The best semi-permanent colorations in the UK 2023

Dyeing your hair has become very trendy over the last few decades. Sometimes it's to change your look, sometimes it's because you have gray hair that's starting to appear; signs of aging or not, you have to cover it up at all costs. An effective and less aggressive alternative is to use a semi-permanent hair color. But it's hard to choose one if this is your first time. Which shade? Cream or gel? Which brand? We bring you all the answers in this guide to the best temporary hair colors of the moment.

L'Oréal Paris Colorista 1
8/10

Best value for money

L'Oréal Paris Colorista

Best semi-permanent hair color in 2021

Explore your elegant woman side by applying this semi-permanent hair color from L'Oréal. Its soft pink color exudes simplicity and softness that is typically feminine. The effect of this product is easy to blend.

6,39 £ on Amazon

Colorista Washout is a cream gel for women, designed for hair coloring. It creates a light shade of color by combining pink with your current hair color. Suitable for blonde, brunette and other women, this product enhances your hair. It can be applied wherever you want to add a special touch of color.

There is no risk to those who use and wish to use this coloring solution. Colorista Washout stands for hair care with ammonia-free ingredients. The cream preserves the health of your hair and does not compromise its quality. The desired result is achieved within half an hour after applying this product. The new color remains visible before fading a week later.

Fire Crazy Color 2
7/10

Best value for money

Fire Crazy Color

Best entry-level semi-permanent hair color

Try Fire Crazy Color, which is the color for women with a passion for excess. Besides being semi-permanent, this hair lotion completely transforms your hair by applying a fiery red color.

5,02 £ on Beauty Coiffure

The Fire Crazy Color cream is an atypical product that targets those who would dare to transgress the rules of hairstyling. Behind its bright red color is a crazy idea that makes you look like a Punk Rock fan. This deliberate exaggeration is just one more ingredient to your feminine beauty and trendy hair look.

The coloring provided by this product is time-limited and can be removed at any time. A simple wash is all that is needed to partially change or completely remove the red color created by this cream. The type of shampoo used for rinsing will determine the protection or fading of the color of your hair.

Garnier Movida 3
8/10

Best value for money

Garnier Movida

Best high-end semi-permanent hair color

You can make the appearance of gray hair unnoticeable with this temporary hair color for women. Garnier Movida is both a hair color and a hair care product for healthy hair. Dark blonde is the color this product offers.

10,89 £ on Amazon

The first effects of this semi-permanent hair color for women start to appear within 15 minutes of application. It is above all, a product specially designed to conceal your white hair with a dark blonde color. This cream is ammonia-free and is safe for your hair health.

The shine of your hair is carefully accompanied by the sweetness of the fragrance released by this product. Garnier Movida is a lotion that has a number of healing properties for brittle hair. It makes your hair smoother, stronger and more radiant than usual. It takes weeks or even months for your hair to return to its original color.

Schwarzkopf Hair Mascara 4
8/10

Excellent

Schwarzkopf Hair Mascara

Best semi-permanent hair color with instant action

The magic of this hair mascara allows women to look younger, no matter what their age. It applies precisely to the roots and temporarily covers your white hair. A great ally to keep your hair a dark brown!

8,72 £ on Amazon

The main function of the Schwarzkopf brand hair mascara is to color a woman's hair dark brown. You can apply it yourself, without the intervention of a professional. The small brush of the mascara can easily go through the strands to the roots of your white hair to color. Such precision translates into ease of use of the product.

This Schwarzkopf hair mascara which is a semi-permanent hair color for women has other major advantages. Apart from its use to mask white hair, it can be applied simply for aesthetic purposes. Its specificity is observed by the fact that after only one wash, the color of the product disappears directly from your hair.

Buying guide • November 2023

Best semi-permanent coloring

Any specific needs?

