The Best Hair Dyes to Use at Home, According to Top Hairstylists

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

SO YOU'VE decided to dye your hair. Rock on! There is literally nothing like hair dye in its ability to transform your look. And we’re not just talking about David Bowie red (or Frank Ocean green or Maluma pink, for that matter). Dying your hair can camouflage grays if you’re not thrilled with being a silver fox and it can make dull hair look brighter. It can give you a whole new lease on life and who doesn’t want that?

Read more: Gray Blending for Dark Hair Guide

Before you ask, yes, men can dye their hair and plenty more do than you’d probably assume. There is no shame in dying your hair, it’s a personal choice after all, but there are some things to take into account. Like, are you going to go see a professional colorist or do it at home? 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. If you’re going the home route, pick up one of these dyes to help the process go as smoothly as possible.

Read more: Best Hair Products for Men

Easy Comb-In Color

If you’re looking for men’s gray hair dye, your best option is this easily-applied, natural-looking colors. The wide variety of colors are premixed and come with a comb applicator, allowing you to target specific areas like the temples or hairline, without needing to dye your whole head. It’s also “buildable”, which means that if you want more coverage, you can add more of this semi-permanent hair color 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.

The one downside of this color is that it only comes in darker tones. It makes sense when you think about hair colors that tend to show gray the most and since this dye is really about hiding grays, we can understand why this is the case. But if you have lighter hair, even lighter brown hair, you won’t find your color here, which can be a bummer. For lighter tones, you’ll need to opt for the classic shampoo-in color, which works just as well, but doesn’t have the easy-to-use comb which makes this version simpler to use (and easier to spot treat).

Touch Of Gray Hair

Pick up this dye if you want some subtle gray coverage but not to get rid of it completely. “Touch of Gray is ammonia-free and has no peroxide, so it's specifically meant to blend gray and is a pretty safe option to use if you’re afraid of going too dark,” says Nathan. Don’t expect a drastic change, but when it comes to grAy blending, that’s not the goal anyway.

This kit also features the comb-in style tube, which makes applying it nearly foolproof and we especially love it for its ability to cover certain areas without needing to apply dye to your entire head. Think of this as a transparent color—it’s going to subtly add some color but not actually cover any gray hairs. If you’re just looking for a subtle bump of color instead of full-on camouflage, this is for you.

Read more: Best Beard Dyes

Hair Color for Men

Most hair dye these days works well on a variety of hair textures and colors, but for black men with highly textured, dark hair who want full coverage, this variety fits the bill perfectly since coarse hair can be resistant to dye. It covers gray quickly and gets it back to a very dark, shiny hue. The formula moisturizes as well as dyes and won’t leave already dryness-prone hair feeling crispy. A word of caution: like all dark dyes, it can stain skin easily, so always prep and protect skin beforehand.

Keep in mind that it does require mixing like a more traditional dye formula, so always read the directions through before opening the packages and starting the process. You want to make sure you have a full understanding of the process from start to finish. Luckily, the process with this dye is easy and the formula is thick enough to minimize drips and staining. And yes, it really does only take 5 minutes.

Hair Dye for Men

This innovative 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 grays. 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 grays. There is even a subscription service so you don’t have to worry about running out. Oh, and not to mention, it won a 2019 Men’s Health Grooming Award.

We can say from experience that this no-mix foam formula is one of the easiest to use that we’ve ever tried. You’ll still want to wear gloves to avoid potentially staining your hands, but it’s virtually drip free and doesn’t stain your skin even if you use it on your chest. It also features one of the widest color ranges out there—with possible tones ranging from blonde to very dark. It’s rare to find a dye that can work on your head and your beard—not to mention your body—which is really what makes this formula shine.

Flash Lightening 30 Volume Bleach Kit

“Bleaching is not easy,” says Nathan, especially the longer your hair is. To make it as simple as possible, use 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. Use it by itself for a bleached hair look or as a first step to a bold, trendy color (just wait a few weeks for hair to recover before going back in).

As with most traditional dye kits, this one requires mixing, so it’s imperative that you read the directions thoroughly before starting the process. Bleaching is not for the faint of heart, so if you’ve never so much as considered dying your hair, you may want to enlist someone more experienced to guide you that first time. That said, this kit is pretty easy to use and understand. Also, keep in mind that you’ll need to leave the bleach on for a varying amount of time depending on how dark your natural hair is, so with this kit you should definitely do a test strip (or patch) before going in on your whole head. And since bleach dries your hair out, always condition afterward.

Temporary Color Gel

This gentle semi-permanent color gel is packed full of natural ingredients that help promote hair health, so it’s best suited for those with a sensitive scalp or with hair thinning issues. You won’t get a bold cover job with this hair gel. Instead, it subtly blends in with your natural hair color to camouflage grays without completely covering them up. The best thing about it is that it comes premixed, so there’s not messy mixing and the application process is smooth.

Natural Instincts Semi-Permanent Hair Dye Kit for Men

Subtlety is the name of the game with this box hair dye, which is ideal for men who want a bit more gray coverage but not cover it up completely. It mostly comes in darker shades, since the absence of ammonia means it won’t lighten hair, but is still gentle enough to not completely fry or damage thinner hair.

This kit also requires mixing, though it’s only a two-step process so it’s easy enough to understand even if you’ve never dyed your hair before. It also comes with a weekly conditioning treatment to help preserve the color a bit longer. It’s still semi-permanent, meaning it will wash out and fade over time, but if you use the treatment you’ll get an extra week or two of wear. Keep in mind as well that even though this is ammonia and harsh chemical-free, and some reviewers have used it on their beards, it’s not officially meant for hair other than what’s on your head.

