Best Light Brown Hair Dye For Dark Hair (2024 Update)

Pictures with blue shirt are before. Others are after under the same lighting 1 hour apart. First off, I want to say I chose this product over other hair dyes because it is a vegan formula and cruelty free approved which means (hopefully) animals were not used or harmed for these ingredients. I purchased two boxes since my hair is medium to long length, and I was surprised that one box was enough to saturate my entire hair with product left over. The product is rather runny so it stretches a LOT which i found to be great but messy. It smells great and not like traditional hair dyes which is a huge bonus for me. The only time I noticed a weird odor was when using the After Color Conditioner, but it’s not too bad. This is the SOFTEST I have ever felt my hair after using a box dye. It is shocking how smooth and healthy it feels after this. I will say- the conditioner does leave your hair pretty greasy after washing and drying, but I plan to leave it like this all day so the color truly sticks and then use my regular color-safe shampoos before bed so I don’t stain my pillows. The color: Truly, I don’t believe the color advertised on the box is accurately represented. The picture shows a cool black with undertones of purple. For me, already having dark brown hair with red undertones, the result was a warm black with brown undertones so much so that it actually looks very natural as if I was born with black hair. I would consider this like a “soft black” dye. Though I’m not sure what they mean by “platinum black” it is definitely not leaning towards a Jet black. All in all: I am VERY satisfied with this product- being that it’s only the first day I don’t know how it will do overtime with fading, but the price point is perfect as I tend to stay away from box dyes that are under $7 due to quality. I also feel like it just did a beautiful job coloring the hair and leaving it shiny and healthy. Although the color May not have been extremely accurate, I am definitely going to stick with this brands Olía line and move more towards a deeper cool “Jet black” knowing that this one just looks like a regular normal black- which is perfect for someone wanting a natural simple tint!Laso5959

I’m 33 and I have a ton of gray around the crown of my head. I went from having a salad balayage, to dyeing my hair very dark brown because I couldn’t afford a trip to the salon. I tried my best to keep my balayage highlights intact, but it ended up dyeing over all of them. Every ‘medium’ brown I touch, turns my hair practically black. So I let the last color fade out over a few months, and decided to try this color. When I first washed it out I was a little nervous I had ‘hot roots’, because they looked very red. My hair likes to go red with any dye period, but they looked kind of orange, so I was a little scared. Once I finished drying my hair, I was pretty happy with the results. Not only did it lighten my hair significantly, but it brought back the balayage highlights that were unfortunately dyed dark. My hair does have kind of a ‘chestnut’ tone to it, but I’m over all satisfied that it lightened my hair, covered my grays, and didn’t go so dark that I lost color dimension.Alex k

Olia hair color in Dark Rose Quartz left my hair feeling silky smooth and soft! I love that it doesn't have the harshness of ammonia, which makes it smell a lot better than most hair dyes out there. I was happy with the way the color came out, but I would consider it more of a tint than a traditional dye, which is why I took a star off (I have medium brown hair with blonde balayage). If I was hoping for the color on the box, I don't know that I would have been as happy. Dark Rose Quartz is a fun and subtle shade for someone who wants to shake up their hair color without getting too crazy! I received a free product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.Jene4424

Go with Excellence. I normally use L’Oréal Excellence but decided to tried something different and tried Preference in same shade I usually use in dark ash brown. Well, Excellence does a better job… Preference faded and washed out from my gray roots. I had to do a double take to make sure I used permanent dye. Well it was! I have partial gray areas I use the dye to cover. I don’t recall having this issue w/ Excellence. If you have gray you’re looking to cover, go with Excellence. More user friendly also since it’s cream based not liquid as well.Target Shopper

I was looking to color my hair auburn which is exactly what this product did. I had medium brown virgin hair with a few grey's. I would suggest to apply the product to the middle and ends of your hair for 15 minutes and only apply to roots for maybe seven minutes. I did get some hot roots in a small patch near the front of my hairline. I will be googling and youtubing how to correct that spot. I would definitely not keep it on my roots for the full 10 minutes the box suggests. There is not alot of multidimension color but there is definitely color change from my medium brown. I think that the product doesn't need to be as strong as it is. I don't know a ton about color, but this company should maybe use a less harsh developer? They are trying to appeal to a large audience, but they are just messing up alot of people haircoloring experience. I read alot of the reviews beforehand so I knew that my hair would go auburn. If someone just picks the box and thinks their hair is gonna have Carmel highlights they are in for a unpleasant surprise.Sarah

I thought the product was magnificent. The one application was enough to cover my entire head from root to end and when my hair is wet it lands on my shoulders and I have naturally curly hair. I have tons of white hair or with some would call grey very heavy in the front. I have been ill and having colored my hair in 6 months. My hair is naturally black but at 55 I want it to go lighter without anything pulling red. The results are absolutely stunning. Again more than enough color cover all my hair from root to end professional disposable gloves that are easy to take on and off, and a great tube of conditioner that can last me for about three applications. My hair is so soft and shiny and the color Blended beautiful with my already black hair considering I had about 4 in of regrowth and another 6 in of black hair it Blended in beautifully.Yvette

Really impressed with this. I bought 7 Dark Blonde after a particularly bad 'balayage' job (mostly awful white/yellow highlights) and the colour has come out exactly as it's shown on the box. I still had my natural light brown roots and this has blended really well after being on for 20 minutes. It's obviously not the colour I wanted when I set out trying to be lighter with the initial balayage attempt, but it has rescued my hair from that disaster, and at least I can leave the house again without a hat! It's in no way very dark, and as it's a semi dye it will fade and the lighter colours will come through again a bit more in time. If you're despairing about a terrible blonde dye job and want to get back to a dark blonde/lighter brown then this is for you. I did use a purple shampoo on my hair a few days before I used the dye, although I'm not sure how much difference it made to this outcome. This dye seems to have redder tones to it after application which might freak you out initially, but it settles and blends. It does give good coverage, and the blonde comes through with subtle tones, so don't use it if you want to still be mainly a light blonde colour, you will most likely be the colour on the box. If you're looking for something to just tone down yellow brassiness then I don't think this will be for you, as I think it will initially cover your blonde. As ever, it's good to do a patch test if you're not sure you'll like the final results.Anna

I have been using this brand haircolor for years, trying different shades. I recently went through chemo therapy and lost all my hair. Since it’s grown back in its come in with a lot of grey. I have naturally medium brown hair. It is in excellent condition and thought I would color it with this new formula. So many reviews state the new formula is not as good as the old, I love the new formula. No burning on application, no hot roots, more even coverage. Many reviews also stated that the sheets are much darker than reflected on the box. For this reason I purchased suede light brown. It is so dark! Thankfully I don’t mind dark hair on myself. This is the only negative. My hair feels so soft and fluffy. And it was great at covering my greys! I will definitely purchase again. I have included photos of my natural hair and after I applied the hair color.FanGirlTG

I used to color my hair with Clairol Natural Instincts about 10 years ago and never had an issue. With a special event coming up I decided to freshen my hair up with some color. Upon reading the instructions it seemed as if the product had improved since I last used it. I bought two packages, but one bottle covered my shoulder-length hair just fine. However, after applying and rinsing out the product as instructed, I noticed that my hair didn't feel very good. Back in the day it used to leave my hair super silky and soft, like a model in a shampoo commercial. But the real horror happened after I dried my hair and realized that the color I got was NOT the color on the box! I selected #4 dark brown to get a Hersheys dark chocolate color. Instead my hair came out looking like kona coffee grounds in water (aka, almost black). It looks completely unnatural and now I'm trying to desperately get it to wash out early. (In the shower for the first wash since coloring, my hair felt like even more of a bird's nest than when I rinsed the dye out. Bleh!) I have now sworn off hair dye for the rest of my life. Hopefully by the time I get to the special event this weekend some of it will have washed out.Amanda

I received this product and was eager to trial it. There’s nothing quite like a colour touch up to make you feel a little more refreshed and energised! The product was super easy to use and everything needed was contained in one compact box. I followed the directions with ease and all progressed to plan. The end result was reasonably true to the desired colour although my hair did end up more orange than I had anticipated. I accept this can happen with hair colours because there are so many factors that contribute to the end result. The hair colour did address my primary concern – covering the dreaded greys! The smell was not offensive as can happen with some brands and I liked the fuss free application process. A major benefit is the convenience of doing this at home at a time that suits me and a cost that is budget friendly! I have had my colour now for a week and the colour at this stage is still looking fresh with great coverage. I would suggest that anyone with thick hair or very long hair should invest in two packets and not chance a dye disaster!! I have long hair but it is very thin so one packet for me was sufficient. Overall – I will be using this product again!Elle B.

I received this hair dye to trial as part of the Beauty Review Crew. I have used this brand of hair dye a few times over the past couple years. In particular, I have used the shade 'Darkest brown' which is the same shade I'm trialing today. The shade has always been is a lovely vibrant colour and the colour result is similar to my natural hair colour. The dye promises to 100% grey hair coverage and it lives up to its promise. Preparing the dye for application is nice and easy. After applying the gloves that are included in the packaging, you pour the colour formula into the bottle of developer before placing the lid back on and shaking the bottle until completely mixed. It's that easy! Then starting at the roots, you evenly apply the dye. The dye goes on smoothly and, surprisingly, the dye scent isn't as strong as other brands. Other brands tend to have a strong chemical smell which makes my eyes water and nose tingle when breathing it in. Clairol have done a great job at producing a hair product with a low scent. One of the best things about Clairol's nice n' easy hair dyes is the short processing times. Unlike other brands that have a processing time of upwards to an hour to reach your desired shade, these dye have an average processing time of just 25 minutes. The short processing time means you can dye your hair during your lunch break, before a night out, or before a date, without it taking up too much of your time. The rinsing process is also quite a smooth and easy process. After applying some warm water, give your hear/head a little massage and then rinse until the water runs clear from all the dye. It normally takes around two minutes for the water to run clear. Then using the conditioning Clairol conditioning treatment that comes with the hair dye, you apply from roots to tips and leave for a couple minutes before rinsing. The conditioning treatment has a lovely scent and is nice and thick. It's almost like applying a luxurious hair mask. It glides onto the hair smoothly and evenly. After rinsing the conditioning treatment you can instantly feel how hydrated you hair feels. Dying your hair often dehydrates it and your hair can feel a little worse for wear. Clairol's hair dyes are gentle on your hair and the conditioning treatment prevents damage and keeps your hair hydrated and feeling lovely. After towel-drying my hair, I blow-dried my hair until was dry. Looking in the mirror you could instantly see how vibrant and lovely the hair colour result was, and it looked and felt really healthy. I am always so very impressed with the results every time and I often get compliments from friends and family members. As my hair grows fairly quickly, I use this product every 2-3 months to help cover grey hairs. Despite dying my hair so regularly, my hair has remained healthy and manageable, and hasn't compromised my hair in any way. The only downside I can mention is that the dye stains your skin. Normally hair spray or acetone on a cotton ball or cotton pad helps remove hair dyes from skin but I found this dye to be lot stronger and barely budged from the skin. I also tried scrubbing with soap and dishwashing detergent but the dye only faded slightly. It took a few days of scubbing before the dye faded completely. The best thing of all about Clairol's Nice n' Easy hair dyes are they cost just $9 from your local supermarket. Sometimes, you can grab them on special for just $6! SIX BUCKS! Now that's what you call a bargain! Why pay $200+ t an expensive hairdresser when you can get almost the same results for just $9.Fallon G.

