Tired of having to pre-lighten or bleach your hair? Or perhaps you've been looking for a new, rich color? Try out a brunette shade! Brown hair dyes are no longer boring or flat. There's a wide range of brunette shades that can emphasize your features, from deep cocoa to ashy brown. Plus, modern hair dyes often contain nourishing ingredients to minimize the damage of dyeing.
After combing through the Internet, we've handpicked 10 brunette hair dyes that work for different undertones and are highly recommended by reviewers. L'Oreal Paris' Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Color is our top pick on our list since it produces a rich, natural color without drying out your hair. For more options, check out our top 10 list! Want to know what brunette colors work best with your skin's complexion? Scroll down to our buying guide, which was reviewed by a licensed cosmetologist, for some tips.
Quick List - Top Brunette Hair Dyes
L'Oreal Paris
Rich Brown Color With Enhanced Shine
L'Oreal Paris
Permanent Dye Offering Fantastic Gray Coverage
Denise is a licensed cosmetologist who advises people on certain products they should get. She formally worked at Ulta and is now headed into a salon.
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Now that you know our top picks, let's move on to the buying guide! Here are some important factors that you should keep in mind while choosing a product, like its staying power, shade, and ingredients.
While searching for a brunette hair dye online, you'll notice that most products are permanent or temporary. We'll walk you through the key differences between the two types so that you can decide which one meets your needs.
A permanent dye deposits color straight into the cortex of your hair, changing your hair's texture and natural color permanently. If you're looking for a dye to cover up grays or brassy tones, a permanent product is the way to go! Plus, the color can last for six to eight weeks, so this type of dye is ideal if you want long-lasting results.
Since permanent dyes often contain strong chemicals, such as ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, your hair might become dry or brittle after application. These ingredients may also irritate those with a sensitive scalp. So, opt for an ammonia- and peroxide-free formula if you have sensitive skin or dry hair.
As its name indicates, a temporary dye provides a short-term color that will wash out after one shampoo. So if you are not ready to commit to a brunette color or just want to touch up your hair a little before getting it done professionally, choose a temporary dye.
One drawback of temporary dyes is that they cannot cover gray hair. They aren't formulated with lightening agents, so they won't be able to lift your hair color too. But, compared to permanent dyes, temporary products are much less damaging.
When it comes to brunette shades, there are a seemingly endless number of options. But not all shades will work on you, and picking the wrong one might wash you out.
Generally speaking, a brunette color should have the same undertone as your skin. If you don't know how to determine your undertones, we have a simple tip for you. Flip your wrist and check the color of your veins. If you see bluish or purplish veins, you have cool undertones. Meanwhile, green veins indicate warm undertones.
If your skin is warm-toned, warm shades that have copper or golden tints, such as chestnut, golden brown, chocolate, and butterscotch, will accentuate your features. If you have a dark skin tone, deep brown shades like mocha will look fabulous on you!
On the other hand, those with cool undertones can consider colors with a bluish or purplish tinge like ash brown or cool brown. If you have fair skin, try a brunette shade that's the opposite of your skin's undertones. Warm colors like golden brown and walnut can help you make a statement.
We also recommend that you avoid colors that look flat. You should choose a formula that combines several tones and highlights to get a natural-looking and multi-dimensional color.
Regardless of the type, the chemicals in hair dye can cause your hair to dry out. However, you can minimize the damage by choosing a formula infused with moisturizers like shea butter, glycerin, and vitamin E; these ingredients can replenish lost moisture and keep hair silky-smooth.
Plant-based oils, including olive oil, coconut oil, and argan oil, drench your hair with moisture and leave it feeling soft. Since they are loaded with fatty acids and vitamins, they can fortify your hair and promote cell regeneration for healthier hair.
Keratin, soy protein, and silk amino acids are other nourishing ingredients you may encounter while looking at hair dyes. Basically, they are proteins that can protect your hair from breakage.
If you want your hair color to stick around for longer, consider products with a UV filter. Excessive exposure to UV rays can lead to discoloration, frizziness, brittle hair, and split ends. But a UV filter can somewhat neutralize the damaging effects of UV rays and seal in your hair color.
While many products are formulated directly with conditioning ingredients, some come with a separate after-treatment conditioner or pre-coloring serum. These additional treatments help revitalize your hair and are strongly recommended if you already have weak or damaged hair.
Brunette hair dyes come in three different consistencies: cream, gel, and foam. A cream formula is the most common. It's usually quite thick and doesn't drip, so you can easily distribute the coloring cream without causing a mess.
On the other hand, gel is thinner in texture and can also be spread easily throughout your hair. While gel can be a bit messy to deal with, it quickly absorbs into your hair to deliver a rich color.
Foam hair dyes aren't that common, but they often guarantee easy and even application. The non-drip foamy texture can be distributed easily into roots and hard-to-reach places. In general, we recommend foam and cream dyes if you're new to home-dyeing since they can be easier to apply.
If you're dyeing your hair for the very first time, you might want to choose a kit that includes a hair brush, an applicator bottle, and protective gloves. These accessories will make your home-dyeing experience as stress- and mess-free as possible.
A hair brush will help you spread the formula evenly, while an applicator bottle and protective gloves help prevent chemicals in the hair dye from drying out or staining your skin.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | L'Oreal Paris Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Color|Deep Bronzed Brown | ![]() | Rich Brown Color With Enhanced Shine | |
2 | John Frieda Precision Foam Color|Dark Natural Brown | ![]() | Foam Formula for Even Coverage | |
3 | L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Permanent Hair Color|Mocha Ash Brown | ![]() | Permanent Dye Offering Fantastic Gray Coverage | |
4 | Schwarzkopf Keratin Color Rich Even Color |Intense Cocoa | ![]() | Keratin Prevents Hair Breakage | |
5 | L'Oreal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying + Shine Permanent Hair Color |Auburn Brown | ![]() | Natural-Looking Dye Infused With a UV Filter | |
6 | Clairol Root Touch-Up Permanent Creme |Dark Brown, 2 pack | ![]() | Easy-to-Use Hair Dye for Quick Root Touch-Ups | |
7 | Schwarzkopf Color Ultimate Hair Color Cream|Velvet Brown | ![]() | Brightening Formula for a Shiny Red-Brown Color | |
8 | Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color |Medium Brown | ![]() | Non-Drip Gel Dye Offers Easy Application | |
9 | Moroccanoil Color Depositing Mask|Cocoa | ![]() | Two-in-One Temporary Dye With Nourishing Ingredients | |
10 | Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme|Medium Natural Brown | ![]() | Oil-Based Formula That Deeply Moisturizes Your Hair |
This coloring gel is enriched with glycerin to keep your hair moisturized throughout the dyeing process. You also get an after-treatment conditioner infused with nourishing cocoa seed butter, blackberry fruit extract, and camellia leaf extract. There is an additional pre-treatment serum that contains sunflower seed oil to add luster to your hair.
Some buyers didn't recommend this dye for those with a considerable amount of gray hair since this color looked noticeably lighter on grays. But, others praised the natural-looking brown shade with a hint of red. They also liked that it made their hair soft and silky. The scent didn't seem to annoy anyone as well.
This permanent hair dye has a thick non-drip foam formula that can easily cover your hair from root to tip. Since foam penetrates quickly into strands of hair, it delivers a highly-pigmented color that's less likely to fade. It also comes with a conditioning treatment with rice bran oil and babassu nut oil to strengthen your hair.
A few buyers were disappointed that the dye didn't provide great coverage for gray hair. Nonetheless, the rich dark brown color received compliments from buyers. They loved the easy and mess-free application, noting the results didn't look patchy. Reviewers also said that a little went a long way, and those with long hair only needed one box.
Looking for a product that can offer full coverage for gray hair? This permanent hair dye touts a non-drip cream formula that soaks in quickly to color every strand of hair. Plus, it comes with a pre-treatment serum and after-treatment conditioner to protect and nourish your hair.
For some buyers, the color turned out darker than the photo on the box. But, most reviewers liked its multi-dimensional and natural-looking color. They added that the color lasted for a long time with minimal fading, and it didn't have a red undertone like other brown hair dyes. They also loved that it left their hair soft and shiny.
This rich, warm brown dye has a slightly reddish undertone. Formulated with keratin and hydrolyzed collagen, this hair dye can strengthen your hair and leave it feeling silky-smooth. It also includes an after-treatment keratin conditioner to prevent hair breakage.
According to reviewers, this product did a great job covering their grays. They also said it made their hair shiny, soft, and more manageable. They noted that the warm-toned dark brown color was highly-saturated and didn't look flat at all. Many were pleased with the long staying power, too.
This hair dye gives your hair a luminous warm-toned red-brown color that lasts for a while. The included conditioner is infused with a UV filter, camelina oil, and vitamin E to add luster to your hair and prevent the color pigments from fading.
Reviewers disliked the overwhelming ammonia scent. Still, many buyers were contented with the brown color, saying it had highlights and looked quite natural. Plus, the dye didn't produce any brassy tones. Reviewers added that their hair was still in good condition after dyeing.
Just need to touch up roots or grays? This permanent dye from Clairol comes with a brush that allows you to apply the dye evenly and precisely. On top of that, the whole process takes about ten minutes.
Many buyers liked that it was easy to use and didn't cause a mess. They said the formula was nourishing, noting that their hair felt soft and well-conditioned after dyeing. Other buyers added that the color blended seamlessly into their hair.
This hair dye brings you a multi-dimensional brown shade and smoothes out your hair thanks to the infusion of carbomer and silica. The included conditioner is formulated with brightening ingredients, including hydrolyzed pearl, keratin, and sea salt, to add shine to your hair.
Some buyers shared that the dye lacked longevity and didn't cover their grays completely. Also, right after the application, the color appeared darker than what's shown on the box.
But according to reviewers, it eventually faded into a rich and shiny red-brown color. The nourishing formula further set this product apart for many users. They loved how healthy their hair felt afterward and didn't think the scent was off-putting.
This dye has a non-drip gel texture that's easy to work with and less likely to cause a mess. The coloring cream boasts a blend of silk amino acids and keratin to strengthen your hair and prevent breakage. There is also no ammonia in the dye, so you can rest assured that it doesn't have a strong chemical scent.
A few buyers commented that the color appeared darker than they expected, and others were disappointed with the staying power of the product. Still, reviewers were pleased with its excellent gray coverage and nourishing formula, saying it didn't dry out their hair. They confirmed that application was easy as well.
This two-in-one hair mask brings you a temporary rich cocoa shade while delivering a lot of moisture. It's crafted with ingredients like argan oil, apricot oil, and hydrolyzed soy protein to soften your hair and restore elasticity. But, keep in mind that this dye is designed for light brown to dark brown hair. It also doesn't cover grays.
The major caveat of this product was that it stained reviewers' skin and towels. So, buyers suggested wearing gloves to minimize staining. Some reviewers also disliked the strong scent.
Meanwhile, many people loved the natural color and added that it had a slight purple undertone. They also vouched for the conditioning formula, saying it softened their hair wonderfully.
Garnier's hair dye touts a creamy non-drip formula that spreads easily in hair. Also, you won't have to worry about your hair getting dried out! There's a fruit oil ampoule you add to the coloring cream for some additional moisture. There is also an after-coloring conditioner with a combination of shea, olive, and avocado oils to soften your hair.
Although some reviewers were disappointed that the color washed out after a couple of rinses, many others were happy with the warm and pigmented medium-brown shade. They added that it had natural highlights and didn't look flat. Plus, they liked it covered grays, applied easily, and didn't irritate sensitive skin.
Maybe this is your first time dyeing your hair at home, or maybe it's your hundredth. Either way, we can all learn from each other! This video offers some helpful tips on how to dye your hair safely and effectively at home.
Bebexo encourages you to moisturize pre-treatment, section your hair, remove jewelry, protect your skin, and more. Watch the video in full to see all of her tips!
After dyeing, you might notice that your hair has become quite dry. Thankfully, there are tons of products that can help moisturize and heal your hair. Check out our suggestions below!
No. 1: L'Oreal Paris |Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Color|Deep Bronzed Brown
No. 2: John Frieda|Precision Foam Color|Dark Natural Brown
No. 3: L'Oreal Paris|Excellence Creme Permanent Hair Color|Mocha Ash Brown
No. 4: Schwarzkopf|Keratin Color Rich Even Color |Intense Cocoa
No. 5: L'Oreal Paris|Superior Preference Fade-Defying + Shine Permanent Hair Color |Auburn Brown
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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