Permanent | Semi | Salon | Vegan | Synthetic
Top Permanent Hair Dye Brands
#1. Madison Reed
The Brand: Madison Reed is a high-quality brand of hair dye founded in 2013. They produce a wide range of naturally-colored hair dyes and there’s even a quiz on their website that helps you pick the perfect shade for you.
Need To Know: Madison Reed doesn’t use any harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates, and ammonia. They never test their products on animals. Their hair dyes miraculously cover gray hair while keeping your hair healthy.
#2. Hally
The Brand: Hally is an up-and-coming hair dye brand that created the unique Color Cloud foam hair dye. As Hally is a fairly new company, they are still working on adding colors to their collection.
Need To Know: Hally’s Color Cloud is ammonia-free as well as cruelty-free. The hair dye is permanent yet gentle enough to not cause tons of damage. Each shade is $25 and long-lasting.
#3. Clairol
The Brand: A very popular and easy-to-find hair brand is Clairol. Clairol has been named the #1 permanent root brand. You can find their products at most drug and department stores as well as online.
Need To Know: Clairol is incredibly affordable while also being high quality and highly recommended. They have hair dye and treatments not only for coloring, but touching up roots and covering gray hairs.
#4. RAW
The Brand: If you’re into bright, vibrant colors, RAW may be for you. RAW hair dye comes in many different colors sure to make you look uniquely fabulous.
Need To Know: A huge plus to this hair dye is that it comes premixed, so there’s no hassle with the developer. RAW hair dye also lasts up to 45 washes, so you’re in it for the long haul when you use this hair dye brand. That won’t be a problem, though, because their shades are absolutely stunning. They even come scented!
#5. Better Natured
The Brand: Despite being naturally derived, Better Natured hair dye brings amazingly powerful results. The brand is dedicated to bringing you clean and ethical hair dye options. Now you can change your hair color while keeping it healthy.
Need To Know: Better Natured hair dyes are all plant-based and safe for your hair. Not only do they offer hair dyes, but they also offer hair care products based on different hair needs. You can purchase a hair dye for $25 or you can subscribe and save.
Top Semi-Permanent Hair Dye Brands
#1. Arctic Fox
The Brand: Arctic Fox is well-known for having great products and being very affordable. Most of their hair dyes are colorful and unique.
Need To Know: Arctic Fox hair dyes are only $10.99 a bottle. While this is extremely affordable, Arctic Fox brings some of the highest-quality hair dyes to the table. They have plenty of gorgeous shades and even some that are UV-reactive! 15% of every purchase is also donated to prevent animal cruelty.
#2. Manic Panic
The Brand: Another awesome brand for bold and exotic hair color is Manic Panic. They have been around since 1977 and have gained many loyal customers.
Need To Know: Manic Panic stays in your hair for a good one to three months on average. They offer a lightening kit as they recommend you lighten your hair to a pale blonde before applying their colors. Manic Panic is easy-to-use and non-damaging.
#3. Good Dye Young
The Brand: Good Dye Young is a vibrant hair dye brand founded by the lead singer of Paramore, Hayley Williams. New shades are constantly being added to the product line so you have many options.
Need To Know: Good Dye Young hair dye contains no ammonia and is cruelty-free. They carry a wide range of unique colors that you can’t find with any other hair dye brand.
#4. Lime Crime
The Brand: Lime Crime is a beauty brand that sells hair dye along with makeup and other beauty products. Their products are both unique and adorable.
Need To Know: Lime Crime products aren’t too expensive with their hair dye costing about $17. They’re also very cute and come in creative packaging. Lime Crime is vegan, cruelty-free, and certified by PETA, the well-known animal rights group committed to preventing animal abuse.
#5. Lunar Tides
The Brand: Lunar Tides is a female-owned and operated hair dye brand that has over 40 shades of high-quality colors. Their hair dyes come in jars ready to be used and never cause damage to your hair.
Need To Know: Lunar Tides is unique for its space-themed hair dyes and hair dye bundles. Lunar Tides offers neon hair colors as well as split dye and ombre packs. You can order a 120-year-old dye for only $11.99!
Top Salon Hair Dye Brands
#1. Schwarzkopf
The Brand: Schwarzkopf is a 120-year-old haircare brand that also offers professional hair dyes. Schwarzkopf is one of the top three hair care brands and is used by stylists around the globe.
