What are the best semi-permanent hair dyes for unnatural colors?

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Mar 10, 2023

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19 Options Considered

Best semi-permanent hair dyes for unnatural colors	Price	Platforms	Secure
-- Pravana ChromaSilk Vivids	-	-	-
-- Arctic Fox	$7.99	-	-
72 Manic Panic® - High Voltage® Classic Cream Formula Hair Color	-	-	-
-- Jerome Russel Punky Color	-	-	-
-- Fudge Hair Colour	-	-	-

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score 36 · Answer 1

Pravana ChromaSilk Vivids

Top Pro

Works well on virgin hair

The colors are so vivid that they show quite well even on medium virgin hair. This is a great option for those who don't want to bleach. See More

Top Con

Doesn't work

The color is so translucent coming out of the tube it was looks almost void of all pigment. See More

GraciousSuijin's Experience

Joico lasts FOREVER in my hair See More

Top Pro

Long lasting

Pravana stays a bright, vivid color for longer than most other semi-permanent dyes. Many people have mentioned 6 weeks before a sight fade is noticed (depending on their hair and the Pravana color). See More

Top Con

Does not lift "normally"

If you do not have your hair done at a salon, do not try to remove Pravana at home... it will stain your hair (mint green if it's a cool color and coppery pink coral if it's a warm color) and have to be color corrected if you do not use the correct bleach and formula. See More

Top Pro

Less messy than other semi-permanent dyes

Pravana doesn't bleed as much as other options. See More

Top Con

Does not entirely wash out

Though the dye is semi-permanent, it leaves a much stronger permanent tint in the hair than the other options. Many reviewers mention that their hair never returned to it's natural colour. See More

Top Con

STRONG men's cologne smell

If strong perfume scents and fragrances bother you, avoid this color at all costs. Your hair will retain the perfume through several washes. It might be long-lasting with beautiful colors, but if you get headaches from strong perfumes, it's not worth it. See More

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score 48 · Answer 2

Arctic Fox

Top Pro

Less bleeding

It's bleeding only when I wash my hair with shampoo, and stains the towel. It doesn't stain my skin or pillow right after the dyeing. See More

Top Con

Turns a ugly color

Can turn orange a day later. See More

Jaqueline Mejia's Experience

This makes my hair so shiny and healthy after using it (and trust me I’ve bleached the life out of my hair) and the colors are beautiful. They last forever and fade nicely without staining the hair. I dye my hair myself and when I’ve gone into salons to get my hair cut hair stylists have actually complimented the person cutting my hair for the color I did at home! The owners of the company are kind compassionate people (two of which I’ve been following on YouTube since before they joined the company) and they even donate a percentage of the profits to Arctic Fox habitats or something like that(I don’t recall the details). I also like that they sell 8oz bottles just so that I don’t have to keep repurchasing it over and over again. See More

Top Pro

Long lasting

In comparison with other brands with red or pastel colors, Arctic Fox's poison and periwinkle colors lasted longer. See More

Top Con

Racist.

The owner of the company has been caught on video using the n word slur See More

InterestingLempo's Experience

Worst pink hair colour I've tried- the smell is disgustingly sickly, the consistency is thin and watery. Colour is not very rich or vivid very poor quality and fades faster than any other brand I've tried. See More

Top Pro

Colors fade nicely

While some colors fade faster than others, they all fade quite nicely and don’t leave an ugly in between colors shade. They just get lighter. It also takes a while for it to fade out completely but does eventually completely wash out (usually after about 2 1/2 months) (update by some one else) I have NEVER been able to wash it out completely. Even after trying to on purpose for a month straight so i could do another color. It just fades to a pastel and kind of stays there. This is after 6+ months. See More

Top Con

Color doesn't stick

You put it in, leave for 45 minutes, rinse and the color doesn't hold. So you have to apply again. This doesn't happen always though. It works better if left on for as long as possible. It will not hatm your hair to do this. See More

