Since its modest origins, at-home hair color has evolved significantly. Professional-grade solutions, varying degrees of permanence, a rainbow of shade options, substances to support the health of your hair, and even customisable technology are now available. The DIY dye kits available now are more user-friendly than ever before and provide a quick and affordable option to change your appearance without having to spend money or time at a salon. The best hair colors for home use from well-known hair color lines stay glossy, healthy, and brilliant even after frequent shampooing, sun exposure, and use of hot tools.
Using cutting-edge technical instruments to measure fading when exposed to water, UV light, and shine, Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab scientists thoroughly tested at-home hair color kits from a variety of brands in the Lab for color vibrancy and gray coverage in order to determine which boxed hair dyes perform the best. In order to assess outcomes and convenience of use, as well as the appearance and feel of hair after application, they are also tested on consumers; 2,712 data points were gathered for the most current test in order to identify the winners.
For additional information on how we assess hair color, as well as advice on selecting the best kind of hair dye (permanent, semi-permanent, and demi-permanent, temporary), regardless of the shade—brown, blonde, red, or everything in between—scroll to the bottom of this page. Get inspired by our top shades for dark brown, black, gray, auburn, and blonde hair, and make sure to read our infallible guide on coloring hair at home like a pro.
1
Best Overall Permanent At-Home Hair Color
Phyto Phytocolor Permanent Hair Color
Phyto, an ammonia-free product with oils like jojoba and coconut oil and pigments derived from plants, won the most recent at-home hair color test conducted by GH Beauty Lab. Users discovered that it outlasted every other product tested and that it had the richest, most consistent, and truest color. The solution was the least messy dye, the one that testers liked the most overall, and it left hair feeling the softest after application.
Remarkably, all testers (100%) concurred that the color results were even and rich. Additionally, the kit received top marks for being the easiest to prepare, being tidy, creating a lasting hue that matched the color on the box, and left hair feeling nourished. A user exclaimed, “The best hair color I have ever used, including professional.” Many test subjects reported having lustrous hair after using it. Note that the shade selection is not as wide as it is for other brands.
2
Best Value At-Home Hair Color
Revlon ColorSilk Beautiful Color Permanent Hair Color
In GH Beauty Lab testing, Revlon’s ammonia-free boxed hair color performed comparably to its more expensive competitors. It was inexpensive, yet it won top honors in a lot of categories. Testers praised this drugstore color for its easy preparation and rinse-out instructions, low scent, and ability to leave hair looking glossy and smooth.
However, keep in mind that some people required more than one box to completely cover their hair, and it wasn’t the greatest at hiding gray hair when compared to other formulas. Many people remarked on how easy it was to apply and how, according to its name, it provided “beautiful color.” One person said, “It made my hair soft, shiny, and nourished.”
3
Best Professional At-Home Hair Color
ESalon Color Kit
The expert colorists at ESalon design a unique hair color particularly for you and your hair needs, just like they do at the salon. The color is then shipped to your door so you may apply it at home. In the GH Beauty Lab’s at-home hair color test, it fared well in terms of providing the desired shade, producing rich and even results, and leaving hair feeling nourished and silky. However, in comparison to other custom hair color brands, it didn’t offer as good gray coverage or resist fading as well.
Another former GH Beauty Lab scientist described the service as “a great option if you want the convenience and savings of doing it yourself at home and the customization you get from working with a hair colorist.” Former GH Beauty Lab executive director Birnur Aral, Ph.D., is a supporter of the program. The entire experience “felt very personalized — the service, the color I wanted, the emails with helpful info and tips,” a customer said. “Very nice packaging with all the pieces labeled; my hair felt soft and healthy and looked so shiny when I was done!”
4
Best At-Home Hair Color to Cover Gray
Zotos Professional AGEbeautiful Permanent Liqui Creme Hair Color Dye Starter Kit
In lab tests, this Zotos Professional dye outperformed the others in resisting fading and completely concealed even the most tenacious gray hair. It was mild but powerful. It comes in a broad range of tints, from frosty blondes to deep crimsons and inky blacks, and has the softest formulation. According to lab testing, the formula most nearly matched the shade shown and offered the best covering of gray hair.
In a study comparing freshly dyed human hair samples to those subjected to 20 wash/dry cycles and 10 hours of UVA light, which replicated four weeks of wear, the VeriVide DigiEye system was used to detect color change, and the results showed that the color faded the least in those samples. It was also highly regarded by users for not bothersome. (A disadvantage is that the hair color and beginning kit are supplied separately.) One tester said, “Natural-looking, beautiful, lasting coverage.”
5
Best Demi-Permanent At-Home Hair Color
Clairol Natural Instincts Demi-Permanent Hair Color
The GH Beauty Lab was impressed by a number of shades from Clairol’s well-liked demi-permanent drugstore color, particularly for dark hair types like brunettes and reds. The ammonia-free at-home dye proved to be fade-resistant, provided uniform coverage, and left hair noticeably glossy in laboratory tests. It was also effective in covering up gray hair. However, take note that in testing, it didn’t have as much gray covering on blonde hair.
6
Best At-Home Hair Color for Blondes
Clairol Nice ‘n Easy Permanent Haircolor
Experts at GH Beauty Lab discovered that Clairol Nice ‘n Easy, with its kinder, more conditioning product, was the best option for light hair. This brand stood out for its ability to resist fading and maintain its shine, even though all other brands tested for blonde colors only received average (or worse) ratings for hiding gray.
It received good marks in lab testing for providing a natural look; 79% of testers reported that it left their hair shining and silky, and 90% reported that it didn’t irritate their skin. There is a vast spectrum of 50 hues available for the hair color, ranging from pale blonde to a deep blue-black. One tester said, “Easy to apply and left hair extremely soft, even without conditioner.”
7
Best Semi-Permanent Hair Color
dpHUE Color Boosting GLOSS+ Deep Conditioning Treatment
This dpHUE semi-permanent color intensifier, which comes in a range of tones from red to brown, black, and blonde, is a reviewer favorite and starts working in as little as three minutes. While the colors won’t hide gray hair, pro colorist and co-founder of the brand Justin Anderson claims that “the deep conditioning will leave your hair feeling amazing.”