Best Medium Ash Brown Hair Dye (2024 Update)

With older age comes more grey hairs and it has been something I have done for many many years now! I dye my hair as well as do touch ups in between to keep cover up the grey hairs and keep my hair looking youthful and fresh. The Clairol root touch-up was easy to use and apply. I followed the instructions and mixed the colour cream as well as the activator together, mixed and then applied it onto my hair with the brush that it came with. The brush makes it easy to apply onto the roots of my hair. I applied the hair colour section by section as it makes it easier to know where I have already applied and ensures that I don't miss any part of my hair that needs colour. I focused more on the front where my grey hairs are really noticeable and on the sides. It's hard to tell where to apply when trying to do the back part of my hair but it's handy to have someone to help you apply it if you can! The whole process didn't take too long and then I left the colour in for around 15 minutes and then washed it out. The colour looked really nice and did a pretty good job of covering my grey hairs. Since then the colour hasn't faded and still looks good!Ellie L.

Clairol Root Touch-Up Permanent Crème is so quick and easy to use. I was able to cover grey hair in under 20 minutes. The instructions are very easy to follow. Just mix and apply with the brush provided. Wait ten minutes then rinse off. I waited fifteen minutes to ensure the colour would be strong enough. It has a pleasant scent and a good consistency. I found that there was enough of the formula to cover my part and temples and I used the excess on the areas near my hair part. I am happy with the result. The coverage is very good on the top of my head, not so great on my temples but they are always harder to cover. The colour has blended in well with the rest of my hair and I'm hoping it will last a couple of weeks until my next hair colour. This is great for refreshing colour inbetween full colour treatments and is very economical. I'm really happy to have been able to trial this product.Sofia x.

I was so happy to have received the Clairol Root Touch-Up in the number four dark brown shade. It couldn’t have come at better time as I needed to freshen up my roots for an evening out. Very glad to see on the pack that the dark brown colour shade matched one of the brands that I normally use to dye my hair. The Clairol Root Touch-Up is a one application process and included in the pack is a tube of permanent colour crème, colour activation lotion, applicator brush, bowl and gloves. It was great to see a bowl included too as it made the preparation so much easier. The instructions where very clear and easy to follow as I applied the product using the control brush. It was so nifty to use and help part my hair to get to my roots. I left the colour on for the recommended ten minutes and I could see the activation of colour working its magic. I then rinsed it out which was quiet easily done and I used my own shampoo and conditioner as normal to wash my hair. Overall, once my hair was dried and styled, I found that the majority of my grey roots were easily covered and the colour matched effectively; a positive outcome for me. After three weeks of applying, I can see some of my grey roots resurfacing so I will probably need to touch up soon. I feel this is a great hair product to keep as a staple in the bathroom cabinet to freshen up your hair during hair colour treatment times.Raffaela A.

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

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

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

I have very light gray coming in on my sides and wanted to cover it for a bit longer. My natural colour is dark ash blonde. So I chose Revlon 60. I left it on longer as per the instructions for covering gray which it supposedly does 100% and had good hair saturation. And 5 minutes prior to rinsing I combed the remainder through my hair. I'm experienced with box colouring. Result? Red and patchy gray coverage. It's a cheap colour so I shouldn't be surprised. I do not recommend. At all.Jo

I recently purchased 2 boxes of Revlon Colorsilk Honey Blonde #42 and I was disappointed by the products results for my daughter's 3b/c dark brown hair. The product doesnt lift the hair color enough to show and all around color difference on the hair. It was inexpensive and cheap on quality. 2 bottle of the shade wasn't enough. DARK AND LOVELY OR CREME OF NATURE OR FADE RESISTANT BY D/R is far a SUPERIOR product and in my opinion, better quality for African American Hair where you outstanding results and are not cheated out of your money, time, self- esteem. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO DO NOT USE REVLON HAIR COLOR PRODUCTS ON AFRICAN AMERICAN HAIR THEY SUCK.buxomkitten31

Okay, I purchased this to do my own hair and my extensions. First off, my hair and the extensions were the same color (dark blonde). This dye did NOT turn my hair the same color as it turned the extensions. My hair looks like a dark chestnut brown, now… while my extensions look red. Neither have a plum component, which is the base color highlighted on the box. This isn't burgundy, nor is it deep burgundy. My hair looks awful and the only thing I can do now is dye my hair and extensions a different color. I'm deeply upset about this.Aly B

Love this product. My hair is badly damaged due to beach, long time use of hair colours and sunshine. This Makes my hair shiny and soft. It doesn't completely cover grey hair, but sort of colours them slightly lighter so it looks natural. Will continue using this. Excellent product. My only complaint is that I cannot find a supplier in Spain and quite costly getting it shipped hereChrissy