CoolMandulis's Experience

I roll with Arctic Fox because it makes my hair feel and look amazing, it smells good, and it’s safe even for my kids to use. The color lasts a good month/month and a half - as long as you aren’t washing every single day, don’t use hair care products that are not color safe, and you use lukewarm - cool water. I’ve gone to professionals with pictures of what I want and they all say the same thing “That’s photoshopped. We cannot achieve that color.” That’s where they’re wrong. Arctic Fox is where it’s at! See More

Top Pro

Against animal cruelty

They donate 15% of their profits to animal cruelty prevention. See More

Top Con

The bottle is opaque

The bottle is not clear so you can’t see the actually color of the dye through it... although I know it saves on shelf life. See More

Arnas Fanton's Experience

Hair extensions are the new rage in the fashion world. With the emergence of this new wave in the fashion world, makeup manufacturers have become engrossed in a race to come on top of the other to become the number one brand in this product’s market. For this purpose, they try to encase their product in as much alluring and enticing packaging as possible. Wholesale Soap Packaging Boxes are available in all shapes and sizes, additional window panes allow the customer to have a look inside at the original product which is very helpful and attractive. The diversity in style and designs of these boxes makes them stand out from the rest of the packaging items. https://bit.ly/2HuLT5m See More

Top Pro

Vegan/cruelty free

Top Con

It fades quickly

After two hair washes the color isn't as vibrant. It starts to fade to brownish purple, although it still looks okay. For the best results, you should reapply it after 5 washes....if you lighten your hair as reccomended it wont turn brown. See More

NonchalantNohochacyum's Experience

Absolute worst experience I have ever had. Color didn't stick AT ALL. Immediately washed out of my hair and my son's hair. See More

Top Pro

Smells amazing

All 6 different colors smell amazing with a very fruity scent. It's noticeable even without unboxing the dyes. See More

Top Con

Diluting is hard

VigorousMelete's Experience

Lasts forever! Fades nicely. Easy to use. See More

Top Pro

Conditions hair while coloring

Top Con

Smell is sickly sweet

The smell was horribly sickly and synthetic .... really it depends on the person. See More

Top Pro

Beautiful and vibrant color

For bleached hair, using the product for 45 minutes, you get a beautiful and vibrant color. It is safe to leave on as long as you like. See More

Top Pro

Large bottles

It comes in 4oz and 8oz bottles do you won’t have to keep repurchasing it. See More

Top Pro

Vibrant color for months!

It literally stays for months. Yes, a conditioner mixed with dye will touch it up in the shower, but it is not needed. As long as you shampoo quickly in cold water and put in conditioner right away it will stop bleeding while you finish washing up. See More

See All

score 37 · Answer 3

Manic Panic® - High Voltage® Classic Cream Formula Hair Color

Top Pro

Vegan friendly & cruelty free

These products are all vegan and not tested on animals See More

Top Con

Moderately high maintenance and cost

To keep these colours looking their best, it is wise to reapply after 4-5 washes maximum. In Australia, Classic Cream is approximately $25 and Amplified is $30 (Amplified is reported to last 33% longer) See More

DetailedHeimarmene's Experience

Manic Panic is the best hair color! See More

Top Pro

Blend well

Manic Colours blend beautifully, and allow you to create new colours by doing so. You can create a very independent look with these colours. See More

Top Con

Staining/doesn't wash out completely

As the colour washes out, it often leaves the hair with remnants of faded colour is almost impossible to wash out completely. It is best to either cut the hair, or colour over it with a darker shade than the staining. See More

Charlene Linden's Experience

I love this product. It leaves my hair feeling soft and conditioned. I've never had issues with lingering color. However, if you do, Manic Panic has color removal that I've heard good things about. See More

Top Pro

43 colours to choose from

There are 43 colours to choose from ranging from more subtle, darker shades like Plum Passion (dark purple) to bright, outrageous colours like Mermaid (ocean teal) and Cotton Candy Pink.... Adore has more color options with better results, true to color, and little to no bleeding while Manic Panic bleeds once it gets wet. See More

