Frequently Asked Questions

Hair treatment serums are formulated to add shine, smooth and help tame the hair. They can be applied to damp/towel dried hair before styling or used on dry hair to finish your style and tame fly away ends once dry.

The frequency you shampoo depends on your hair type and your lifestyle. Oily hair types, work environments and those with sporty/active lifestyles will require more frequent shampooing. Daily shampooing is fine, just be sure to use a range specifically suited to your hair type and its needs.

Haircare treatments contain a higher concentration of the active ingredients to intensely treat your hair's needs. Some treatments can be used daily such as the ELVIVE Conditioning Sprays, Serums and ELVIVE Re-Nutrition Night Elixir and Daily Nutritive Fluid. Other treatments such as the ELVIVE Masques and the ELVIVE Anti-Breakage Concentrate only need to be used once every 7-10 days as part of your standard hair care routine, depending on your hair's condition.

There are two options: you can dampen/wet your hair, apply a little styling product, leave-in treatment or serum and style or leave to dry naturally. Alternatively, if your hair is prone to dryness, wet your hair, apply conditioner, rinse out and style.

Choosing the correct shampoo for your hair type is an essential part of any hair care routine. First assess the quality and condition of your hair to establish your needs. If your hair is dry and brittle, choose a nourishing formula with hydrating oils. If your hair is colour treated, choose a formula specifically design to care for and maintain your hair colour such as ELVIVE Colour Protect. If you have oily roots and dry ends, or fine hair that gets oily quickly, choose a clarifying but nourishing formula such as ELVIVE Extraordinary Clay

A hair mask will work best when applied to damp hair, and carefully worked to spread evenly from root to tip. To ensure the hair mask is properly distributed massage the scalp and comb fingers through the lengths of your hair. Leave the mask on for the period of time defined on the product instructions for best results. Rinse with lukewarm or cold water for extra shine.

We recommend that you select a shade that sits within two shades of your natural hair colour, either darker or lighter. By using this process, you will achieve a result that harmonises well with your natural skin and eye colouring and is easy to maintain for follow-up applications. To test your hair colour before committing, try our virtual hair colour try on technology, Modiface.

Depending on the shade chosen, a permanent hair colour can be applied over a tone-on-tone hair colour such as Casting Crème Gloss providing it has been close to 28 shampoos since you coloured your hair with Casting Crème Gloss. Otherwise, your hair will have build-up of hair dye and the result will be darker than expected. Casting Crème Gloss can be applied over an existing shade to refresh the colour. It is best to select a shade that matches the existing colour or one that is one to two shades darker. A lighter shade will potentially not be as visible as you would desive, so please keep this in mind when selecting your shade. For assistance, please call our team of experienced hairdressers in the L'Oréal Paris Advisory Bureau on 1300 659 359, or alternatively email your enquiry to us at [email protected]. They are happy to help you with any of your hair colour queries.

This depends on how quickly your hair grows (the average rate of growth is approximately 1cm or ½ inch per month), so around every 5 to 6 weeks. For colours that gradually shampoo out of the hair such as Casting Crème Gloss, re-application will depend on the frequency you shampoo your hair.

A two-step application is essential to replace the warmer gold or red pigments that were removed during the lightening process before applying the new darker shade. Failure to do this can result in your hair looking matte or greenish. For more information and advice, please call our team of hairdressers in our Advisory Bureau on 1300 659 359.

A lighter permanent colour cannot lighten existing colour pigments already present in the hair. A two-step process may be required to remove some of the existing colour using a lightening product before you can apply the new shade. For advice on how to achieve this, please call our team of hairdressers in our Advisory Bureau on 1300 659 359.

When hair dye results in a darker colour than expected, repeated shampooing with a medicated/anti-dandruff shampoo can help remove some hair, but not all of the colour pigments. Apply to damp hair, lather and leave lather for a few minutes, repeat applications (approximately 3 – 6 times) until desired shade is achieved. Follow with a rich conditioner or deep conditioning treatment. For more advice, call our hairdressers in the Advisory Bureau on 1300 659 359.

Yes absolutely. Whilst allergic reactions are very uncommon, it is important to conduct the sensitivity test at least 48hrs before you mix and apply the colour. More specific information on how and where to conduct this test is on the Instruction Leaflet included in each pack of colour.

This depends on the result you want to achieve, grey coverage, adding reflects or tones, lightening or deepening or covering first greys. Each range is designed to help you achieve a specific colour result. Choose from Casting Crème Gloss, Excellence, Preference, Colorista and Magic Retouch.

Crème formulas give a more intense solid colour result and are great for covering greys. Gel formulas provide intense colour in a more translucent result that blends the colour with your hair’s natural highs and lows. Some products are a Crème/Gel, blending the best of both technologies, softer grey coverage with a slightly more translucent result.

