Starting to notice some greys that you’re not too keen on? Or just feel like it’s time for a change? There is literally nothing like hair dye in its ability to transform your look. Dying your hair can camouflage greys and even make dull hair look brighter. It can give you a whole new lease on life – and is a hell of a lot cheaper than going to the salon every month.
And look, if it’s your first time, any concern you have is completely valid. Home hair dying can be daunting to the novice and the experienced dyer alike, but depending on the look you’re going for, it can be just the ticket.
So if you’re locked in on going the home route, pick up one of these dyes to help the process go as smoothly as possible. And read on for everything you should consider before taking the plunge.
Best coloured treatment
Mr. Smith Pigment Charcoal
For those who’d like to put a little more pepper into their salt and pepper, there’s the Mr. Smith Pigment Charcoal. This colour treatment is extremely easy to use, and offers a cool-toned, ashy effect on grey hair. It’s a very temporary colour, meaning you can either try a little something new or maintain your existing tones. Hydrating, softening and caring as well bringing colour and gloss to the hair. Too good.
Best budget hair dye
Just For Men Easy Comb-In Colour
If you’re looking for something affordable and easy, Just For Men is your go-to. The wide variety of colours are premixed and take only 5 minutes to apply. It’s also “buildable”, which means that if you want more coverage, you can add more of this semi-permanent hair colour to achieve the depth you want. Don’t take this down to your beard, but if you want beard coverage too, the brand offers a version specifically designed for facial hair.
Best permanent hair dye
IGK permanent colour kit
With an easy-to-apply and quick-performing formula, the IGK Permanent Color Kits come in quite an assortment of hair colours for each and all. The formula is vegan, gluten-free and ammonia-free, and will leave your hair shinier, smoother and softer.
Best beard dye
Just for Men Moustache and Beard Dye
The recently reformulated Just for Men beard and moustache dye comes in 12 different tones, and makes getting rid of grey in your facial hair easy. It’s more suited for coarser facial hair, containing biotin, aloe & coconut oil to penetrate and condition those thick strands.
Best hair dye foam
True Sons Hair Dye for Men
A foam dye is perfect for guys who’ve never dyed their hair before and are a little nervous about the process. This semi-permanent dye takes all the guesswork out of covering greys. It comes out of the can like a shaving cream and wipes up easily if you get it on your skin (and won’t stain it). Best of all, it’s one of the few out there that you can use on your head, beard, and body to cover up greys.
Best easy-to-use hair dye
L’Oréal Paris Men Expert One Twist Hair Color
This hair colour kit can cover your greys in just 5 minutes: all you have to do is twist the bottle open, shake it, and apply directly from the bottle itself onto your hair. It covers your greys for up to six weeks, so by the time you’re ready for your next cut, it’ll be about time to reapply.
Best semi-permanent hair dye
American Crew precision blend
Specifically for shorter hair and beards, this dye is infused with Vitamin B5 for added moisture. It takes less than 15 mins to apply and will only last about six weeks sans regular touch-ups if you wake up deeply regretting the colour you choose.
Best salt-and-pepper hair dye
Just for Men, Touch of Grey, Comb-In Hair Color
Just For Men remains the standard-bearer for grey coverage when it comes to any and at all ad hoc at-home dye jobs. Invest in a kit (or a few!) if you’re in the market for subtle grey coverage that’ll look blended without coming across as overly dramatic.
Best root touch up
Clairol Root Touch-up Color Blending Gel Medium Brown
If your greys are only coming in at the roots and you don’t want to dye your entire head of hair for nothing: think about trying a root touch-up gel. This one comes with semi-permanent dye already mixed and in the applicator, so there’s no mess or hassle here. Simply brush it on your roots, give a light blend, and voila—colour for the next 10 washes.
Best shampoo for a sensitive scalp
Manic Panic Flash Lightening 30 Volume Bleach Kit
Bleaching you hair can be risky, so to make it as simple as possible we suggest using a hair bleaching kit like this, which has all the tools you need to lighten your hair effectively. It’s specifically designed for at-home use and is ideal for beginners who need a little more hand holding. Just make sure to read the directions thoroughly before starting the process.
At-home hair dye vs the salon
Want to do it yourself but worried you’ll stuff it up? Well, we’ve got some good news for you: the best home-dye kits are specifically designed for easy use, leaving minimal room for serious colour-related fiascos at any point during the process. The instructions are seriously simple, and there are a bunch of lighter options if you want to just dip a toe in.
Fair warning though, if your hair is more grey than any other colour, or if you want something more permanent or with multiple tones, it’s probably worth finding a colourist you trust who can work with you to avoid any mortifying mistakes along the way.
What shade should I choose?
This is a little trickier online, so a good rule of thumb is to always go one or two shades lighter than your hunch. Or, buy two to start, and use the lighter one first. You can always return the darker one if you don’t need it, or keep it as the backup option if need be.
If you’re trying to dye your hair a bright colour that’s one thing (and requires more steps), but the average guy wants a dye job that looks as natural as possible. To achieve that, don’t stray too far from your natural hair (one shade darker or one shade lighter) to begin with. Anything more drastic is difficult to achieve on your own.
How long does hair dye last? Permanent vs. Semi-Permanent
The type of dye you’re buying will indicate how the results look. This usually falls into three categories:
Permanent: Permanent hair dye will offer the most coverage but won’t ever wash out (it will fade after a few weeks of washing and to keep it vibrant, you’ll need a colour-preserving shampoo). Think: block-colour results.
Demi-permanent: these colours softly blend in and tend to fade out gradually over the course of four weeks.
Semi-permanent: these are the ones that rinse away after a few washes—like the kind people might wear for Halloween or cosplay. It sounds like a waste of time, but these non-permanent dyes are ideal for grey blending—when you want to minimise greys but not cover them completely.
It’s not always evident which type of dye you’re buying, but look for indicators in the brand’s own marketing materials. If they promise a “soft blend” as opposed to “total coverage,” then you’re probably dealing with a demi-permanent. Reviews and customer-uploaded photos will often help guide you, too.
Dyeing agent
It helps to be aware of the key dyeing ingredient in the formula you’re using. Most people won’t have a bad reaction, but most people who experience contact dermatitis (an allergic reaction) do so from the ingredient para-phenylenediamine (aka PPD). So if your chosen product is giving you grief, check the ingredients label for PPD and consider switching to a more sensitivity-friendly ingredient, like hydroxyethyl-p-phenylenediamine sulfate (HPPS) or para-toluenediamine sulfate (PTDS).
How to apply hair dye at home
Now that you’ve figured out what type of dye you need, applying the dye itself is a pretty straightforward process:
1. Shampoo a few days before and don’t put in any styling products.
2. Read the directions on the package and gather the tools you need beforehand (including a timer, brushes, etc.) in the bathroom so you’re not scrambling around while dye is on your hair.
3. Apply a protective barrier, like Vaseline around your hairline and ears (to repel stains).
4. Apply the dye to dry hair and let it sit for the amount of time advised in the instructions. Then rinse it out and use a colour-preserving shampoo to stop the process.
5. If you have short hair, be ready to do that all again in about four weeks and to keep your colour looking as fresh as possible, reduce the amount you shampoo and use that colour-safe shampoo.
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