L'Oréal

There are two L'Oréals and they get confused constantly. L'Oréal Paris is the consumer range you see in supermarkets. L'Oréal Professionnel is the salon range — Série Expert care and Majirel colour — with higher concentrations and a shade system built for stylists. What's on this page is mostly the second one, which is worth knowing before you buy.

Majirel, and how the shade numbers work

Majirel is sold by number, not by a name like "chocolate brown", and once you can read the number you stop guessing. The first digit is depth: 1 is black, 10 is the lightest blonde. The digits after the point are the tone, the reflect the colour leaves behind — broadly .1 ash, .3 gold, .4 copper, .5 mahogany, .35 golden mahogany, .07 natural warm. So 6.3 is a dark blonde with gold in it, and 7.07 is a blonde with a natural warm tone. The practical tip: pick the depth for how light you want to go, and pick the tone for the result you want to avoid. Most complaints about home colour are tone complaints, not depth ones. See Color & Perms.

Absolut Repair, and when Molecular is worth the extra

Standard Absolut Repair handles dryness and split ends: shampoo, Golden Mask, Absolut Repair Oil. The Molecular sub-line is for hair that's structurally damaged from bleaching or repeated colour, and it's a three-step system rather than a single product: pre-treatment, then shampoo, then the leave-in mask. If your hair is simply dry and has never been chemically treated, standard Absolut Repair is the better spend. See Damage Repair.

Metal Detox is for a problem most people don't know they have

Tap water leaves metal particles in hair. In hard-water areas they build up, and they're a real cause of colour turning out wrong or hair breaking during a bleach. That's what Metal Detox Shampoo and its mask address, and it's most worth it if you colour regularly. For fade rather than metals, Vitamino Color and the Vitamino 10-in-1 spray. See Color Protection.

Length, smoothing, curls

Pro Longer works on ends for hair being grown long, and the Pro Longer 10-in-1 cream adds heat protection, which makes it the more useful of the two if you blow-dry. Liss Unlimited and its blow-dry oil are the anti-frizz route; Curl Expression Leave-In is for defined curls. See Frizz Control, Curl Enhancement and Heat-Damage Protection.

Scalp, hair fall, and Elvive

Scalp Advanced and Inforcer with B6 and biotin cover scalp discomfort and breakage, and Aminexil Advanced ampoules address hair fall — see Hair Loss & Thinning and Scalp Care. From L'Oréal Paris, Elvive Fall Resist is the affordable everyday option, and Magic Retouch is the root spray for covering greys between colour appointments.

Questions people actually ask

What's the difference between L'Oréal Paris and L'Oréal Professionnel?

Same parent company, different channel and different formulation strength. Professionnel is made for salon use — that's why the shampoos come in 1500ml and the colour comes as numbered shades rather than boxed kits.

How do I read a L'Oréal hair colour number?

Depth before the point, tone after it. 1 is black, 10 is lightest blonde; the tone digits tell you the reflect. If you're colouring at home and unsure, the tone is the part to ask a stylist about.

Which L'Oréal shampoo for hair damaged by bleach?

Absolut Repair Molecular, ideally after the Molecular pre-treatment. Add Metal Detox if you're on hard water.

Is Série Expert worth it over supermarket shampoo?

For chemically treated hair, usually yes — the concentrations and the bond-repair chemistry are genuinely different. For healthy untreated hair the gap is much smaller than the price difference suggests.

Do you have L'Oréal makeup or Revitalift?

Not in this collection — it's L'Oréal hair. For makeup see Makeup, and for facial skincare Skincare.

Not sure which line or shade you need? Our team can help. Or start with Absolut Repair Shampoo and browse more in Haircare.