Review (5/5): which is very nice, and the scent is subtle
I'm a hair dye junkie, and I've dyed my mohawk almost every color in the crayon box. I heard of Iroiro through an Instagram ad, touting its "all-natural" formula. Since I'm always game to try a new dye brand, I gave it a shot.
Pros:
1. Scent - It says "Yuzu-cranberry" on the packaging, but it smells closer to a fruit punch-bubblegum hybrid. Either way, no plasticy nor ammonia smell, which is very nice, and the scent is subtle.
2. Thinkness - This has a thick opaque cream consistency slightly thicker than Manic Panic or Jerome Russell Punky Colors. No drips nor runniness! This can be used in large-mouth dye bottles, but the bowl&brush method works best.
3. Longevity - My hair is thin and porous, thus dye fades to pastel usually within ten days (even with sulfate-free shampoo and every-other-day washing). Ten days after using this dye, my hair is still a nice royal purple with only slight fading. That surprised me.
4. Conditioning - This dye has coconut oil as a conditioner, so I was concerned it'd make my hair greasy. Nope! Hair came out soft and nicely conditioned with very little limpness.
5. Color Match - The sticker label on the front suggests Iro Violet is a royal purple with a hint of dark blue; I applied the dye to bleached (level 9) hair. The end result looked like the sticker color. So, no color shift here. It will appear slightly different on non-bleached hair, but that is expected.
Neutral:
1. Packaging - The pouch is quite light, plus it does not take up much shelf space when stored upright. So far, the tip does not clog. However, the cap is difficult to open at first, you can't put the dye back in the pouch once it is out (measure carefully!), and the instructions are in a very small print.
2. Heat Requirements - The instructions say that, for best results, heat should be used neat the end of the hair dying phase. I didn't use heat, but left the dye in slightly longer than the instructions. Have a blow dryer handy.
Cons:
1. Staining - This stuff is HIGHLY pigmented, so it will stain anything it touches. Wear gloves!!! Only Splat! stains worse than this dye. You need to cover work surfaces with plastic or else you'll have permanent purple spots everywhere. I even had issues removing staining from my skin, even with rubbing alcohol! It will also permanently stain pillowcases, clothes, towels, and bath mats. Also, I don't recommend rinsing in a tile or porcelain shower or sink because of high stainage; use a laundry sink, steel sink, bucket, or other slop sink area.
2. Rinsing - This stuff takes a bit of time and effort to rinse out, and you still will get dye-tinted water with every hair wash. This dye isn't as notorious to rinse out as Splat!, but it takes longer than Manic Panic or Punky Colors or Pravana.
3. Extra Equipment - This comes with just the dye pouch. You will need your own gloves, dye bowl, dye brush, clips, shower cap, and foils (if you are doing highlights).
Overall, this is an excellent dye for experienced hair dyers, but may be a bit tricky for dye rookies. For an all-natural hair dye, this was surprisingly great! I just bought Iro Pink and I hope it is as good as Iro Purple.