Best hair coloring product on the market. Semipermanent dye gradually fades without stark lines of demarcation. No buildup of permanent product means no crunchy ends. Covers my grey better than permanent; (reason I stopped using permanent dye was color lifted off and left bands of color each time I dyed it). Because you don't use developer, there are no obnoxious fumes and if you have a little left over, you can save it for touch ups. Applies like a conditioner; simply apply it and wash it outRita

It does tint your hair to this shade. But that's all the good it does. It made my hair very frizzy and brittle and unmanageable. It was very hard to brush my hair after washing it out. Soooo very dry. So very puffy. My hair was in good condition before this too. The color lasted only a week with 2 washes. It doesn't stick for me. I have normal density, fine strain hair. When it does wash out, it has a green hue to it. I would stay far away from this product. There's other a lot more moisturizing and healthy products to deposit color into your hair. (With conditioning properties)darlina.k

I received this package as a complimentary product from sally beauty x zotos professional x influenster. I had a natural light brown hair. Out of all the colors I chose intense red. Kept it for just merely 20 minutes rinsed it off. It gave me a beautiful color. Upon checking at its price it is one of the most affordable brand. This color has given an extra shine to my hair and my hair looks healthy. I am absolutely in love with this hair color. Very easy to use. I would recommend it to any and everyone looking for a change. Would also recommend to people who are hesitant to use color in their hair thinking they might ruin their looks if applied on their own. Don't worry life is short add some color in your life.[brand:zotos-professional] [brand:sally-beauty-supply][brand:influenster]pramila.u

I received these products for free from Influenster and Zotos Professional in exchange for my honest review. My #complementary #ABStarterKitVoxBox from @zotosprofessional arrived and I was so excited to get creative and color my hair. It was super simple to apply and let me tell you it smells so good! It contains biotin which I love to use to keep my hair healthy. I did notice my hair was a bit dry and frizzy after. The shampoo and conditioner are included as well as a color remover pad. Overall I loved the result and would recommend to friends and family.roban.l

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

Love this Chi Ionic Permanent Shine Hair Color this was my first time dying my hair. First I had my hair cut into layers and thinned. I then used two bottles of the Chi dye (extra light blonde 11N). I added along with Pro Care Powder Bleach due to my hair being very black. After coloring I applied the Brassiness Hair Mask bonus oil. Most people would tell you not to straighten your hair right after bleaching and coloring. However, I used the bonus oil after blowing out my hair and it moisturized my hair a lot. . I then straightened it! This Hair dye did not make my hair dry at all or effect my curls.😍 I will be using the Texture ID mask in a few days! Stay posted! I highly recommend these products! Check out my Before After Photos💕 Let me know what you think.😉 #influenster #hairdye #chi #voxboxme #haircut #beauty #hairproductssierra.r

It gives great grey coverage. Adds amazing shine and leaves my hair really soft! Color is exactly as is should be, a nice copper tone. Don't change a thing. It is really easy to use. I mix mine in a bottle to apply it! Yes, I will buy it again.alisa.v

Please read this one to the end if you have advice.. This is one of the worst hair colors I’ve ever used. I’ve been a licensed cosmetologist and hair colorist for almost 25 years, however, stopped some time ago when I got into real estate. I’ve maintained my license and kept up with industry news and trends. I’ve been coloring my hair blonde for about 25 years. I recently developed an allergic reaction to PPD and a respiratory reaction to ammonia. I figured this would be perfect for me since it doesn’t contain either ingredient. I mixed 1 ounce 9A with 1 ounce 11A (to create a level 10A, which they don’t carry and I have been using for years), and 2 ounces of 40 volume Chi developer. I’ve been using 40 volume for years also. My hair is super shiny and the color’s really nice (a tiny bit of brass), however, it burnt my scalp and neck, which has never happened with any other color line I’ve tried. If anyone else out there is sensitive to hair color, would you please drop what you use in the comments? I’ve been blonde for so long and I don’t want to go to my natural level 6/7 ashy brown. By the way, I had to wash my hair three times with Head and Shoulders to stop the burning and my scalp is still irritated. You can see what it did to my neck in the picture.natasha.g

Love this Semi permanent hair color ! Lasts longer than any other brand Ive tried . Note* I only use a cleansing condition hair wash for over 15 years since ,most regular shampoos are very harsh and strip any type color application quickly. I find coloring whether permanent or semi-permanent last longer with cleansing conditioner hair washes. I use the Golden Blonde to turn my greys to golden highlights.Nan

I have black hair and use a dark brown in the summer. It gives my hair a dark copper color in the summer, but does not completely cover the grey in my hair. At best it may tint it, if it does that for about 5 days. But overall, I'm pleased with the end result.Smiley1023