Staff Review by BC's Tamara I'm not going to lie – I have greys. Lots of them. But the Clairol Nice'n Easy Permanent Hair Dye did a mighty fine job of making them disappear! I have actually used this dye in the past, and can't recommend it enough. The range of colours on offer is wonderful as there is something there for everyone. I have dull brown hair, so usually opt for a warm shade to brighten my colour – I used the Medium Chestnut Brown 5RB. The instructions are clear and easy to follow and after spending 10 mins applying the product as thoroughly as I could, it took a simple 25 minutes to penetrate before washing it out and conditioning. The colour completely covered my greys (which was my main objective), but overall my hair looks so much healthier as it is shiny and the colour has more life to it. My favourite thing about this dye is that the colour brings out the natural highlights I have and it looks really natural. At $12.99 the Clairol Nice'n Easy is a bargain as it is a high quality product and I would recommend it!BC's Tamara C.

This is the first time I have ever used a Clairol hair dye and I have to say this Age Defy one is the best I have ever used. I love the serum you put on your dry hair before applying the dye, it somehow makes you feel like to are putting a protective balm on to protect your hair from the chemicals in the dye. It felt a bit weird as i've never done anything like this before dying my hair. The actual dye mixed well and was thick in consistency..so no slopping it all over the place and later on finding random dye all over the place!! I left it on for slightly longer than the recommended time..I like to know it's hitted all those greys. It has no amonia so you don't have that horrible smell you get with some dyes and I found that after rinsing out and applying the conditioner my hair once dry was amazingly shiny. The colour didn't come out too dark and my greys were all covered. I am a total convert. I won't be buying anything other than this in the future. An amazing fabulous product.Ravenangel44

This was my first time using Age Defy so was looking forward to seeing how it compared to other home hair colouring products. I liked the fact it'll cover all my stubborn gray hairs, lasting up to 8 weeks, whilst also nourishing and smoothing my hair. The box had clear instructions and was informative so was easy to follow. The product was straight forward to apply and my hair felt really shiny and healthy after use. First you have to apply a Pre treatment serum which was easy to use and a nice touch as it was different to any other product I've used before. The Rich permanent colour you had to mix with the activating cream, came in a foil tube which I wasn't a fan of as it was hard to squeeze all the cream out. Once mixed with the Activating cream, the consistency was good, and it applied well with no drips. It had a nice floral smell to it too so wasn't unpleasant like some dyes. Note, I have medium shoulder-length hair and I would say one bottle is enough to covers short to medium hair, so if you have long hair, you may want to get more than one box. The CC+ colourseal conditioning therapy I found you didn't need much and it left my hair silky and soft. This also had a light floral smell so my hair smelt lovely too. Overall the coverage was very good and covered all my grey hairs. The colour was natural looking and I loved the smell and how soft it made my hair. I would say be careful not to get any on your scalp as it really stains but this could be because I went with a dark colour.Bunnykins

For those wanting younger looking hair with radiant color, Clairol Nicene Easy Age Dufy's three-step system gives you up to 100% long-lasting grey coverage and fights the seven signs of aging hair: Stubborn greys, lackluster color, coarseness, frizz, unruly hair, dryness and breakage. For 100% long lasting grey coverage, Clairol Age Defy 3 Darkest Brown Hair Dye, is the perfect solution to restore your color. Discover the innovative Tri-Plax Formula, a conditioning technology that delivers strong, colored hair to help turn back time. With the Age Defy Smoothing Pre-Treatment that softens coarse, resistant grey hair, color gets in smoothly and our special conditioning therapy helps restore every strand to reveal stunningly soft, smooth, and manageable hair. I was pleasantly surprised with the grey coverage. I would certainly not leave on longer than the recommended time and strongly suggest doing the skin test as recommended first – this is permanent colour containing hydrogen peroxide. The conditioner also worked well, my hair was left shiny and bouncy.Simona123

