If you’re wondering how to dye your hair at home, then you’ve come to the right place. The first step in getting a professional-looking new shade without stepping into a salon is choosing the best at-home hair color. Whether you’re looking for a bit of a root touchup or want to try dyeing gray hair yourself, there’s a product on the shelves that will help you achieve the best results possible.

Rest assured, when following product instructions, using at-home hair dye is “very safe,” explains Karan Lal, D.O., M.S., F.A.A.D., double board-certified dermatologist with Affiliated Dermatology in Scottsdale, AZ. “It often comes down to cost—getting your hair done at a hair salon can be super expensive and unaffordable for a lot of people, so I think doing it at home is completely fine.”

Meet the experts: Guy Tang, hair color expert; Danielle Farella-LoCastro, professional hair stylist and co-owner of 'hāvən: a boutique salon in Jericho, NY; Karan Lal, D.O., M.S., F.A.A.D., double board-certified dermatologist with Affiliated Dermatology in Scottsdale, AZ.

But, “Some things [like professional hair color] are worth splurging for,” notes Danielle Farella-LoCastro, professional hair stylist and co-owner of 'hāvən: a boutique salon in Jericho, NY. While coloring your hair at home with quality, user-friendly formulas can often yield beautiful results, there are certainly times when seeing a professional hair colorist is advisable. “It’s best to see a stylist if you want any kind of permanent color change,” like adding highlights or going lighter than your current shade, explains Guy Tang, hair color expert.

Our top picks

Ahead, we rounded up the best at-home hair color products with the help of our experts and rave reviews.

Clairol

amazon.com

$16.29

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The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab was impressed by a variety of shades (especially, dark hair like brunettes and reds) from Clairol’s Natural Instincts Demi-Permanent Hair Color in their testing of at-home hair dyes. Lab testing revealed that the ammonia-free at-home dye offered even coverage, left hair visibly shiny, and was fade-resistant when used to cover up grays.

WELLA

amazon.com

$7.83

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This permanent dye boasts an overall 4.5 out of five stars on Amazon with over 11,000 ratings. It’s available in 68 shades that are “easily intermixable” for customizable results, according to the brand. “Love the Wella permanent hair dye,” one five star reviewer wrote. “This hair dye lasts in your hair. Doesn’t wash out or fade super fast at all. Color looks like what it shows. Not darker or lighter.”

Clairol

amazon.com

$15.14

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This permanent root touch-up kit from Clairol is a Good Housekeeping Beauty Award winner that covers regrowth in between dye sessions. Good Housekeeping Beauty Lab evaluations found that the dye provided total gray coverage and blended perfectly with users’ existing shades. Plus, it offers speedy results with a processing time of just 10 minutes.

STYLE EDIT

amazon.com

$29.99

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This root touch up spray is a best seller on Amazon with a 4.4 out of five stars. It’s also recommended by Farella-LoCastro as “a great alternative to use in between touch ups to cover grays temporarily.” The flake-free formula applies in seconds and dries in minutes—plus, it rinses out with shampoo for a commitment-free way to revamp your roots.

Garnier

amazon.com

$9.99

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With nourishing ingredients like grape seed oil, avocado oil, and shea oil, this hair dye not only deposits beautiful color but the brand says it conditions strands to help maintain hair health. The kit contains everything you’ll need and then some, including a fruit oil ampoule to add to the dye and a nourishing, color-safe conditioner. Not to mention, this at-home hair color is well-loved by reviewers with 4.5 out of five stars on Amazon with over 10,000 glowing, five-star reviews. “Great, natural looking color. I’ve tried many at-home color brands and colors and I like this brand/color the best,” wrote one five-star reviewer. “I’m always worried about drying out my hair and it looking dull and frizzy. This one makes it look shiny and lustrous.”

Schwarzkopf

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$11.97

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This color kit from Schwarzkopf boasts anti-breakage technology for strong and healthy-looking hair thanks to its keratin complex, per the brand. Inside the box you’ll find a conditioning pre-color serum to prep hair for color application as well as a strengthening after-color conditioner to maintain soft, shiny strands. “This is honestly the BEST hair dye on the market. Not only is it easy to use, it really leaves your hair shiny and has amazing gray coverage,” wrote one five-star reviewer on Amazon.