Semi Permanent Hair Color

If you’re up for a little experimentation, Good Dye Young is one of the easiest ways to try a litle rock start glitz. The brand specializes in “unnatural” hues like pink, blue, and green and the formula requires no mixing or color theory. These types of colors always look brightest on hair that is bleached first, but these dyes are rich so you can still get some tint if you don’t. The colors are vegan and semi-permanent, so only last about six weeks without regular touchups.

If you’re going for a bold hue, you’ll want to leave this dye on your hair longer than others on this list (the brand recommends 30 minutes). You’ll also want to keep in mind that unless you’re starting with fully bleached hair, the finished result may not be super bold, especially if you are applying it on darker hair. But for the sake of experimentation, this dye is easy to use with a low risk factor so if you don’t like it, you can be sure it will wash out fairly quickly.

Espresso Brown Coloring Conditioner

Ideal for hair dye beginners and commitment-phobes alike, these semi-permanent hair coloring conditioners come pre-mixed in almost every color you can think of from natural browns to bright neons. Application is easy: apply to dry hair for 10-15 minutes and then rinse out. The process feels more like applying a hair mask than dye and is less likely to leave your hair dry and crispy feeling. Keep in mind that the bright colors are only super-saturated on bleached hair, but can still give a subtle sheen of purple or blue. For a more natural look, choose the color closest to your natural hue.

Since this dye is super conditioning, it’s also suitable for all hair types and textures and won’t dry out curly or textured hair. It’s also semi-permanent which means it will fade pretty quickly, but the good news there is that since this is a mix-free formula, the tub contains multiple uses (depending on how long your hair is) so you’ll get a few applications with one purchase.

How Long Does Hair Dye Last?

The short answer here is: It depends. Permanent color will last the longest and though it will fade over time, it won’t ever completely wash out of your hair. You’ll see as your hair grows that your natural color will come through at the roots. Semi-permanent and temporary color will wash out, but exactly how long it lasts depends mostly on how often you wash your hair. Many companies will say their color lasts for a certain amount of washes (usually around 20-28) so if you wash your hair every day, it won’t last as long as if you skip days between shampooing. Some other companies will say their dye lasts for a certain number of weeks, but this is harder to quantify because, again, it depends on how often you wash your hair. A good rule of thumb is that if you want your semi-permanent color to last longer, shampoo less frequently.

At-home Hair Dye vs. Professional Salon Color

The main difference between hair dye you use at home and what a colorist would use in a salon is that it’s specifically designed to be easy to use. That’s great news for DIYers out there. “You don’t have to think about it,” says Phoebe Nathan, a colorist at Blackstones in New York City. “You take the developer, you take the color, mix it, apply it, done. They’re developed to be one size fits all.” Unlike the thicker products used in a salon setting, at-home hair dye is thinner to allow it to spread easily with your hands without the need for other tools or brushes. Unless you’re a trained colorist, in which case why are you even reading this article, dying your hair at home requires at-home dye.

How Do You Choose a Hair Dye?

The first thing to consider when picking an at-home hair dye is, duh, what color you want your hair to be. Traditionally, when most guys considered dying their hair, it was to cover up grays and seamlessly blend in with their natural color, says Deb Rosenberg, lead colorist and AVP of Education at Color & Co. But now there is a big trend toward men becoming more experimental. “I’ve had more guys call up looking for vivid pastels,” she says as an example.

If you’re trying to dye your hair a candy color 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, Nathan recommends choosing a hair dye that’s only a shade or two darker than your natural hair or one shade lighter. Anything more drastic is difficult to achieve on your own. Picking a color that is too dark is going to leave your hair looking unnaturally “inky” and too light runs the risk of turning your hair orange, she says. When you’re doing your own dye, keep it simple.

Permanent vs. Semi-Permanent Color

The other thing you need to consider is what kind of hair dye you want. 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 color-preserving shampoo). Semi-permanent or demi-permanent hair dyes will start fading almost immediately and will eventually wash out. It sounds like a waste of time, but these non-permanent dyes are ideal for gray blending—when you want to minimize grays but not cover them completely. “Gray blending looks the most believable,” says colorist George Papanikolas. He recommends using semi-permanent dye to “spot treat” areas like the temples where gray can cluster, instead of using a full-coverage dye on your whole head.

How to Apply Hair Dye at Home

Shampoo a few days before and don’t put in any styling products. 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. Some brands require mixing and others don’t and regardless of which you choose, use gloves when you apply the dye and apply a protective barrier, like Vaseline around your hairline and ears (to repel stains). 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 color-preserving shampoo like R+Co Gemstone Color Shampoo to stop the process. If you have short hair, be ready to do that all again in about four weeks and to keep your color looking as fresh as possible, reduce the amount you shampoo and use that color-safe shampoo when you do.

But no matter what kind of hair dye you use at home, remember “it’s never going to 100% match your natural color because it’s a chemical reaction happening on your head,” notes Papnikolas. Manage your expectations from the beginning by understanding what your hair color goal is: simple gray coverage, a whole new head of pink hair, or somewhere in between. That will inform what kind of dye you choose.

Meet the Experts

• Phoebe Nathan is a colorist at Blackstones in New York City.

• Deb Rosenberg is lead colorist and AVP of Education at L'Oreal in New York City.

• George Papanikolas is a colorist in Los Angeles.

How We Selected

For the past two years, we consulted with Men's Health Grooming editors and writers on the best hair dyes for men. Experts, including Grooming Editor, Garrett Munce, put a number of hair dyes to the test and evaluated their applications, color range, ingredients, mixing instructions, value, and more. We also considered top-reviewed hair dyes that received high customer ratings on the e-commerce websites we trust most.

You Might Also Like

• The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now

• 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein