ROAD TEST: 'I tried this permanent vegan hair colour to see how effective it actually is. Here's my verdict.'

A few months ago my husband and I did our first household budget in years.       

It was the first time we’d done it since our second child was born. It was rather sobering but also a relief to know where the bulk of our money was going, and even figure out how we can cut back to save for our next family holiday and some home renovations. 

We realised that though we are quite careful with our dollars, we both have quite a few ‘luxuries’ we enjoy (this makes us sound really fancy, but in reality our luxuries stay in the realm of streaming services, edible treats, some beauty and skincare, and clothes for the boys).

Inspired by a couple of my stunning ‘silver-fox’ girlfriends I decided I'd try forgoing getting my hair professionally dyed to save some extra money. 

I usually visit the hairdresser every six to eight weeks. But with a price tag of $160 to $200 a pop, this amounts to a yearly saving of about $1,300 to $1,600. This was enough to pay for one week in a nice apartment up at the Sunshine Coast this Christmas with my husband and kids, which I thought was quite an attractive trade-off!

So for a few weeks there, I went off into the world feeling very fiscally responsible and tried to be one of those gorgeous, confident, striking women who make the act of going grey look impossibly chic. 

Unfortunately, I did not look or feel chic. Instead, my hair was dry, coarse and piebald. 

I ran into a friend of a friend who was planning her fortieth birthday and asked me what I had done to celebrate entering my forties. Something she seemed to think had happened years ago, in the long distant past. 

I haven’t even turned forty yet. 

So that was it. That was the moment that I knew I was done with this going-grey-in-my-30s experiment. I wanted an affordable, effective solution. And fast. 

Enter Revlon TOTAL COLOR™.

Before! Image: Supplied.

Retailing at under $15, this permanent hair colour fit well within my new budgetary guidelines I'd set for myself. I was drawn in when I saw that it's vegan and clean – so I wasn’t wilfully putting nasty parabens, sulfates, ammonia, silicones and other junk on my hair. 

Before! Image: Supplied.

After just picking it up from Chemist Warehouse in colour Medium Gold Mahogany (number 535 in their range of 9 shades), I was armed and ready to go.

This was very exciting for me because in the past, home hair dyes have given me an itchy, irritated scalp because of the harsh ingredients. It's basically been the only reason I’ve avoided them. But this Revlon box told me it was dermatologist tested, so sweet relief.

Revlon TOTAL COLOR™ was a bloody delight to use if I'm honest. It felt really refreshing, and was lovely and soft on my scalp, definitely no itching or burning. 

Plus it promised 100% grey coverage, and it delivered.

Image: Supplied.

Application was also super easy and completely mess-free too. Another issue I’ve had with home hair dying is finding splashes and drips of dye all over the bathroom because of an imperfect nozzle. 

Revlon TOTAL COLOR™ has a precision tip on the applicator nozzle, so the colour flowed directly onto my hair and scalp with no cheeky globules sneaking out the side and staining my white bathroom vanity. 

The other complete blessing was how quick it was to use. 

While I'm trying to be more financially conscious, another reason to ditch getting my hair professionally dyed is that it takes so very long. With two young children, work and a million other responsibilities, it's a struggle to find two hours to spend at a salon to get a colour done every few weeks.  

My Revlon hair colour took less than five minutes to apply, and after I’d applied it I threw my hair up in a bun and got on with making breakfast for my kids in the meantime for the 25 minutes the colour needed to soak in and set.  

Then I just jumped into the shower, rinsed it out with just water, let the water run clear, then used the cranberry scented conditioner which was included with the hair colour. I'd love a bit more of that please too! It left my hair extra soft and sweet smelling. 

The best part though: my end result is gorgeous! 

After! Image: Supplied.

It’s a rich, warm mahogany brown with a deep red undertone to it. When the light hits my hair it has a golden sheen to it. I love it. 

After! Image: Supplied.

My hair is also significantly softer, and it completely covered my greys which makes me feel much more confident and more like myself again. 

Image: Supplied.

Now I feel as if I didn’t really have to give anything up with our budgeting. Revlon TOTAL COLOR™ left my hair looking much more vibrant and fresh, and was the overhaul I wanted. 

I was conscious that being vegan and clean that it might not be as effective in giving me a deep and long-lasting colour. But it's been perfect! The colour lasts around 6 weeks, and I've never had so many compliments on my hair to be honest.

My hair feels really nourished and soft, and I'm over the moon I've found an at-home solution that's very affordable, and so quick and easy to use without the mess or stress I thought would come with it. 

So now I get gorgeous hair and a family beach holiday. Everyone's happy.

Feature Image: Supplied.