I didn't approve or ask for this shade! I got starry black. I'm a natural blonde. In order for me to achieve black hair that doesn't turn green after the 1st wash,I would have to do a filler color first like a medium brown. I don't want to put all those chemicals on my hair. Plus I don't want black hair! I DID NOT USE THIS! I have used feria in the past though, I have used their bleaching kit and their auburn, red and black cherry shades. It is the only box dye I will use. It not only has an essential oil you add to it for a better smell but it also helps the hair feel softer and more hydrated as well as look shiny and healthy, well as healthy as dyed hair can look. For a box dye it's not bad. If I had gotten a color I approved of I totally would have used it! My daughter has medium golden brown hair and has been debating allowing me to use this on her. I will update with photos if that happens.julie.h

L'Oreal Feria hair dye from Walmart for $9.97 in color Deeply Brown 40! Bought 1 box because there were not any more and no longer have at Sally's! I like the conditioner it comes with in a tube as a thick cream yet it has changed very much! It is less quality and less odor yet still great for cost! The dye is not thick gel it is medium like conditioner for $9.97 worth the value still as it does cover Grey and not a semi- permanent! This permanent hair dye box comes with traditional one box with color; a set of gloves; tiny shine serum; developer; instructions; and the dye! Real easy for shoulder length hair covering with 1 bottle! It lasts several weeks and hair clings to color, vice versa!roseanne .b

PLEASE be aware that this has a chemical called ethanalomine in it. A corrosive and dangerous substitute to ammonia. No harsh chemicals? Bah! I have lost 75% of my hair since I started using this product during the pandemic last year. I have been through rounds of steroids injections to try to bring it back. It has ruined my life. Shame on you Madison Reed. Google "ethanolamine hair loss" and you'll find it causes up to 85% more hair fall than the typical ammonia.UBA

Came out way, way darker than expected. I would describe the color as “soft black” and definitely not “medium brown”. I had to pay a stylist to fix it. I also have been experiencing a significant amount of hair shedding since using this. My stylist confirmed that my hair definitely looks thinner. A bit of Google searching confirmed that this is a common problem and there is even a class action lawsuit in NY over it. Just pay a stylist or use another brand. Madison Reed is just good marketing but still just as damaging and dangerous as cheap brands.GroundBear

I am 48-years old and this was the first time I have ever dyed my hair. I was starting to really get grays and wanted to cover them but keep my hair color as close as possible to my natural color. I bought the Sardinia Red and it covered my grays beautifully. It's a little darker than expected indoors but its a very radiant red when you are outside in the sun. I'm really happy with this product so far and I would purchase it again.krissyp42

This one a very vibrant color again I only wish they would create permanent hair dyes but this is definitely a fun experimenting color to let you know the outcome of a more permanent dye. I would continue buying from them if I come across more permanent colors, but I do love to wear these to try out and experiment colors.allison .r

I’ve been a licensed cosmetologist for years now and have tried more color lines and hair care brands than you can imagine. I love every Kenra color, but I will say I do use 6N the most! My favorite thing about Kenra is that what you see is what you get, the hair will look exactly like the swatch. The smell is just another bonus, so many permanent colors have an AWFUL and very strong smell, but just like everything else Kenra offers this color actually smells pretty darn good!? The only thing I will say is MAKE SURE you have a color key, because it’s not coming out if you don’t. 😉desirée.h

I always wanted to try to change my hair color to something different but nothing too crazy. I been following Guy Tang and he mentioned this hair color and I absolutely loved it on him. So my hair dresser went ahead and used this on my toned bleached hair. I loved it! but after my third hair wash the color just disappeared… very sad. So I am attempting to get it re applied even if it doesn't last that's how much I like the color. Wished there was a way that this hair dye lasted longer. Haven't found a solution yet even though I use a silver shampoo and conditioner and all the other advertised products to help it last as long as possible. Over all its a beautiful color!!!erenthequeen

I purchased the color "Dark Navy" hoping to achieve a deep blue color and it did exactly that ! As you can see on my before pic, I had bleached and stained blue hair from previously using semi-permanent blue dye, as well as dark blonde brassy roots regrowth. I did a strand test first to be sure of the color but it came out beautiful ! I was afraid it would come out too dark but it's great 🙂 I will update this review after a few washes to see if it washed out a lot or not.Jessica

This hair dye is super easy to use! I love how it's just like shampooing your hair. I got the color soft greige because I wanted to slightly darken my washed out tips. However, because my hair was already pretty dark, this color lightened my natural black-brown hair and got rid of the brassiness from my previously dyed ends. But… for a couple weeks after using this, there was a slight light purple tinge to my hair in certain lights. So, this product worked, but I probably got the wrong color and that's on me lolLillian

Expected a dark bluey tint to my hair which is naturally dark grey. Turned out lightish brown? Didn't see any hint or hue of blue at all and I didn't want brown. I've brought the same product again after but in black colour and turned out brown as well but more of a blackish brown. Not good unless u want the colour to come out brownishJune

