L Oreal Superior Preference Hair Color By Willow on Dec 02, 2007 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

The full name of this hair color is L'Oreal Superior Preference Fade-Defying Color & Shine System. I chose it because of the "fade-defying" factor; most hair colors I have tried do fade with time, so I wanted to see whether this one would be different. The shade I picked was Light Brown (#6), which I thought was close to my natural hair color.

Superior Preference comes with detailed directions, a pair of gloves, and a tube of Care Supreme multi-dose conditioner. The conditioner is to be applied first right after coloring, and then weekly, to help keep the color fresh. It is said to last for 6 weeks (mine didn't last me that long). The directions are clear and not much different from those of other brands of hair coloring products. You mix the color gel and color optimizing crème, apply it to the hair, wait for 25 minutes, rinse, apply the conditioner, and rinse again. I like the results: smooth, even brown color that looks very natural on me. The shade turned out to be a little darker than I thought, but I don't mind. As to the fade-resistant claim, it is true: the color stays fresh and rich, even though I use regular shampoos and not color-safe ones. I like this product and will probably buy it again.