The color I used was not listed on influenster so I am just leaving my review here for the turquoise hair color. The first time I tried bigen I did not pre-lighten and the results were barely noticeable. This time I did pre-lighten and acheived better more noticeable results but came across a catch 22.I used turquoise but my hair ended up more of an emerald green. This is because blue mixed with yellow makes green obviously and after bleaching my hair it became a yellowish blonde. I could have used toning shampoo to remove the brassiness and make it more white however that toning shampoo also strips the keratin out of your hair and keratin is necessary to hold the color. The choices are leave it this color or use the toning shampoo which will make it wash out faster as well as not retain the color properly initially either. I'm going to run further experiments to see if there's a compromise I can make to make it last long and get the exact color I want. I'll let you know if I make any progress.zaneta.o

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

The ammonia smell hits you when you first squeeze the colour out, but it mixes nicely with the Schwarzkopf dedicated developer. It’s smooth and has opaque coverage. 100% grey coverage when mixed with natural, large colour selection. I use it for certain clients but not everyone.gina.s

Tried and true! If you’re looking for STRONG HOLD that lasts, look no further than this. I’ve used this for years and it’s never disappointed. It does get crunchy if you use to much so start light and build up. Great for slick back looks.kathryn.m

If a hair dye could be said to be a soul-mate… I have found my soul-mate! For years, I have used those direct deposit "fun" colour type dyes on part of my hair. Some brands are better than others, of course, but they always faded out too fast for me, or left me with stains everywhere (and not just from wet hair… but while dry… pink sheets, pink fingernails – from merely running my fingers through my dry hair!), so there was always some sort of drawback with them. I have naturally porous hair, so I never needed to pre-bleach in order to get coverage (luckily, I also never aimed for a pastel, either) despite having around a 6 or 7 level hair and auburn/ginger in colour (the orange in my hair did mean that the end colour was not true to the intended colour, though). I did pre-bleach for this colour, but only to remove the last bits of a deposit dye and because I was unsure about the coverage of this dye. I shouldn't have worried. Not only did it take wonderfully to the bleached hair (and softened it back up to near-undamaged, as my hair did not like being bleached at all), but it also covered some of the unbleached hair that I accidentally included in the dye coverage, some of which also still had direct dye still staining it. You cannot tell the difference between bleached, unbleached, and any remaining direct dye stained areas (some bleached parts still had it too). It's all covered, and looks the same, but without looking flat… it has dimension to it, like hair should have. So, it doesn't look like a flat matte lifeless solid wig of pinkish hair… it just looks like… (fuchsia/plum) hair! 🙂 Now, although this colour is a level 9, so you would think it is a light colour… it is not. The end result (bleached or unbleached) is around a 6 or 7 level (same as my normal level), indoors it does appear slightly darker, too (maybe a 5 or 6 level). This could be due to how porous my hair is, but having seen pictures of others who have used it, I think it just is that dark due to being very pigmented. But! That *is* what I wanted! The colour is glorious! The -98 part of the number system indicates violet red. 9 = violet, 8 = red. So if you are looking at other Igora colours, keep that in mind. An -88 will be a red red, a -99 will be a violet violet, etc. The order does matter, as the first number is dominant, the second is to shift it. So an -89 would be redder, and the -98 is more purple. The end result is a wonderful medium/bright fuchsia/magenta (pink!!) in sunlight, and indoors looks more medium/dark plum/wine. It glows and shines and is sovery soft! Because it doesn't just coat the hair on the outside, it doesn't leave any weight or feeling of having something coating your hair (I don't use styling products, so that's sort of a big deal to me)… and no funky coloured fingernails! And the shine! It isn't just vibrant – it shines! It doesn't leave the hair dull looking at all. My natural virgin healthy hair looks dull in comparison (seriously, I am contemplating actually getting some of this line in a shade to match my own hair colour, just for the shine factor). If you like a deep purple/pink colour, I highly recommend this colour (and if you don't change colours every two weeks or something, that is). If you have naturally darker hair than a level 5 or 6, I don't know what will happen for you (I used a 20 developer, so a 30 may give better results for darker hair), but if you have 6 or lighter, it should come out as a deep berry/wine/plum (the red/pink hue is still present, just muted) indoors and deep bright magenta/fuchsia outdoors. If you want to add a little pizzaz to a brown dye, just to kick it up a notch, I'd also say this would do the trick, if you add just a bit in with your brown dye and developer. The Igora line also offers some "fun fashion" colours, most of which are in the pastel family. I would say this could be added to those to achieve a lighter colour of pink, or to punch any of those up a few notches as well. I do not know about mixing it with any other brand of dye, or what that would do to the end result, so I will not comment on that other than to say "proceed with caution" if you choose to do that. I cannot, as yet, make any claims about the fade factor or how long it will last. But, other reviews of this line say it lasts and lasts with little fading, even the reds. So, I have high hopes, and even if it does fade, I expect it to be slower than any direct dye (and hopefully more evenly). I wish I had used the Igora developer (contains oil), because if it came out this soft and lovely to the touch (over fried bleach hair!) with cheap no-name developer (it's what I had on hand from my daughter)… I can only imagine how much better it would have been with the higher quality stuff. Next time, I will!thegingerdragon

