I will definitely be using this product for awhile. It is even holding my curls better. HG for sure.

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Bangzoom6877 on 2/17/2013 2:33:00 PM more reviews by Bangzoom6877

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

I'm an at-home double process blonde (hubby does the back of my hair), and I had originally tried the Ion Demi in 10N (lightest natural blonde) to tone. I watched carefully as is necessary when toning pre-lightened hair, and ended up rinsing after 8 minutes. Recommended processing time for toning is 10-15 minutes. The color was a little too dark for my taste. After some research, I decided to try using this again but diluted it with the clear shine. The color came out perfect! Got rid of the leftover yellow from bleaching, gave me a beautiful natural looking shade of blonde I was looking for...not ashy but not too golden and certainly not brassy at all. I will use this as my toner from now on. My hair is also in superb condition. And this time I left the color on my roots for 5 minutes, pulled it through the rest of my hair for another 5 minutes and rinsed. Perfectly even color after also using the Ion pre-treatment spray. I highly recommend this. The only reason I didn't give it the full 5 lipsticks is because the color comes out much darker than their swatches indicate so I feel they need to be mixed with the clear shine to become more true to the swatch. Otherwise an excellent color!

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*TOP REVIEWER* enamacheylove on 1/19/2013 2:41:00 AM more reviews by enamacheylove

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I absolutely love this demi. Ok first off, in regards to some other reviews, yes you have to buy the developer separately. This is not a box dye kit, you should have at least a little experience or have done some research before attempting to use professional color that doesn't come with instructions of any sort (well this has some, but not extensive ones, just color to developer ratios and processing times). Now, because this is a demi, it will have the tendency to run dark. Oddly enough on me it is completely true to color (I've used the medium blonde shades, which on me have always come out medium blonde, not even dark blonde) but always do a strand test first because it will be a pain to remove if you get it wrong. I've also recently used redken shades EQ and in comparison, the redken leaves my hair more glossy, but this one lasts a lot longer, and is a lot cheaper, oh and much easier to get, so this is my choice. Adding to the cost-effectiveness, I can cover all of my long, thick hair with half a tube. Considering how inexpensive the developer is, the whole job can be done for around $2.50. Very natural, believable color too. Oh and unlike other hair dyes, this one actually smells great, like apples. Anyway, I highly recommend this, don't bother with drugstore demis or much more expensive professional salon ones, you've got all you need right here.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

audioambrosia on 1/17/2013 8:17:00 PM more reviews by audioambrosia

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

I have tried numerous types of demi haircolor, and this gives me salon quality results for a very, very reasonable price. It covers gray EXTREMELY well, and doesn't fade too fast if you mostly use sulfate free shampoos and/or conditioner washes. My one caution is that the shades run dark. I would recommend going 2 shades LIGHTER than you think you need, especially if your hair has been processed before. If you are covering a lot of gray, I recommend mixing your chosen shade with one of the "natural" shades to make up for missing pigment in the gray hairs. Use the recommended pre and post color treatments for even better results. I could NOT live without this brand of color. I ADORE IT!

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haley0406 on 12/20/2012 5:42:00 PM more reviews by haley0406

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

This is the worst kit ever. I look at the instructions before I open the bottle and I says I have to use a creme. I do not want to go back to the store and spend more money on something I am only going to use once!!! I read some reviews and it said that the creme activates color! It would bbe nice to tell me that before I bought the product! It doesn't even say that on the packaging. You have to open the package up to see that directions... I am really mad and I will return the product and I will never buy the product again. Never will I recommend this product! It may work but unless you want to spend over 10 dollars with tax and two trips to the store, do not buy IT!!!!!

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Nerds99 on 11/23/2012 9:36:00 PM more reviews by Nerds99

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I'm hoping that this review can give you guys an idea of both my experience, and ways to get the results you want from this color.

First, you should know that researching the basics of hair color is vital if you're going to color at home. You need to understand the levels of color, which colors "live" at each level, and how those factors will affect your results. Also, understanding what the different levels of developer do will make a huge difference in your results. For example, orange "lives" at level 7, so if you buy a level 7 color, that's the tone you will get. Also, if you use a level 5 developer, you will only get deposit, no lift. If you want to lift color, you would use a higher volume of developer, according to the level of lift that you want to achieve. I know it sounds complicated, but if you use Google and do 30 minutes of research, I promise it will make all the difference in the world with your color. I see a lot of people getting hung up on the "names" of these colors, and that's where you're going to get into trouble. When you learn to work with levels, you will be able to choose your color and not get so many surprises. Also, research mixing ratios; those will make a HUGE difference when it comes to how opague your color comes out.

That being said, I have noticed that for me, these colors pull about a level or two darker on my hair. That may not happen to you. My suggestion is to start about a level higher than the color you want, and go from there.