Best semi-permanent hair color in 2021

Best entry-level semi-permanent hair color

Best high-end semi-permanent hair color

Best semi-permanent hair color with instant action

Your guide : Samuel

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Comparison table of the best semi-permanent colorations

Top Inexpensive Top of the line Excellent
L'Oréal Paris Colorista 5
8/10
Fire Crazy Color 6
7/10
Garnier Movida 7
8/10
Schwarzkopf Hair Mascara 8
8/10
OUR SELECTION
L'Oréal Paris Colorista
Fire Crazy Color
Garnier Movida
Schwarzkopf Hair Mascara
Explore your elegant woman side by applying this semi-permanent hair color from L'Oréal. Its soft pink color exudes simplicity and softness that is typically feminine. The effect of this product is easy to blend.
Try Fire Crazy Color, which is the color for women with a passion for excess. Besides being semi-permanent, this hair lotion completely transforms your hair by applying a fiery red color.
You can make the appearance of gray hair unnoticeable with this temporary hair color for women. Garnier Movida is both a hair color and a hair care product for healthy hair. Dark blonde is the color this product offers.
The magic of this hair mascara allows women to look younger, no matter what their age. It applies precisely to the roots and temporarily covers your white hair. A great ally to keep your hair a dark brown!
Packaging
80 ml
100 ml
125 ml
16 ml
Main ingredients
aqua / water, cetearyl alcohol, behentrimonium chloride, amodimethicone, cetyl alcohol, hc blue no. 15, c12-15 alkyl benzoate, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, trideceth-6, chlorhexidine digluconate, fumaric acid, isopropyl alcohol, basic red 51, citric acid, cetrimonium chloride
aqua, cetearyl alcohol, ceteareth-20, distearoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate propylene glycol, ceteareth-30, citric acid, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone
aqua / water cetearyl alcohol glycerin dipalmitoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate cetyl esters trideceth-6 amodimethicone cetrimonium chloride methylparaben citric acid prunus armeniaca (apricot) fruit extract parfum / fragrance
Aqua (Water, Eau), Cetyl Alcohol, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), Ceteareth-20, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Silica, PEG-32, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), Phenyl Trimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, VP/VA Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin
Application
Let color set for 15 minutes or up to 20 minutes
Direct coloring
Applies easily as a shampoo to wet hair
Precise application on strands and roots
Care
No blending or care required
With Oily Hair Shampoo
Complete care without maintenance
-
Texture
Gel cream
Cream
Cream
Mascara

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Buying guide - semi-permanent coloring

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How to choose your semi-permanent coloring

Semi-permanent hair coloring gives women the opportunity to color their hair without damaging it. But you still need to find the right product! For this very reason, it is important to pay attention to a few key criteria.

#1 - The hair color

The choice of your hair color will depend on the color of your hair. If your hair is dark, you will want to focus on shades of color and highlights. This will make your hair shine! If you have light hair, you are allowed to go a little crazy by adopting flashy colors such as blue or pink.

#2 - The ingredients

The semi-permanent hair color is mostly known for its ammonia-free formula that respects the hair. In general, it consists of a mixture of coloring molecules, foaming agent to make application easy, solvent to serve as a stabilizer, cationic agent, regenerators and detanglers in order to smooth the hair. All the ingredients that go into the composition of this type of product are safe for the hair.

#3 - The shade

The tint is also part of the important criteria that you must take into account in the choice of a semi-permanent coloring. You need to bet on a hair color that is as close as possible to your natural shade. If you have blond hair, it is recommended that you choose a shade that matches your natural hair color. This way, you will for sure avoid unpleasant surprises.

#4 - The expected result

The choice of this type of coloring can also vary according to the expected result! Do you want to cover your white hair while keeping its natural look? Do you want to radically change your look or do you simply want to embellish your hair with pretty highlights and a little shine? It's up to you!

#5 - The effectiveness

In general, semi-permanent hair colors are effective for up to 8 weeks. Depending on the brand, there are products that last a little longer than others. In fact, some start to fade after only 4 shampoos. So make sure your hair color can hold up long enough, because it's quite possible to find a product that holds up well after 6-8 shampoos.

