Posted by Sally
I have a full head of blonde hair with many shades. But if the truth be told…the most dominant color on my head is WHITE. At age 17, I started going white at the temples. From then on, color has been both my friend and foe, since I have to get my roots single process colored approximately every 3 weeks. What woman wants to be a slave to color? UGH!
I was given Oscar Blandi’s Root Touch-up Pen to test in between coloring appointments and review. This product is a relatively new addition to the world of hair coloring. My girlfriend bought one at Sephora for around $23. It comes in a multitude of shades but I was matched with Light Golden Blonde and Beige Blonde (since, as I mentioned, it’s hard to pin down any one shade on my head). The product comes in a smart tonal brown box with directions that are easy to follow and actually fun, especially for the woman who has dreamed of being an artist and trying her hand at painting.
I decided to really give Blandi a proper go by letting my roots “grow out” a bit…shocking, huh? I imagined my natural roots as a blank canvas that would soak up the pen’s blond highlights. Packaged in a plastic “tube” not unlike mascara, the applicator is a white brush a bit longer and thicker than the average lip brush. You are directed to turn the bottom portion of the tube which clicks as it turns and soon you see “color” ooze up into the center of the white brush. I told you it was fun to use!
I decided to use both colors side by side to attempt to create a more subtle touch-up, blending in with my numerous hair shades. Pulling a few strands away from my scalp and holding them taut, I lightly “painted” each color on the surface and poked deeper into the root. I did this too around my face and my temples, alternating pens as I went. The color dries immediately and doesn’t clump. At points, I patted the color, smeared it out, and also combed it in trying to create even, natural coverage of my white roots. I then went to work on my side part from the forehead back to the crown.
After fluffing my do, (I had velcro rollered my hair), I set off to my first luncheon where I planned to use my tablemates as a “focus group”. At first, I was met with giggles aplenty when I asked the group to focus on my hair and evaluate my roots. The luncheon was inside on a sunny day and under the given lighting, the response was positive all around. No “white roots” and good coverage was the order of the day. Friends asked where they could get the product for their moment of need.
The next day was yet another luncheon (thanks to the start of wedding season). The color had fully adhered to my hair and did not budge overnight. I reset my hair and checked the touch-up color. It appeared totally intact without need of any more application! This gathering was lunch al fresco pool side. The discussion established that the color at times looked a bit “orangey” (the dread of any blonde) and a little dry or matte. All agreed that the white roots were indeed covered but that it would be great if the “Pen” had a bit more shine. All the women agreed that they would use the product in a pinch.
Though of course I can’t know first-hand, maybe the brown shades come off better. For me, under direct sunlight, the color was too matte-looking right from the tube. There was no shine whatsoever within the pigment, which left hair looking almost as though it was covered with a little clay. I too noticed an orange cast within both of my two shades. Perhaps if I had taken the time to try mixing the two pen pigments, I may have arrived at a winning combination. But the goal is ease and alacrity, isn’t it?
I refuse to be a slave to my genetic defect! In a moment of dire hair need, I want to be able to brush on some touch-up, fluff my hair, and be on my way. In theory, Oscar Blandi’s Pen is something of a godsend and in shades of brunette, it might be just that. I must find out how many blonde shades there are and play with my options…but that’s another day and wishful thinking. Having written all I have- positive and not- the fact remains that in a pinch, I would not hesitate to “paint” my roots again, Oscar Blandi style!
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Ingredients in Neutral Brown:
Aqua, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Quaternium 90 Bentonite, Propylene Carbonate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Propylene Glycol, Kaolin, Talc, Stearic Acid, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Polysorbate 80, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Triethanolamine, Cetyl Alcohol, Disodium Edta, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Cellulose Gum. May Contain: Iron Oxides (Ci 77491,Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Fd&C Yellow 5 Al Lake (19140:1), Chromium Oxide Green (Ci 7288)
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Nice review. Do you think this pen would only work to cover gray? What about covering dark roots?
This touch-up pen should work wonders on roots- that’s what it was designed for! I’d imagine you need to find the perfect match for your hair color and make sure to apply plenty of product to ensure full coverage.