John Frieda is a brand I've been using since I basically started choosing my own hair products. Being the only blonde in the house around 11 years ago, I headed into Boots to have a look at what products would go well with my hair. Naturally, my hair is ash blonde, long, frizzy and curly. I've admitted before in
previous hair posts that I used to just straighten it until it was pin straight to combat the issues with it. About ten years ago I started using semi-permanent hair dyes to make my hair from a dark ash blonde into a honey blonde, and again I needed different products. By 14 I was dying my hair completely, making my hair as light as it could get.
I stuck with a light blonde colour for years and I needed products to combat the frizz that had gotten worse after bleaching my hair, but keep the blonde bright too. Nowadays I have used toners on the same colour hair, but when they're not in use I use blonding products to keep my colour looking like I've only just dyed it. There are a few products on the market that can do this and some are better than others. I was sent some products from the John Frieda Sheer Blonde range to try out to see if they met my expectations.
The first product is the Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo (£6.99)* which aims to gradually lighten the hair to a sunlit blonde shade. It is ammonia and peroxide-free with a 'natural Lightening Complex' to reduce colour pigments and lighten the hair by up to two shades. It aims to work with both natural and dyed blonde hair, but I've always found products like this work slightly better on dyed hair. The product doesn't dry the hair out whilst doing so, whilst maintaining the main qualities of a shampoo by cleansing the hair of dirt and oil. I'm really enjoying using this so far and my hair is definitely a bit brighter from using it. The second product that you use in conjunction with the shampoo is the Go Blonder Lightening Conditioner (£6.99)* which claims to lighten the hair whilst giving it moisture to prevent dry hair. It works better when you've used the shampoo just before, and my hair felt softer and silkier after use.
The final product is the one that I was so intrigued by. The Hi-Impact Vibrancy Restore Oil Elixir (£9.99)* was made to revive over-processed hair by visibly repairing damage and replenishing the hair to bring life to dull strands. I've not used hair oils for ages, as my hair is absorbs product so easily and I found myself with greasy roots the next morning so I vowed to stay clear. To prevent this, you apply the Oil Elixir to the ends of damp hair, brush it through then blow dry the hair to lock the product in. After styling your hair you can run a bit through the ends to help it look glossier too. I'm absolutely over the moon with this product and I'm definitely going to pick another bottle of it up when I run out.
There are more products in the Sheer Blonde range if you're looking to try some out, such as deep conditioners, leave-in conditioners and styling mousse to suit all your needs. They also make tone-treating products which are so good on blonde hair to reduce brassy tones. You can pick all the products I've mentioned here at Boots where they currently have a 3-for-2 offer on as well.