Need To Know: Schwarzkopf hair dyes can be found at more department and drug stores as well as beauty supply stores. Their dyes are specially formulated to cover grays and create beautiful-looking hair. Their brand uses sustainable packaging and actively works to recycle their packages.
#2. eSalon
The Brand: eSalon brings the salon to the comfort of your own home by personalizing your hair dye with the help of a professional and shipping it to you.
Need To Know: eSalon hair dye is another great choice for covering gray hairs. You can also purchase a subscription from eSalon so you always have hair dye delivered and ready to use when your roots start coming in or the previous dye fades.
#3. Paul Mitchell
The Brand: Paul Mitchell is used in many salons and for good reason. They create the ultimate professional hair care and hair dye products. They were also the first hair care company to be cruelty-free.
Need To Know: Paul Mitchell’s hair products are made especially for hairstylists. The products are of the highest quality and make the hair look healthier and more beautiful. Chances are, you can find a salon near you that uses Paul Mitchell products.
#4. L’Oreal
The Brand: You may have used L’Oreal shampoo and conditioner in your home, but did you know L’Oreal has a whole hair dye line dedicated to professional use? L’Oreal Professionnel offers hair dye, developer, lightener, root touch up, etc for use in salons.
Need To Know: Whether you’re wanting to color your hair or lighten it, L’Oreal products will do the job. Customers love L’Oreal because of how well it works and how long it stays.
#5. Wella Koleston Perfect
The Brand: Wella Koleston Perfect is a professional hair color brand that offers natural colors. According to Wella Professionals, a store that sells professional hair care products, a tube of Koleston Perfect is sold every second.
Need To Know: Koleston Perfect dyes fully cover grey hairs and prevent damage to the hair while coloring. Hair colored with Koleston Perfect ends up shiny, gorgeous, and healthy. The dyes are permanent, giving you plenty of time before needing a touch-up.
Top Vegan Hair Dye Brands:
#1. Punky Colour
The Brand: Punky Colour is a vegan hair dye brand from London. The brand focuses on exotic rainbow colors and does not test its products on animals. You can find their products on their official website as well as most beauty stores.
Need To Know: The average price of Punky Colour products is around $10, making it easy to achieve beautiful bright colors while being environmentally conscious. They offer permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary dye sprays in a large variety of bright colors.
#2. Aveda
The Brand: Aveda is an organic, vegan, and professional hair dye brand used in many salons. Aveda also owns many cosmetic schools called Aveda Institute where they use their products.
Need To Know: Even though Aveda is mostly made for professional use in salons, you can find its products in many stores. Their all-natural products are advertised as fade-resistant and stay for quite a while. They currently offer an incredible 65 shades.
#3. Splat
The Brand: Many consider Splat to be a classic in the vibrant hair dye world. The edgy hair dye brand brings forward affordable hair colors that look stunning. Splat has been around since 1991 and there are no signs of them fizzling out any time soon.
Need To Know: Many customers comment on the fact that Splat dye sticks around for a very long time. This is great if you’re looking to stick to one color for a while. Splat’s lightning kit will bring you to a light enough blonde to make any colors you put over it pop out.
#4. oVertone
The Brand: Another great vegan brand of hair color is oVertone. oVertone offers hair dye for everyone, even people with darker hair who cannot bleach it.
Need To Know: oVertone products don’t only cover your hair in a blanket of vivid colors, they also moisturize your hair and keep your hair feeling soft. If you’re struggling to pick one of their many color options, take their quiz and find out which color would be right for you.
#5. WaterWorks
The Brand: The brand, Water Works, is very different than most hair dye brands because it comes in powder form. This hair dye is activated by adding water and doesn’t contain ammonia.
Need To Know: Water Works claims to completely cover gray hairs and gently color your hair. They mostly offer natural colors, keeping the natural theme of the brand. This is a very cheap brand, with their products being between $4 to $6 on average.
Top Synthetic Hair Dye Brands
#1. Rit
The Brand: Rit dye is not made for hair, but fabric. This is a very popular option for dying synthetic hair and wigs. The dye brand has been around for over 100 years and has been used for a multitude of craft projects.
Need To Know: Rit dyes are non-toxic and safe to use. They’re also vegan and never tested on animals. The dye comes in liquid form, reducing the need to dilute it in water. This makes the dying process a million times easier.
