So you've broken up with your S/O, and you're looking to make a drastic transformation with the best hair dye, one or two red hair dyes to make it feel a little bit better? Only joking... kind of. Either way, if you're here off the back of a heartbreak or you just want to freshen up your locks with a dye as bright as Dianne Buswell's, then we've got you covered. Here are the best red hair dyes you can shop right now.
If hair health is super important to you and you still want your hair to grow perfectly silky and smooth, then you might want to look at an ammonia-free dye like L'Oréal's Casting Creme Gloss. This just means they're longer-lasting but still gentle on your strands - and we can all do with that.
If you don't have the dough for expensive hair treatments, don't worry. After dying your natural hair - and even if you're looking for hair dye for dark hair - make sure to treat your hair with plenty of hair masks and leave-in treatments.
The best red hair dyes to shop at a glance:
Best red hair dye for dark hair: L'Oreal Paris Preference Vivids, £8.99 - Buy on Boots
Best red hair dye for a multi-tonal shade: Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color, £7.59 - Buy on Amazon
Best cool red hair dye: Schwarzkopf LIVE Permanent Hair Dye, £7 - Buy on Boots
On the flip side, if you already use clip-in extensions, you might not care so much about your virgin hair. It's all about your personal preference, and you shouldn't rush into any permanent dye decisions (that's what semi-permanent hair dye is for). So, without further ado, these are the best red hair dyes, both permanent and semi-permanent, for your perusal...
SHOP: The best red hair dye to buy online UK 2024
Best red hair dye for dark hair
www.boots.com
Description
L'Oréal Colorista red hair dye is our top pick for dark hair, and it's permanent, too, so that you can keep your hair dye looking shiny and fresh for longer. It promises a "high intensity" colour and, with a mix of pure dyes, "Up to 3x more shine."
Customer review: "I have used this dye twice now and I love it. I have naturally medium brown hair and this brightens my hair to a vibrant red with no bleach which is amazing. It does fade so redying hair every 8 weeks or so is necessary, but my hair faded to quite a pretty reddish copper so I'm not mad. It leaves hair feeling soft, doesn't smell too strongly and the gel is really good for being able to see where you have and haven't applied on your hair. I love it!"
Pros
- Intense colour even on dark hair
- The post-colour conditioner helps to maintain the hair's natural moisture
Cons
- Be careful sleeping on white pillowcases
Best red hair dye for a multi-tonal shade
Description
If you're looking for a red hair dye that'll reflect the light and show shine and shadows to give your colour more depth, this Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Colour is the box for you. Using a deep-red hue and high-shine effect, your hair will be looking naturally glowing.
Customer review: "I am always complimented by others when I use this hair colour at how nice the colour is. It lasts well, often between 4/6 weeks before I re-colour my hair again. Overall I'm really pleased with the results of this product."
Pros
- Works on dark hair in a deep-red hue
- Gives hair a high-shine effect
Cons
- Intense colour is only guaranteed for up to eight weeks
Best cool red hair dye
www.boots.com
Description
If you're not after a see-your-hair-from-across-the-street colour, then this is the subtle hue for you. You'll still reap the compliments of a redhead, but with this deep, purply shade in this Schwarzkopf LIVE Permanent Hair Dye, your hair will look deeply coloured and will even blur away any unwanted greys.
Customer review: "Live XXL reds take well and last well PROVIDING you get your pre and aftercare right. Red is the largest molecule: it won't take if your hair shaft is full of plasticised silicones so double-clarify first. Nor will it stay red if you deep condition it or use hot water or sulphate shampoo daily afterwards. If you are slow at root application, use a second freshly mixed box to coat the lengths."
Pros
- Maintains hair shine
- Successfully blurs away grey hairs
Cons
- Not as long-lasting as some of its competitors
Best semi-permanent red hair dye
Description
This offering from Manic Panic is our top pick for a semi-permanent hair dye. It doesn't require a developer and works straight from the jar, even promising to leave your hair in a "better condition than before it was dyed."
Customer review: "My favourite red hair colour! For anyone who is looking for a red that is not an orange-red, this is perfect. I've had so many compliments on it. I put this over my natural hair colour, which is a medium ash blonde, and it came out so vibrant. No need for lightening my hair prior to the colour application. The hair colour does transfer to your skin very easily, but it also comes off very easily."
Pros
- Resealable jar
- Vegan and cruelty-free formula
- Up to six weeks of colour (if you follow the brand's care instructions)
Cons
- Works better on light or bleached hair
Best natural red hair dye
www.boots.com
Description
We have it on good authority that this is the hair dye Stacey Dooley uses (she is on the box, after all...). Apart from that, this is a gorgeously natural shade, and the product is oil-infused to prevent any irritation to the scalp. We also have a full round-up of the best auburn hair dyes on Closer.
Customer review: "First it's easy to use and non-drip. It produces a very natural colour. So natural that people don't believe I've used a hair dye! It comes with clear instructions and a great conditioner. My only complaint is it tends to fade after a few weeks!"
Pros
- Blends three tones for natural-looking high and low lights
- Smooths out grey hairs
Cons
- Better for light hair, turns darker hair more auburn than golden
Best bright red hair dye
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
Description
Semi-permanent dyes are great for those weeks when you fancy being a louder version of yourself, and this dye from Bleach London is the perfect pairing for that mood. It'll fade away between two and ten weeks (depending on your virgin shade), but after that initial dye, you'll be wowing bystanders with your firey-red tresses.
