$35 $50 30% off

If traditional hair color methods like mixing developer and color in your bathroom sound intimidating, Polar Hair makes achieving your dream color a breeze. Its Instant Dye Shampoo is designed to be applied like shampoo, left on for 10 minutes, and rinsed out.

SheKnows’ AVP, Commerce, Gina Vaynshteyn, recently tested the Instant Dye shampoo, and found the process easier than traditional box dye, with similar results. “It really was like shampooing your hair. You just massage in the product to cover your grays, wait 10 minutes, and then rinse it off in the shower,” Gina says.

The non-toxic shampoo provides about 10 to 15 applications, depending on hair length and thickness. It’s currently available in Black, Dark Brown, Medium Brown, Light Brown, Blonde, Red, and Purple.

Formula: Demi-permanent color
Packaging: At-home color kit
How long does it last? Up to 28 shampoos
Color range: 7

Pros:
Personalized shade matching
Access to professional colorists
Ammonia-free
Cons:
More expensive than traditional drugstore box dye

$8

$9

Not ready to commit to permanent color? The Clairol Natural Instincts is another hairstylist-recommended option. Its demi-permanent formula deposits color without permanently altering your natural hair, so you get highly pigmented results that fade over time instead of leaving a stark regrowth line.

Formula: Demi-permanent color
Packaging: At-home color kit
How long does it last? Up to 28 shampoos
Color range: 37

Pros:
Low commitment
Ammonia-free;
Blends gradually
Cons:
Doesn’t lighten hair

$13

$13

Heath’s go-to recommendation for an at-home hair dye is the Schwarzkopf Keratin Root Touch-Up Spray for a temporary, quick fix on the go. “When you need to cover those roots between color appointments or during at-home styling sessions, Root Touch-Up is an easy way to refresh your look without committing to a full color application,” she explains. “It comes in multiple shades, so you can find a match that works for you! Keratin Color is perfect for anyone looking for salon-quality color at home while helping care for their hair.”

Formula: 2-in-1 color and thickening spray
Packaging: Aerosol spray can with a targeted applicator
How long does it last? Washes out with your next shampoo
Color range: 5

Pros:
Instant coverage
Dries quickly
Scalp-friendly
Cons:
Only lasts until your next shampoo

$14

$13

Michelle likes L’Oréal Paris Féria for someone who wants a richer, more dimensional result from at-home color. “It offers more tonal variation than a very flat, single-tone result, but because it is permanent color, I would still recommend staying close to your current level and using it for maintenance rather than a major color transformation,” she says.

Michelle also adds: “My best advice remains to have your color serviced by a professional whenever possible. If you do choose to color at home, keep it simple: Maintain or enhance what you already have rather than attempting a major transformation.”

Formula: Permanent hair color
Packaging: Boxed dye
How long does it last? Up to 4 to 6 weeks
Color range: 35

Pros:
Multi-dimensional
Includes a bonding conditioner
25-minute processing time
Cons:
Can be drying for some hair types

$35

$35

If choosing the right shade is the part that’s hindering you from coloring your hair at home, Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color helps take some of the guesswork out of the process. This permanent, ammonia-free formula comes in more than 55 shades and delivers multi-dimensional color and 100% gray coverage. The brand also offers a Color Quiz and access to colorists to help you find a shade that works with your starting color and desired result.

The cream-based formula is infused with keratin, argan oil, and ginseng root extract to nourish and hydrate strands as you color. The complete kit includes everything you need to apply it, including the color, activator, gloves, protective cap, barrier cream, cleansing wipe, and color-care shampoo and conditioner.

Formula: Permanent
Packaging: Complete at-home color kit
How long does it last: About 4 to 6 weeks
Color range: 55+ shades

Pros:
Personalized shade recommendations
100% gray coverage
55+ shades
Cons:
Some shades aren’t a “perfect” match

$30

$30

Not all hair color comes in box-dye form. Take this pick from Moroccanoil, for example. The Color Depositing Mask offers a conditioning hair mask approach to revive your shade, depositing temporary pigment while treating your hair with deep conditioning.

The formula contains an amino acid blend, apricot kernel oil, and the brand’s ArganID technology to help leave hair feeling soft, smooth, and shiny. It’s also ammonia-, peroxide-, and bleach-free.

Formula: Semi-permanent, color-depositing conditioning mask
Packaging: 6.7 fl oz tube
How long does it last? Temporary color that gradually fades with washing
Color range: 6

Pros:
Temporary color
Doubles as a deep-conditioning treatment
Boosts shine
Cons:
Results vary depending on starting shade and hair porosity

$18

If you’re particular about what goes into your hair, Phytocolor is one at-home color option to keep on your radar. Its permanent formula relies on botanical pigments instead of a traditional ammonia-based formula, with up to 74% botanical pigments depending on the shade.
Monoi and jojoba oils add conditioning, and the formula is free of ammonia, PPD, and resorcinol.

