Yay! A product, wait, an entire line created specifically for brunettes! Yes, I am a brunette and this is exciting. Somehow, to me it sometimes seemed like there are more hair products out there for blondes than for brunettes (you know, those blond hair products that leave hair glowing without having to step into a salon). I imagined salons were created for brunettes, as I was unaware of any DIY brunette hair product that left hair with a beautiful glow just from spending time in the sun. 

John Frieda is changing that, though. And not with products that require an hour to process in your hair or elaborate do-it-yourself hair systems consisting of five different products to revitalize hair color at home. Nope. Just a shampoo and conditioner.

John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Line Explained

Woman with brunette hair.

The John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Line includes seven hair care products designed for brunettes: 

• Visibly brighter subtle lightening conditioner
• Visibly brighter subtle lightening shampoo
• Multi tone revealing moisturizing conditioner
• Visibly deeper color deepening conditioner
• Visibly deeper color deepening shampoo 
• Multi tone revealing moisturizing shampoo
• Visibly deeper color deepening treatment 

The shampoos and conditioners are formulated with conditioning agents to leave hair soft and smooth while subtly lightening or deepening brunette color. These products won’t deliver dramatic color; for that you’ll need to get your hair dyed or bleached. However, they are great if you’re after that natural looking shine or glow without doing damage to your hair. Plus, you save a trip to the salon and the money you’d spend on dying or bleaching your hair.

Brilliant Brunette Shampoo And Conditioner Ingredients Breakdown

Let’s take a glance at the Brilliant Brunette shampoo and conditioner ingredients breakdown. It looks something like this:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Cetyl Esters, Dipropylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Fragrance, Lactic Acid, Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone, Caramel, Quaternium-91, Disodium Edta, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Steartrimonium Chloride, Glycine, Glycerin, Malic Acid, Pearl Powder, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Stearoxypropyl Dimethylamine, C14-28 Isoalkyl Acid, C14-28 Alkyl Acid, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

I won’t delve into every ingredient listed above (the list is long!), but here are the functions of several of the ingredients:

• Cetearyl Alcohol is a thickening agent used in cosmetics.
• Dipropylene Glycol is used in cosmetics as a solvent, masking agent, fragrance, or to control the viscosity of a formula.
• Lactic Acid adjusts PH in hair products and slightly increases moisture content in hair.
• Caramel gives cosmetic products a brown color.
• Disodium Edta binds with heavy metal ions contained in tap water, inactivating them. It works as a preservative, stabilizer, and foaming and cleaning agent.
• Glycine is a natural occurring amino acid that conditions hair and prevents static.

Brilliant Brunette Shampoo And Conditioner Review

One shade lighter or darker can make a real difference.

I always find it fun to try shampoos and conditioners that offer extra benefits, beyond cleansing your hair and leaving it soft and smooth. As I mentioned, the Brilliant Brunette line includes shampoos and conditioners that subtly lighten hair or deepen the brunette color. You can use the products on natural or color-treated hair. Each product is formulated with slightly different ingredients, depending on its purpose. The products smell nice, which is a big plus.

Brilliant Brunette Subtle Lightening Shampoo And Conditioner

Brilliant Brunette Subtle Lightening Shampoo and Conditioner.

The Brilliant Brunette Subtle Lightening Shampoo and Conditioner are formulated with honey and marigold extract. The shampoo and conditioner won’t deliver dramatic highlights; it lightens hair slightly. It’s great for oily hair but might leave regular or dry hair frizzy. Also, it might not have a noticeable lightening effect on dark brunettes.

Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Color Deepening Treatment

Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Color Deepening Treatment.

The Visibly Deeper Color Deepening Treatment “conditions and temporarily darkens brunette color up to 1 shade with just one five-minute application” according to John Frieda’s product description. John Frieda recommends washing your hair with the Visibly Deeper Color Deepening Shampoo before applying the Color Deepening Treatment (I imagine the treatment also works as a conditioner; you probably don’t need to use the Visibly Deeper Color Deepening Conditioner if you are applying the Color Deepening Treatment). Massage the treatment evenly through your hair and leave on for 5 minutes (or 10 minutes for a deeper color). The color lasts temporarily, so if you like the results keep using it!

Brilliant Brunette Multi Tone Revealing Shampoo And Conditioner

Brilliant Brunette Multi Tone Revealing Shampoo and Conditioner.

The Brilliant Brunette Multi Tone Revealing Shampoo and Conditioner are formulated with crushed pearls and sweet almond oil. The multi tone revealing shampoo and conditioner “unlock vibrant curls and protect color from fading” according to the John Frieda product description. Does it work? Yes. Apparently, it does improve brunette color and prevent dullness. As always, your personal hair mileage may vary, not the least due to the fact that other factors are involved.

Conclusion

All in all, John Frieda’s Brilliant Brunette line seems like it’s worth a try to revitalize brown hair that has gone a little dull, and to add that extra glow or rich sheen. Definitely a good alternative to bleaching or dying hair. It’s healthier for hair (adds color while conditioning hair) and more economical than coloring hair at the salon. 

Remember to patch test the product you are using on your hair in case it causes skin irritation or dries out your hair. The good thing about the Brilliant Brunette shampoos and conditioners is that they only leave a natural-looking, temporary color, so you don’t have to worry about being stuck with color that you aren’t happy with.

Frieda opened his first salon in 1976, and since then his company has been in the business of helping hair look its best. It doesn’t necessarily take expensive products or multiple salon visits to get the hair you want. Those things have their place, of course, but if you’re in the market for brunette hair care products for home use – you ought to give Frieda’s line a try. Sometimes, all you need is a solid shampoo and conditioner to keep your locks looking great.