Ever since beauty became my full-time job, everyone has asked me one question: are luxury beauty products actually worth it? My answer (“It depends…”) is predictable, and usually met with disappointment from those expecting something more controversial. But it’s true! (She says, defensively.)
In my personal experience – disclaimer, disclaimer – the most impressive skincare results and long-lasting fragrances have come with heftier price tags. When it comes to haircare though, I’ll back high-street brands just as much as high-end.
Cue the launch of L’Oréal Paris’ new volume spray to prove my point. Paired with a root-boosting shampoo and conditioner duo, the Big Hair Day range is, frankly, the quick fix of all quick fixes, when it comes to maximising volume and lift in thin or fine hair.
Introducing the L'Oréal Paris Elvive Big Hair Day Refreshing Volume Spray
Obviously L’Oréal is advertising it much more eloquently than this, but IMO, this volume spray is a hero for low-maintenance and lazy girls (like yours truly). As a “dry shampoo and volumiser hybrid” designed for all hair types but especially those with flat hair, it aims to absorb oil from the scalp while delivering a visible lift – supposedly in just three seconds.
Big claims, coupled with a price point that feels too good to be true – it usually retails for £13 but is currently on sale at Boots for a dreamy £6.50 – believe me when I say I went full detective mode.
First impressions
While scent isn’t the point of a volume spray, for me, it’s a big factor to consider when I’m trying new styling products. As mentioned above, I’m a fragrance fiend, but I don’t generally like my hair to be the focus. At first spritz, the Big Hair Day spray gave off noticeable floral notes; I wasn’t a fan as it was reminiscent of (though no more offensive than) your typical drugstore dry shampoo.
As per the bottle’s instructions, I applied it in sections on dry hair, directly into the roots, then massaged the product into my scalp. The brand highlights the “tri-dispenser applicator”, which in practice meant I could distribute the product evenly across my head. This was a massive tick in the ‘yes’ box because it helped to avoid the white residue other sprays often leave on my coloured hair. Actually, my roots felt super fresh and non-sticky, even after applying generously.
The results
The above photos – which show the instant difference in volume – speak for themselves, but what kind of journalist would I be if I didn’t elaborate? Body isn’t my hair’s strong suit, but seriously after about three to five seconds (I stood there and counted), my roots looked visibly fuller, as if they were freshly styled. The formula uses a next-gen biomimetic collagen peptide technology to enhance texture by wrapping the hair fibre, so these results were to be expected.
One downside was that the lift didn’t fare well throughout the day. After around the three hour mark, my hair had lost that salon-worthy ‘oomph’, but after reapplying? It was soon back in business. So, it’s worth noting that if you’re someone who won’t have the time or opportunity for a top-up every so often, you might be disappointed.
Seeing as I’d conducted this experiment on two-day-old hair and I’m an oily scalp girl, I wasn't expecting to be overwhelmed by the dry shampoo element in the product – even though L’Oréal claims that the volume spray can leave hair feeling clean for up to 48 hours. But, while I wouldn’t necessarily agree with my hair ‘feeling’ clean after so long (especially since I had to reapply regularly, so naturally the build-up of product meant a little crunchiness), if it was ‘looking’ clean? Absolutely. To my delight, this was a grease-free zone.
The verdict
Being nothing short of a huge bargain, the Big Hair Day Volume Spray had me singing its praises. And as someone who has grown accustomed to the likes of K18's AstroLift and Color Wow's Raise The Root when it comes to root sprays, ‘impressed’ is an understatement.
If you’re looking for long-lasting results and have a little more cash to splash, go for those icons. But for £6.50? This is a seriously worthy purchase.
L'Oréal Paris Elvive Collagen + Lifter Big Hair Day Refreshing Volume Spray
Beauty Assistant Urmi works across Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper's Bazaar, Red and Prima.
She fell into the world of beauty following a Masters in Magazine Journalism, and has been knee-deep in maximalist makeup, seasonal nail trends, and skincare myth-busting ever since. Both in and outside the office, she is best recognised by her signature red hair and elaborate set of acrylics.
