Dyeing your hair is a habit, a remedy against gray hairs, and a device to renew your look. Unfortunately, the first cosmetic preparations based on industrial dyes did not shine for quality. Today, it is possible to buy excellent hair color that ensures satisfactory results without damaging the hair.
Table of Contents
Guide to buying a hair color.
When the need to cover the first white hair arises or change your look by adding some bright reflections, there is only one thing to do: dye.
Since not all the shades on the market are the same, it is important to understand how to choose a good hair color capable of perfectly masking the regrowth and ensuring a natural and lasting result. Below you will find useful tips to find the right product, with an eye on the price.
Permanent or Temporary?
As anticipated, hair dyes present themselves with different formulas and effects on the market. Still, they can be classified into two main categories: permanent and temporary, the difference of which mainly regards their duration.
As the term suggests, the former are appreciated for their ” permanent ” character, allowing you to switch from one shade to another in a more incisive way, ensuring a yield of about three months.
The downside is that to change a tone, for example, going from black to blond, it will be necessary to bleach through oxidizing substances that eliminate the traces of the dyes previously applied from the bark.
Contacting a professional to perform this type of treatment is advisable because pickling that is done incorrectly risks damaging the hair and visibly ruining the structure.
On the other hand, if you want to dare with new color without drastic changes, you can find many temporary hair colors on sale that promise excellent results but much shorter duration than permanent colors.
The color tends to discharge after a few washes since the pigments are deposited on the cuticle without penetrating the hair fiber. They are generally available in spray or cream format. They can use them to emphasize the hair’s natural color, playing with the same shades and obtaining a drastic change of nuance, but with the possibility of returning to your basic tone after a few weeks.
Finally, a middle ground between the two types of colors is the semi-permanent colors, which ensure a less aggressive action than the permanent ones but a longer duration than the temporary ones, which can vary from 3 to 6 weeks of washes and styling products used.
The importance of the ingredients
Before establishing which hair color to buy, it is important to compare the ingredients in the various formulations to avoid endangering your hair’s health and well-being.
Modern dyes are indeed less aggressive than in the past. Still, it must bear in mind that permanent dyes contain synthetic chemicals that could lead to a series of contraindications, even serious ones, for those with a susceptible scalp or who suffer from allergies.
To get a clear idea of what you will put on your hair, it is important to pay attention to the INCI (International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredients), the raw materials used to formulate the product.
Opting for a dye without chemicals to the advantage of natural and safe ingredients, as in the case of henna for hair, allows coloring the hair without damaging the hair shaft or irritating the skin, but you will have to compromise on the front of the durability since the color tends to fade within 4-8 washes.
Those who aspire to a more decisive and persistent color change will resort to a less natural and formulated hair dye based on altering substances.
In this case, it is good to stay away from some rather harmful ingredients, which would best avoid protecting your hair’s health and beauty, such as formaldehyde, phenylenediamine, and resorcinol.
Choose the right color.
It is not enough to choose your favorite shade to obtain a natural result for your physical characteristics, and you must also consider the effect of nuance on the face.
Before deciding what color to dye your hair, it is important to consider some essential factors, including the undertone of the skin, the basic shade of the hair, and but not least, the color of the eyes. The fundamental aspects should always consider obtaining a satisfactory result that enhances one’s image.
For example, those with a complexion with cold tones diaphanous, white, or pink should prefer bold shades that create fascinating contrasting games, such as red, black, or cold blonde.
On the contrary, women with dark skin or warm undertones can focus on more intense colors and shades tending to golden, from warm chocolate to hazelnut color, passing through coppery red if you want richer, fuller reflections.
Frequent Questions
How to choose the hair color test?
Hair color can tell others more about us, especially if it is not natural but represents a conscious choice dictated by our tastes. Since no shades are good for everyone, you must consider your complexion, your eyes, and, but not least, your type of hair.
On sale, you can find many shades to choose from to show off an impeccable look that best expresses your personality. Still, suppose you want to have more guarantees on the results. In that case, apps are available for download on your smartphone, allowing you to experiment ” virtually ” with different shades to evaluate the more or less happy outcomes of the tint before applying it.
How to choose a hair color based on the face?
Choosing the right color for us is not always an easy task: whether it is to cover the regrowth of white hair or to change the look, adding captivating highlights to the hair, to make the right choice, you need to consider several factors, first of all, the undertone of one’s skin.
Cold tones corresponding to a diaphanous or pink complexion prefer strong and decisive tones, such as red, glacial blond, or raven black. At the same time, those with dark skin or, in any case, warm undertones should choose brighter and golden shades, such as chocolate, caramel, brown and coppery red.
How to download color from hair?
To download the hair color, you can resort to specific treatments easily available on the market or some less invasive but still effective home remedies. One of these is ascorbic acid (or vitamin C), which can break down the chemicals generally present in the shades to lighten the color of one or two tones.
If, on the other hand, you prefer a faster and more decisive solution, instead of opting for a do-it-yourself discoloration (the results of which, if not carried out correctly, will further worsen the situation), you can use a color remover, i.e., a non-pickling aggressive that exploits the properties of hydrogen peroxide to eliminate chemical pigments from the hair and gradually bring them back to their natural shade.
Bleached hair on how to return to natural color?
If, after a discoloration, you want to return to your basic color, you will have to do it gradually so as not to subject the hair to excessive stress. In this regard, there are two possibilities: wait for the hair to grow back, cutting it every 4-6 weeks to touch up the cut and eliminate the steam damaged by the chemicals contained in color, or cover bleached hair with a shade similar to its original color, perhaps using the roots as a guide to finding the right one.
