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Whether you are feeling too lazy to drive to the salon or are a DIY enthusiast who wants to try out hair dying at home, with so many brands emerging daily, choosing the right hair color brand by yourself can be a cumbersome task. Based on our first-hand experience, we have curated a list of the best professional hair color brands known for their superior formulas, vibrant shades, and long-lasting results. From bold transformations to subtle enhancements, these brands have gained recognition for their quality and expertise. Scroll down to know more about the world of professional hair color, exploring the top brands that can help you achieve your desired look with confidence. 

Our top picks

12 Best Professional Hair Color Brands

Made from vegan ingredients, this dye from ARCTIC FOX is free from animal by-products and cruelty, as it is never tested on animals. Designed to deliver stunning colors, it minimizes potential negative effects associated with semi-permanent dyes. With long-lasting results and added conditioners, it promotes hair health and vitality. Free from harmful chemicals like peroxide, ammonia, ethyl alcohol, and PPD, this semi-permanent hair dye protects your hair from any form of damage.

Pros

• Paraben- free
• Ammonia free
• Silicone -free
• Phthalate free
• Non-GMO
• Peroxide free

Cons

• Might leave stains

2

Best Long-lasting

Wella ColorCharm Permanent Liquid Hair Color

Wella ColorCharm Permanent Liquid Hair Color is the ultimate solution for vibrant, long-lasting hair color. With its fade-resistant formula, this hair color brand delivers true-to-tone color that stays vibrant over time. Powered by Liquifuse Technology, it penetrates deeply and bonds with each strand, ensuring exceptional resistance to fading. It offers a wide range of shades that provides excellent gray coverage and condition your hair. With an easy 1:2 mixing ratio and a pleasant scent, this product guarantees a hassle-free coloring experience at home. Moreover, it provides excellent coverage for gray hair, leaving you with stunning, salon-worthy results. 

Pros

• Long-lasting
• Excellent coverage
• Convenient to use at home
• Fade-resistant

Cons

• Strong smell

3

Best Vegan Formula

Herbatint Permanent Haircolor Gel

Experience an intense hair coloring process with this hair color set by Herbatint. Crafted with 8 organic herbal extracts, this formula creates rich color results with beautiful highlights. Free from ammonia, it covers 100% of gray hair, ensuring a natural and intense outcome. Moreover, it nourishes your hair, promoting health and the natural beauty of your tresses. This product is also vegan and cruelty-free, making it a conscientious choice for ethical consumers.

Pros

• 100% gray coverage
• Alcohol-free
• Vegan
• Organic herbal ingredients

Cons

• Quantity is less as compared to the price

4

Best Cruelty-free Formula

Naturtint Permanent Hair Color

With its ammonia-free formula, Naturtint Permanent hair color offers a gentler alternative for individuals with sensitive scalps. Enriched with hair-nourishing ingredients like shea butter, quinoa, meadowfoam seed oil, and baobab proteins, this salon-quality hair dye works wonders by reducing hair breakage, leaving hair fibers noticeably smoother, softer, and radiating with a healthy shine.

Pros

• Cruelty-free
• Vegan friendly
• Ammonia free
• Long-lasting
• Available in 32 shades
• 100% gray coverage

Cons

• Might leave a stain on towels and clothes

5

Best Organic Solution

Bigen Permanent Powder Hair Color

Unlike other hair dyes, Bigen Permanent Powder Hair Color does not require any lifting or lightening action to achieve darker shades. This unique quality of one of the best permanent hair colors minimizes damage to your precious hair strands. Its distinctive powder composition reacts with water, effectively giving off a rich, natural-looking color to your hair.

Pros

• Easy to use at home
• Ammonia free
• Comes in a variety of colors

6

Best Vibrant Shades

Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Royal Permanent Color Creme

The color you see on the swatch is the color you get on your hair. Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Royal Permanent Color Creme provides up to 100% white hair coverage, making it a great option for mature customers. This professional hair color also provides perfect color equalization, including porous hair, ensuring that your hair color looks even throughout. The Royal permanent color creme is suitable for all hair types and provides long-lasting results.

Pros

• Provides maximum coverage
• Easy to use
• Long-lasting
• Intense color vibrancy

Cons

• A little expensive

7

Best Finish

Clairol Professional Beautiful Collection Semi-Permanent Hair Color

Enriched with nourishing natural ingredients like aloe vera, vitamin E, and jojoba oil, Clairol Professional Beautiful Semi-Permanent Hair Color deeply conditions your hair. It is suitable for all hair textures, particularly beneficial for those with curly tresses. With this hair color, you can achieve vibrant and natural-looking shades, and boost your hair shine. Additionally, it also ensures your hair remains moisturized throughout the day. 

Pros

• Natural ingredients
• Ammonia free
• Available in a variety of colors
• Fade resistance

Cons

• Washes out easily

8

Best for Styling

AGEbeautiful Permanent Liqui Creme Hair Color Dye

AGEbeautiful Permanent Liqui Creme Hair Color Dye is a premium hair color solution designed by professionals. It effectively combats all five signs of aging hair, addressing concerns such as volume loss, manageability, color loss, moisture loss, and shine loss. This unique formula is enriched with a blend of powerful ingredients including Biotin, keratin peptide, and silk protein. With over 40 vibrant shades to choose from, one is definitely spoiled with choices! 

Pros

• Lasts up to 8 weeks
• 100% gray coverage
• Huge variety of shades
• Nourishing formula

Cons

• Strong smell

9

Pravana ChromaSilk Vivids

Designed to be used without a developer, Pravana ChromaSilk Vivids semi-permanent hair dye offers a hassle-free long-lasting experience. The product comes in a variety of vibrant hues and the best part is that one can even mix these shades! This product is the ultimate choice for individuals seeking to express their creativity with vibrant hair colors. It offers an intense dye load and delivers multi-dimensional results that truly stand out. Whether you're aiming for bold and eye-catching shades or a unique color combination, this is the best hair dye brand for unleashing your artistic vision through your hair color.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Long-lasting
• A vibrant variety of shades
• Fade-resistant

Cons

• Expensive than other alternatives available in the market
• Leaves stains

10

Curlsmith - Hair Makeup - Vegan Temporary Hair Color

This hair color from Curlsmith is an excellent choice for those seeking a temporary hair color. This product instantly dries after application and coats your hair strands with a vibrant pop of color that fades away after a single wash.

In addition to its temporary hair color properties, the product doubles as a strong hold styling gel. This versatility makes it the best hair color product for those who enjoy experimenting with both temporary hair color and styling techniques.

Pros

• Vegan
• Cruelty-free
• Instant results
• A great option for styling hair

Cons

• Might leave stains

11

Best Ammonia-free Formula

Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit

Experience salon-quality hair color at home with the Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit. This kit includes Radiant Cream Color, Conditioning Color Activator, two pairs of gloves, a cap, barrier cream, a cleansing wipe, Color Protecting Shampoo & Conditioner, and an instruction booklet to offer you the luxury of a salon at your doorstep. Made with natural ingredients like argan oil, keratin, and ginseng root extract-this user-friendly kit deeply nourishes your hair and promises stunning hair colors.

Pros

• Convenient to use
• Salon-quality results
• Made with safe and nourishing ingredients
• Conditions your hair
• Ammonia free
• Excellent coverage

12

Most Easy to Use

Pulp Riot Semi-Permanent Hair Color

Easy to apply, Pulp Riot Semi-Permanent Hair Color allows for seamless blending and precise application. It lasts up to 40 washes, which is longer than the other semi-permanent hair color brands available in the market. The product is free from harmful chemicals like ammonia and parabens, making it a safer choice for your hair. Apart from being paraben free, the product also uses the highest quality vegan ingredients that ensure your hair remains lustrous and healthy throughout.

Pros

• Vegan friendly
• High-quality ingredients
• Easy to apply
• Fades to the original tone

Cons

• Limited shade range

Selecting the best professional hair color brand ultimately depends on individual preferences, specific needs, and desired outcomes. Here’s an ultimate guide on how to select the best hair color brand and get desired results. 

How to Select the Best Hair Color Brand?