This color line is very good quality. The Sensitive Scalp developer (I use 5 vol) is great for me because its much gentler than anything you will get in a "box color." The color itself is rich, creamy, vibrant and ultra-shiny. It has great staying power and it doesn't damage my hair at all. It spreads evenly, doesn't drip, and stays moist while processing. Because its a Demi, it WILL stain the crap out of your skin. But that's really my only complaint with this color.

If you need any help, no matter what line you use, feel free to inbox me :)

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UnderThePink2008 on 11/21/2012 9:53:00 PM more reviews by UnderThePink2008

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Grey    

I had lovely light blonde hair and like always I darken the color with a demi in the fall until spring or less damage to my hair in the dry winter. I used a medium blonde and my hair turned black! I used the right amount and it I let it in my hair for the right amount of time. I have used this brand before without issues but this is unacceptable.

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*TOP REVIEWER* CordulaM on 10/28/2012 12:05:00 PM more reviews by CordulaM

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

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was all skeptical after the reviews (and nervous, since I quit the heavy dying days and had been loving my natural color), but went on a whim and decided to get this in Burgundy Brown. The only reason I went with this brand was because of my hesitance, the idea of permanent scared me (I can't even believe this is the same person who used to do black and purple like it was in my DNA). And because I'm also scared to damage my hair with heavier dyes (I want it to GROW!!) I was all set to buy One 'n' Only Argan hair dye. I tried to research both but there were barely any pictures to decide between, so to be safe I went with the demi and a volume 10 developer. This. color. is. HOT!!! There isn't really any 'brown' about it! It's definitely out there and not natural, but in pictures people say it's 'subtle' and don't see it like it really is. I reallly like how it came out on me, better than many other colors I've tried, easy application, didn't mess up my bathtub like I thought it would, and my hair feels A-MAZ-ING (*though could be partly other things I put in it, but does not feel stripped or dry).
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I will really have to update after I wash it, because there is a high chance that it could fade a lot after the first wash since it's a demi. But I am tempted to do this color longer term. Woowwzza.
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UPDATE: Just did my first shampoo after dying and I think I may be even more amazed. I'm still as vibrant and wildly burgundy as before. It's cloudy and stormy outside and yet even indoors I think I'm showing more highlights since the hair has been washed. Really loving this color. Maybe for those who didn't get the dye to stay, make sure your hair is washed reallly well and don't condition until AFTER you dye. And don't shampoo directly after you dye it either. That's what I did. Wash with shampoo (and vinegar in my case, to get rid of buildup) my hair was damp, not even 100% dry, used Volume 10, left it on quite long, an hour at least, condition with a DC and it worked fantastically. <3
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UPDATE: A few washes later and I'm finally seeing the 'brown' to this color. But still lots of red highlights and considering it's a demi, I'm fine with that! :)

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CurlySimone on 10/9/2012 10:15:00 PM more reviews by CurlySimone

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Dark   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I'm amazed on how shiny and beautiful my hair looked after using this product. I have very curly hair (3C texture) and wanted to stay away from ammonia based products to keep my hair natural. In addition, ammonia can change the curl pattern of your hair so I didn't want to risk having the texture of my hair altered so I decided to use ION's Demi Permanent (medium golden brown). As I was applying the color it appeared as though it was going to be a true golden brown; almost yellowish, but as it sat in my hair up to 30 minutes it began turning very dark rather quickly. My normal hair color is dark brown and after rinsing the color out of my hair it came out JET BLACK. It darkened my hair tremendously, but I absolutely love it because it makes my curls look shinier and healthy. I never knew black hair would actually make my curls pop and my hair look healthy.

If you have any shade of brown hair and are looking to lighten your hair, you should use a blonde demi-permanent color because any brown demi-permanent color will make your hair darker; possibly black. If you view the ION website, the chart will also reflect this or you may call their toll-free number to speak with a specialist who can guide you in the right direction.

Overall, this is my brand of choice, however when I perform my touch ups in the future I'll use Dark Brown (3N Dark Natural Brown) or (4N Medium Natural Brown) to maintain the black color in my hair because if I were to continue using the Medium Golden Brown my hair will eventually get lighter and I don't want that. This was my first time coloring my own hair, but I followed the instructions inside of the box and everything when smoothly.

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crawfore on 9/29/2012 7:27:00 PM more reviews by crawfore

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I bought this at Sally's Beauty Salon and was impressed with the coverage. I chose light reddish brown and it came out a medium cranberry auburn color - a little artificial at first but more natural looking after about a week. The color is intense and lasts longer than any other demi-permanent including Wella and Goldwell. I used the 10% sensitive scalp developer and left it on the roots 30 minutes, ran it through the rest of the hair, and left it on another 15 minutes. I then washed it out and used the ION shampoo and conditioner afterward. I am over 50% gray and this covered my grays and white hairs completely. Other than the slightly artificial shade for a few days, this product really delivers at an unbelievably reasonable price. I highly recommend it.

