Permanent Hair Color

Top-rated permanent hair dyes

The vast majority of hair-color products at the drugstore are permanent colorants. According to expert Paula Begoun, they all work the same way with similar ingredients; all contain ammonia and peroxide, which open up the hair follicle so it can be colored. Choosing the right product is mostly a matter of color and ease of use.

Clairol Nice 'n Easy Perfect 10 (*Est. $13) is a big hit with most experts because of its easy and fast application process. The color processes in 10 minutes, and Clairol says it is gentle as well. Reviewers at Redbook magazine say Perfect 10's fruity fragrance smells better than traditional hair dye, and users agree. Clairol includes a comb for application, but several owner reviewers at MakeupAlley.com and TotalBeauty.com -- where it earns above-average ratings overall from more than 350 users combined -- say they find the comb difficult to use and prefer the traditional applicator that's included. A few users say Clairol Nice 'n Easy hair color left their hair dry and damaged, but experts say that is possible with any permanent hair dye, especially if it is used on over-processed hair. At Amazon.com, where user ratings vary with each shade, a couple of reviewers say that they need two bottles of Nice 'n Easy Perfect 10 for hair that is longer than shoulder length. A few others comment that the color did not last as long as some other brands. Clairol Perfect 10 is available in 26 shades.

Despite its relatively high price, Fekkai Salon Color (*Est. $30). One thing that sets Fekkai Salon Color apart is the way it is mixed and applied; the coloring kit includes a bowl and brush. The manufacturer says that this makes for a more even application, but one tester at BellaSugar.com says the process is also a tad more difficult and definitely pricey. But she also says that "if you're a dyeing rookie or are trying to maintain your hair's condition while radically changing the color, this is safe bet.". Dozens of consumers at MakeupAlley.com give Fekkai an above-average score overall. Many say the colors are wonderful and create "salon quality" results. A handful of users at Amazon.com give this permanent hair color an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars, but the written reviews are mixed. A few really like it, and others say it is too expensive for what you get. Fekkai offers 20 shades.

All permanent hair colors use a process that involves bleaching or lifting the current color and then adding the color that you want, all of which can dry and damage your hair. For this reason, experts suggest conditioning your hair after every shampoo and doing a deep condition once a week.

Demi-permanent hair color

Demi-permanent hair colors are often marketed as nonpermanent hair dyes. However, according to beauty expert Paula Begoun, demi-permanent hair colors work much like permanent colors, -- albeit with lower concentrations of peroxide and dye, and don't contain ammonia. Demi-permanent hair colors will not wash out, but they cannot produce as great a change in color as permanent dyes. Roots are less noticeable because the color changes are more subtle. Begoun says these subtle changes also mean that you are less likely to make a mistake. Perhaps this is why these products are so well-liked by consumers.

Clairol Natural Instincts (*Est. $9) is a popular choice among experts and users alike. It gets high marks at TotalBeauty.com (8.5 out of 10 stars from more than 200 users) and MakeupAlley.com (approximately 4 stars out of 5 from more than 450 users). It's available in 50 shades, is ammonia-free and processes in 10 minutes. Consumers say the easy-to-apply formula leaves their hair shiny and rich with natural-looking color. Many say the color fades gradually, and several users say they love the included weekly conditioner, saying it is worth the cost of the box itself. This hair color does well in tests performed by Good Housekeeping, where it beats out other products for gray coverage and fade resistance. Natural Instincts also does well in tests performed by another professional source, although testers point out that it did leave streaks and unevenness on some hair samples. Testers also say that the gloves provided in the kit aren't as strong as those in other kits – they ripped during use. A few users also report that the color that their hair turned was not the same as on the box.

In the end, however, we chose Clairol Nice 'n Easy Perfect 10 over Natural Instincts for our Best Reviewed section because it is better able to lighten hair and can create more dramatic changes. Natural Instincts, on the other hand, is best for those who want to enhance their natural color with subtle changes. Note that despite the name of this product, it does contain chemicals and is not truly a "natural" hair color.

Hair color for men

There are a handful of products that are aimed specifically at men. However, Paula Begoun says that men can also use hair products that are aimed at women. It all comes down to preference, she says. Hair dyes targeted to men, such as Just For Men (*Est. $8), are much simpler to use than traditional hair dyes. Just For Men is a shampoo-in product that takes only five minutes to process. It colors the hair gradually with each successive shampoo, making changes less drastic. Users at Amazon.com, where each shade gets high ratings from nearly four dozen users combined, say it works well, but is extremely messy, can splatter all over the room and can cause indelible stains in clothes. Just for Men is available in 11 shades for the scalp and the face. Just For Men Touch of Gray (*Est. $8) is available in four shades.