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

Have been using this product for years, and with my short hair, I only use 1/2 tube for each coloring. Yes, you have to buy the developer seperately, but it does save money and much cheaper than oing to a salon!fanelda

The product is something new we had to try since they no longer sell the liquid form of this product, but we were totally satisfied with the product coming in a gel form and mixing it. The color was not applied with a brush comb as suggested, I mixed it and put it in the color bottle and it was fine. Good color, easier to use in the bottle then the liquid. I think I used even less with this product for better results.2012*cupcake

Do not buy, because its only one part of a set. Wouldn't work without a second part which is a developer. There is no printed instructions slip too Probably, intended for professionals, who already have all other ingredients.Lyudmila

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

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

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

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

I went from a medium copper red to dark auburn brown with the shade Milano Brown – 5NAC. Picking a shade on the Ulta app wasn't the easiest process and going to the Madison Reed website only helped a little in that their quiz matched me to the same shade I was leaning toward based on the photos here. The shade may be a touch too dark for me, but I just dyed it today so I think it'll grow on me. The sites, both Ulta and Madison Reed, list Milano as a "dark chocolate brown," but the actual box clearly says Dark Auburn. I'm mostly okay with that as I love red, but I was actually aiming for a browner brown. While there aren't highlights in this formula, it does have some vibrancy and shine to keep it from being mousy. It is, at least on me, definitely a dark red brown. The kit is a very good and complete kit. I love that it has 2 pairs of gloves, a barrier and wipe to keep you from dying your skin and there's plenty of dye for a full application. I don't know how I feel about the shower cap as I did start to feel a little warm in it. It achieved a full color application, though, so I'm pleased. My hair feels a little textured after dying it, but it doesn't look dry or damaged in any way. It's honestly like I used I volumizing spray or mousse, but I didn't. Maybe there is something like that in the conditioner because my hair does look fuller. I have very fine, straight hair so it looks very good to me after the complete process. That whole process, for a full head application on hair that hasn't been dyed in months, took me a little over an hour start to finish. Every step was easy to complete for someone used to dying their own hair and the instructions are clear for any level of experience. I worried a little that the price meant it might be too advanced for me, but it's like all the other kits that I've tried with a few nice extras. The price and difficulty finding my right shade are why this gets 4 stars instead of the full 5. The kit is a 5 star and then some kind of kit, but not being able to tell if you're picking the right shade is a big problem when buying online. $30 for something I've never tried before when I'm used to paying around $3 for Revlon ColorSilk was a risk. I wanted something different, though, and this absolutely delivered. I'm very likely to try it again in the future. I'll be looking at a different shade and hoping for a sale.Adele S

I used this hair color religiously for 2 years, thinking it was a safer option than other box dyes. The color is good, it's easy enough to use, and the amount per kit was fine, even for my super long hair. However, I would notice more hair loss after coloring, and over the course of 2 years, I would have several episodes of hair loss. I thought it was due to stress, hormones, etc. But I researched and came across other reviewers and encounters of hair loss like mine from various Madison Reed color kit users. Madison Reed claims to be free of the traditional "harsh chemicals" found in hair dye, but fail to mention they simply replaced the usual suspects with harsh alternatives: ammonia is subbed out with ethanolamine, which is known to cause skin irritation and can also cause hair loss!!! There is a new class action lawsuit against Madison Reed for this very reason, as per Feb 2022 (NY), and I am certain there will be many more. My advice: think twice before using this product.Chemically Blonde

I'm 49 so hair overall has changed. I've been using this color for a couple of years now. It's overpriced, and the last 3 times I've colored my hair within less than 2 weeks grays are shining! After 5-6 washes I am still having grayish black colored water. I can't attribute this to one specific thing but I purchased about 6-8 boxes when it was BOGO these are all from the same timeframe. I only color it every 6 weeks if I can help it but it honestly needs it after 2.5-3 weeks. I have a few boxes left but unfortunately I won't be using it. I went back to mixing my own. The black doesn't seem like real black either… it's like a reddish tint after a few washes. I don't mind that so much, BUT I do mind seeing color wash out after 5-6 washes literally up until I color again I am still washing out color. It's been very drying as well. It just seems the entire formula has changed since the first time I used it.Fkpe1973