#2. iDye Poly
The Brand: iDye Poly by Jacquard is used in another popular method of dying synthetic hair. Because iDye Poly is meant for dying anything synthetic, it works wonders on hair. It doesn’t make a mess because it comes in a convenient dissolvable packet.
Need To Know: There are 16 colors of this dye available. You can find the dyes at Walmart or your local craft stores.
#3. Sharpie
The Brand: This may seem like a funny one, but a lot of people such as cosplayers or wig enthusiasts use Sharpie markers to dye their wigs. It’s common sense. Sharpie markers are bold and permanent, so it gets the job done.
Need To Know: Sharpie markers are non-toxic and can be found pretty much everywhere. There are many colors to choose from and they’re super affordable considering they are markers.
#4. Dylon
The Brand: Dylon is another brand of fabric dye commonly used to dye synthetic wigs. Dylon dyes can be found in 19 different colors. Thankfully, these dyes are non-toxic so you don’t need to worry if you accidentally get some on your hands.
Need To Know: Dylon prices vary quite a bit depending on where you get them, but they are never very expensive. Dylon dyes can be found at JOANN’s, Walmart, and Amazon among other stores.
#5. Apple Barrel
The Brand: You may be wondering why an acrylic paint brand is under synthetic hair dye brands. This is because acrylic paint is another widely used method of dying synthetic hair and wigs.
Need To Know: The colors are always vivid, can be mixed with hundreds of other colors, and are easy to apply. You can find acrylic paint at every craft store or department store.
FAQs
What is the number 1 hair color? ›
Understanding Hair Colour Charts
The level system is made up of 10 numbers which help determine the depth level of your natural hair. 1 is black, 5 is light brown, 6 is dark blonde, 7 is blonde and 10 is the lightest blonde.
Our best overall pick is Biolage Haircolor, a henna dye that's free-from harmful chemicals including ammonia and PPD. We also love Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit, which is free of ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, PDD, phthalates, and gluten, plus the added benefit of being packed with hydrating ingredients.
Which hair color brand stays the longest? ›- Best Overall:REVLON Colorsilk Beautiful Color. ...
- Best Drugstore:Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme. ...
- Best For All Hair Types:L'Oreal Paris Feria Smokey Silver Multi-Faceted Shimmering Colour. ...
- Best For Blonde Hair:Schwarzkopf Got2b Selfie-Ready With Metallics.
When it comes to salon treatments, the best professional hair color line is Wella Illumina Permanent Creme Hair Color. Available in 36 shades, the colorist-recommended formula is gentle, versatile, and leaves hair oh-so-shiny.
What hair color brands do celebrities use? ›Aishwarya Rai Bachchan believes that the L'Oréal Paris Total Repair 5 shampoo is the solution to all her hair problems. Not only is it the go-to hair colour brand used by celebrities, it also offers a solution for all hair related woes.
What is the rarest hair color? ›Red is the rarest hair color, according to Dr. Kaplan, and that's because so few MC1R variants are associated with the shade. “Only three variants are associated with red hair,” she says. “If a person has two of these three variants, they almost certainly have red hair.
Is there a hair dye without chemicals? ›Sorry, hair dye without any chemicals is just not a thing (again, unless you're working with henna or straight-up plant juice). Dye will always require some chemical-based ingredients to help deposit pigment onto your hair.
What hair color is best for hiding GREY? ›Colors like butterscotch, light auburn and golden brown, or ash brown for those with a cool skin tone, are all versatile brunette shades that aren't too dark and are some of the best hair colors to hide gray.
Which hair dye fades the fastest? ›Red is at the top of the list of quick-fading hair colors. This is because red hair dye molecules are extremely large compared to those of other colors. Due to its large molecule size, red hair dye molecules are not able to penetrate the hair's cortex deep enough for a long-term change.
Is salon color better than the box? ›Are salon hair dyes better? Simply put, when it comes to salon color vs. box dye, it's always best to get your hair colored at the salon by a professional. Salon formulas better for your hair, and having a pro colorist apply it also ensures the best results.
Is ammonia-free hair dye better? ›
Safe meaning less damaging damaging to hair. “Yes, ammonia-free dye is less damaging” according to Randy Schueller, cosmetic chemist and writer of Beauty Brains.com which can be can be considered 'safer' than hair dye with ammonia. “High levels of ammonia are more damaging because of the higher pH” says Schueller.
