XP100 Hair Colour Review: A Salon Owner's Complete Guide

XP100 is a permanent hair colour range that we used in the salon for years when we were first starting out. We stocked almost the entire range, used it on hundreds of clients, and got to know it inside and out. This is an honest review based on that experience: what XP100 actually is, how it performs in real salon use, how to mix it, and who it is right for.

We eventually transitioned to a different colour range as our salon evolved, but XP100 was a genuinely solid range that served us well for a long time, and we still stock it alongside our other professional colours. If you are considering it, here is everything we would want you to know.

What is XP100?

XP100 Intense Radiance is a permanent professional hair colour from XP. It comes in 100ml tubes, covers a very broad shade range including naturals, warm and cool tones, reds, mix correctors, and high lift blondes, and is designed to be mixed 1:1 with XP's own cream developer for application.

XP positions itself as a professional colour range at an accessible price point, which is essentially what made it attractive to us in the early years of the salon. You are getting a proper professional cream colour, the kind you would use on a paying client, without paying the premium that some of the bigger industry names command.

What we actually thought of XP100

The short version: we were impressed. The longer version breaks down into a few things that stood out to us across years of using it.

Really good grey coverage

This was the thing that surprised us most initially. Grey coverage is one of the hardest things for a colour range to get right, and it is typically where cheaper ranges let themselves down. XP100 consistently covered greys well, including the stubborn wiry greys that give a lot of colours trouble. We rarely had to go back in or pre-soften, which for a working salon saves real time on every client.

Brilliant shade range

The breadth of the XP100 range was one of its biggest strengths. You could confidently service a full client base without constantly running out of options. The naturals were reliable, the reds had proper vibrancy, the cool tones did not pull muddy, and the mix shades (blue, violet, red intensifiers) let you correct and customise as needed. For a salon, having a colour range where you can handle almost any appointment from one box is a big practical advantage.

Application consistency

XP100 brushed on very well. The cream had a proper professional consistency, not too thin and not claggy, which makes a real difference over a full day of appointments. It stayed where you put it, did not drip down the neck, and did not dry out on the strand before you had finished sectioning. These sound like small things but they are the difference between a colour range that makes your job easier and one that makes it harder.

Honest value

XP100 sits at a price point that is realistic for salons on tight margins or those just starting out. That value was a significant part of why we chose it in the early years, and it is still one of the main reasons people buy it today.

How to use XP100

XP100 is mixed 1:1 with XP Cream Developer. That means equal parts colour and developer by volume. For a full 100ml tube of XP100, you would use 100ml of developer.

Choice of developer depends entirely on what you are trying to achieve, which is where a lot of people either get this right or get this wrong. XP produces its Cream Developer in several different strengths, and picking the correct one matters far more than most people realise.

XP Cream Developer: which strength to use when

The XP Cream Developer is one of our most popular professional developers and available in multiple strengths. Each one does a different job:

6 Volume (1.9%). Very low lift, used primarily for darkening or depositing tone onto hair that is already at the right level. Not commonly used.

10 Volume (3%). No lift, pure tone-on-tone deposit. Use this when you want to refresh mid-lengths and ends without lifting the base, or when working with demi-permanent applications.

13 Volume (4%). A middle ground between tone-on-tone and standard lifting. Used occasionally for specific correction work.

20 Volume (6%). This is the workhorse and by far the most commonly used strength. It gives one to two levels of lift, which covers the majority of colour-on-colour applications, root regrowth, and grey coverage. When in doubt, this is usually the right answer.

30 Volume (9%). Two to three levels of lift, used when you are going meaningfully lighter than the natural base.

40 Volume (12%). High lift, four or more levels. Used for high lift blondes where you want to lighten significantly in one application. Needs care and proper porosity assessment before use.

The 1 litre bottles of XP Cream Developer come in at £12.49 and last a reasonable amount of time in a working salon. Sizing down to smaller bottles is also possible if you are home colouring or do not get through volume quickly.

Processing times and application

XP100's standard processing time is 35 minutes, which is fairly typical for permanent colour. The specific shade, the strength of developer, the porosity of the hair, and whether you are covering grey all influence the exact timing, so you should always check the individual shade chart guidance for the colour you are using.

For grey coverage specifically, we always pushed processing to the full time regardless of what the shade chart suggested as a minimum. Wiry greys in particular benefit from the extra time, and the colour holds better when you do not rush it.

The XP100 shade range

XP100 covers the full professional colour spectrum. The numbering follows the standard industry convention where the first number is the level (1 is black, 10 is lightest blonde) and the numbers after the decimal indicate tones (for example, .0 is natural, .3 is gold, .4 is copper, .6 is red, .1 is ash, .2 is violet).

Within the range you will find:

Naturals. The core workhorse shades. These are what most colourists reach for most often.

Warm tones. Golds, coppers, warm browns, and reds. The XP100 reds in particular have good saturation and hold well.

Cool tones. Ash and violet-based shades for cooler looks and for neutralising unwanted warmth.

