L'Oreal Luo - opinions, please

[Owl]

Hi guys

I work in a salon with Aveda colour. Therefore i am used to quite natural looking colour and sometimes have to work harder for my grey coverage.

I struggle with colour knowledge when I use colour at home as Aveda doesn't use the .1 etc system however over the years I have picked up the very basics. I have stuck to majirel and majiblonde for most of this work and have not been that impressed when I do a full head tint/ root application. I always find it so heavy and flat looking and a shade or so darker than I was expecting. Completely different to what I'm used to working with in Salon.

I get that I'm not going to get the exact same colour, which is no bad thing as I'm looking forward to learning new things, however for my tints I would really like something a little more natural looking. I have been recommended the Luo colour range but couldn't see anyone talking about it on here.

Bearing in mind everything I have said about, what are people's opinions on this range?

 

[classixuk]

Luo colour would give a result similar to putting 10grms of Universal 0N into every formula, plus it doesn't cover grey either...just blends it.

If you want to think about L'Oreal using your Aveda knowledge it would go something like this:

The bases are the same, so lets take a colour example such as a 6.

6 on its own is the same as 6N.
6.0 is 6N with dark NN added for grey coverage.

Now the tones...

.1 is dbv, .2 is dvr, .3 is dyo, .4 is dro, .5 is a soft blend of dvr and pure red, .6 is red pp.

Where those numbers sit after the base gives you an indication how strong or soft they have been mixed.

6.3 would be a standard mix (I.e. 2grms dyo).
6.03 would be a soft mix (1grm)
6.33 would be a strong mix (3 grms)
6.30 would be an intense mix (4 grms).

So, 6.34 would give a similar result to 40grms 6N 2grms DYO and 1grm DRO.

Remember too that Majirel is mixed 1:1.5 (50grms tint 75 grms developer) and its not designed to be used with 5 vol or 10 vol. Development time is 35 minutes for all colours unless covering grey in which case it is 40-45 minutes.

Hope that gives you a bit more insight.

 

[Owl]

Thank you so much for your in depth reply, I found it really helpful. I wonder whether that's where I have been going wrong and have used an intense ash colour which has come out far to ashy and flat than I actually needed it.

I'm going to copy and save your post as its going to help me out loads!

Being nosey and because you have obviously worked with both colours, what other colours have you used and also what's your fav?

I love using 10 vol to create a softer colour - any tips on a brand I can buy somewhere like Sally's that uses 10vol x

 

[classixuk]

You're welcome! I guessed that most geeks have probably never used Aveda colour ... I knew of one other geek who had but she's banned at the moment lol.

Ok, other colours...here we go...

Aveda - very customisable, very compact, mostly natural ingredients, good results, premium brand. 10/10

LOreal - Gives great results, always ahead of the fashions, great grey coverage, multi tonal results. Loses a point due to the rumours of animal testing still being carried out on certain ingredients. 9/10

Wella - liked by a lot of newer geeks as it tends to give a blanket coverage (I haven't tried their Illumina range though so maybe that would be better?), their high lifts are excellent and probably some of the best I have used, their reds tend to give root glow (really quite severe sometimes) and the coverage is one colour suits every hair strand. Not to my liking. 8/10

Goldwell - very poor lifting in the hi lift series, not fantastic at grey coverage, not very fashion forward. 6/10

Revlonissimo - sort of like a cheaper version of L'oreal, same mixing ratio and numbering but not as impressive with the results, certainly not as much shine as you would get with L'oreal. Impressive range though with lots of tools not available in the likes of Goldwell. 7/10

Keune - really did not like this line at all and would avoid at all costs. 3/10

Matrix - Actually a very nice line and probably one you would get on quite well with as a transition from Aveda. They use letters for their tones and the mixing ratio is the same. The colours are premixed/pre-blended and you could pick up a tube of 9AV and totally get that it's 9N with 4grms of Ash/Violet already mixed into it. They even do a clear (Universal ON) although only in their quasi range and in a tint sized tube (90grms). Their Biolage range of care and styling is also based on organic solutions. 9/10

Affinage - OK range with some good tools but not much in the way of support. 7/10

Indola - Cheap product for mobile stylists. 6/10

NXT - same as Indola but not as good. 5/10

Ion - Sally's own brand. Not nice. 4/10

Rusk - Sally's other own brand. Nice reds but quick fading. 5/10

Fudge - Decent enough to use but the colours fade really fast compared to Aveda. You would be surprised just how quickly! 6/10

I'm sure there are others that I have long since forgotten about lol, but in comparison to Aveda colours and results I'd say that's fair.

 

[Daisychambers]

This has been really useful to read, thanks. I currently use revlonissimo and am looking wt what is similar that I can buy myself at the wholesalers, so I shall be going for loreal!

 

[Jonnie]

I think you would prefer inoa to be honest. Much less dense looking and upto 100% grey coverage. Also the new ultrablondes are just stunning. LUO is a great range but wouldn't be my staple range to be honest.

 

[classixuk]

I think you would prefer inoa to be honest. Much less dense looking and upto 100% grey coverage. Also the new ultrablondes are just stunning. LUO is a great range but wouldn't be my staple range to be honest.

If he/she likes Aveda they will hate Inoa! The 2 give completely different results. Trust me!