I personally think this dye is great, but I can think of another brand that has more staying power and is cheaper, so for that reason I can only give this 4 stars. The tone of this pink is unique to pinks I have bought previously and I think that's great when wanting some dimension! The texture is hard to describe but not its really creamy or gel like. And I think it smells like peppercorn, which doesn't bother me. I find a tube of this goes a really long way too, which is fantastic! The staying power is pretty average for your vivid pinks. Its rare for them to last too long. But I touch mine up every few washes around the roots and let the rest fade to a pastel, so its no big deal.dominique.f

I recently tried this product for the first time and I think it’s now one of my favorites! I’ve gotten TONS of compliments since I used Blue Ruin and I’ve used them all, over the years. Warning: stuff is Pravana Vivids level of stainage. RIP to a couple of ratty old towels, lol. My hair is between a level 2-3 with grays and I bleach and then highlight it to level 7-8. Pro tip is that I mix this product with a little conditioner and Olaplex 3 and then leave it in my hair for 2 hours. It really saves it from being fried. I have a feeling I’ll be using that combo for a while.lisa.b

I tried to manage my expectations a little with this product, as it’s recommended for light blonde or pre-lightened hair but mine was a balayage with dark blonde/light brown. Turns out it defied my expectations and still came out as a super vibrant red! My hair is chest length and the tube had just about enough to cover nearly my whole head (my roots are dark so I avoided those) with a small amount of conditioner mixed in to stretch it a bit further. I’m now on wash 3 or 4 and I’m surprised by how much colour is still in my hair! The vibrancy has been toned down but it’s definitely still red and I expect it will be for a while yet.Nicole

It was easy to use, even under stress and heavy time constraints. The colour turned out better than imagined a cool toned dark brown. As a fair cooltoned person it suited my complexion really well and I have already repurchased it.Saga

it's not the same color i choose but it's very cool Shopping in Yesstyle is really easy and convenient! I love how their products are well separated into categories for easier browsing. I also appreciate their sorting and filter features so I can check the items more precisely according to what I am exactly searching for and what items fit my budget. Both the website and the app is user-friendly. It just takes me around 10 mins to find what I need and checkout. Most of all I appreciate how they provide free Yesstyle points for every purchase. I use the Yesstyle points for discounts on my next purchases. Another perk is there are free products everyday, I can't think of other online shopping sites with this advantage. Most of all, reviews given by other shoppers are really helpful in decision making. In terms of details, I appreciate Yesstyle for giving detailed instructions on how to pick sizes so that the customers will get the accurate items for their size. Lastly, I love their blogs where they suggest items to be purchased, these blogs help me a lot in thinking of new fashion styles worth-trying! Thank you Yesstyle!Bassima

Primer, lightened my hair from a dark chocolate colour to a caramel toffee colour. I originally thought of just using this to prep my hair for the other colours but I ended up liking the caramel so much that I just let it be like that hahaha. I've actually repurchased the primer because I've got a regrowth now and I want to retouch my roots. It didn't sting and was easy to apply. I use a purple shampoo to keep it from looking brassy. I will see how it goes when I've used it for the second time.Saartje

Love Goldwell. Leaves my hair very soft. Mixing and applying my hair color at home allows me the freedom to dye my hair at any time. Also, the Goldwell products last a long time and keep their color very well – better than at a salon I used that claimed to use Goldwell.Homehairdyer

I've been doing dyes for 25 years and never had a problem but now I ended up in the emergency room because my head and face swelled up and I still have eczema flare ups 6 days later. Topchic goldwell say on the internet that they don't use allergenic products and they are safe but look at the package. Resorcinol, phenylendamine, ammonia. I am sickened that this is legal to be sold. Also the white hair was not covered. Avoid if you don't want to end up in the hospital and scratching for more than a week.Kiana

My wife swears by this stuff. She mixes 3N and 4N for 'her' color. Supplier accidentally shorted my order by one. Notified them of the issue… last one showed up at my door several days later. Zero problem. Kudos to honest folks… thank you. Recommend.Sean

I received this hair color for free from Influenster for my honest opinion. I used it on my hair which tends to be dry and gets bleached out by the sun in the upper layers. I had quite a bit of white growing in certain areas and I had a lot of color difference between the upper layers and underneath where my hair was much darker. This hair color was easy to use and didn’t smell terrible while I was using it. After I rinsed it out, my hair didn’t feel like straw as is usual with hair color. This hair color was much gentler on my hair. The color difference was very subtle as my hair was sun bleached on the layers where the sun hits it anyway. My hair is naturally strawberry blonde to red and this evened out the colors and made it to where the underneath layers matched the top layers much more. It also completely covered my white hairs. It looks very natural too. I’m happy with the results.angelica.h