Clairol

amazon.com

$7.57

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In Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab testing, testers found that Clairol Nice 'n Easy was the best pick for light hair and had a gentler, more conditioning formula. The dye comes in a huge range of 50 shades, from very light blonde to extremely dark blue-black. While all brands tested for blonde colors only scored average (or worse) for covering up grays, Nice 'n Easy stood out for fade resistance and maintaining its shine. In Lab evaluations, it scored high for natural-looking results. In fact, 79% of testers said it left their hair soft and shiny and 90% said it didn’t cause irritation. “Easy to apply and left hair extremely soft, even without conditioner,” one tester noted.

IGK

ulta.com

$29.00

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Farella-LoCastro loves this color-depositing mask “for toning and subtle color changes.”. “These are great because there are many color options, they wash out, and leave your hair feeling silky and shiny,” she says. Not only does this mask provide intense (semi-permanent) color in a variety of shades, per the brand, but it also offers conditioning and nourishing benefits thanks to ingredients like squalane, meadowfoam oil, and quinoa.

L'Oreal Paris

amazon.com

$13.08

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While a visit to the salon is usually the best option for adding highlights to your hair, this kit makes it simple if you’re determined to add some dimension to your tresses at home. It’s only two steps—the first evens out your base color and the second adds precise highlights. The kit comes with a fingertip applicator that gives you control over your highlight placement, making it “very easy to use” according to one five-star reviewer on Amazon who also wrote, “when I’ve finished the entire process, my hair feels very healthy and looks shiny.”

The Henna Guys

amazon.com

$17.97

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Dr. Lal suggests using a henna product as an alternative to traditional dyes to color your hair at home, especially if you have a sensitive scalp or skin. “It’s a nice way of dyeing your hair and your roots without having to worry about potentially getting an allergic reaction,” Dr. Lal explains. “It’s also a nice conditioner for your hair.” However, Dr. Lal notes that henna often imparts a “red-brown color”—but if you’re okay with that, then henna might be a great option.

Soft-Sheen Carson

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$5.98

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This at-home hair color formula was designed with natural hair in mind. It’s made with conditioning argan oil and vitamin E for healthy-looking, shiny hair and offers 18 color options that complement a wide-range of skin tones. “This dye did its thing. Usually my hair doesn’t take color very well—my hair is dark brown,” wrote one five-star reviewer on Amazon. “Using this color was the first time my hair came out the right color. It also didn't make my hair brittle or dry.”

Herbatint

amazon.com

$15.99

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Achieving vibrant color without a vegan hair dye is completely doable. Case in point: This ammonia-free formula that uses herbal extracts to achieve vibrant color while nourishing and protecting hair. This permanent at-home hair color has over 1,500 five-star reviews on Amazon with one satisfied reviewer writing, “The colors are rich and healthy, application is easy, no strong smell, and the product is fantastic!”

L'Oréal Paris

amazon.com

$10.99

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This fade-defying formula is a top-pick for those searching for a quality permanent at-home hair color. The luminous gel formula delivers shine and dimension for up to eight weeks of vibrant color with over 50 shades to choose from, according to the brand. Plus, this tried and true hair color maintains a 4.5 out of five stars on Amazon, with over 12,000 five-star reviews. One reviewer notes how the dye offers a “wonderful color —shiny even on damaged hair. Covered my grays. It’s such a beautiful, sleek, color.”

MANIC PANIC

amazon.com

$14.24

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For bold color, Manic Panic offers this semi-permanent cream color that many love. It is called “high voltage” for a reason—shades like cotton candy pink, electric banana, voodoo blue, and more offer vibrant hues and can be mixed together for customizable colors. Plus, some even glow under black light! Over 1,000 five-star reviews on Amazon rave about the product. “Doesn’t dry out hair, color remains vibrant for weeks, and fades beautifully,” one reviewer wrote.