In extreme cases, it is preferable to contact your trusted hairdresser, who, after evaluating the situation, will proceed with a balayage to darken the most damaged strands and give greater three-dimensionality to the color.
How to use a hair color
With the right products and some good advice, applying a hair color that allows you to obtain the color you have always desired will be a breeze, and you can also save some money. We will reveal all the secrets of perfect DIY coloring in the following lines.
The required
Before venturing into the vast world of hair colors, ensure you have everything you need for proper application. You need a plastic cape or an old towel, a tight-toothed comb, a pair of latex gloves, a specific dye brush with a pointed handle to separate the locks, a bowl, and the coloring choice.
Before you start …
The hair must be well hydrated for the color to give off all its shine. The traditional conditioner provides all the necessary nourishment, an integral part of self-respecting haircare.
If not, you can make a compress with a moisturizing mask a couple of days before applying the color so that the hair absorbs the pigments at best and does not flake due to the chemicals in the tint.
Another precaution is not washing your hair for at least a few days before applying it to remove the sebum, a natural protective barrier for the scalp.
Also, if you are not entirely sure of the chosen color and its effect on your base shade, we recommend that you first test by applying a small amount of product on a lock and leaving it on for at least 20 minutes. After this time, check the result in sunlight and decide whether to apply the color to the rest of the hair.
The Preparation
Some shades can irritate or stain the skin, so it is good to protect the areas of interest by applying a light layer of moisturizer or Vaseline along the hairline, near the ears, and behind the nape neck.
Before proceeding with the coloring, wear a cape or put an old towel on the shoulders to protect the clothes from any splashes of color, and wear a pair of latex gloves to handle the product with greater safety.
At this point, you must comb the strands well to untangle the knots and prepare them for coloring. Once this is done, open the package that contains everything you need to prepare the color and follow the instructions on the package insert to the letter to avoid dosing errors.
The Application
And here we are finally at the most delicate part of the job: applying the color correctly. With the tip of the brush, divide the hair into locks starting from the nape of the neck and, after taking a small amount of product with the bristles, distribute the color evenly over the roots to cover the white hair or hide the regrowth.
Once this is done, drag the dye along the entire length of the hair to the ends and, once the work is finished, comb and massage the hair well – always wearing gloves – to ensure that the hair is well soaked in color.
Leave the dye on for at least 20 minutes unless otherwise indicated on the package, and proceed with thoroughly washing with plenty of water until there is no more foam.
Finally, if you prefer, you can apply a sublimating color treatment to nourish the hair and enhance the reflections to the maximum.
The Best Hair Colors to buy
Let’s see the most effective currently on-sale ranking to choose the best hair colors.
- SALON QUALITY PERMANENT AT-HOME HAIR DYE: Convenient hair color kit for at-home use...
- KERATIN ENRICHED HAIR COLOR: Nourishing, ammonia-free hair color formula is infused with...
- 100% GRAY COVERAGE: Revlon’s 3D Color Gel Technology delivers rich, natural-looking,...
- Hair Color for Gray Hair Coverage: L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Permanent Hair Dye...
- Your Excellence Just Got Better: New Triple Care Color Routine protects hair before,...
- Salon Inspired After Hair Dye Shampoo: Hair Dye Kit includes an after color shampoo with...
- SALON QUALITY PERMANENT AT-HOME HAIR DYE: Convenient hair color kit for at-home use...
- KERATIN ENRICHED HAIR COLOR: Nourishing, ammonia-free hair color formula is infused with...
- 100% GRAY COVERAGE: Revlon’s 3D Color Gel Technology delivers rich, natural-looking,...
- This 10 minute permanent hair color kit gives beautiful, even gray coverage that lasts...
- Perfect for covering grays between salon appointments and at-home colorings, Magic Root...
- Low ammonia color gel with built in conditioning and an aromatic scent, Magic Root Rescue...
- 20 Soft Black (Black Tea) Permanent Hair Color: One shade lighter than shade 10 Black...
- Exclusive fruit oil ampoule, that is poured directly in the mix, after-color conditioner...
- New color boost technology efficiently infuses intense hair dye into the hair fiber for...
- Temporary Root Cover Up Spray: Our Root Spray conceals grays for flawless roots; Get...
- Hair Color Spray for Gray Hair Coverage: Our root cover up spray is perfect for in-between...
- Fuller-Looking Hair: Instantly create the appearance of thicker hair with our coloring...
- Enriched with plant-based ingredients for visibly healthier hair
- No ammonia, no parabens, no heavy metals
- USDA BioPreferred Certified and ISO 16128 compliant
- 3-STEP BOND ENFORCING: The 3-step Bond Enforcing System creates bonds and strengthens...
- FEELING SOFT AND SMOOTH: This professional hair dye leaves hair looking and feeling soft...
- ANTI-FADE FORMULA: The hair color cream delivers long-lasting vibrant color. Enjoy rich,...
- The #1 root touch-up* for long-lasting, natural-looking roots. Matches leading shades,...
- Cover your roots for 100% gray coverage that lasts up to 3 weeks in just 10 minutes!
- ColorBlend Technology seamlessly blends root regrowth with your existing color and gives...
- THE PERFECT 10: The Clairol NICE'N Easy Perfect 10 Permanent Hair Dye Kit provides 100%...
- A BOOST OF COLOR: Hair color with the perfect balance of lightness, darkness, and tone
- COVERAGE FOR DAYS: A permanent hair color system that lasts up to 60 days
Product prices and availability are subject to change. Therefore, any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to purchasing any products.