What is semi-permanent hair color?

As the name implies, semi-permanent hair color is "temporary" and not permanent. As the weeks go by, it fades and leaves no trace of demarcation. So it's obvious that if you want your hair color to last a little longer, you'll want to avoid shampooing too often.

Haircolor with multiple benefits

If semi-permanent hair color is winning over more and more women these days, it's because it offers several advantages. Its greatest asset? Its use does not harm the health of even the most fragile hair. Since it does not penetrate the hair, there is no risk of damaging the hair fiber. It can also be an alternative solution to camouflage the first grey hairs. Another advantage: it is perfect for trying out a new color while avoiding unpleasant surprises. Finally, thanks to it, dull hair regains all its natural shine!

What precautions should I take when using it?

It would be a shame to use a product and then realize (too late) that you are allergic to it. To avoid this problem, it is best to test the color on your skin first. To do this, use a cotton bandage with a small amount of the product applied to it. You can then stick it on your back for example. After one hour, remove the bandage and rinse with soap and water. Wait now 48 hours to see the result. In case your skin turns red or starts to swell, it would be wiser not to use it!

The different types of semi-permanent colorations

Semi-permanent hair colorings on the market come in different types. Each product has its own specificities and assets.

Semi-permanent hair color for light hair

If you are lucky enough to have light hair, semi-permanent hair coloring for this type of hair will make your life easier. In fact, its characteristics mean that you have the opportunity to do some crazy things. Semi-permanent coloring tends to work better on light hair. In short, the results are generally more than satisfactory!

There are a number of benefits to using semi-permanent hair color for light hair. The most important of these is undoubtedly the fact that you can try out all the colors you can think of, even the flashy ones! You have the ability to change your look on a regular basis and all without your hair suffering any damage.

Semi-permanent hair color for dark hair

A semi-permanent hair color for dark hair has everything you need to bring out the color shades in your hair! For example, if you have brown hair, it will simply gain intensity. However, you have the option of going through the process of bleaching your hair in case you want to achieve a more intense result.

On the plus side, semi-permanent coloring for dark hair will restore your hair's shine and warm it up. And since there's no ammonia in the composition of this type of hair color, your hair won't suffer any damage. Moreover, they will be able to keep their shine for a certain period of time i.e. a few weeks!

Semi-permanent hair color for colored hair

If you have colored hair, the semi-permanent coloring will act in order to allow its user to find its basic color. It removes the demarcation that is between a coloring and the roots. This is interesting since this demarcation is not really aesthetic. In addition, this type of coloring will help to provide shine to the hair.

The advantages of semi-permanent hair coloring for colored hair are many: First, it is able to produce the most natural result. Secondly, since it is formulated without the use of harmful products such as ammonia, you will not have to worry about any negative impact on your scalp.

Permanent or semi-permanent coloring?

Permanent coloring

If we make a small comparison with semi-permanent hair color, permanent hair color has a strong covering power. If your gray hair starts to get seriously thick, it can completely cover it up. In addition, permanent hair color does not require frequent maintenance, unlike semi-permanent hair color. It assures you a beautiful color for a long time!

If there is a weak point to permanent hair coloring, it is undoubtedly its devastating effects on the hair due to the presence of ammonia. In the long run, its use can seriously damage your hair fiber. Moreover, if by misfortune the result is not what you hoped for, you will have to be very patient to recover your natural base. Before, you must wait for your hair to grow back.

Semi-permanent coloring

Semi-permanent hair coloring has a number of important advantages. First of all, the fact that the result is not permanent, unlike permanent hair coloring, makes it both very practical and easy to change your look every time you want! Indeed, it fades quite quickly after 6 to 8 shampoos. Secondly, the formulation of semi-permanent hair color does not include products that are harmful to the hair, such as ammonia.

If you have a lot of white hair to hide, don't rely too much on semi-permanent hair color because of its low coverage! Indeed, this is largely due to the presence of a smaller amount of pigments and as a result it is not able to cover more than 50% of your white hair. Finally, it is clear that semi-permanent coloring cannot last long.

