Do Color Wow’s haircare products really work? We found out

We love a good multitasking product and the money mist truly surprised us with the functions it has. Not only does it detangle knotted strands but it also helps to defrizz, add moisture back into the hair, perk up day two or day three hair and add heat and UV protection. The mist itself is nice and fine and makes styling much easier, whether you plan on letting your hair dry naturally or are drying, straightening or curling it with heated appliances.

You only really need three or four squirts of the mist, depending on the length of your hair and it leaves tresses looking and feeling much softer and shinier. It also smells incredible. If we could only buy one Color Wow product, it would be this one.

Now, there’s a reason why so many people have been raving about the dream coat anti-humidity hair spray. And after just one use we were blown away by the results. But it is worth noting that this product has to be heat-activated. This means that if you are used to letting your hair air dry naturally, you won’t get the desired effect.

All you have to do is apply this liberally to damp hair before either blow drying with tension, like a hairdresser would do, or you can rough dry your hair and then go in with a pair of hair straighteners. The result is some of the sleekest and shiniest hair you’ll have seen. So, if you struggle with frizz or find that your hair immediately reacts at the slightest bit of humidity, this is the one Color Wow product you need to try.

While the brand has expanded the range to include a dream coat for curly hair £27, Marksandspencer.com) and an extra strength dream coat (£32, Lookfantastic.com), we definitely prefer the results from the original version and would recommend trying that first and foremost.

Whether you have dry or dehydrated hair or damaged hair, or you are looking to give your locks a bit of TLC, this nourishing hair mask works wonders. This is another must-try if you’re looking to achieve shiny, sleek hair.

Despite having a gel consistency, it is easy to apply and you only really need a small amount to cover the hair. If you’re in a rush you can leave the hair mask on for as little as three minutes and still see and feel a difference. But we personally liked to leave it on for around 15 minutes for a more intensive treatment once every other week. However, it is worth noting that this is not a leave-on treatment and should be washed off, as leaving it on could leave the hair feeling weighed down or rather slimy.

If you happen to live in an area of the country with hard water, you might have noticed that your hair can look and feel dull or like it’s never fully clean. If that sounds like you, you might want to give the dream filter product a try. We tested this after having last washed our hair in hard water and felt an immediate difference after using it just once.

Before you go to shampoo your hair, you’ll first want to saturate your hair in this and leave it around three to five minutes before you step into the shower or start washing your locks. It is important to note that this can also strip some dye out of the hair if you have just had your hair coloured. To stop this from happening, you will need to wait at least five to seven shampoos before using it. However, solely for what it can do for those living in a hard water area, it is well worth trying.

For those with curly, wavy or coily hair, Color Wow has a dedicated curl range. But the standout product from it has to be their coco-motion lubricating conditioner. As someone who has put a lot of curl conditioners and creams to the test over the years, we were most impressed by how lightweight and almost invisible it feels on the hair. But at the same time, it deeply nourishes curls, making them look much more pronounced and defined. And there was a marked reduction in the amount of frizz on the curls too.

This is another product that shouldn’t be left in the hair and should be rinsed out, but you can leave it on for up to five minutes (or a bit more) to give your locks a deeper treatment. We found that applying it and combing it through the hair with a wide-tooth comb worked best. You can also choose how you style your curls after, whether that be with a diffuser or by air drying.

While this shampoo is suitable for all hair types, it is particularly effective on oily or greasy hair. This is because it leaves zero residue and helps to wash away any build-up. So, if you have noticed that your hair and your roots are looking and feeling particularly oily, greasy or laden with product, this shampoo essentially gives you a blank slate to start from when it comes to your hair.

It lathers up nicely and you can see and feel a noticeable difference in both your scalp and roots after using it. Owing to the fact it is sulfate-free, it also feels gentle on the scalp, which makes it particularly great if the skin is sensitive or irritable. What’s more, as the name of the product indicates, it helps to prevent colour fade on colour-treated hair for up to 30 washes, according to the brand.

Whether you have especially fine or thin hair or are looking to amp up the volume for a special occasion, this also works well on dry, dehydrated, more fragile or colour-treated hair. Applied directly to the roots, this gives some serious lift. We would recommend using it in tandem with a hair dryer, rather than allowing the hair to air dry naturally, as it doesn’t quite have the same effect when the hair isn’t dried with tension.

Compared to traditional foams and mousses, this has a more frothy feel, meaning it didn’t leave the hair feeling crunchy or dried out. Part of the reason for this might be because doesn’t include any salt, alcohol or drying resins, which can have an adverse effect on the hair when trying to add volume to it. However, this frothy consistency can feel a little sticky as you dispense it onto your hands or directly onto your hair, which could be off-putting for some.

This product did take a few uses to judge the right amount of product to apply, even when following the instructions on the bottle – the brand-recommended three pumps made our locks feel greasy and laden with product. And be sure to keep the product away from the roots, for the same reason. Ideally, applying it around halfway down the head to the tips of the hair worked best.

While we didn’t notice a significant difference in any split ends or breakage, it did leave the hair feeling softer. As with other products within Color Wow’s line-up, you do need to apply heat to the hair to activate this treatment, rather than simply leaving your hair to air dry. But it does include a heat protectant, so there’s no need to worry about applying an additional product before doing so.

As someone with dry, frizzy hair, this lightweight coconut-infused treatment made an immediate difference to the look and feel of the hair. So, if your hair has ever had an almost straw-like quality to it, this would be the product to pick up from the range. Much like the other Color Wow leave-in treatments, this is heat activated and after using it a number of times, our hair felt thicker, which gave it an even healthier appearance.

Not only does it smell great – thanks to the topical coconut aroma – but it leaves the hair looking and feeling so incredibly silky and soft. We also noticed that it effectively dealt with frizz, making it another great option for those struggling with that particular hair issue.

Whether you’re looking to cover your natural roots, even if it’s that bit darker than the rest of your hair, or you want to cover pesky grey or white hairs, this product is a great quick fix.

While there are eight shades to choose from, it might not work for every hair colour, whether that be natural or coloured. However, we did find that it worked well to cover visible parts of the scalp and areas of thinning, as well as covering premature greys.

The twin-sided brush allows you to be precise with your application, but you do have to be careful to press the powder into the roots, instead of brushing it on, as you won’t get the same level of coverage.

It might take a bit of trial and error to get used to it, so we would recommend trying it out in advance of any important events.