L'Oréal Paris hair colour is enriched with many different conditioning ingredients to protect and treat your hair during the colouring process. When using permanent or semi-permanent hair dye, shampoo hair 12-24 hours prior to applying the product to ensure that natural oils are not stripped from the scalp immediately prior to colouring.

Yes. Hair should be fully saturated by hair dye to achieve the expected results. For hair that is longer than shoulder length, or very thick, more than one box of hair colour may be required for root to tip coverage.

Hair type and texture – for example curly or straight, fine or coarse – is a key consideration when colouring hair. The structure of each individual hair differs by hair type; finer hair has a smaller diameter and generally absorbs hair colour quicker, where thicker hair types have a larger diameter and absorb product slower. Hair that is chemically treated may also process faster or slower than hair that is not. L’Oréal Paris recommends following the directions on the Instruction Leaflet included in each pack of hair colour.

Yes. Strand testing is when hair dye is applied to a small section of hair to test the results before it is applied to the entire head. Conducting a strand test is an easy way to see the results of the hair dye on your starting hair colour, whether it is natural or already coloured. Testing your chosen colour on a small section of hair is also a way to establish the appropriate processing time for your hair, using the times listed in the Instruction Leaflet as a guide. Strand testing directions are listed within the Instruction Leaflet included in each pack of hair colour.

For ongoing care of your hair and its colour, it is recommended to use shampoos and conditioners specifically formulated to protect your hair and prolong your colour’s radiance. Regular deep conditioning masques and treatments will help maintain and retain your hairs moisture and vitality so that when you do colour, your hair absorbs the colour evenly and the end result is perfect from root to tip. The L'Oréal Paris ELVIVE Colour-Protect range is specifically formulated to protect your hair and prolong your colour’s radiance and shine. This range ensures your hair and its colour is in the best condition before and after colouring your hair. For more hair care tips, discover our FAQs here. Regular trims to remove dry and split ends will also assist in keeping your colour looking rich and shiny.

The amount of time your hair colour will last varies depending on the hair colour type chosen. As the name suggests permanent hair colour, including Préferénce & Excellence, will provide long lasting colour with a retouch required once the hair has new growth. Hair coloured with long-lasting semi-permanent dye, or ‘demi colour’, will gradually fade with each shampoo, but generally last around 28 washes. This includes Casting Crème Gloss. Semi-permanent colour, including Age Perfect and Colorista Semi-Permanent will last around 10-20 shampoos. For instant root coverage that will wash out with one shampoo use Magic Retouch.

Apply a small amount of an alcohol-based product such as mouthwash, after-shave or fragrance to cotton wool and gently rub affected areas. Follow up by wiping with water and applying a little face moisturiser. To prevent colour staining for future applications, apply a little moisturiser or Vaseline to your hairline before you apply the colour, ensuring you do not get it on the hair as it can also prevent the colour from taking in those areas.

For 100% grey coverage choose from a range of blonde, brown, black and red tones in the Excellence Creme Permanent Hair Colour. To temporarily cover grey hair at the roots, choose Magic Retouch.

Test foundation on your face, either the jawline or around the nose area, never on your wrist as this skin is different in both texture and colour to that on your face. A perfect match will be almost invisible once applied.

Apply Eyeliner as close as possible to your lash line. Always on the top and sometimes on the bottom as well, but never just the bottom lash line as this ‘closes’ your eyes making them look smaller. The tapered line should be the entire length of your eye, 1/3 or 2/3 across but never halfway as this too will ‘cut’ your eye in half visually. Liquid liner is best applied to the top lashes only.

A flawless, lasting finish can only be achieved on skin that has been prepared with a suitable moisturiser to help balance the skin and give longer wear. Discover our Skin Genius service to curate the right skin care routine for you and find the best products to prepare your skin for makeup application.

Bronzer is best applied to the areas of your face that ‘catch’ the sun, never all over. Lightly sweep over forehead, cheeks, chin and nose for the most natural result.

Choosing the right mascara depends on the result you want and your lashes. Mascaras are developed to deliver specific results, either length, definition, volume or a little of each. The name of each product is a good indicator of the result you can expect to achieve. There are 3 parts to the effectiveness of a mascara, the formulation, the brush and the wiper that determines the measured dose of product needed to get the result.

As a general rule, match your blush to the tone of your lip colour to harmonise the total look. For example, choose a pink-toned blush if you are wearing a lipstick with pink undertones. If wearing a natural/nude or bright red shade lip colour, then you should select a natural-looking blush shade that is in a deeper tone to your skin.

Face powder is an indispensable beauty tool to refine the complexion by ‘setting’ the foundation and concealer in place, giving the skin a velvety texture while controlling shine. Using a large soft brush or the puff provided, apply powder immediately after foundation and before applying powdered eyeshadow, blushers or bronzers. This will give greater bendability and a more professional result. Pressed and loose formats both deliver the same result, but pressed powders have the added benefit of convenience and portability for touch-ups.

