eSalon

Is it possible to achieve salon-quality hair colour at home? For a long time, the answer was no. I’ve tried loads of at-home hair colours, but I’ve never found any drugstore colour that could match the salon, so I decided to try eSalon – a company producing custom colour for salon-quality results at home. After seeing a good review from a trusted beauty blogger on Youtube, I was hopeful I could get salon results for a lot less money.

The first step was to create a profile which included a detailed online consultation about my hair type, the colour I currently had, and the colour I was trying to achieve. This information was passed along to a colourist who designed and blended a colour specifically for me. I also ordered a colouring tools kit which included a weighted bowl, a brush, some sectioning clips, and a handy timer – these were invaluable and I highly recommend you take these if you do decide to order.

Before my colour arrived, eSalon emailed some helpful videos so I knew what to expect when it came time to colour my hair. When the kit itself arrived, I was delighted. Not only did it include the colourant and developer, it came with a skin-protecting colour blocker to use around my hairline, a stain remover, a really nice sachet of shampoo and conditioner, and a generous two pairs of gloves. It also had a handy set of directions which were easy to attach to my bathroom mirror for easy reference.

I followed the instructions exactly and was rewarded with the best home hair colour I’ve ever tried. It’s rich, multi-tonal, and it’s left my hair in better condition than it was before I coloured it. It’s been about three weeks since I coloured my hair, and it’s held up well (I’m a daily washer).

Esalon is a subscription service, and when you sign up for your first order, you’ll be asked how long you like to wait between colourings. A couple of weeks before your subscription is sent out, they’ll send you a little questionnaire to give feedback to your colourist. I’ve let mine know that the difficult-to-cover grey along my hairline is still being difficult. I’ll be interested to see how they adjust my colour and/or instructions to help with this.

You’ll be offered a 50% discount on your first order, but only on the hair colour itself. If you add any extras, they’ll be the normal price.

So did I achieve salon results at home? I think so, but I’m not one for highlights or foils, so my expectations were limited. I did get beautiful, rich, lasting colour and I’m looking forward to my next order.