Formula: Permanent
Packaging: Single-use at-home color kit
How long does it last? Up to 6 to 8 weeks
Color range: 22

Pros:
100% gray coverage
Ammonia-, PPD-, and resorcinol-free
Long-lasting color
Cons:
Requires mixing before application

$10

$10

If your hair color needs some TLC, this non-drip formula is a great match. The best at-home hair color products also leave your strands shiny. Garnier’s Olia Brilliant Color is a permanent, ammonia-free formula powered by a blend of natural flower oils that delivers rich, long-lasting color while leaving hair hydrated, silky, and up to three times shinier.

Formula: Permanent, ammonia-free hair color
Packaging: Complete at-home color kit
How long does it last? Up to 6 weeks. New growth will eventually require touch-ups.
Color range: 24

Pros:
Oil-powered formula
Boosts shine
non-drip formula
Cons:
Some shades can require more frequent root touch-ups

$12

When your hair starts changing with age, gray coverage is only part of the equation. AGE Beautiful Permanent Hair Color Cream is specifically formulated to address the signs of aging hair, including dryness, thinning, and dullness, while delivering 100% gray coverage. The fortifying formula contains biotin, keratin, and silk proteins to help hair look fuller, healthier, and more vibrant, and the brand says the color lasts for up to eight weeks. With 85 shades to choose from, there’s a color best suited to your natural shade.

Formula: Permanent hair color
Packaging: Easy-to-use tube
How long does it last? Up to 8 weeks
Color range: 85

Pros:
Contains biotin, keratin, and silk proteins
Lasts up to eight weeks
Wide shade range
Cons:
Developer is sold separately

$22

$22

Reviving hair doesn’t always include a full dye job. That’s why dpHUE Gloss+ is designed to give your existing hair color a boost without the commitment of permanent color. This semi-permanent treatment deposits pigment on the outside of the hair shaft while deep-conditioning to enhance color, softness, and shine.

No mixing is required, and the formula contains no ammonia or peroxide, so you can use it whenever your color starts looking a little lackluster. Apply it to clean, damp hair, leave it on for 3 to 20 minutes, then rinse.

Formula: Semi-permanent.
Packaging: Squeeze bottle.
How long does it last? Up to 8 washes
Color range: 18

Pros:
No mixing
Deeply conditions
Easy in-shower application
Cons:
Color fades with washing

$19

$18

Experts say to think of Glaze SuperGloss as a tinted moisturizer for your hair. This semi-permanent conditioning treatment deposits pigment on the surface of your hair to enhance your existing shade while adding serious shine and softness.

It takes just 10 minutes to process, requires no mixing, and is infused with naturally derived babassu oil, vitamin E, and the brand’s conditioning and glossifying complexes. The formula is also vegan and free of ammonia, sulfates, parabens, silicones, and PPD.

Formula: Semi-permanent color-conditioning gloss
Packaging: Squeeze bottle
How long does it last? Up to 10 washes
Color range: 10

Pros:
10-minute processing time
Enahnces shine
Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
Darker shades can stain light or porous hair

$5

$6

You don’t have to spend a fortune to color your hair at home. The Revlon ColorSilk Beautiful Color is a wallet-friendly permanent hair dye that delivers rich, multidimensional color while leaving hair soft and shiny. The ammonia-free formula is infused with keratin and silk amino acids, and the extensive shade range makes it easy to find a shade close to your natural color or try something new.

It’s also widely available at drugstores and big-box retailers, making it an easy option for a quick color refresh.

Formula: Permanent
Packaging: Traditional single-use at-home hair color kit
How long does it last? Up to 8 weeks or 28 washes
Color range: 48

Pros:
Affordable
Contains keratin and silk amino acids
Available at multiple retailers
Cons:
Shoppers say it can be less predictable on previously colored hair

$8

Wella Color Charm Permanent Liquid Hair Color offers a broad shade range for blondes, brunettes, and reds alike. The liquid formula mixes easily with Wella Color Charm developer, and its wide range of shades lets you create a color tailored to your desired result. The formula also provides gray coverage while delivering vibrant, long-lasting color, making it a particularly appealing choice for experienced DIY colorists who don’t mind a slightly more involved application.

Formula: Permanent
Packaging: Single-use bottle
How long does it last? 4 to 6 weeks
Color range: 62

Pros:
Over 60 shades
Vibrant, long-lasting color
Liquid formula
Cons:
Application is more involved than ready-to-use box dye