Beauty Loreal Preference 7.1 Guide: Application, Shades and FAQ
An educational guide from the Beauty AMZ research team. No hard sell, just what you need to know.
How Permanent Hair Color Works
Permanent hair color like Superior Preference works in two simultaneous actions: it lifts your natural pigment and deposits artificial color. An alkaline agent, usually ammonia or an ammonia substitute, opens the hair cuticle so the dye precursors can penetrate, while peroxide develops the color and lightens the natural melanin. This is why permanent color can go lighter than your starting shade, up to about two levels, and why it covers gray completely: the artificial pigment is locked inside the hair shaft rather than sitting on top. The trade-off is commitment and potential damage, since the cuticle-opening process is inherently stressful to hair. Understanding this chemistry explains the key rules: do not overlap onto previously colored lengths unnecessarily, respect processing times, and condition well afterward to reseal the cuticle.
Reading Shade Numbers Like a Colorist
The international numbering system is worth learning because it removes guesswork across brands. The first number is depth from 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde); the numbers after the dot or letters are reflects, the tones added to the base. A .1 or A means ash (cool, anti-warmth), .3 or G means gold, .0 or N means natural. So 7.1 reads as dark blonde plus ash, instantly telling you it is a cool-toned dark blonde for fighting brassiness. Box swatches show the result on a standardized starting color, usually light brown, which is why your result varies with your starting point. Once you can read the numbers, you can predict how any shade will behave on your hair and avoid the common mistake of choosing by the pretty picture alone.
The Two Tests You Must Not Skip
The allergy alert test and the strand test serve different critical purposes. The allergy test, done 48 hours before every application, checks for reactions to PPD and related dyes: mix a tiny amount of color as directed, apply behind the ear or inside the elbow, and monitor for redness, itching, burning, or swelling. Sensitization can develop suddenly even after years of trouble-free coloring, so every application means every test. The strand test predicts your color result: apply mixed color to a small hidden section, process for the full time, rinse, and dry to see the true outcome on your hair. Porous ends, previous color, and henna can all shift the result, and discovering that on a hidden strand beats discovering it on your whole head.
Sectioning and Saturation Technique
Patchy at-home color almost always traces back to poor sectioning, not a bad formula. Work on dry, unwashed hair, since natural oils protect the scalp and slightly dirty hair takes color more evenly than freshly washed hair. Divide hair into four quadrants with clips and apply to one quadrant at a time, using the bottle nozzle or a tint brush to work color from roots to ends in thin subsections. Each strand should look fully coated and slightly heavy with product; skimping leaves missed patches that show as your natural color peeking through. Start application where coverage matters most, the temples, part line, and any resistant gray, and begin timing only once the whole head is saturated. Keep the bathroom warm, since cold slows processing.
Timing, Rinsing, and the Included Conditioner
Processing time is calibrated to the formula's chemistry, and improvising usually backfires. Leaving color on longer than directed does not make it lighter; it increases damage and can push ash tones too cool or dull. Setting a timer matters because it is easy to lose track once the color is on. When time is up, rinse with lukewarm water, not hot, until the water runs completely clear, which takes longer than most people expect. Then apply the conditioner included in the box and leave it for the directed time: this is not a generic conditioner but a post-color treatment with a lower pH that seals the cuticle and locks in tone. Skipping it or substituting a random conditioner leaves the cuticle open and the color fades faster.
Maintaining Ash Blonde Between Colorings
The weeks after coloring determine how long your 7.1 looks fresh. Wash hair as infrequently as your scalp allows, since every wash fades tone; dry shampoo at the roots extends the interval. Use sulfate-free, color-safe shampoo and always follow with conditioner, because the cuticle needs to stay sealed. Once a week, swap your regular shampoo for a purple shampoo, leaving it on for a few minutes to neutralize the yellow and orange tones that emerge as the ash fades. Protect hair from sun with a hat or UV spray, since UV is a major fade accelerator, and from chlorine, which can turn ash tones greenish; wet hair with clean water and apply conditioner before swimming to limit absorption. With this routine, the cool tone holds noticeably longer.
Recommended Products
These are the products our research team rates highest in this category.
Best for: Trying the 7.1 ash blonde shade with a single box
L'Oreal Paris Superior Preference 7A Dark Ash Blonde Hair Color
- 7A Dark Ash Blonde is the US name for international shade 7.1
- Permanent fade-defying color with full gray coverage
- Includes conditioning treatment to seal in tone
- Ideal for dark blonde to light brown starting hair
Pros
- Cool ash reflect neutralizes brassiness
- Long-standing trusted drugstore formula
- Single box perfect for strand test and first application
Cons
- Only one box, long thick hair needs two
- Ash can grab too cool on porous ends
- Requires allergy test 48 hours before use
Best for: Regular root touch-ups at a lower per-box price
L'Oreal Paris Superior Preference 7A Dark Ash Blonde, 2-Pack
- Two boxes of 7A Dark Ash Blonde (= 7.1)
- Same permanent fade-defying formula as the single box
- Lower per-box cost than buying singles
- Unopened boxes store well for future applications
Pros
- Better value for committed 7.1 wearers
- Two applications covered for short to medium hair
- Consistent shade across applications
Cons
- Commitment before trying the shade
- Overkill if you color infrequently
- Both boxes share one shade, no variety
Best for: Maximum value for long hair or frequent coloring
L'Oreal Paris Superior Preference Level 7 Hair Color, 3-Pack
- Three boxes in the level 7 dark blonde family
- Permanent color with full gray coverage
- Best per-box price of the three listings
- Covers long or thick hair across applications
Pros
- Lowest per-box cost
- Enough product for long hair applications
- Long shelf life unopened
Cons
- Highest upfront commitment
- Verify the exact shade matches 7A before buying
- Not for first-time shade experiments
Ready to Choose?
See our top product picks for loreal preference 7.1, or jump straight to the head-to-head comparison of the two most popular options.