If you’re interested in covering up gray hair, adding highlights, lowlights, or changing your hair color completely, there are basically two options. Either having the color applied in a salon by a highly trained professional or purchasing a commercial product to use at home. While the basic idea of the two choices are the same, there are several distinct differences.
Salon versus At-Home Hair Color Products
The price to have hair colored professionally is dramatically higher than the cost of even one of the best at home hair color products. Another difference is that the vibrancy and shine produced from professional hair color is typically much more impressive than what a person would get from a box. That does not meant that at-home products are worthless and in fact, there are many excellent brands now being sold that produce great results.
Of course, the matter of convenience and time would also need to be considered when choosing between hair color from a salon and the best at home hair color found at the local store. With so many people living busy lives, trying to find two to three hours every four or five weeks to have hair colored in a salon environment is nearly impossible. On the other hand, with an in-home product, a person could change hair color according to the time that best coordinates with work schedule.
By comparing the best at home hair color products sold today with the best products from just ten years ago, it becomes all too obvious just how far this market has come. For one thing, there are many more brands with most coming from companies that have long-term histories of excellence. Even the ingredients used are far superior and along with chemicals commonly found in hair color products, an individual would also have the ability to choose from a variety of natural products.
Top-Rated Brands
Because there are so many different options when it comes to the best at home hair color, we felt it would be helpful to provide a list of examples, products that have received top ratings from actual consumers.
For red and brown hair color, Clairol Natural Instincts wins hands-down. Although this product has a low price tag of just $10, it offers even coverage, produces great shine, and it is made with a fade resistance formula.
Also ranked as the best at home hair color for chestnut reddish brown, L’Oreal ColorSpa sells for around $8. This product works excellent for covering gray and producing the perfect degree of shine. As a semi-permanent hair color product, an individual could experience some level of fading although nothing serious has been reported.
With a price of less than $5, it is hard to believe that Revlon ColorSilk is considered among the best for dark brown hair. This hair color is one of the hardest for hiding gray yet this hair color produced full coverage. In addition, there is virtually no fading after a four-week period with hair still shiny and rich in color.
A person with medium brown hair might look at L’Oreal Excellence Creme, which costs around $9. Color produced is rich and gorgeous, hair is enhanced with beautiful shine, and this product is easy to use. People have claimed only a slight amount of fading but not until the four to five week mark.
Moving on to the red hair, the best at home hair color was reportedly Revlon’s Colorsilk in either the burgundy or auburn shade. Benefits of this product include outstanding gray coverage, long-lasting shine, and only a small amount of fading after time, washing, and being exposed to sunlight. In addition, this brand offers numerous red shades, something hard to find.
Although higher priced, Clairol Nice ‘n Easy Perfect is another great choice specific to shades of red hair. One of the best things about this brand is that just 10 minutes after being applied, all gray hair is covered. Now, when compared to other top brands, shine was not as vibrant but still good and color started to fade at about four weeks.
Moving on to the best at home hair color made for people with blonde hair, at just $8, Clairol Nice ‘n Easy was the winner. For this particular brand, research showed that no matter the shade of blonde chosen, gray coverage was unrivaled. This brand also received top ratings for shine retention, as well as fade resistance.
While not one of the best for covering gray, Revlon’s ColorSilk Ultra-Light Natural Blonde received extra high marks for fade resistance and shine retention. The one downside to this product is that compared to others it produces a somewhat strong odor.
Having worked at many of the top salons across the country, Olivia Winters is as qualified as they come for dishing out beauty and hairstyle advice. Whenever she isn’t working for her clients she enjoys traveling and sharing her knowledge with the world. Her specialty is working with short and natural hairstyles.