Everything You Wanted to Know About Semi-Permanent Hair Dye (Including the 11 Best Ones to Buy)

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One of the OGs, this wallet-friendly dye comes in a squeeze bottle that doles out six weekly treatments to keep your color vibrant. Available in seven shades from black to brunette and red or blonde, you use it just like you would a mask: in the shower, massaged and left in for three to five minutes and rinsed out.

Best For Shine

Like topcoat for your strands, this in-shower gloss gives just a tiny boost of color and instant shine so your hair looks healthier overall. Rather than a weekly treatment like the Frieda gloss above, this one requires a slightly longer application (10 to 20 minutes wait time) but can last up to a month before you need to reapply. Comes in 13 shades including various shades of blonde, brown, copper and black.

Most Hydrating

If you took a deep conditioner and added a blend of tone-enhancing pigments, you’d get this decadent mask. Created by a famed French stylist (whose chic clientele includes Catherine Denevue and Linda Evangelista), it’s a quick fix for brassy, parched hair. Massage a generous scoop onto freshly shampooed strands and leave on between five to 30 minutes (five for first-timers and gradually work your way up for more intensity). The color will begin to fade in three to five washes and is available in four shades: baby blonde, golden blonde, warm chestnut and ash brown.

Best For Bold Colors

This peroxide- and ammonia- free formula has a creamy, conditioning base and comes in an array of fun colors like “Narwhal Teal” and “Riot Orange” (which, fun fact, is Paramore singer Hayley Williams’ signature hue). Note: For brighter shades like these, it’s best if you already have light hair. Otherwise, use a lightening product beforehand to really make the color pop.

Most Subtle

Consider this your training wheels to semi-permanent dye. Rather than drastically alter your color, this gloss simply enhances your current hue and is as easy to use as conditioner. Apply to clean, damp hair, leave in for as little as three minutes (but up to 20 if you want a deeper boost of color) and rinse. Choose from 11 shades including three shades of blonde and brown, respectively, as well as auburn and copper.

For a slightly more robust shade selection than the rest, look no further than this cult favorite dye; it comes in every shade imaginable from a bluish silver to a soft coral. Highly pigmented and 100 percent vegan and cruelty-free, it’s ready to use right out of the bottle. The main difference with this formula is that you want to apply it to freshly washed, but completely dry (Tip: Wash your hair with lukewarm water. Hot water can fade your color faster.)

Best For Roots

Need a quick root touchup? This liquid dye gets the job done in 10 minutes flat (without messing with your underlying color). Thanks to a handy sponge-tip applicator, you can easily target any areas that need covering. Results last up to two weeks and it comes in seven shades from the blackest black to a light brown.

Buy it ($20)

Best For Blonde Hair

With over 6,000 reviews, this fan-favorite tint is broken out into two categories: boosters and balancers. Use a booster if you want to add vibrancy or enhance your color; go for a balancer if you’re looking to tone down any warmth or brassiness. Whether you have honey highlights or are a copper redhead, this rinse-out treatment will help bring out your color. (Tip: For best results, stick to the recommended two to three minutes.)

Best For Dark Hair

Darker hair requires more pigment, which is exactly what this semi-permanent color delivers. With no harsh ingredients and conditioning coconut oil, it’s a gentle way to play with color without causing damage. Though it’s formulated specifically for brunettes, the end results will vary depending on your starting hair color. So, if you have light brown hair to begin with, whatever shade you choose (there are seven in total) will convert to a brighter color than if you start with a dark brown base. Check the shade panel to get a better idea of what to expect.

Best For Frizz

Fans of the brand’s bestselling oil will be delighted to know that this dual-purpose mask not only deposits color, but also has many of the same frizz-reducing (and hydrating) ingredients, like apricot and argan oil, so you get a sleeker finish. Tip: You always want to apply semi-permanent dye to clean strands so there isn’t any buildup or residue blocking the color. For this mask, leave it on between five and seven minutes before rinsing out and styling as usual. It comes in seven shades (and mini sizes).

Best Natural

For a plant-based option that is dye- and chemical-free, this centuries-old color comes from small shrubs that are dried and ground to a fine powder, which you then mix with hot liquid (usually water, coffee or tea) to create a creamy paste. The pigmented color is touted for its ability to cover even gray or silver roots and is safe to use on your brows, too. Choose from eight shades.