I don't have a lot of experience dying my own hair. So I found this process quite daunting (with little time to go back and double check I'm doing everything right). Despite the difficulty the end result was worth it, soft hair in gorgeous tones.
I've only got one other brand to personally compare this too and there are a few start contrasts for me. The L'Oreal Casting Cream dye isn't as user friendly for self-application, whereas if you have a friend involved then difficulty of application isn't a concern. I wouldn't apply this product to myself if I didn't have a helping hand as it was harder to ensure I got even coverage.
I did get the impression that L'Oreal included more product than other companies, granted this is a hard comparison to make. But I'm a gal that always needs at least twice the amount of dye because of how big my mane is, and L'Oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss went MUCH further before I had to break into the 2nd box.
In terms of the colours available I would definitely say this brand excels in brunette tones with much more selection available and overall the tones just seem more desirable. The range of blonde tones seems far more limited with tones that aren't as common as what you see around these days.
This was my first time using a hair colorant of any sort and I have to say - it was exciting! Since I have natural black hair it was a bit hard to see under normal light but outside in the sun you could def see the shine of the Honey streaks come through! I was impressed that the colour didn't wash out after a few washes because I think that's what every girl with dyed hair is afraid of. I'm looking forward to try a different colour in the future :)
Tips: Nope, but application can get messy without tight fitting gloves!