How many times have you seen a product/service that seems spot on and said, “I wish I thought of that!!” Well this next one falls into that category and I really think it bridges a gap between the drugstore box of hair color and the salon hair color service. It’s eSalon and could be your answer to getting a great single-process hair color in your own home using professional grade ingredients.

In the drugstore, just looking at a picture of a color on a box is not exactly my idea of accuracy when it comes to choosing a hair color, though I have done it many times. And then there’s the limited shade selection because what’s light auburn to one company can be drastically different to another. So it really is a guessing game, so what’s today’s woman to do? She’s on a budget and still needs to look good for work and well, life. According to IbisWorld.com, 90 million women currently color their hair, so how are they all getting it done? 

 

eSalon seems to be one option for, well, quite a few! According to some google searches, the company has produced 1 million unique hair color formulations and has 100,000 active customers in their database since launching 4 years ago. So they must be doing something right.

I’m experienced with the box colors and the salon way of coloring and for the past 6+ months I’ve been kinda in between the two - doing it at home mixing together three different shades of Schwarzkopf’s Igora professional hair color that I bought on eBay at about $12 each (my colorist’s salon uses the brand exclusively and she gave me the exact measurements so I could do my roots myself). Since I just ran out of the tubes of color for all three, trying out eSalon’s service came along at the right time!

Once you’re on their site, it’s pretty easy to choose your hair color. It has to get your Hair Color Profile so it walks you through some key questions like what your hair color family is, if you have gray hair (many of their customers use their hair color to just cover their grays!), your ethnicity, what kind of coloring and chemical treatment/s are currently in your hair (highlights, demi-permanent hair color, Brazilian Keratin Treatment, Chemical Relaxer etc), and when you last colored your hair was, among others.

Through the process of questions, one page even shows you different hair colors on a model so you can see what Ash looks like vs Copper. And you can even send a photo of yourself to their professionally trained colorist to review to help you make the right decision. I like that option!

After you describe your color goals, the info is sent directly to one of their colorists and they will review your profile and picture (if you want to send one). You will then be taken to a window where they will show you the box that will be sent, called the Made For You Haircolor and includes the following: your individually blended hair color and specifically matched developer, personalized instructions, professional coloring accessories (2 pairs of gloves, packets of their exclusive shampoo and conditioner, stain guard, and stain remover), and your own personal colorist that is only a phone call or email away. Depending on the length of your hair and the desired hair color, you may receive two bottles of hair color and developer in the first order. And you can also purchase full sizes versions of the coloring accessories and hair care products they send you in your box, as well as others not in the box.

So to really experience the whole company’s vibe, I was invited to come to their main office in Culver City, CA to meet with their Color Director, Estelle Baumhauer. She showed me around and what was most interesting was seeing is how the custom colors are filled on the assembly line. Each box is personally put together by someone on their team and you can see the special touches they add to each box just by the below pictures. Love that!

I needed to boost my already red hair color, so Estelle gave me a bright auburn that looks nice next to my light olive complexion. And just a few days after my visit, the box arrived in the mail for me to be able to touch up my roots when it was time. So now I’m in their system and can call on their colorist at any time should I have questions about the color etc.  

They are currently offering new clients 50% off when they sign up for the Love Your Hair Automatic Delivery Service. Your first purchase will be $10 and shipping is a flat $4.95 per order. If you choose not to sign up for the auto service, each box is $24.95 plus $4.95 shipping @ esalon.com. And since it’s a women’s prerogative to change her mind, you can adjust your color on your next order to be “a little darker brown,” or, “a deeper red," or what ever you're feeling that month. 

So the pluses of their system really outweigh out the minuses – personalized color using professional grade ingredients, getting it done on your schedule, the price, and most of all, the customer support they offer. Try going to Sally’s Beauty Supply where you would think the people who work there might know something, but nope, nada. Don’t risk it! It's your hair. 

Is eSalon something you think you will try out? Let me know in the comments!

Disclosure: this service was provided to me gratis but the words are all my own.