I DYED MY HAIR!! And I trusted a box dye. Simply Color Medium Ashe Blonde by @schwarzkopfusa – Need without alcohol and other harsh ingredients that could damage your hair. It is what it advertisers, simply color. 👱‍♀️👱‍♀️👱‍♀️👱‍♀️ I have been growing out my natural hair for over a year now and was VERY apprehensive about coloring it, particularly because a lot of blondes have had a bad experience with this particular brand… 🚨BUT @schwarzkopfpro has listened to their customers and reformulated the Simply Color line. 🚨 I was offered an opportunity to try it again, and this time…. I actually did it! (See my previous post) @influenster ▶️SWIPE▶️ for before and after!! I will say that my hair was already kind of gray and on the ashy side to begin with, and it did make it a bit more golden. But the final color matched the description on the box, I found the conditioner to work well, the products were easy to use, and I have no adverse side effects. I appreciate that this line is formulated with gentle ingredients, rather than harsh chemicals, because I’m very concerned about hair breakage and fall out right now. I will say that the color didn’t seem to grab on to my grays as well as it could have, but that is probably because the hair was so much lighter than the color result was supposed to be. I do enjoy that it left in my hair is natural color variation, rather than dying it all one flat monotone shade. I would try those hair dye again, and I am surprised I’m saying that. 👍👍👍 I suggest doing some research yourself on the ingredients, if turning to a less abrasive chemical die sounds good to you. They also have a complementary staff of professionals that will help you pick the perfect product.meghann.j

Long review here! I was so excited to try this hair color (shade 5.0) as I have dyed my hair at home for years using L'Other brands of hair color. My natural hair color is a dark brown (level 3-4) and I like to lighten and brighten my hair just to a level 5. First, I love the fully recyclable packaging even though it's not super sturdy – totally fine to sit in my bathroom. The instructions for this were typical except the developer that comes in the squeeze bottle was VERY thin, while there is a color tube that you mix into the bottle which has a thicker consistency. Once mixed, the color thickened nicely and didn't drip much. A big complaint is that the color tube was VERY hard for me to get out by squeezing; it's one of those stiff metal tubes and my hands were really suffering as I tried to make sure I squeezed it all out in order to get the intended mix. The scent of the color was slightly floral but otherwise not too offensive. I followed the directions and applied the color to my roots first, which I usually don't like doing because I get "hot roots" that turn orange. I was SO pleased that this color did not do that! The color came out even, truly neutral without any orange, and slightly darker than other "medium brown" shades I've used. (It behaves like a semi permanent color and doesn't seem to lift at all.) It covered my few grays and came off my skin decently but not completely after rinsing. It was kind of difficult to wash out due to the thickness and it did stain my towel that I used to dry my hair, which doesn't usually happen with my regular dye. I spent a really long time rinsing it before and after using the conditioner. My hair feels like it could use a bit more conditioner, but it is shiny and looks great. All in all, the fact that my roots match the rest of my hair when dyeing them first is a HUGE pro to me, outweighing the staining and the extremely difficult color tube. I will likely repurchase, along with a toothpaste squeezer! (Pictured is my air-dried hair right after dyeing and my lighter, brassy "before" picture)janna.d

I don't know if the majority of these reviews were paid reviewers but this product does not do what it says! I have tried it twice now, thinking maybe the first time was a mistake, but both times it did not cover my grays. I am 31 and only have about 5 to 6 gray hairs but they are right in the front of my face, so very noticeable. I have been dyeing my hair since 16 so I'm a seasoned vet when it comes to box dye and wanted to try something new. If you are just looking for a new color and not to cover grays I give it a 4 because the color is fine and it is quick and easy but I bought it to specifically cover my gray hairs and both times it did NOT do that.Yogi

so I have been dying my own hair for over 15 years and I'm practically a pro at it with any brand. I always use an ash (dark or medium) brown, which prevents hair from ever turning brassy. Ash is the opposite of brassy tones. So I decided to try this brand in medium ash brown. The picture on the box showed an ash brown color. So I left the dye on 10 minutes as instructed. And this horrible dye changed my brown hair (which has about 10% greys) to a brassy blonde color!!! You should never get a brassy result from ash and you should never get blonde hair from a medium brown. I even double checked to make sure they had sent me the right color I had ordered, and they had. This dye is the worst ever. Do Not Buy. Never had any dye screw up my hair like this with totally false advertising of what the color will be. It actually looked like I had used bleach on my hair and lightened it. Shame on you Clairol.shelly

I've used Natural Instincts in the orange box for 15+ at least. It was dependable, consistent, and user friendly as a liquid. This change to something "natural" (impossible – it's DYE!) is such a bad decision on this company's part, that I cannot believe anyone would make such a drastic deterioration on what was working for decades. Let me guess – the person or persons who changed the formula to one that does not dye hair, but stains skin, leaves an ugly clownish orange where rich brown had previously resulted, is technically a mess to mix adequately, drips instead of staying put like the old formula – is/are someone who 1) doesn't personally use the product 2) doesn't particularly care whether 15+ years of loyal customer satisfaction matters 3) is probably not a woman with limited time to care for herself in the midst of tackling a myriad of daily family care and professional life 4) probably has money to throw away. And you know the worst thing about the new formula? It DOESN'T COLOR HAIR! It would be nice if Clairol (Coty) would please provide the name of their nearest competitor on the shelf so we could get a crack at returning to our personal appearance routine and get on with life. Just a waste of time and money now.Jaded11