Top Con

Some colors don't stick at all

They will wash out when you are rinsing your hair. See More

Top Pro

Stays bright longer

As long as you don't get your hair wet it won't bleed, so it will last, but the second you get it wet it bleeds and fades. See More

Top Con

Colors are not accurate

The colors do not come out as the company claims them to be. See More

Top Pro

Doesn't damage hair

Manic Panic is gentle and does not damage the hair. It actually has restorative properties, and acts as a conditioner. You can leave it in for hours without any risk to your hair. Similar to other semi permanent hair dyes that use a conditioner base like Arctic Fox, La Riche Directions, Lime Crime, Overtone, ect BUT Manic Panic will bleed like crazy and fade fast once its wet and washed. See More

Top Con

Never stops bleeding

Even if you follow the directions, and use a vinegar rinse it will constantly bleed if its even a tiny bit wet whether its from sweat, hair products, etc. See More

Top Pro

UV Reactive options

Manic panic do a select range of neon bright, UV reactive dye. These come in pink, neon green, and neon yellow. See More

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score 27 · Answer 4

Jerome Russel Punky Color

Top Con

The color bleeds an

Top Pro

Pleasant smell

Rather than the chemical-y scent most dyes give off, Punky Color smells strongly of grape. See More

ReverentXingtian's Experience

It was okay. The dye was very thick, needed to be thinned out to coat hair evenly. I got better results with Lime Crime. See More

Top Con

Quite messy

The dye bleeds a fair bit, sometimes staining towels even multiple showers after the dye. See More

Top Pro

Semi permanent

Lasts between 5-40 washes. However, some colors never completely fade out. See More

Charlene Linden's Experience

What a rip off. Colors are not bright. I use the original, Manic Panic. See More

Top Con

Some colors don't wash out completely

Many reviewers have mentioned the color still being quite noticeable months after being dyed. The color doesn't always come out completely, so it may not be a great option for someone looking to get their natural hair color back. See More

Top Pro

Great staying power

Punky Color can last for a month or two before starting to fade. See More

Top Pro

Fades nicely

Rather than some semi-permanent dyes that fade to ugly shades of the base colors, Punky Color rarely takes on a dull appearance as it fades. It generally remains nice shades of the original color. See More

Top Pro

Variety of colors

Punky Colours comes in a wide range of colours (currently 20 to choose from). There are plenty of shades of reds, blues, greens and purples with a few other options. See More

See All

score 15 · Answer 5

Fudge Hair Colour

Top Con

Difficult to find outside of Europe

It's difficult to find the product in Canada and the US. Websites that will ship it outside of Europe (like Amazon) usually put quite a markup on the price. See More

Top Pro

Temporary, not semi-permanent

A less committed colour choice. Washes out much quicker than Manic, with less staining. See More

Top Con

Unpredictable wash out time

The wash time can vary between very few, to quite a lot before the colour disappears (many users say it disappears quite quickly). See More

Top Pro

Decent colour range

Though not as extensive as Manic, there is a diverse colour range that blends together nicely. See More

Top Con

Shampoo and Conditioner do not perform

Their shampoo range makes no difference to colour staying time. See More

See All

score 16 · Answer 6

Joico's 'Color Intensity'

Top Pro

High end salon results

Top Con

Fades so fast

Only after one wash green faded to blue. See More

JollyHu's Experience

Color stayed vibrant for 3 months. I used amethyst, and I was waiting for it to fade before I changed it. It never did fade. I had to lift the color out See More

Top Pro

Helps leave hair gorgeously conditioned + amps up shine

Contains the ultra nourishing Kukui Nut Oil. See More

PatientIstaran's Experience

Green faded to a light blue after only one wash See More

Top Pro

Consistency of the dye is easy to work with

Top Pro

You can learn professional techniques from videos on their site

Top Pro

Color stays for a long time

The color will stay lovely and vibrant for weeks on end. See More

Top Pro

They make metallic colors as well

Top Pro

2O vibrant intermixable shades last 15 shampoos

When applied using their directions and using Joico's Color Endure or K-Pack Color Therapy shampoo as well as K-Pack Cuticle Sealer and finishing product INtesne Hydrator. You will absolutely see a feel a major difference in the health of your hair. See More