Lip liner can be used to define and shape your lips, prevent lipstick from ‘feathering’, correct uneven lip shapes and provide a basecoat for lip colour hold when applied all over the lip for longer wear. Match the shade to your lip colour as closely as possible or choose a shade that is the same colour as your natural lip colour.

Makeup primers come in two formats, one for all skin types and others to help correct excess oil or pigmentation in the skin. All are applied to the skin after moisturising to create a smoother texture and extend your makeup hold.

Concealer is best applied after foundation as this allows the foundation to cover most of the imperfections so that just a little concealer is then needed for extra coverage. The only exception is colour-correcting concealers which are best applied before your foundation. Apply using the supplied applicator or a small brush, then gently ‘dab’ it into the skin without ‘rubbing’. When using a concealer around the eye area, apply only to the dark area of the eye contour. In the case of puffiness, avoid very light shades as these accentuate the problem by bringing the feature ‘forward’.

The right foundation for you should match your skin’s undertone, whether it is cool (pink toned), warm (yellow toned), or neutral (a mix of both). Before selecting a shade from our range of foundations, ensure you first understand your undertone using our detailed guide to choosing your perfect foundation shade here. Always test your foundation shade to ensure that it is a seamless match.

The skin around our eyes is up to 6x thinner and more delicate than on the rest of our face and contains less natural oil so is therefore more prone to showing the first visible signs of ageing. Specifically formulated eye creams are developed to address these needs and also help reduce dark circles and puffiness.

Facial cleansing wipes can be used daily but are best recommended for travel or convenience. Cleansing products developed for your skin type will provide optimal benefits by delivering the specific ingredients it needs.

A skin care routine should be tailored to your needs. Identifying your skin type and condition is the first step in building the right skin care routine for you from our range of face care products. Analyse your skin like an expert with Skin Genius. Based on over 30 years of data and expert diagnostics, Skin Genius is a high-tech program that provides on the spot skin care analysis to create a personalised routine designed specifically for your skin.

Regular exfoliation helps boost the skin's radiance and unclog/refine the pores by gently removing dead skin cells. As we age, the skin’s natural exfoliation process slows and the use of a product with a granular scrub formula (mechanical exfoliation) or a treatment that contains an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) or beta hydroxy acid (BHA) (chemical exfoliation) can help reveal fresh skin cells.

No, we should always use products formulated to treat our skins needs at that particular time. This may even mean changing the products in our skin care routine to suit climatic conditions such as changing to slightly richer ones in colder months if needed. Using products that are formulated for mature skin types when you are young can be too rich and over-nourish or cause congestion in your skin, and therefore should be avoided.

In our Australian climate it is recommended to use sunscreen every day, even in winter as we are exposed to both UVA & UVB rays all year round, and these are known to accelerate the ageing process. Shop our Sun Protection range for moisturisers with the added benefit of SPF or learn more about the importance of sunscreen here.

Yes, your body needs great skin care too! Applying body moisturiser is a good habit to get into and your skin will absorb the moisturiser most effectively following a bath or shower when it is still slightly damp.

Toners are used to complete the cleansing regime by restoring the skin’s natural ph balance, removing last traces of cleanser or makeup and allowing the skin to absorb the full benefits of the moisturiser or treatment that follows.

Day Creams & moisturisers are formulated to protect our skin from daily aggressors such as UV rays and pollution whilst hydrating and addressing specific skin type needs. Day moisturisers are generally lighter-weight and are often designed to be applied underneath make up. Night Creams are formulated to replenish and assist with cell renewal, most of which occurs naturally whilst we sleep and do not contain sun filters. Moisturisers formulated for night tend to have richer formulas that will not sit well under makeup or include sun sensitive ingredients.

Skin typically falls into one of four types – normal, oily, dry or combination. Within these categories, skin can also be sensitive or acne prone. Normal skin is generally neither oily nor dry, where combination skin is may differ in type depending on the area of your face. Your skin type often changes as you age, and is also dependant on a number of factors, including diet, medications and hormones. To identify which type of skin you have, wash your face with a gentle cleanser and do not apply any products. After several hours, examine your skin to see whether it has become tight and dry, shiny with oily, or a combination. If there has been no change and skin remains soft and even it is considered ‘normal’.

Serums are skin care products designed to deliver active ingredients to the skin in highly concentrated, lightweight formulas. Serums can be used at any age, with the most suitable for your skin type dependant on the key ingredient. For anti-aging serums look for formulas with Pro Retinol (such as Revitalift Classic Concentrated Serum) or Hyaluronic Acid (such as Revitalift 1.5% HA Serum). Serum often have small molecules so they can be quickly and effectively absorbed by the skin so are best applied immediately after cleansing. Apply your serum before your day or night cream to treat before you hydrate. Discover our ultimate guide to face serums here.