Whether you've visited salons in the past to colour your hair blonde, or brunette, even copper or rose gold, now we're in lockdown, maintaining dyed hair at home can sometimes feel like an uphill battle.
If you feel like your hair is rapidly fading, your roots are regrowing at the speed of light, or you have little greys peeking through that you'd rather have coated in glossy hair colour, we feel you.
You can slow the fading of hair colour by avoiding sulphates in your shampoo, and using colour-protect hair care lines.
But, if you're feeling tempted to try to colour your hair at home (à la Holly Willoughby), then here's your guide to everything hair colour, from glosses and masks, to slightly higher commitment semi-permanent colours, all the way through to the full monty (AKA permanent hair dye).
Oh, and please remember to ALWAYS do a patch test before using any kind of hair dye (even if you've used it before), otherwise you could risk an allergic reaction.
Hair dye refreshing masks Who's it best for?These masks best for refreshing already-coloured hair. If you pick the right shade (it takes a little trial and error), they'll knock out brassiness from blonde, revitalise reds and coppers, deepen dark brown and enrich brunettes.
Some are stronger than others, so a strand test might be wise. Others, such as Leonor Greyl's mask, work accumulatively, so the effects will be stronger on the second use than the first, and so on.
ProsSuper-duper low commitment, almost foolproof, speedy, usually incredibly conditioning, and the least messy option due to being applied in the shower.
ConsA light touch - it won't pack too much of a punch.
TipsUse a silicone-free shampoo (keep those cuticles clear!) and brush through the hair with a wet brush before applying - this helps better distribute the mask and avoid patchiness.
Color Depositing Mask in Hibiscus
Moroccanoil quartzhairandbeauty.co.uk£32.50
Repigmenting Conditioner in Natural Copper
Leonor Greyl lookfantastic.com£39.00
Alchemic Conditioner in Silver Grey
Davines cultbeauty.co.uk£21.40
Shade Shot Gloss in Smoky Brunette
Josh Wood Colour boots.com£15.00
Wash-in and semi-permanent hair dye Who's it best for?Those looking to step it up from glosses and masks, but who don't fancy the maintenance of root-regrowth from permanent hair dye.
Bear in mind, this category can differ wildly. You have your wash-in/wash-out options which can, for some, wash out immediately - or within a stated number of washes.
But my advice? Take the lasting time on the box with a pinch of salt, especially with so-called wash-in/wash-out. They're usually dependent on the porosity of your hair, and there's always a risk of A) them not taking to your hair at all (more likely), or B) them sticking around a little longer than you planned.
Same goes for semi-permanent colour (such as your classic box-dyes), though these most often stick around for at least 6 hair washes, provided you're using sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner.
ProsLonger-lasting than glosses and masks (meaning this ends up a cheaper overall). Depending on the type of dye, these often allow natural dimension to shine through, so greys / old highlights or lowlights will pick up the new colour and look textured.
ConsThese are sometimes a little trickier to nail than masks, so need a little more attention to detail. They also still do wash out, and you might find yourself tiring of re-doing your colour every time it fades.
TipsDon't forget, semi-permanent dyes an be used in alternately with glosses and masks. If you opt for ammonia-free formulations, they won't be able to lighten your hair, only alter the hue.
That in mind, the lighter your hair, the freer you are to experiment with shades (though it's wise to go no more than two shades lighter or darker than your natural colour).
Christophe Robin Temporary Color Gel
Christophe Robin lookfantastic.com£30.00
Natural Instincts Semi-Permanent Vegan Hair Dye
Clairol lookfantastic.com£6.99
Super Cool Colour in The Big Pink
BLEACH LONDON cultbeauty.co.uk£6.50
Colour Effects Wash Out Dye in Rich Red
Superdrug superdrug.com£1.99
Permanent hair dye Who's it best for?Those ready to take the plunge for real, and who know the shade on the box definitely works for them (and have carried out a strand test).
Why? Because permanent hair dye is more or less here to stay. Where semi-permanent colour coats the hair shaft and sticks around as long as possible, permanent enters the hair shaft.
ProsThis stuff sticks around, meaning overall, your hair will be cheaper to maintain. Permanent hair is mixed with a developer, which is capable of lightening hair, meaning you have a little more flexibility to go blonder, or to lighten the hair from a darker brown ready for a red colour
ConsThings can go a little awry if you don't take box dye seriously. Only go two shades lighter or darker than your natural colour. If you don't like it, you'll need to wait for it to grow out, or be colour-corrected / bleached out by a professional.
Also, roots. Your hair won't all fade at once like with semi-permanent - instead, you'll have your natural hair colour regrowing in at the top. This can be addressed with box-dye too, but it's a learned skill, and you might need to enlist a second pair of hands.
Tips
Be wary of overuse - especially if you're lightening your hair. Breakage is real.
Make good use of the conditioning masks that often come free in your box-dye, or enlist the help of an Olaplex treatment.
John Frieda Precision Foam Colour
john frieda feelunique.com£9.99
LIVE Intense Colour Hair Dye
Schwarzkopf superdrug.com£5.49
Nice 'n Easy Crème Permanent Hair Dye
Clairol amazon.co.uk£5.00
Color Expert Omegaplex Lightener
Schwarzkopf superdrug.com£4.52
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