Best at-home hair dyes to camouflage grey hair for outdoor meetings
In today's current climate, it's far more likely we're all having to get on-board with at-home hair colour, especially since we are still a few days away from salons reopening on April 12 - and possibly weeks away from securing an appointment. Grey hair may still be the colour trend du jour for the fashion pack, but not all of us are keen to show off our silver strands.
Luckily, at-home hair dye kits have come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Many formulas now offer natural-looking, longer periods of respite and you don’t need to be a professional to apply them.
Here are the best dye kits worth exploring, whether you’re in need of a minor treatment or a major overhaul...
Best permanent at-home hair dye kits
For long-lasting grey coverage, permanent hair dyes offer the best results. Although if you're not used to dyeing your own hair be warned, it is hard to remove permanent formulas.
L'Oreal Excellence Creme
Best for strand strength: L'Oreal Excellence Creme, £6.99
The strand-strengthening credentials of this range are pretty impressive, since it contains pro-keratin to fortify, ceramides to help cement bonds in the hair together and collagen to plump for strong, glossy hair that doesn't feel frazzled after dyeing. The shade range is really great, too.
John Frieda Precision Foam Colour
Best for first-time dyers: John Frieda Precision Foam Colour £9.99
The foam formulation makes it easier to massage into roots without worrying it will slide down your neck or shoulders and leaving tell-tale dye signs.
Read more: How to do a DIY pedicure at home
Garnier Olia
Best for dry hair: Garnier Olia, £6.99
With flower oils that nourish and condition, this is a wise choice for those with dry or coarse hair. Impressively, Garnier also boasts 100 percent grey coverage.
It's Pure
Best organic hair dye: It's Pure Hair Colour £11.95
It’s Pure Hair Colour was created for women who had undergone chemotherapy and found that their hair and grown back grey. 100 percent organic and chemical-free, the nine shade range contains a blend of henna and plant powders and doesn't irritate the scalp, meaning you won't have the worry of flaky patches post-wash.
eSalon
Best for custom colour: eSalon Custom Hair Colour, from £18
If you've ever struggled to find your exact shade or a formula that has all the properties you need, may we point you towards eSalon. Through their website, you can answer a series of questions on what specifically you're after (all-over colour, permanent, demi-permanent, temporary) as well as what hair type and colour you have now, in order to recommend and provide the ideal shade to you.
Best semi-permanent at-home hair dyes
While non-permanent dyes have a shorter life span, they do tend to fade out more naturally.
Clairol Nice 'n Easy
Best for natural shades: Clairol Nice ‘n Easy Non Permanent Lasting Colour, £4.50
It’s a classic and has been around for years, but Nice ‘n Easy is still one of the best semi-permanent at-home hair dyes on the market. There’s a wide selection of shades and most importantly, the colour fades evenly and gently over time, so you don’t have to worry about harsh root regrowth. The formula even works on tough grey strands.
L'Oreal Paris Colorista Wash
Best for making an impact: L’Oreal Paris Colorista Wash, £6.99
If you’re willing to take a step out of your comfort zone, a pink wash could offer temporary relief from greys. The cream is straightforward to use and the results last for one to two weeks, depending on your hair type. It’s not for everyone, but should you wish to switch it up for a couple of weeks, this is a great option.
Best colour revivers
Grey roots look less obvious if your hair is well-conditioned and glossy. Fortunately, there are plenty of hydrating, colour-correcting treatments to ensure your greys stay hidden for longer.
Josh Wood Blending Brush
Best root concealer: Josh Wood Blending Brush, £15
This genius hair paintbrush means you can paint the colour along your roots between dyes to cover any greys. It lasts three washes so will see you through around a week (depending how often you wash your hair) without the need for touch-ups.
Christophe Robin
Best luxury option: Christophe Robin Shade Variation, £38
At £38 a pop, the Shade Variation line is expensive for a DIY product, but the masques are effective and nourishing. Created by Parisian colourist Christophe Robin, who counts Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux and Catherine Deneuve as regulars, these masques employ almond butter and buriti oil to condition and revive your hair. The formulas have an acidic pH of 4.5 to minimise porosity and ensure your colour lasts longer.
Infuse My. Colour
Best in-shower booster: Infuse My. Colour Shampoo, £15.95
If you're fed up of colour-fade, Infuse My. Colour's shampoos are an excellent in-shower solution. You can pick them up in a range of tones to refresh your colour as each contain pigments to help revitalise your hair.