Mix shades. Pure pigment correctors including Mix Blue and Mix Violet. These are used in small amounts to intensify cool tones, neutralise warmth, or shift shades toward a specific direction. Every colourist ends up using these more than they expected to.

High lift blondes. Designed for lifting and depositing cool blonde tones in a single application on virgin hair.

You can browse the full XP100 Intense Radiance permanent hair colour range including all shades, or start with the full XP collection for both the colour and the developer.

Who XP100 is right for

Based on our experience, XP100 works well for a few specific groups:

New or growing salons. If you are early in your business and managing tight margins, XP100 gives you a proper professional colour at a price you can actually work with. It is genuinely salon quality, just without the premium brand pricing.

Salons that do a lot of grey coverage. This was our biggest positive with XP100 and the reason it stuck around in our range for so long. If your client base skews toward regular grey coverage appointments, it is a reliable choice.

Colourists who value a broad shade range. Some cheaper ranges save money by trimming the shade selection. XP100 does not. You get a proper full range, which matters when you are working across a diverse client base.

Home colourists with appropriate training. XP100 is a professional product and requires a proper skin test 48 hours before use, but if you have the experience to use professional colour at home safely, it is a reasonable option. As with any professional colour, always patch test, follow the instructions carefully, and do not cut corners on timing or mixing ratios.

Our honest overall take

We used XP100 for years and it served us well. The combination of reliable grey coverage, broad shade range, good application consistency, and realistic pricing made it a sensible choice for where our salon was at the time. We eventually transitioned to a different colour range as our salon evolved and our direction changed, but that was more about where we were heading than any significant problem with XP100 itself.

If you are considering it, the main question is whether it suits your specific priorities. For grey coverage and budget-conscious salon work it is a strong option. For highly specialised creative colour work or very specific brand loyalty situations, you might want to explore other ranges alongside it. We still stock XP100 today because it genuinely works for the people buying it.

Shop XP100 at Revive Hair Artists

We stock the full XP range including XP100 Intense Radiance permanent hair colour in 100ml tubes and XP Cream Developer in 1 litre bottles across all volume strengths. Free UK delivery on all orders.

• XP100 Intense Radiance Permanent Hair Colour 100ml
• XP100 Mix Blue 100ml
• XP100 Mix Violet 100ml
• XP Cream Developer 6% 20 Vol 1 Litre (£12.49)

Frequently asked questions

What is the mixing ratio for XP100?

XP100 is mixed 1:1 with XP Cream Developer. That means equal parts colour and developer by volume. For a full 100ml tube of XP100 Intense Radiance, you use 100ml of developer.

What developer should I use with XP100?

XP Cream Developer, which is the developer XP produces specifically for its colour ranges. For most colour-on-colour work and grey coverage, 6% (20 volume) is the standard choice. Use 3% (10 volume) for tone-on-tone deposit with no lift, 9% (30 volume) for two to three levels of lift, and 12% (40 volume) for high lift blondes requiring four or more levels.

Is XP100 good for covering grey hair?

Yes, in our salon experience XP100 covered greys consistently well, including the more stubborn wiry greys that give other colour ranges trouble. Using 6% (20 volume) developer and giving it the full 35 minute processing time gave us the most reliable results.

Is XP100 a professional hair colour?

Yes. XP100 Intense Radiance is a professional permanent hair colour designed for salon use. It requires proper mixing with XP Cream Developer, a skin test 48 hours before use, and the same care and expertise as any other professional colour product.

How long do you leave XP100 on the hair?

Standard processing time for XP100 is 35 minutes, though this can vary based on the specific shade, hair porosity, and whether you are covering grey. Always check the individual shade chart guidance for the colour you are using, and never cut processing short on grey coverage.

What size does XP100 come in?

XP100 Intense Radiance permanent hair colour comes in 100ml tubes. This is the standard tube size for professional cream colour and typically gives enough product for a full application on medium length hair.

Can I use XP100 at home?

XP100 is a professional hair colour and sold for use by trained colourists. It can be used at home if you have the experience to apply professional colour safely, but you must carry out a skin test 48 hours before every application, follow mixing ratios exactly, and observe correct processing times. If you are not confident, we would always recommend booking a salon appointment instead.

What is the difference between XP100 Intense Radiance and XP100 Light Radiance?

XP100 Intense Radiance is the permanent hair colour range with full lift and lasting deposit. XP100 Light Radiance is the demi-permanent range, designed for tone-on-tone work, gloss applications, and colour that gradually fades. Both use the same XP Cream Developer but at different strengths.

Is XP100 ammonia-free?

XP100 Intense Radiance is a traditional permanent colour that uses the standard alkaline system most professional permanent colours use. If ammonia content is a specific concern for you, check the individual product ingredient list on the tube you are buying, as formulations do vary across the range.

More from our salon review series

If you found this guide useful, we have honest reviews of other professional brands we stock and use: our take on Osmo, our review of whether Olaplex is worth it, and our honest take on the SHED hair product range.

Free UK delivery on all orders from Revive Hair Artists in Codsall.