Is Schwarzkopf hair dye good? ›What have the Schwarzkopf hair color reviews been saying? Mostly good things. At Influenster, we found that the product had received an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars. One 5-star review said that it worked wonderfully to both lighten and darken her hair.
Is Arctic fox hair dye good for your hair? ›Arctic Fox hair color will NOT damage your hair and has added conditioner, so leaving it on for longer will not hurt a thing.
Is there a safe hair coloring? ›Consider natural dyes, like henna. “Natural hair dye is safer” than chemical dyes, says Sonya Lunder, MPH, a senior analyst for the EWG.
Is there a box dye that doesn't damage hair? ›Botox Capilar Hair Professionals' favorite least-damaging box dye is Clairol Natural Instincts because it's a semi-permanent conditioning hair color with aloe and coconut oil. It has zero ammonia, and 80% of the ingredients are natural.
How often should you dye hair? ›Generally, it's safe to re-dye every 6 to 8 weeks. Permanent hair dye lightens the hair and deposits color.
What celebrities use in their hair? ›- Kérastase Elixir Ultime Oil Serum. ...
- ghd Curve 1.25" Soft Curl Iron. ...
- Bumble and Bumble Brilliantine. ...
- Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo. ...
- Olaplex Hair Perfector No. ...
- Virtue Create Lifting Powder. ...
- Shu Uemura Muroto Volume Lightweight Care Conditioner.
Include oiling and scalp massage once every week. Use ingredients like aloe vera, green tea, and olive oil to reverse the damage to the hair and help with frizziness, dullness, and hair fall. If you too want to sport a flawless red carpet look like a celebrity, choose a sea salt hair spray during styling.
How do celebrities have great hair? ›"While most stars need to be made up in hair and makeup most days, they spend their off days allowing their hair to soak up a hair mask ," she explains. These deep conditioners (like the OUAI Treatment Mask) are designed to combat the damage of constant heat styling and chemical damage.
What is the 2 rarest hair color? ›Blonde and red hair, the rarest hair colors in the world, are so rare because they are recessive traits that are easily “covered up” by a single dominant black or brown hair gene. It takes two parents that both carry a recessive blonde hair gene or mutated red hair gene to result in a child with blonde or red hair.
What are the top 5 rarest hair colours? ›
- Red hair – 1 to 2% Red-headed lady posing for a photo with her hand on the head. ...
- Blonde hair – 3% Blonde-haired woman standing between green plants. ...
- Brown hair – 11% Brown-haired lady posing for the camera. ...
- Black – 75 to 85%
Blue hair does not naturally occur in human hair pigmentation, although the hair of some animals (such as dog coats) is described as blue. Some humans are born with bluish-black hair (also known as "blue black" hair), which is black that has a blue hue under the light.
Can hair color affect your liver? ›Summary: Hair dye and smoking both increase the risk of progressive liver disease, suggests new research. Primary biliary cirrhosis, which is an early form of liver cirrhosis, is a long term progressive autoimmune disease, in which environmental factors are thought to play a part.
How can I make my hair darker without dye? ›- Coffee. You can darken your hair easily with coffee. ...
- Black Tea. Black tea also has a staining effect on hair that can darken it. ...
- Walnuts. Using walnuts—especially black walnuts—to dye hair works really well. ...
- Cocoa. ...
- Mustard Seed Oil. ...
- Sage. ...
- Amla Powder. ...
- Henna.
Henna. One of the most popular and gentle ways to treat gray hair is using henna powder. Henna is a powdered form of leaves which essentially helps to treat the gray hair when used every month. Henna comes with natural color pigmentation, thus, covering the gray roots easily.
What hair color makes you look younger? ›It's usually best to choose highlights which are no more than three shades lighter than your base hair color. If you're wondering which hair colors make you look younger, you might want to consider shades like caramel, honey-blonde, gold, coppery tones and strawberry blonde.
Should you go darker or lighter with hair color as you age? ›In fact, as we age, hair should lighten not darken - that is why nature does it for us with those annoying gray strands. Severe dark hair can cast shadows on your face emphasizing lines and wrinkles.
Is it better to go lighter or darker to cover gray hair? ›Expert colourists recommend a darker shade of dye for your roots and a lighter shade, that matches more or less your natural hair colour, for the rest of your hair. Start by applying the darker dye to the roots up until an inch or so down. Then, use the lighter shade for the rest of your hair.
