Everything You Need to Know (and Buy) Before You Dye Your Hair (2024)

So you're thinking of dyeing your hair. Good for you, man. It's about time. I didn't want to be the one to say it, but I was sort of wondering when you were finally going to bite the bullet. I mean, it's been how long since those first not-so subtle hints of gray started sprouting up by your sideburns?

Kidding! I'm just kidding, dude. Maybe you love your grays and don't want to part with them. All good. But maybe the general tumult of the 2020s finally took its toll and you'd prefer a little more pepper than salt in the mix. Regardless, you're here because you decided it's time to make a change. Men dye their hair for all sorts of different reasons, and each and every one of them is A-okay in my book.

Worried you'll fuck it all up? Well, sure. That's always a valid concern. (And if you're really stressing the final results, you might want to consult a professional colorist first.) But what's life without a little risk—at least when it comes to something as all-important as your hair?

Whether you're simply trying to cover up a few premature signs of aging or shock the living daylights out of your straight-laced colleagues with a fluorescent new 'do, here's everything you should consider before taking the plunge. Invest in any of these products and you, too, can *cue dramatic theme music* live to dye another day.

Convinced it's time to try an at-home dye but concerned you'll bungle it? True Sons' fan-favorite formula is probably the one for you. Sure, the brand's foolproof foam is a bit pricier than the other options included here, but if you're nervous about applying a hair dye for the first time, this sucker eliminates all that stress entirely. It's designed to lather on as smoothly as a shaving cream and is made for full-body use, so you can apply it with (relative) abandon anywhere you've got hair that needs a touch-up.

A comb applicator helps you apply this semi-permanent dye with ease, so you can touch-up specific areas prone to graying without dying your whole head. Crucially, a variety of natural-looking colors ensures you won't step back halfway through and suddenly see the spitting image of (gasp!) dear old dad staring back at you in the mirror.

Just For Men remains the standard-bearer for gray coverage when it comes to any and at all ad hoc at-home dye jobs. Invest in a kit (or a few!) if you're in the market for subtle gray coverage that'll look blended without coming across as overly dramatic. This one comes with three, so you're good to go for a while.

If you fancy yourself a bit of a grooming maverick, Good Dye Young's signature kit is ready-made for experimentation. The brand's vegan, easy-to-use formula calls for no mixing, and is semi-permanent, so its effects will only last about six weeks sans regular touch-ups if you wake up deeply regretting the color you choose—and there are plenty of fun options to choose from.

This hair color kit covers your grays for up to six weeks, so by the time you're ready for your next cut, it'll be about time to reapply. This was also designed specifically for men, so you're pretty much guaranteed natural-looking, easy results—and in just five minutes, too.

For a gentle reduction of your grays, this is the dye for you. Madison Reed's high-end dye doesn't completely eradicate and cover them, but instead, subtly blends them into the rest of your hair, for a cool, mature look. After all—grays are kinda stylish.

If you're a dude with dark, textured hair looking for full coverage, this might be the kit for you. SoftSheen-Carson's formula covers gray hairs effectively and won't leave your mane feeling dried out or looking remotely devoid of its natural sheen. Plus, the formula's shampoo-in design has aloe vera and honey to make sure your hair doesn't dry out.

Manic Panic's bleaching kit makes an otherwise arduous process relatively straightforward. The brand's hard-to-beat concoction comes with all the tools you'll need to lighten your hair at home, and is specifically made with novices in mind so there's minimal room for serious mistakes.

This hair dye is completely unique to you, and works on your beard, too. Through an online quiz, Cleverman identifies the perfect custom products for your hair color, texture, and goals, then sends you a kit packed with everything you'll need to get the exact look you want.

With natural ingredients, this is how you get your grays covered without irritating your scalp. This semi-permanent gel requires no mixing, and easily blends into your hair to get rid of those salty and/or peppery bits. Easy as that.

If your grays are only coming in at the roots and you don't want to dye your entire head of hair for nothing: I hear you. I see you, and I understand, and I have the perfect solution in the form of a root touch-up gel. This one comes with semi-permanent dye already mixed and in the applicator, so there's no mess or hassle here. Simply brush it on your roots, give a light blend, and voila—color for the next 10 washes.

If you're naturally blonde, this one's for you. Sadly, blonde is one of the hardest colors to mimic naturally with dye, but this highlighting brush reinstates golden locks into your dull hair. This isn't intended for grays specifically, but can still work wonders in subtly adding some summer-kissed blondeness to your hair.

To narrow all the best hair dyes out there down to these 12 options, we tried and tested the options you see above. Then, our experts read thousands of reviews from other users to make sure that you would love 'em just as much as we do.