This is the first time I have used this brand so was slightly sceptical. I wanted a cool dark blond as my previously colour was beginning to look brassy and my hair was very dry. I looked into several options and chose this brand and colour based on the reviews. I wasn’t disappointed. The colour is lovely, very similar to that shown on the box and it took away the brassiness. It has faded slightly after a few washes but not too much. My hair was left feeling soft and shiny. It has a multi tonal look and I’ve had many compliments on the colour. The instructions are easy to follow and I would highly recommend this product.JO G

i haven’t used a permanent dye in awhile. the smell of this is quite strong & a little stingy if hair gets close to your eyes. my hair was probably 2 shades lighter & more of a chocolate brown with random greys. the dye did a great job of covering them & toned the brassiness. i wouldn’t say my hair is completely ashy now it does reflect a teeny bit of reddish tones in the sun. the conditioner gives hydration & didn’t make my hair dry/knotty like some do. i’ll continue to use the toning conditioner over the next few weeks & give an update. also gloves in the box are great. they actually fit properly & don’t slide off, covering your wrists too. all in all good for a permanent dye although use plenty of vaseline around the hairline & neck it does strongly stain. i couldn’t get a random splotch off my leg for a few days.grace223

I’m not quite sure what people are doing wrong, but I have used this product for years if not decades to cover up grays. I have black/brown hair with bright white grays and I use the dark brown color. The color lasts for two months . I have no problem with matching- because the color always “reveals” itself at two weeks- which is normal for all box dye in my experience. I love everything about this kit. I purchase extra gloves nitrile, hair dye brushes, cheap butterfly clips and disposable shower caps. I do it on a day where my hair is greasy because I’m about to take a shower (this protects my scalp from the color and my hair from damage). I mix the color and developer together and let it sit while I rub the pretreatment in with my gloved hands. I shake up the color a lot (60 seconds!) and after I see actual color develop I shake it some more and then start applying. I apply to the top of my hair, brushing it in and then I clip that section off. I work in sections, top, sides and back and then let the dye work for 40 minutes from when I finish applying- cover it with a disposable cap so I don’t drip dye everywhere. I use all of the bottle for my shoulder length hair. This is key!!!! You need to let the part of your hair that is seen the most sit for the entire time. I rinse it out with cold water only (gloves!!!) and then add the conditioner (the whole tube) and let it set in my hair for 5 minutes (also in a cap) before rinsing it out with cold water and washing it with color safe shampoo in cold water. I do not apply this with a comb. There is a comb attachment- but I use a brush to spread it on my hair and the comb attachment to spread it on the brush. You want to paint your hair, soaking it with dye. The other trick is that when I shower, I condition first before I shampoo. This keeps the color in more and I get an incredible volume without my hair getting crunchy.tiziny

Go with Excellence. I normally use L’Oréal Excellence but decided to tried something different and tried Preference in same shade I usually use in dark ash brown. Well, Excellence does a better job… Preference faded and washed out from my gray roots. I had to do a double take to make sure I used permanent dye. Well it was! I have partial gray areas I use the dye to cover. I don’t recall having this issue w/ Excellence. If you have gray you’re looking to cover, go with Excellence. More user friendly also since it’s cream based not liquid as well.Target Shopper

I was looking to color my hair auburn which is exactly what this product did. I had medium brown virgin hair with a few grey's. I would suggest to apply the product to the middle and ends of your hair for 15 minutes and only apply to roots for maybe seven minutes. I did get some hot roots in a small patch near the front of my hairline. I will be googling and youtubing how to correct that spot. I would definitely not keep it on my roots for the full 10 minutes the box suggests. There is not alot of multidimension color but there is definitely color change from my medium brown. I think that the product doesn't need to be as strong as it is. I don't know a ton about color, but this company should maybe use a less harsh developer? They are trying to appeal to a large audience, but they are just messing up alot of people haircoloring experience. I read alot of the reviews beforehand so I knew that my hair would go auburn. If someone just picks the box and thinks their hair is gonna have Carmel highlights they are in for a unpleasant surprise.Sarah

I thought the product was magnificent. The one application was enough to cover my entire head from root to end and when my hair is wet it lands on my shoulders and I have naturally curly hair. I have tons of white hair or with some would call grey very heavy in the front. I have been ill and having colored my hair in 6 months. My hair is naturally black but at 55 I want it to go lighter without anything pulling red. The results are absolutely stunning. Again more than enough color cover all my hair from root to end professional disposable gloves that are easy to take on and off, and a great tube of conditioner that can last me for about three applications. My hair is so soft and shiny and the color Blended beautiful with my already black hair considering I had about 4 in of regrowth and another 6 in of black hair it Blended in beautifully.Yvette

Perfect color for me. Light brown with blonde highlights without using highlighter. Hair in better condition since using this shade.Susan L

I have been trying to find the right color for my hair after a horrific VOXBOX experience. I’m surprised my hair hasn’t all fallen out. I settled for a light orange for awhile but I couldn’t stand it anymore. Then yesterday I came across this. It’s specifically formulated to get rid of brassiness. It worked. I think I can live with this for awhile. It also leaves a silvery gray hue in my hair. It’s kinda cool.dina.h

It seems like every time you change the style of the Box, the formula changes. I have been using natural instinct for well over 10 years and I really like it, but it's getting harder to find the right color to use. I just. I just used Light golden Brown and now my hair is the medium to dark Brown it was when I was a teenager! Normally I would just color my roots, my hair on top of my head was almost blonde because of the gray underneath. But today, it is very obvious that I just colored my hair because it's not the same color at all. I will continue to use the product because it does a good job of covering the Gray. But once again, I'm on the search for the right color I want my hair to turn out. I will continue to use the product because it does a good job of covering the Gray. But once again, I'm on the search for the right color I want my hair to turn out. It's very frustrating.Julie

