What is the best semi permanent hair dye brand?

We updated this article in July 2022 with new product picks (Clairol Nice 'N Easy Root Touch-Up, ESalon and Lime Crime) and based on extensive testing by the Good Housekeeping InstituteBeauty Lab as well as product details and expert commentary.

Color processing at a salon can cost anywhere from $75 to more than $500 — which can be worth it if you want to completely change your look, but for those who just want to add subtle highlights or touch up gray hairs for $10 or less, you can absolutely do it at home. Today's at-home hair color options are easy to use and offer a quick, inexpensive way to update your look without the cost and hassle of a trip to the salon. The best at-home hair dyes from tried-and-true hair color brands last throughout regular shampooing, sun exposure and regular hot tool usage to remain shiny, healthy and vibrant.

But which boxed hair dye is best? To find out, GH Beauty Lab scientists rigorously test at-home hair color kits and products both in the Lab using technical instruments and on consumer testers to gauge their ease of use and effects, including color vibrancy, fading when exposed to water and UV, shine, the look and feel of hair after use and more. Here, the GH Beauty Lab's best-tested at-home hair color products you can buy, plus top-rated editor and consumer picks, including boxed drugstore dyes for professional results and gray coverage on all hair shades.

Our top picks:

• 1

  

  Best Overall At-Home Hair Color

  Natural Instincts Demi-Permanent Hair Color Clairol

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• 2

  

  Best Value At-Home Hair Color

  ColorSilk Beautiful Color Permanent Hair Color Revlon

  Read More

• 3

  

  Best At-Home Hair Color to Cover Gray

  Root Touch-Up by Nice'n Easy Permanent Hair Dye Clairol

  Read More

• 4

  

  Best Natural At-Home Hair Color

  Radiant Hair Color Kit Madison Reed

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• 5

  

  Best At-Home Hair Color for Blondes

  Nice 'n Easy Permanent Haircolor Clairol

  Read More

Scroll to the bottom of this article for more information on how we test hair color at the GH Beauty Lab, plus tips to keep in mind when shopping for hair color and how to make your DIY dye job last — and be sure to read our foolproof guide to coloring your hair at home, plus color inspo for dark brown hair, auburn hair, blonde color ideas, gorgeous highlight inspo and balayage hair color ideas.

1

Best Overall At-Home Hair Color

Clairol

Natural Instincts Demi-Permanent Hair Color

2

Best Value At-Home Hair Color

Revlon

ColorSilk Beautiful Color Permanent Hair Color

3

Best At-Home Hair Color to Cover Gray

Clairol

Root Touch-Up by Nice'n Easy Permanent Hair Dye

4

Best Natural At-Home Hair Color

Madison Reed

Radiant Hair Color Kit

5

Best At-Home Hair Color for Blondes

Clairol

Nice 'n Easy Permanent Haircolor

6

Best Home Hair Color for Highlights

L'Oréal Paris

Superior Preference Glam Lights Brush-On Highlights

7

Best At-Home Hair Color for Damaged Hair

Garnier

Olia Oil Powered Permanent Hair Color

8

Best Professional At-Home Hair Color

ESalon

Color Kit

9

Best Bold At-Home Hair Color

Lime Crime

Unicorn Hair Full Coverage

10

Best Semi-Permanent Hair Color

dpHUE

Color Boosting GLOSS+ Deep Conditioning Treatment

11

Best At-Home Hair Color Booster

Moroccanoil

Color Depositing Mask

12

Best Bold At-Home Hair Color Enhancer

Overtone

Daily Conditioner

How we test at-home hair color

The GH Beauty Lab regularly tests at-home hair dye with both consumer testers and controlled Lab tests. In the Lab, scientists dye human hair samples in brown, blonde, red and black shades and evaluate the products for their gray hair coverage. They then assess each hair dye's color retention over a four-week period with a series of tests including 20 wash and dry cycles, as pictured below, and 10 hours of UV light exposure. After, experts judge each sample on final gray coverage, shine and fade-resistance.

Boxed dyes are also sent to a panel of women all over the country who evaluate them on factors such as ease of use and color performance, including gray coverage, color richness, uniformity and accuracy compared to the image on the box. They also provide real-life feedback on resulting hair shininess, softness and smoothness, as well as color fade over four weeks after application. The GH Beauty Lab's most recent at-home hair color test included 180 consumer testers and 280 human hair swatches. In total, Lab scientists exposed colored hair samples to UVA light for 350 hours.

Which type of at home hair color is best?

Choose your hair dye formula based on how long you want the color to last and your desired results. Aral shares a quick primer:

• Permanent: This dye often contains ammonia (to open hair’s cuticle) mixed with a developer (hydrogen peroxide) to lift and deposit pigment, changing the hair’s color until it grows out.
• Demipermanent: Ammonia-free, it deposits dye with a developer and lasts up to 24 shampoos for subtle enhancement and to blend regrowth.
• Semipermanent: It has no ammonia or developer and deposits dye only to soften gray or boost color, lasting about six to eight washes.
• Temporary: This is both ammonia- and developer-free, which means it's the least damaging hair dye. Large color molecules adhere to strands’ outer layer and can be washed out in one to two shampoos.

Are home hair dyes as good as salon hair color?

Yes, high quality at-home hair dye formulas like those recommended here can provide results equivalent to salon hair color, including gray coverage, GH Beauty Lab experts say. That being said, if you are interested in more intricate hair color like lowlights, extensive highlights, balayage, ombré or a drastic color change, it's best to visit a salon professional who is trained in those techniques.

How can I make my at-home hair color last?

After picking out the best at-home hair dye, there are a few things you'll want to do to keep your color vibrant and true for as long as possible.

✔️ Cut back on washing your hair as much as possible, since contact with water causes dye to leach out of strands, explains GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Sabina Wizemann. Try applying a dry shampoo on days in between washes to extend your style as long as possible.

✔️ Choose a shampoo and conditioner formulated for color-treated hairwhen you do suds up. These formulas are specially created to keep hair color intact for as long as possible.

✔️ Give DIY hair color a boost to extend its life between dye jobs with an at-home gloss or glaze that matches your shade, suggests Rita Hazan, a celebrity colorist and owner of the eponymous salon in New York City. These glazes deposit subtle color pigments and enhance shine, she says

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Sabina Wizemann, senior chemist in the GH Beauty Lab, develops laboratory protocols using specialized Lab equipment and conducts product testing across hair categories, including at-home hair color. She excecuted the Beauty Lab's most recent hair color tests both on consumers and in the Lab. With a background in hair dye research and synthesis, Sabina loves everything hair-related.

Birnur Aral, Ph.D., Executive Director of the GH Health, Beauty and Sustainability Lab, oversees all GH Beauty Lab hair product testing, including at-home hair color evaluations. For this piece, she provided commentary on the differences between hair dye formulas.

April Franzino, Good Housekeeping's Beauty Director, is an expert in all hair product categories, spanning at-home and professional hair color, hair tools, haircare and styling products, salon services and more. She translated GH Beauty Lab at-home hair color testing data and conducted expert interviews to write this piece.

April Franzino Beauty Director April (she/her) is the beauty director at Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman's Day, where she oversees all beauty content.

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