What hair color is hardest to dye? ›First and definitely the hardest by far is GREY & SILVER!!!! This colour is definitely the trickiest on any level. This includes platinum or white, and any silvers or grey, even dark slate grey. For a start, its HARD to achieve as you have to get almost white blonde for any silver.
Why do salons wash your hair after coloring? ›The biggest reason for washing your hair post-coloring is because it helps to remove any excess color that may have been left on your strands, as well as to evenly distribute the color so that it looks natural and salon-fresh.
Are home hair dyes as good as salon? ›
For starters, the hair color offered in at-home varieties is of a lesser quality than those you find in salons. This is because they contain harsher, more concentrated chemicals and often skip out on the protective ingredients used in a salon setting.
What color makes hair look thicker? ›Brightened-up colors, such as golden blonde, can work wonders when applied to the money pieces around your face. Likewise, rich colors—like chestnut or caramel brown—can create a shadow effect throughout that feigns depth and thickness.
What is the safest hair color for thinning hair? ›Excellence Creme hair color by L'Oréal Paris is the hottest selling hair dye of 2022 that guarantees natural coverage and volume without hair damage. Definitely one of the safest hair dyes out there to avoid hair thinning and damage.
What hair color brands do celebrities use? ›Aishwarya Rai Bachchan believes that the L'Oréal Paris Total Repair 5 shampoo is the solution to all her hair problems. Not only is it the go-to hair colour brand used by celebrities, it also offers a solution for all hair related woes.
Which hair color is best for hair? ›- Garnier Color Naturals Creme Hair Color.
- L'Oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss.
- Bblunt Salon Secret Creme Hair Colour.
- Indus Valley Organically Natural Hair Color.
- Streax Ultralights Highlighting Kit.
- Biotique Bio Herbcolor.
- Just For Men Autostop Hair Color.
- Bigen Men's Speedy Color.
Consider natural dyes, like henna. “Natural hair dye is safer” than chemical dyes, says Sonya Lunder, MPH, a senior analyst for the EWG.
What celebrities use in their hair? ›- Kérastase Elixir Ultime Oil Serum. ...
- ghd Curve 1.25" Soft Curl Iron. ...
- Bumble and Bumble Brilliantine. ...
- Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo. ...
- Olaplex Hair Perfector No. ...
- Virtue Create Lifting Powder. ...
- Shu Uemura Muroto Volume Lightweight Care Conditioner.
- Keracolor Color + Clenditioner: $22. ...
- Madison Reed Color Reviving Gloss: $30. ...
- Kevin Murphy Blonde Angel Wash: $33. ...
- dpHue Root Touch-Up Kit: $32. ...
- L'Oréal Excellence Créme: $9.99. ...
- Garnier Olia: $10.49. ...
- Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme: $8.99. ...
- Kristin Ess Signature Hair Gloss: $14.
Include oiling and scalp massage once every week. Use ingredients like aloe vera, green tea, and olive oil to reverse the damage to the hair and help with frizziness, dullness, and hair fall. If you too want to sport a flawless red carpet look like a celebrity, choose a sea salt hair spray during styling.
What hair colour is in for 2022? ›“Next year will be all about warm tones and intense layers. Think pumpkin coppers, vanilla blondes, rich browns, like a chocolate cherry tone. There will be fewer high contrast colours and more blended highlight lowlight tones.
What is the trending hair color for 2022? ›
Red may be the biggest hair-color trend for fall, but it's no one-shade pony. Here, five ways to go crimson this season.
What hair color is best for hiding GREY? ›Colors like butterscotch, light auburn and golden brown, or ash brown for those with a cool skin tone, are all versatile brunette shades that aren't too dark and are some of the best hair colors to hide gray.
What hair colors make you look younger? ›It's usually best to choose highlights which are no more than three shades lighter than your base hair color. If you're wondering which hair colors make you look younger, you might want to consider shades like caramel, honey-blonde, gold, coppery tones and strawberry blonde.
Is Schwarzkopf hair dye good? ›Best Overall: Schwarzkopf Keratin Color Intense Caring Color
It smells great and is formulated with a keratin complex to keep your strands feeling more fortified and looking shinier than before. Reviewers especially love that there's no pungent odor or stinging when using this product.