Top Pro

High quality professional product

Top Pro

Guaranteed healthier hair after every color application

Contains K-PAK’s powerful Quadramine Complex®. See More

See All

score 17 · Answer 7

Overtone

Top Pro

Vegan-friendly

Top Con

Expensive

ProductiveFeronia's Experience

good See More

Specs

Platforms:PC, MAC, Browser

Secure:Yes

Positional Audio:Yes

Multiple Channels:Yes

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Top Pro

Smells great

Top Con

The "extreme" line will temporarily stain skin

When using extreme blue without gloves your hands can get a bit smurf-y for a couple of days. On the plus side, it stays in the hair well. See More

Top Pro

Non-damaging

It's a color-depositing conditioner, so no ammonia, peroxide, or anything else bad for your hair. It can even feel better after using it--like a moisture mask! See More

See All

score 8 · Answer 8

Goldwell Elumen

Top Pro

Permanent. .color lasts forever! Used with a sealer

Top Con

Needs a cosmetology license to buy

score 12 · Answer 9

Crazy Color

Top Con

The colors fade quickly

The colors often fade before you've even had your next shower. See More

Top Pro

Stays bright a long time

score 5 · Answer 10

Iroiro Colors

Top Pro

Very vibrant colors

Colors are highly pigmented . See More

Top Con

Fades fast

To make sure the color lasts I had to put some dye in my conditioner See More

score 34 · Answer 11

Ion Color Brilliance

Top Pro

The colors stick

Top Con

Color didn't take

The color washes out with the dye, leaving a splotchy discolored look. Works best with lighter colored hair. See More

SmartShivini's Experience

I have darkest brown hair. I bleached it best i could. Used the azure blue hoping it would grab. It didn't. It looked like dull grey. That color would probably only work on someone with super blonde/white hair. See More

Top Pro

Vibrant colors that lasts a while, even when washed three times a week

Top Con

Only lasted two washes

TallNamtar's Experience

Some of their colors last for 2 weeks tops like their purple color See More

Top Con

Takes a lot of dye for anyone with thick hair

For just below shoulder length you’re looking at at least three boxes to cover all your hair if you have thick hair See More

ModestKrotos's Experience

Colors didn't stick, and washed out with dye. See More

Top Con

Hard to get out of hair

It takes a few color removers to get the color out to a bleachable level. See More

SupportiveSulis's Experience

It doesnt actually dye the hair at all See More

See All

score 11 · Answer 12

Special Effects

Top Pro

Variety of colors

Special Effects comes in 28 fun shades. See More

Top Con

Never fade

I had their atomic pink on the ends of my hair and it tinted any color I put over it pink for six months after I dyed it and that was AFTER diluting it with conditioner. See More

GutsyMehetWeret's Experience

Vibrant & Long lasting. Great color options. Not as easy to find in stores. See More

Top Pro

Super pigmented and long lasting

The only pink dye I have found that stays in my hair more than 2 or 3 washes. If you want long lasting and bright this is one of the best dyes. See More

Top Con

Thick formula

The formula is so thick it’s difficult to apply. Also very difficult to get out of the bottle. See More

Top Pro

UV reactive colors

Some dyes react under blacklight (Atomic Pink , Nuclear Red ,Cherry Bomb, Hi-Octane Orange, Joyride, Cupcake Pink , Bright as F#@$ Yellow, Napalm Orange). See More

Top Con

Fades quickly

Many of the colors start to fade noticeably after a week or so. See More

See All

score 5 · Answer 13

Sparks Hair Dye

Top Pro

Color stays with correct care

Used to be available in TONS of colors. They are currently rebranding and have only like 5 colors which doesn't work for rainbow-heads like myself. See More

