If you want to avoid costly salon touch-ups, opt for semi- or demi-permanent shades that gradually fade over time. According to Lemoine, ensure your color matches with your skin tone by looking at vein color – blue or purple veins indicate cool undertones).
Experts advise using four shades closer to your natural shade for more subtle, less obvious results and forgiving regrowth lines. We consulted pro colorists George Papanikolas and Tracey Cunningham about affordable at-home hair dye options that won’t break the bank.
1. L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche
Boxed hair dyes provide an effective, cost-efficient, and less damaging way of altering your appearance quickly, affordably, and with minimal damage. Top-rated kits today come with various shades as well as conditioning formulas and nourishment ingredients; plus many can cover stubborn grays more effectively while resisting fading better than ever.
This ammonia-free formula earned high praise during testing at GH Beauty Lab, earning near the top spot for ease of use and effectiveness at concealing grays. Testers reported it left their hair feeling soft, shiny, and nourished – qualities highly sought-after by our testers!
Permanent and ammonia-free dye won our highest overall score during GH’s most recent tests, providing vibrant and long-lasting color that lasts. Plus, its formula includes nourishing oils to maintain strong locks.
2. Clairol Natural Instincts
If you’re searching for a boxed hair color without harmful chemicals, try Clairol’s Nice ‘n Easy line. This formula contains no PPD, parabens, phthalates or SLS; instead it features shea butter and other conditioning agents to keep your strands hydrated and keep color lasting longer.
Demi-permanent dyes offer an easy way to experiment with bold hues like Gen Z green or fire engine red. While the effects may not last for as long, but should last through several shampoos before needing another application.
This henna-based boxed hair color contains no ammonia, PPD or resorcinol and features an exclusive blend of coconut and shea oils for healthy and shiny locks. Available in multiple shades that work great on natural blonde as well as bleached locks.
3. Garnier Nutrisse
Garnier’s permanent dye offers deep, radiant colors for silky and shiny strands while being free from ammonia, PPD and other potentially drying chemicals, making it suitable for those with sensitive skin.
This boxed dye comes in light to dark shades for 100% gray coverage and features easy application and minimal smell. Plus, its formula includes shea butter, olive oil and avocado oils that nourish hair by leaving it soft, shiny, and manageable post coloring.
GH Beauty Lab testers gave this drugstore dye high marks for being user-friendly, offering clear instructions, being easy to apply and rinse off, having an enjoyable non-chemical scent, lasting longer than other boxed hair colors and leaving strands looking even and vibrant.
4. L’Oreal Paris Colorista
If you want a temporary hair color that washes out with every shampoo, this product is the answer. Available in multiple shades, it requires minimal commitment.
Semi-permanent dye that requires no bleaching and only lasts about eight washes is perfect for creating soft, shiny locks. Plus, it moisturizing strands leaves them soft and silky!
Easy to apply and without ammonia or developer, this colorant provides effortless coverage of stubborn grays while adding depth of color through highlights or punk-rock styles – or go mermaid by applying three pastel shades – it leaves behind beautiful multidimensional color strands for bold looks!
5. Ouai Hair Color
Target customers have written over 31,000 positive reviews for this at-home hair dye, which boasts 30K positive ratings and promises to withstand shampooing, sun exposure and hot tool use without losing its vibrancy or leaving strands feeling nourished and smooth.
If your hair color is naturally darker, try adding subtle caramel highlights like those used by Lana Condor for an eye-catching yet natural-looking style that adds dimension and conceals regrowth without appearing brassy or dry. Or use a balayage technique that incorporates face-framing highlights to give the appearance of more multidimensionality while simultaneously decreasing damage to your locks.
Professional colorist George Papanikolas recommends staying within four shades of your natural hue for a more natural, subtle and forgiving regrowth look. Furthermore, using amika Bust Your Brass Blonde Purple Conditioner (available from Sephora for $28) once every week keeps blonde locks vibrant while helping prevent brassiness.
