Hair Products Review: L'Oreal Paris Midnight Collection in Violet Soft Black

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of me using the product, so you will have to take my word that I did try this product and I am representing the facts in my situation as truth.

This past Saturday, I purchased L'Oreal Paris' Midnight Collection in violet soft black (M32).  On the box was this beautiful shade of black with a violet sheen.  Very work appropriate for those of us who like shocking colors but work in a place that does not allow those shocking colors.

With that said, I consider myself an experienced over-the-counter colorist.  No, I've never attending cosmetology school, but I have been coloring my own hair successfully since 1997.  I've had every color under the rainbow and I've used a range of products from drug stores to beauty supply stores.

Immediately upon mixing the developer and the color, I realized that something was wrong.  I've dyed my hair black before, and well, the resulting mixture has always been a brown/black color.  This was a BRIGHT red.  I took a deep breath and told myself the only way I was going to find out was to try it.  I applied the mixed color to my unwashed, dry hair.  As I applied the color, it was darkening, so my worries were eased a bit.  I left the color on for 25 minutes exactly and followed the rinsing instructions.  Even before blow drying my hair, I knew it was the wrong color.  I could see hints of maroon and auburn.  Trying not to panic, I blow dried my hair.  This was the result:

I have a VERY cherry head of hair.  My roots were a deep chocolate brown.  NOT BLACK.  The ends and all around my head pick up splotches of uneven cherry/maroon red tones.

I was upset.  I started trolling the Internet and I WISH I had read the reviews on this product.  I am not the only person complaining of no black and all red.  This is a poorly formulated product.  If you are dreaming of a dreamy soft violet black, this isn't it.  I would have LOVED just black.  I probably wouldn't have taken the time to bash this product, but that wasn't even done right.  Since when does red = black?

Anyhow, I had a friend that tried to help and say that I needed to get it done professionally.  WRONG.  No professional would have mixed a RED and called it black.  This is not a case of me doing it wrong or having high expectations.  I already have dark brown hair.  I would definitely say black is within two shades.  The only excuse for this is INFERIOR PRODUCT.

Don't get your heart set on this shade and don't waste your money on this particular Feria hair dye.