Perhaps you’re a seasoned DIY dyer, a salon regular, a professional stylist, or you’re brand new to the world of hair coloring. In any case, if you want the greatest outcomes, you should look into higher-end formulae.
Reece Walker, a celebrity colorist, claims he utilizes a variety of professional brands. “I vary up what I’m utilizing depending on what sort of job I’m doing,” he tells Byrdie.
GET TO KNOW THE EXPERT
- Reece Walker is a bicoastal celebrity colorist who specializes in blond hair. He has worked with a number of well-known celebrities, including Miranda Kerr, Victoria Beckham, and Eva Longoria.
While salon-grade formulas are often of higher quality than over-the-counter options, colorist Matt Rez advises against purchasing them if you are not a qualified professional. “Pro hair color works on a level and tone scheme that only an expert can correctly develop,” he says.
- Matt Rez is a celebrity colorist who has worked with celebrities like as Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber. He is also the creator of the midlight method and a Redken brand ambassador.
With this in mind, we compiled a list of noteworthy possibilities that are mostly reserved for color professionals to consider applying on their customers. If you’re not a pro but want to know what’s going on with your hair, you may ask your hairdresser about a specific kind of treatment.
- Felicia Dosso is a hair colorist at Nunzio Saviano Salon in New York City.
List of The Best Professional Hair Color Brands In 2023
1. Wella Professionals Illumina Permanent Creme Hair Color is the best overall.
This cream hair dye comes in 36 different colors, ranging from mahogany brown to medium ash to pearly blonde. It covers each hair with reflective, luminous micro-particles thanks to the brand’s MicroLight technology. “After applying them, the luster is like newly cleaned glass,” Walker says.
What We Like
- Gentle formulation
- Shines the hair
- Colorist-recommended
What We Don’t Like
- PEGs are present.
2. Wella Color Touch Demi-Permanent Hair Color is the best demi-permanent hair color.
Walker also frequently uses Wella’s demi-permanent Color Touch. He says Byrdie, “These hues are a tad denser than Shades EQ.” “I’d use them on someone who has a few grays and doesn’t want or need to go to a permanent hair color.”
What We Like
- Budget-friendly
- washes out gradually
- Colorist-recommended
What We Don’t Like
- It is less effective on black hair.
3. Schwarzkopf IGORA ROYAL Permanent Color Creme is the best natural color.
If you want to conceal grays or simply make your hair color seem more natural, Schwarzkopf’s Igora Royal may be the way to go. The solution enters each strand with pigments that are true to color before sealing the surface to guarantee complete, long-lasting coverage.
What We Like
- Budget-friendly
- Tonally accurate
- Long-lasting
What We Don’t Like
- Developer is available separately.
4. Pulp Riot Semi-Permanent Hair Color is the best trendy color.
Want to try a contemporary hair color like lilac, pink, plum, violet, or even orange (like Ally in A Star Is Born)? Pulp Riot has your back. It is available in 29 different colors, including a few neon tints that flash under blacklights. And, because this is a semi-permanent therapy, it is not a significant commitment.
What We Like
- No developer is required.
- Shines the hair
- washes out gradually
What We Don’t Like
- PEGs are present.
- It is most effective on pre-lightened hair.
5. Pravana ChromaSilk VIVIDS Everlasting Bright Colors
We’re also big fans of ChromaSilk Vivids. The semi-permanent, ammonia-free cream is available in 20 bold colors ranging from aquamarine to emerald to magenta to scarlet—as in fire-engine red. Furthermore, it includes energizing amino acids and washes away just in time for you to select a new color.
What We Like
- No activator is required.
- Strengthening
- washes out gradually
What We Don’t Like
- It is less effective on black hair.
- PEGs are present.
6. Sparks Professional Color Permanent Creme Haircolor is the best cream.
Sparks Permanent Creme is available in 86 different colors. There are hundreds of natural colors in the collection, as well as a few strong, fashionable tones. It includes lipids that assist bind the color while also renewing your hair fibers, in addition to true-to-tone pigments.
What We Like
- Tonally accurate
- Hair fibers are replenished.
What We Don’t Like
- Strong odor
7. Pulp Riot High Speed Toner is the best neutralizer.
Pulp Riot’s High-Speed Toner is ideal for removing undesirable tones from artificially lightened or coloured hair. You can pick silver, ashy, rosy, or ice treatments in addition to bluish-violet pigments that offset yellowish, brassy colours.
What We Like
- It works rapidly.
- Removes undesirable tones
- Shines the hair
What We Don’t Like
- It is less effective on black hair
- Developer is available separately
8. Wella Professionals Blondor Multi-Blonde Lightening Powder is the best bleach.
Blondor is ideal for foil highlights, but it’s also wonderful for ombré color, balayage, and all-over lightening, according to Walker. “It’s gentle on the hair and provides great lift without the use of a high-volume peroxide,” he tells Byrdie. “I also use this bleach on the scalps of my customers whose natural hair is light brown.”
What We Like
- Gentle formulation
- Anti-yellowing substances
- Colorist-recommended
What We Don’t Like
- Not suitable for do-it-yourselfers
- Developer is available separately.
9. Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit is the best kit.
“The only at-home hair color I would recommend for a last-minute fix is Madison Reed,” colorist Felicia Dosso adds. “Their products are gentler than other boxed colors, as they do not include harsh chemicals like ammonia, parabens, or titanium dioxide.”
What We Like
- DIY-friendly
- Gentle formulation
- Colorist-recommended
What We Don’t Like
- it contains PEGs.
FAQ
What to Look for in a Hair Color Professional Brand?
Strength of Coverage
“You must use permanent color if you have a large proportion of gray or wish to brighten your natural hair color,” Dosso says. “Demi-permanent color will only cover a small fraction of gray—imagine someone who is just beginning to develop strands of gray that they want to cover.”
Meanwhile, semi-permanent hair color “should only be applied to rejuvenate faded out ends and add shine,” according to Dosso. “It will not conceal any gray hair or raise the color.”
Color
Before purchasing a professional hair color, consider if the color you’ve chosen is appropriate for your hair—you don’t want it to be too dark or too light. “Too dark a color will be difficult to remove from the hair, and too light a color can induce a ‘hot root,'” explains Dosso.
Ingredients
To avoid hair damage during the dying process, look for nourishing components such as keratin and argan oil. When purchasing any type of hair dye, you should also avoid specific additives.
“Look for substances such as ammonia, metallic salts, and henna,” advises Dosso. “These are all incredibly harsh substances that you don’t want to use on your hair—and, sadly, most box dyes contain them.”
Product Dimensions
Keep in mind that if you have long, thick hair, you may require more dye than you anticipate. “One box of color may not be sufficient to adequately saturate longer or thicker hair types,” Dosso explains.
What important components should a professional hair colorist avoid?
Avoid putting harsh substances on your hair, such as ammonia, metallic salts, and henna.
What is the difference between permanent, demi-permanent, and semi-permanent color?
Demi-permanent color only covers a small amount of gray (think of someone who is just starting to grow strands), so if you have a large percentage of gray or wish to brighten your natural hair color, permanent color is the way to go.
Semi-permanent hair color should only be used to refresh faded-out ends and add shine; it will not conceal gray hair or raise color.