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Christy76 on 9/27/2012 9:02:00 AM more reviews by Christy76

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Hazel    

First off, I want to say that I usually have a hard time keeping my hair red.That all changed when I found this.I got it in Light burgundy blonde & I love it! I don't wash my hair everyday.I wash every other day.I use Reviting Reds Shampoo & Cond. from Sallys Beauty.I also use Beyond the Zone,Turn up the red color gloss.If u have red colored, u have to keep it up.I do hair to,so I know alot about hair.If u have bleached hair,u would have to leave this on about 45 mins.Bleached hair fades when u color over it.On another note,I don't have to recolor my yet.It's been a month.I usally have to color or do something just after a week.I don't have to with this product.It's way less damage than reg. hair color.

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lexigill on 8/13/2012 1:39:00 AM more reviews by lexigill

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I have had so much luck with this Demi. It took me about 1 year to get the color mixture just right to tone down my highlights. I mix half a tube of Clear Shine with a full tube of 9NA (very light ash blonde) with the 10V developer, and get a beautiful ash blonde glaze to cover my super bright highlights. I usually leave the color on for 15 mins with no heat and I love the results. Its totally true about the color running quite dark, but i do find that the clear helps to dilute the color and makes my hair translucent and shiny. I will definitely continue using this as I love the results, not to mention the price. My hair always looks salon fresh and really healthy without having to shell out major bucks.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

HappyHooker on 7/27/2012 1:42:00 PM more reviews by HappyHooker

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

It's a little premature to say that I'll NEVER pay for salon color again but if getting the color you desire is this easy, I will definitely hesitate. I'll first start by saying that I read A LOT of reviews here and whatever I could find online about this line before attempting it on my own. I have learned that I'm about a level 3 brunette and my hair pulls red no matter what any colorist has done to me in the past. I originally wanted to do a color that cancelled out any of the red in my hair (ash) but I chickened out and went with the "natural" shades instead hoping to just tone down the warmth. Because I read over and over again how dark this color comes I chose 4N and 5N and mixed them with 2 parts volume 10 developer. I like my hair a bit darker than my natural color. It came out exactly as planned and it's very shiney and soft. Love it. I will definitely be repurchasing.

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*TOP REVIEWER* suzanneb on 7/8/2012 12:12:00 AM more reviews by suzanneb

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I am in the process of going back to brown hair, my hair started to fall and has gotten really thin due to high lift permanent color, highlights and bleach, it was down to my waist and now is at chest level. Did a lot of research before choosing this brand since my hair and scalp can't take the multiple root touch up I was doing monthly. I am happy that going back up in the color scale is pretty easy considering that it took me a little under two years to become a level 11 blonde. Two days ago I bought Ion Demi in 8N mixed with 10V, sprayed the pre-color treatment and left the mix for 25 minutes since I had so many different shades of blonde. Color came out pretty uniform and darker as everyone has mentioned, on me it's a dark warm blonde/very light warm brown depending on the light. Hair feels soft, looks shiny and I hope I am on my way to having beautiful, long, shiny healthy hair again.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

erykahjm on 5/18/2012 12:09:00 PM more reviews by erykahjm

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

WAY DARKER THAN EXPECTED! Ok, so against my better judgement, 3 months ago I touched up my permanently dyed dark brown hair using a combo of 5n and 3rv before reading the reviews on MUA. As previously mentioned, I came out with BLACK hair. I don't mind black hair, but the only problem was there was no reddish tint to it (which I think softens the look). I did a bleach cap to remove color, and after months of trims, protein treatments (thank you Aphogee), and professional demi tint jobs, I've decided to go this route again. I am going to be trying this again with a level 6 or 7 mixed with clear. I figure I'd rather be too light than too dark. I will update my review once I try this lighter process. *fingers crossed*
**UPDATE**
After trying this again in a level 8, I still ended up with black hair from root to tip, so I know it's not just from the damaged hair's porosity. This stuff runs way too dark for me. After letting this fade out (which took FOREVER), I used redken shades eq in 5cb, and the color is just what I wanted. I bought it online for about what I paid for the ion. I will not be buying ion again.

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jacquimami on 3/4/2012 2:06:00 AM more reviews by jacquimami

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Dry, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Ok, brought this for the non-damaging effects to my natural 4c hair, and headed the word to the wise and went 3 shades lighter than what I wanted. I did do a test strip on a side lock of hair with the 7NB and well, it wasn't blond at all. The color was a warm light brown, with coppery highlights. The copper may have been from the orange base from me lifting my hair to take the lighter color, but the tone was off. I would think that it would negate the orange to be more neutral, and I probably should have gone with the ash, but the color was too reddish to do the entire head. I was going for a taupe-brown, cool and light, not reddish.
We will have to see how it dries, but luckily, I can head to Sally's to get the ash in a level 9 and possibly end up with what I am looking for.

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