Top Con

Sometimes can wash out weird and unevenly

Top Pro

Washes out nicely

The Electric Blue and Green Ivy/Envy wash out very nicely, you can go 3 months between touch-ups. See More

Top Pro

Smells amazing

Top Pro

Very vibrant color

I use their red shade and the color that comes out of the tube is very similar to what will come out in your hair. See More

See All

score 6 · Answer 14

Lunar Tides Hair Dye

Top Pro

100% vegan and cruelty-free

Top Con

thin consistency for coming in a tub container

CoolBonaDea's Experience

Vibrant long lasting colors that didnt bleed on bedding or clothes afterwards. Hair was softer and in better condition after use. See More

Top Pro

Bright colors

Top Pro

Conditions hair

See All

score 4 · Answer 15

Directions

Top Con

Fades after first wash but tints the hair

The Poppy red may fade after the first wash, leaving your hair tinted a weird pink color. See More

Top Pro

Leaves hair soft and undamaged

Feels like an amazing conditioner. See More

InquisitiveDalia's Experience

I used Poppy Red before I committed to permanent hair dye See More

See All

score 7 · Answer 16

Schwarzkopf LIVE Colour Ultra Brights

Top Con

Pastel variations may not latch well

Top Pro

Very pigmented

While it has some downsides (some of the colors wash out fast, ingredients are harsh on hair, etc) the color does come out looking amazing. In the beginning, it's a very thick, very pigmented product that coats the hair far better than thin watery dyes. For example, you are able to put on a bright yellow without having fully, evenly bleached hair. And the color came out uniformly. See More

ToughDeaTacita's Experience

Horrid. Color dulls and washes out immediately. It bleeds out, ruins the hair and to top it off it's not even the color you buy on the box. See More

Top Con

Harsh on hair

Top Pro

Ultra Bright and Pastel variations available

VigorousQuangeio's Experience

a little bit worked on my darkish blonde hair, I am going to use like 4 packets and mix and match the colours. See More

Top Con

Small packet size

May need to purchase multiple packets for long hair. See More

Top Pro

Affordable, supermarket / pharmacy brand

See All

score 7 · Answer 17

Adore

Top Pro

Long-lasting

Even pink stays for at least 2 weeks The longer you leave it in the better. See More

Top Con

Runny dye

Dye is not as thick as Arctic Fox or Manic Panic, but its more true to color, and works just as good as those brands. See More

Mia:)'s Experience

I LOVE using Adore hair dyes. Very easy to use, long-lasting colors (even the pink stays for a long time...!!), all fade to nice colors... Really cheap for a great color (unlike others that are sold for a higher price and theyre bad quality). Ive been using it for a while now and I couldnt be happier! See More

Top Pro

Very vibrant

This has tons of pigment and in return makes it true to the color it looks and allowing it to be very vibrant. See More

Top Con

Noticeably damages hair

Doesn't damage hair but doesn't condition it either. If you use it make sure to use a good conditioner afterwards, as it will not repair any damage from bleaching your hair to be able to get vibrant colors. See More

FantasticSerapis's Experience

This brand is great and is true to color, while also having little to no bleeding. If your hair is damaged from bleaching this wont fix it obviously as its just a dye. It doesn't have any conditioning properties, but in return is very pigmented and comes out true to tone and perfect. So if you want your hair soft when dying it i would suggest possibly mixing a conditioner into this or doing a deep conditioning mask after using it. See More

Top Pro

Cheap price

Depending on where you buy this you can get it from $4.99 to $7.99 with the average price being around $6. See More

ConscientiousNereus's Experience

Faded out faster than Directions See More

Top Pro

Long-lasting if left in for around an hour

If left in for 1+ hour the color ends up lasting longer and being way more pigmented and true to color. See More

CoolBonaDea's Experience

lasts and doesnt bleed on everything See More

Top Pro

Does not bleed

After the first week or so of your usual washes it will no longer bleeding unless you use shampoo. See More