Customer review: "It's so bright, gives such amazing coverage and looks stunning. And it washes out slowly but really nicely."
Pros
- It's cruelty-free and vegan
- Lasts two to three dyes per bottle (on long hair)
Cons
- Some reviews claim it works better on bleached hair for a really vibrant shade
Best cherry red hair dye
www.lookfantastic.com
Description
So, you're a bit of a scaredy cat? Only joking. But, seriously, if you don't want to take the permanent dye plunge and you're hesitant to dry out your virgin hair, this colour from L'Oréal is for you. The ammonia-free formula promises "softer, smoother and improved hair quality," and some reviews even state that it helped to rejuvenate bleached hair.
Customer review: "Fantastic box dye!! First time I'd ever dyed my own hair and it was very easy to apply. All done in around half an hour. Colour is great and good grey coverage."
Pros
- No harsh chemicals
- No nasty smells
Cons
- Colour not as long-lasting on already damaged hair
Best red hair dye for beginners
www.boots.com
Description
This hair dye from Schwarzkopf is the perfect fix for someone who's not very experienced and just wants to try out a new colour for a couple of weeks. You won't need to commit as it fades fairly quickly, making it perfect for a special occasion, and you can even mix the colour with the provided conditioner for more of a pastel hue.
Customer review: "Bold colour, amazing, lasts about a week on darker hair."
Pros
- Easy to apply
- Perfect if you want something short-term
Cons
- Has a more vibrant effect on bleached hair
What should I look out for when buying red hair dye?
This may sound obvious, but for starters, you need to decide whether you want a permanent or semi-permanent 'do. Are you certain this is the colour you want to sport over the next couple of months. Or do you just want a temporary 'break over'? And, as we've already mentioned, you need to factor how much you value your hair's health into your permanent vs. semi-permanent dye decision.
Next up, which tone should you go for? Well, obviously, you being the decision maker here, you can choose whatever colour you so desire. That being said, here's our advice:
If your skin has warm undertones, then keep an eye out for coppery reds. If your skin has cool undertones, try to look for red dyes with bluey hues. For example, a burgundy or purply red. And, the third option, if your skin has rather neutral tones, well, the world is your oyster, so get experimenting!
What colour can I dye my hair?
Taking the plunge with a permanent red hair dye can be scary, to say the least. But you can always have a go with a semi-permanent dye first. Once you're happy with your colour, you can commit to the permanent a few months down the line.
From silver hair dye to black hair dye to even orange hair dyes (hey, if Olivia Bowen can rock it, so can you), there's quite the array of box dyes to choose from. But, chances are, if you've landed on this page, you've probably got your heart set on a certain rouge-y shade already...
Whether you're looking for a bright red hair dye or a dark red hair dye, worry not because there will be an option for you. But you should also look out for which dyes are best for your hair long term.
Is red hair dye damaging?
Annoyingly, the answer to this question is... it depends. Essentially, the thing about dying hair that can be damaging is using peroxide to strip away your natural colour.
When it comes to using a red dye, if you're a natural platinum blonde, you probably won't need to lighten your hair before you start. So, in this instance, it's likely that the darker red dye won't significantly harm your hair.
By contrast, if you're a natural brunette, you might want to lighten your hair using a blonde hair dye or bleach. Use this before you start the dying process to maximise your chances of achieving a vibrant red. In this case, your hair will probably be in a much weaker condition before you even apply your dye, thus increasing the possibility of damage.
But remember to check the ingredients on a dye before you use it, as some/most permanent dyes use peroxide. The solution? Semi-permanent dye. Again, always check the product's ingredients list, but generally, semi-permanent dyes are peroxide-free. This does mean they might not be as effective, but it's a worthwhile factor to consider when picking your dye.
Is red hair high maintenance?
In short, yes, but there are ways to extend your colour's life.
Prolong your first post-dye wash for as long as possible and minimise your hair washing long-term. Yep, Manic Panic advises its customers to use dry shampoo as much as possible to avoid washing colour from the hair's cuticle.
If you can bare it, try washing your hair in cold water (when you do wash it) to avoid further swelling of the hair cuticle. Also, use baby shampoo; it's neutral (neither acidic nor alkaline) and will help minimise loss of colour. Even better, you can alternate this with shampoo for red hair to keep your tones as fiery as possible.
If you're sick of your red hair and want to move on from your red-head era, using a colour-stripping shampoo can work wonders.
What red hair dye do the celebrities use?
Chatting to heatworld as part of their Self-Care Sunday series, Strictly Come Dancing dancer Dianne Buswell revealed that she actually achieves her incredible crimson locks AT HOME.
She said, "In terms of colour, it's actually not as high maintenance as everyone thinks!" Gasp. Tell us more.
She continued, "I found a colour that I put on my roots, and it's the L'Oréal Professionnel Majirel Mix Permanent Hair Colour. I just put that on my roots myself, I don't need to bleach anything. I just put the colour straight on and then rinse it off, and it's red."
She finishes off her colouring routine with this: "Then on the ends of my hair, I never actually put colour, I just put this conditioner that has a red tinge to it."
We love this product because it's for professional use in salons up and down the UK. Therefore, you know it's going to do a fantastic job. At just under £15, you can save yourself heap loads of money by doing your hair colouring at home.
Caitlin Casey was a Senior Beauty & Fashion Products Writer for heat, Closer, and Grazia. She covered shopping, women's lifestyle, popular culture as well as all things trending.