• Look for brands that are known for their high-quality hair color products.
• A good professional hair color brand provides an extensive range of shades to cater to different client preferences and allow for creativity and versatility in color options. Thus look out for brands that offer numerous options to choose from. When looking for products, you might be confused about whether to choose a drugstore product or a professional one. Our contributor Kate Ross, Hair and Beauty Specialist - ‘Irresistible Me’, a hair extension brand, lays down the difference between professional hair color brands and drugstore hair color brands, saying, “The difference is mainly in the quality, formulation, and results of the products. Professional hair color brands are more concentrated, customized, and long-lasting than drugstore brands. They also have more shades and tones to choose from and are less likely to damage the hair.”
• If gray coverage is a priority, make sure that the brand offers hair color products specifically designed for 100% coverage of gray hair
• Look for brands that use high-quality and nourishing ingredients that promote hair health and minimize damage to your precious hair.
• Pricing is another factor you need to consider before buying a professional hair color. Speaking of the cost of professional hair color brands, our contributor Kate Ross, says, “Professional hair color brands are generally more expensive than drugstore brands. This is because they use higher quality ingredients, have more advanced technology, and require the expertise of a professional colorist. However, they may also offer better value in terms of durability.”
• Consider reviews and recommendations of old customers before making the right decision.

How to Use a Hair Color?

• Preparation: Start by preparing the area where you will be applying the hair color. 
• Read the Instructions: Carefully read the instructions provided by the hair color brand. 
• Patch Test: Before applying the hair color to your entire head, perform a patch test as recommended by the brand. 
• Mixing: Follow the instructions to mix the hair color properly. Use the provided mixing bowl and brush, if included, or use your own clean and non-metallic bowl and brush.
• Application: Divide your hair into sections using clips or hair ties. Begin applying the hair color to one section at a time, starting from the roots and working your way down to the ends. Use the brush or applicator provided, and follow any recommended techniques suggested by the brand.
• Processing Time: Allow the hair color to process for the recommended time specified in the instructions. 
• Rinse And Condition: Once the processing time is complete, rinse the hair thoroughly with lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Follow up with a conditioner to nourish and lock in the color.
• Post-color Care: After coloring your hair, it is essential to use color-safe shampoos, conditioners, and styling products to maintain and prolong the vibrancy of the color. Follow any additional post-color care instructions given by the brand for the best results.

One of the easiest ways to cover grays is to use hair color. Selecting the best professional hair color brand ultimately depends on individual preferences, specific needs, and desired outcomes. To find the ideal brand, it is beneficial to experiment with various options. If you have any doubts or concerns, it is recommended to consult with a professional stylist or contact the brand's customer support for further guidance.

Contributor: Kate Ross, Hair and Beauty Specialist - Irresistible Me

FAQ's

What color brands do hairdressers use?

Parvana, Wella, L'Oréal, Schwarzkopf, and Redken

What is the best hair color brand that lasts the longest?

Some of the professional hair color brands that last the longest are Parvana, Wella, and Schwarzkopf.

What type of hair color do professionals use?

Professionals in the salon industry use a variety of hair color types depending on the desired results and the client's specific needs

Which company's hair color is best for hair?

While there are several hair color brands in the market, it is important to know that while the composition and ingredients of a particular brand suit you does not necessarily mean that it will suit others too! Thus it depends on your preferences on what will suit you the best.

Why Trust Pinkvilla

Alvira, the author of this article, carefully curates structured content to help our readers gain all the knowledge they require. She is a certified haircare expert who brings the latest trends to your fingertips. Here, she has suggested a list of some of the best professional hair color brands that will help you cover grays effectively. 

Our product experts study the specifications of every product we suggest and try them out to bring what’s proven to be worthy of your money, time, and energy. We also have subject matter experts from various fields like Fashion, Skincare, Haircare, Home Decor, and Health & Fitness onboard to make sure our suggestions are credible and trustworthy. You can trust Select to be your faithful shopping guide for all the right reasons!

Author BIO

With a keen eye for detail and a passion for hairstyling, Alvira is a certified Hair Expert who brings the latest tre More

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