How to Find the Best Hair and Beard Dye for Natural-Looking Results (2024)

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There’s a reason people pay big bucks to have a professional colorist handle any hair dyeing; while the boxed stuff has gotten way better over the years, it’s no paint-by-numbers task and is all too easy to end up with something that looks like you actually just painted it on.

But don’t let that discourage you, because there are fantastic dyes out there these days, for beard and head hair alike (and many are also effective on body hair). But before you buy anything, study the below expertise from celebrity colorist Lauren Paglionico, founder of LRN Beauty. Her insights will help you figure out which type of dye to try (Permanent? Semi-permanent? Demi-permanent?), and will ensure you get the results you want in the process. (But don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your local salon, either, though it might be strange to ask them to dye your chest hair.)

Here is Paglionico’s intel and advice on hair dyes, followed by our picks for the best dyes..

The Different Types of At-Home Hair Dyes For Men

When buying hair dye, you’ll notice different categories of dyes, like “permanent” or “semi-permanent”. Here, Paglionico breaks down these categories.

Permanent: These are the dyes that don’t fade from your hair in the wash and tend to provide you with one solid color as opposed to a natural, blended finish. “Permanent dyes cover grays and lift color up to 1.5 shades,” says Paglionico. They can also significantly darken the hair. “Regrowth [at the roots] is visible in about 4 weeks.” Unless you’re aiming for gothic black or a nice DIY yellowy bleach, it’s usually best not to do anything “permanent” at home, at least not for your head hair; many permanent beard dyes will look just fine.

Semi-permanent: These dyes are less powerful than permanent dyes, and are certainly preferred if you want a more natural-looking result. “Semi-permanents can either lift half to one full shade lighter, and can also darken the hair,” Paglionico says. “They can blend gray but will not cover.” Most beard dyes will claim semi-permanence, especially if they’re just blending grays with your natural color.

Demi-permanent: “Demi-permanent dyes provide sheer coverage that slightly tones the hair,” says Paglionico. They’re most similar to semi-permanent dyes in that they also last about 6-8 weeks before the roots start to become evident. However, demi-permanent dyes tend to provide coverage better than semi-permanent ones. So, think of them as the mid-point between permanent and semi in this regard. If you’re dyeing a lot of gray hairs and need more of a total cover as opposed to a soft blend, you’ll probably opt for demi-permanent.

So, in terms of what you’ll buy for natural-looking results at home, aim for semi-permanent and demi-permanent.

The Three Key Hair Coloring Ingredients

Don’t get too lost in the weeds regarding the actual hair-coloring agent used in your at-home formulas, but know that there are three primary ingredients that brands choose from and that one of them has a reputation for irritating sensitive skin—albeit less in modern times than in the past.

PPD: The first ingredient is PPD, which is short for para-phenylenediamine. It is found in most permanent hair dyes and darker dye colors, but also in some semi and demi options. A small percentage of people will experience irritation or contact dermatitis from PPD, so if you are having a reaction and note its presence in your dye’s formula, swap it out next time for a dye that uses the other ingredients mentioned below. But don’t fear PPD out of the gate, because Paglionico says that formulas have adjusted to this criticism and aren’t as likely to cause irritation as in the past. “Now they are used in such low concentration which makes them not as harmful to the hair or skin,” she says.

HPPS and PTDS: The increasingly common alternative for PPD is HPPS, which is short for Hydroxyethyl-p-phenylenediamine sulfate. And in a distant third is PTDS (Para-toluenediamine sulfate). These have been proven to be far less irritating, so if you have naturally sensitive skin or experience a reaction to PPD, swap in a product that uses either one of these ingredients as its dyeing agent.

Still, Paglionico is skeptical of these ingredients (and any at-home options compared to professional ones). So, while you might prefer a quick $10 task at home, know that it will never be as long-lasting or as gentle on skin and hair as if you see a professional colorist.

Dyeing Head Hair vs. Facial Hair

Take different approaches to dyeing your chin and cheeks as opposed to the hair up top of your dome. Or more simply put: Only use products where they are designated to be used by the brands who formulate and sell them. After all, the quality of the hair differs from head to beard; your facial hair is coarser than your head hairs, so it might require a more penetrative formula that could be tough on head hairs. And conversely, the head-hair dye might not be strong enough on facial hair. This is also why many beard dyes are “permanent” as opposed to “semi” or “demi”.

It will differ from one brand to the next, so be sure to follow the instructions that are on the product you buy. Sometimes, a product is in fact formulated for both head hair and facial hair.

The Best Beard and Hair Dyes to Use at Home