krissingene's Full Review: John Frieda Sheer Blonde Highlight Activating Sham...
Once upon a time, I was proud to be a blonde. I knew all the best blonde jokes and got a kick out of telling them before others got the chance and, when convenient, even used my hair color to my advantage. But something happened in my early twenties - gradually, I became...well, not so blonde any more. My once bright blonde hair started darkening into the mousy light brown of my father's, who I hear also suffered this fate as a young man. I tried to tell myself that I didn't really care, but I missed my hair the way it used to be. Sadly, I consigned myself to being a light brown, although my husband insists that I'm still a dirty, dirty blonde. Hmph.
At any rate, it was a very dark brunette who finally recommended that I try John Frieda Sheer Blonde Highlight Activating Shampoo. As it turns out, she has a very blonde daughter who swears by the shampoo and, after meeting her and being nearly blinded by her amazing blonde hair, I picked up a bottle for myself on my very next visit to Wal-Mart. (Yes, I buy everything there.) There were two types of the shampoo available - that formulated for "platinum to champagne blondes" and, the one I purchased, for "honey to caramel blondes". That certainly sounds nicer than "dirty blonde", doesn't it?
At $5.99 for an 8.45 ounce bottle, this shampoo was quite a bit more expensive than the stuff I generally use - as pointed out in a past shampoo review, nothing really works on my 'difficult' hair anyway, so why pay more for it? But granted, Sheer Blonde is a great deal less than the higher end salon brands, so I decided to give it a shot. Tossing frugality to the wind, I even bought the coordinating conditioner. So there.
~* Yep, It's Blonde *~
This shampoo comes not in a bottle, but rather in a clear inverted tube, which narrows near the bottom and rests on its round flip-top lid. The shampoo itself, easily visible through the tube, is a light pearlescent 'blonde' color.
According to the front of the tube, Sheer Blonde "brings out glistening blonde highlights and stop and stare shine for maximum blonde impact", and further boasting on the back side adds that this is achieved "without adding or depositing color."
From product packaging:
"With daily use, this patented formula 'for blondes only' gently removes dulling build-up that can quickly turn gorgeous blonde hair dark and drab. Golden tones and highlights are refreshed and recharged to produce dazzling, shimmering, must have blonde results.
Designed to enhance darker shades of blonde hair, this formula features natural wheat germ, caramel and honey extracts. From dreamy Honey to luscious Caramel, hair glistens and gleams with flawless blonde perfection."
The manufacturer's website clarifies that Sheer Blonde shampoo keeps blonde hair bright by rinsing away residue such as "minerals from ordinary tap water or product build-up" that can make hair look dark and dull. It is also formulated to neutralize chlorine, which can cause blonde hair to appear a lovely shade of pale green - remember that next summer!
~* Directions for Use *~ From product packaging: Apply shampoo to wet hair and gently massage. Rinse thoroughly. Repeat if necessary. Follow with Sheer Blonde Instant Conditioner with Highlight Enhancers or any Sheer Blonde styling product.
~* Testing *~
I didn't waste any time trying out my new shampoo and conditioner, and was immediately attracted to the light, clean fragrance upon opening the bottle. I squeezed out a half-dollar size glob and began working it into my hair, only to find that it just wasn't enough. Granted, I have twice the hair of a normal person - it's well past my shoulders and thick to boot - so I usually have to use quite a bit more shampoo than the average person. Another slightly smaller sized amount, and I was good to go. Sheer Blonde lathered quite well, although maybe not as much as the cheaper brands I tend to frequent. Must be all the wheat germ, honey and caramel weighing it down.
While rinsing the shampoo from my hair, I could already feel a difference in the texture - much softer than usual during the rinsing stage. The shampoo rinsed quickly and cleanly, and when removing the excess water from my hair, I noticed that my hair was not just clean, but squeaky clean. Now, I know that sounds like a good thing, but when hair squeaks when wet, it's generally not hydrated enough - so having conditioner on hand would probably be a good idea. With my aforementioned gnarly locks, I never leave the shower without it.
~* I Had to Ask... *~
I crossed my fingers and held my breath the first time I used this shampoo, just knowing that I would somehow emerge from the shower a true, brilliant blonde once more. I patiently waited for my hair to dry and then did the one thing that a woman on a mission should never, ever do: confronted my husband. "Do you notice anything different?", I asked him after cornering him in the kitchen. His eyes got bigger and he trembled a little. "Um...have you lost weight?", he asked. Smart cookie. I informed him that I was inquiring more specifically about my hair, to which he replied, "Oh yeah, it looks darker! What did you do?"
I managed not to scream. I also managed to maintain my composure when several other people made the exact same comment over the next few weeks, one going so far as to tell me she thought I'd dyed my hair darker. "Highlight activating" my foot - if this shampoo did indeed activate any highlights, they sure weren't the blonde ones.
~* A Few More Gripes *~
While I'm complaining, let me throw a few more your way. Are you ready?
* If this shampoo is stored in the shower, expect water to collect in the lid. This is a common problem among inverted bottles and is to be expected, but it's still never fun when icy water from your previous shower falls on your foot when you open the bottle.
* In my house, Sheer Blonde Shampoo just doesn't hang around for long. Because I have to use quite a bit for each shampoo, 8.45 ounces seems to disappear rather rapidly. I stretch it out somewhat by alternating uses with cheaper shampoos, and (of course) those with shorter and more fine hair will be able to get away with using less.
* Can I kvetch again about it plain not making my hair look more blonde? That's kind of a big one for me - $6 for a tiny bottle of shampoo with grandiose notions of restoring brilliance to my once-blonde hair, only to find that it didn't really do squat but clean it. Okay, it did make it shinier, and it does smell nice...but more blonde? No.
~* And Yet... *~
And yet for all my complaining, I continue to use Sheer Blonde, might even buy another bottle when this one empties. Why? Well, it does actually make my hair look better - even somewhat well-behaved - if not actually more blonde. It certainly produces more shine than the cheapy shampoos I'm accustomed to, and the clean scent invariably lasts until my next shampoo, which is usually every other day.
Apparently, Sheer Blonde works well for all hair types - I've spotted it in the shower of a friend with much shorter/straighter/thinner/finer (is 'finer' a word?) hair as well, and hers always looks great. And very, very blonde. So perhaps those incredible claims aren't entirely rubbish, perhaps my hair just didn't get the memo.
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