The color is Nutmeg, it’s one of the dark brown formulas. Very nourishing and easy to apply and spread through the hair. Im not used to the applicator bottle but surprisingly didn’t mind it. The smell isn’t too strong. I used almost the whole bottle, and I have thin/medium thick hair down to the middle of my back. Definitely buy two if you have long thick hair. Now, the color is darker than it said it would be. It’s borderline black or brown black, but I can tell it will fade nice. It doesn’t wash me out and I have pale skin with rosey undertones so I am thankful for that. I also dyed my eye brows with a black mens beard dye, that’s a hack for the sensitive ladies and gentlemen who don’t want to put hair dye on their face lol I included my before and after pictures tooM

I have been using this brand haircolor for years, trying different shades. I recently went through chemo therapy and lost all my hair. Since it’s grown back in its come in with a lot of grey. I have naturally medium brown hair. It is in excellent condition and thought I would color it with this new formula. So many reviews state the new formula is not as good as the old, I love the new formula. No burning on application, no hot roots, more even coverage. Many reviews also stated that the sheets are much darker than reflected on the box. For this reason I purchased suede light brown. It is so dark! Thankfully I don’t mind dark hair on myself. This is the only negative. My hair feels so soft and fluffy. And it was great at covering my greys! I will definitely purchase again. I have included photos of my natural hair and after I applied the hair color.FanGirlTG

I made an account just to review this product. I have very resistant hair, and many dyes and bleaches don't affect my hair. This is the only product that gives me lasting, even results and beautiful color. It seems too good to be true since its the cheapest dye I've seen! I got it a year or so ago expecting a bad result since I was short on cash and needed a touch up, but was pleasantly surprised with the results. I use the black color. This is the best hair dye!! However, everyone's hair is different and you gotta find the right dye for you. But perhaps if your hair is cruelly resistant to all products like mine, you can find a match in this 🙂member-f2dd2a554

This Clairol Balsam hair color 54 light golden brown is the closest color I can find to match my natural color. It is a light brown with glints of gold on each strand. It looks like brown hair that has been at the beach all summer. So pretty! The coloring kit is rather easy on my hair too. My hair is soft and smooth right after coloring it. An additional plus is I can color my hair at a fraction of the cost I used to pay at the salon. Clairol hair color can be found at most retail stores so it is easy to find too.michelle.m

I have used BALSAM COLOR several times since the 1970's and have always been very satisfied with the overall results. I started with Light Ash Blonde then, Champagne Blonde (LOVED THIS COLOR!!!!) (Sadly, BOTH are DISCONTINUED) Recently tried Palest Blonde (Worked O.K. but a little LIGHT and Color was WEAK) For those not satisfied: You are expecting TOO MUCH from a VALUE PRICED Color. It will give good results if you stay within TWO SHADES (Lighter or Darker) of your natural (NOT DYED) color. Do NOT use on BLEACHED or Heavily Highlighted Hair or try lightening hair with a darker color on it already – It was not made for this, call the Clairol Hot Line for help. I wish they would bring back Champagne Blonde!JimBearOne

I had never used this type before; they send you a neat little tray and a 2-sided comb to mix the tubes of color and developer in. I'd always used the typical squirt bottle type. The color of the two components when mixed reminds me of banana pudding :^) The application was easier and less cumbersome than I'd anticipated. Literally just dab the brushy part of the comb into the tray and smooth it on. The box says "No stains". I honesty was concerned it wasn't changing the color of my hair or that my eyes were playing tricks on me, because there were absolutely NONE of the telltale signs. No "Beetlejuice" ring on my forehead around my hairline, I didn't look like Groucho Marx (I do my eyebrows, too), and didn't have to scrub my neck and temples raw. I left it on for 30 minutes. Other boxed dyes have needed to stay on for an hour, based on my experience using them, but I followed the time recommended for this one. After rinsing, I took a shower and washed/conditioned my hair, mostly expecting to see my grey-peppered roots after I took the t-shirt off my head, because there's no way a hair dye could just somehow attach itself ONLY to my hair and not also my soul. Some type of magic happened. You gotta see it for yourself to believe it. I see no reason to ever again use any other boxed hair color. oooby-dooby dees pancakes and bees ok? jeeez.Dillon

Hello,
Just dropping by to say thank you for making my life so much EZer lol with your product. I was using the regular Bigen has color in the small glass and also when you changed it to the plastic bottle witch I liked because it was an upgrade from the glass bottle. You didn't need much with the product in the plastic bottle because it made more as a foam😊. One thing about that process was the black spots everywhere on walls and things but not to much now. Then I search the web on re-usable hair die and I stumbled upon your awesome product EZ Bigen hair die. Also would like to mention that Wal-Mart stopped carrying the regular Bigen in-store. In my last review I mentioned about purchasing two at a time and my 2 just landed in my Possession. Highly recommend this product 👌Dan Baltimore