Avon Crystal Lake

When you’re ready to dye your hair, it’s important to find a formula that will suit your skin tone and provide nourishing ingredients. Whether you’re looking to cover grays, boost shine or experiment with a fun hue, there are many options to consider.

The best box hair dyes include permanent and semi-permanent options that are both easy to use and deliver great results. Here are some of our favorite picks:

Clairol Natural Instincts Demi-Permanent Hair Color

Hair dye comes in a variety of formulations including permanent, demi-permanent and semi-permanent. Permanent hair color uses ammonia and a developer (hydrogen peroxide) to open the cuticle and lift the strands of hair, depositing pigment and changing its hue. It lasts through many washes and is best for covering gray. Demi-permanent is less damaging and deposits only enough dye to soften or highlight gray hair. Semi-permanent is also ammonia-free and uses a lower concentration of dye for subtle boosting or blending of regrowth with the rest of your hair. It can typically be washed out in one to two shampoos.

While a trip to the salon may be necessary for a drastic hair transformation, many women opt to dye their own hair at home for convenience, affordability and safety. The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab regularly evaluates at-home hair color kits from a range of brands and shades for their ease of use, ability to cover gray, shine, and fade resistance. GH Beauty Lab scientists color and wash hair samples of various lengths, using state-of-the-art technical instruments to assess the vibrancy and longevity of the results. The lab also evaluates each shade on consumer testers, looking for ease of application, an unobtrusive smell, and how the finished product looks.

Among drugstore dyes, this formula from Clairol was a top performer in GH Beauty Lab evaluations. It was easy to prepare and use, had a pleasant scent, and left hair feeling nourished after applying. It concealed grays well in blonde shades, but not as well on darker strands.

Its gentle, demi-permanent formula focuses on natural ingredients like coconut oil and aloe vera for hair that feels healthy and radiant. This formula is free of ammonia, PPD and added parabens. It’s available in a wide array of shades, from icy blondes to inky blacks.

This brand is a leader when it comes to personalized at-home hair coloring. It offers a free service to match your current shade to the perfect one for you, and sends a customized kit with everything you need to apply it at home. The ammonia-free product scored highly in GH Beauty Lab tests for being easy to use, not messy or irritating and for delivering rich, even color with a true-to-shade finish that resists fading.

L’Oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss

L’Oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss is a low commitment semi-permanent hair dye that uses gentle ingredients to provide luminous color. It’s ammonia free for a pleasant smell, offers optimal grey hair coverage and lasts up to 28 washes. It’s also safe on your hair and skin, causing minimal irritation. It’s a bit more difficult to strip than other box hair colors because it contains a developer, but it’s still not as harsh as bleach or lightening powder.

In GH Beauty Lab evaluations, this drugstore hair dye beat out its more pricier competition in numerous categories. Testers loved it for its clear instructions, easy to rinse and condition, minimal odor and gorgeous color. This dye comes in a wide range of shades from very light blonde to dark brown and even blue-black, so it’s possible to find your perfect match.

If you’re trying to minimize the red tones in your hair, opt for Bolzano Brown – 4NMG. This shade will take the edge off your natural red tones for a warm mahogany result, or go with Napoli Brown – 5NGV if you’re transitioning from blonde to brunette.

Another great option for reducing the amount of red in your hair is to use a demi-permanent or wash-off hair dye. These dyes don’t contain ammonia or bleach, but instead use a nourishing conditioning ingredient to help your strands retain their moisture and shine. The Clairol Jazzing Collection and Wella Color Fresh Masks are both great choices for adding a pop of color to your tresses without the damage or commitment.

Whether you’re looking to add some boldness or simply boost your natural highlights, we’ve got you covered with the best hair dyes for your hair type. These tried-and-true DIY options will hold up through regular shampooing, sun exposure and hot tool usage to keep your strands vibrant. Just make sure to do a sensitivity test at least 48 hours ahead of time, and always wear gloves. And don’t forget to trim any split ends! They’ll be able to grow back better than ever with a little extra TLC.

Schwarzkopf Simply Color

Having vibrant hair colours doesn’t have to mean jeopardizing your health – this product from Schwarzkopf allows you to have both with its gentle formula that’s made without ammonia, silicone or alcohol. It’s also dermatologist tested, so you know it won’t irritate your scalp. Instead, it nourishes your locks with botanical oat milk and soy protein while giving you beautiful colour results with up to 100% gray coverage. And you can feel good about the planet as well as your gorgeous locks with the eco-friendly carton and lids – the carton is 100% recyclable with Terracycle and the lids are compostable.

Boost your color vibrancy between colorings with the add-in in-shower colour booster, Color Boost. It can be mixed with any conditioner and offers a quick, easy way to refresh your look in a pinch.

John Frieda Foaming Hair Dye

Unlike traditional hair dye that can cause a mess and patchy results, this precision hair color foam has an amazing non-drip (no mess) application for precise salon results. The foam penetrates your strands to deliver deep color saturation and vibrant, fade-resistant colors with 100% gray coverage. The formula also features a nourishing after color conditioner that locks in moisture to nourish your hair and keep it looking healthy for longer. Choose from a variety of natural-looking black shades ranging from dark brunette to deep espresso, depending on your desired look. It’s a great option for first-time dyers who want to test the waters with a bold shade.