Top Pro

True to color

It comes out true to the color it looks. See More

See All

score 7 · Answer 18

Splat

Top Con

Stains everything, color washes out for weeks afterwards

Unless you use proper conditioner sealers. See More

Top Pro

Very vibrant color

CoolBonaDea's Experience

I dyed my hair bright purple for the summer. The color was vibrant but it got on everything! If I sweated the smallest bit (and it was summer) purple would run down my face. My shirt collars, pillows, sheets and even a chair got stained. See More

Top Con

Colors runs when it gets wet

If you have this in your hair when it rains it will run unbelively. Any sort of wetness makes it run even heavy sweat. See More

Top Pro

Extremely affordable and accessible with many shades

Top Con

Dye itself does almost nothing to re-hydrate your hair

When using splat, make sure to follow up with a protein hair mask or using a sulphate-free shampoo. See More

Top Pro

Red hue is extremely resilient

It will be in your hair until you dye over it or cut it out. See More

Top Con

Bleach packet is extremely damaging

Top Con

Fades very quickly

After 3-4 washes the color will leave a little tinge of the old color along with the faded color See More

Top Con

Both bleach and dye are extremely damaging and drying to the hair

Top Con

Lightening kit that comes with it is not of good quality

Top Con

Cheap

You get what you pay for. It’s low quality hair dye that damages your hair and the color doesn’t last. This is what people who don’t know any better use or people who are too stupid to look online for quality dyes. See More

See All

Answer 19

Lunatik Hair Dye

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19 Options Considered

My Recommendation for Pravana ChromaSilk Vivids

My Recommendation for Pravana ChromaSilk Vivids

Works well on virgin hair

Doesn't work

Long lasting

Does not lift "normally"

Less messy than other semi-permanent dyes

Does not entirely wash out

STRONG men's cologne smell

My Recommendation for Arctic Fox

My Recommendation for Arctic Fox

Less bleeding

Turns a ugly color

Long lasting

Racist.

Colors fade nicely

Color doesn't stick

Against animal cruelty

The bottle is opaque

Vegan/cruelty free

It fades quickly

Smells amazing

Diluting is hard

Conditions hair while coloring

Smell is sickly sweet

Beautiful and vibrant color

Large bottles

Vibrant color for months!

My Recommendation for Manic Panic® - High Voltage® Classic Cream Formula Hair Color

My Recommendation for Manic Panic® - High Voltage® Classic Cream Formula Hair Color

Vegan friendly & cruelty free

Moderately high maintenance and cost

Blend well

Staining/doesn't wash out completely

43 colours to choose from

Some colors don't stick at all

Stays bright longer

Colors are not accurate

Doesn't damage hair

Never stops bleeding

UV Reactive options

My Recommendation for Jerome Russel Punky Color

My Recommendation for Jerome Russel Punky Color

The color bleeds an

Pleasant smell

Quite messy

Semi permanent

Some colors don't wash out completely

Great staying power

Fades nicely

Variety of colors

My Recommendation for Fudge Hair Colour

My Recommendation for Fudge Hair Colour

Difficult to find outside of Europe

Temporary, not semi-permanent

Unpredictable wash out time

Decent colour range

Shampoo and Conditioner do not perform

My Recommendation for Joico's 'Color Intensity'

My Recommendation for Joico's 'Color Intensity'

High end salon results

Fades so fast

Helps leave hair gorgeously conditioned + amps up shine

Consistency of the dye is easy to work with

You can learn professional techniques from videos on their site

Color stays for a long time

They make metallic colors as well

2O vibrant intermixable shades last 15 shampoos

High quality professional product

Guaranteed healthier hair after every color application

My Recommendation for Overtone

My Recommendation for Overtone

Vegan-friendly

Expensive

Smells great

The "extreme" line will temporarily stain skin

Non-damaging

My Recommendation for Goldwell Elumen

My Recommendation for Goldwell Elumen