Verdict

Whether it's semi-permanent hair color or permanent hair color, both techniques are effective in coloring your hair ideally. But it must be said that the first is less aggressive for the hair. Unlike permanent coloring, it does not leave visible roots that are not really beautiful to look at. Finally, semi-permanent hair color allows you to try a variety of colors without affecting your hair!

Why buy semi-permanent hair color?

Easy to use

You don't have to be a professional hairdresser to use semi-permanent hair color. Anyone can apply it at home with ease. First, find the color you like! Then, if you feel it's necessary, don't hesitate to bleach your hair. Try the product on your skin to see if you are allergic to it. Apply a small amount with a cotton ball and wait 2 to 3 days. After that you can proceed with the coloring and don't forget to put on the appropriate protections like gloves and towels.

Not aggressive

Compared to other types of hair coloring, semi-permanent hair color has the advantage of not being aggressive to the hair. Its formula is free of harmful substances such as ammonia, which is known to have harmful effects on the scalp. You can repeat the experience frequently and satisfy all your coloring desires without worrying about the health of your hair.

Suitable for all hair types

Semi-permanent hair color is suitable for all hair types for the simple reason that it is not aggressive. Whether you have light or dark hair, this product is perfectly suitable. Even if you already have colored hair! So it's a great product because of its versatility.

Gives shine to hair

If your hair tends to be dull, the best solution to boost its shine is to bet on semi-permanent hair color. Apart from that, it gives shine and beautiful highlights to the hair! In addition, the hair will catch the light ideally and will be adorned with shades that highlight them.

Does not damage the hair fiber

When you use semi-permanent hair coloring, you can be sure that your hair fiber will be preserved! Why? Simply because this type of coloring is designed not to penetrate the hair in depth. In fact, since it has no lightening power, this product respects the fragility of your hair and does not harm it in any way.

The best brands of semi-permanent colorations

In our opinion, the best brands of semi-permanent colorations in 2022 are :

L’Oréal
Schwarzkopf
Garnier
Wella
Lime Crime

This world-renowned brand was founded in 1909. Today, it is a must when it comes to the beauty industry. Its goal is to bring cosmetic innovation to as many people as possible, including women and men. It differentiates itself from the competition thanks to its rich experience acquired over a century of existence. This allows it to develop products of incomparable quality, such as its hair coloring products.

Created by Hans Schwarzkopf in 1898, this brand took its first steps in the world of beauty by manufacturing washing powders. Soon enough, it became successful and made the decision to be closer to hair professionals. The goal is to accompany them by offering them innovative products. The brand has the merit to anticipate the needs of these professionals with high quality products.

It is a French brand of international renown and was born in 1904. It has a great reputation in hair and skin care. This environmentally friendly brand distinguishes itself from its competitors by its effort to use natural ingredients such as flowers or fruits to elaborate its products. These are highly effective!

The brand was founded in 1880 by Franz Ströher, a young German hairdresser. It specializes in the cosmetic sector. In 1924, Wella began to make a name for itself in the hairdressing industry by offering the first perm, a small revolution at the time. It was also the first hair dryer with a motor and the first balm to protect and nourish hair. Nowadays, Wella is one of the references in hair coloring.

Lime Crime is an American cosmetic brand that stands out by suggesting ultra-trendy products full of originality! It has acquired a solid reputation in makeup and hair dye products. She takes care not to use animal ingredients in the manufacturing of her products. Her key words are variety, high quality and saturated colors!

What is the price for a semi-permanent coloring

The diagram below will help you to get an idea of the typical prices for each price range (entry-level, mid-range and high-end).

However, more expensive does not necessarily mean better.

We therefore advise you to always consult our ranking before deciding, rather than blindly relying on price ranges.

Entry-level
3 £ to 6 £
Mid-range
6 £ to 10 £
High-end
more than 10 £
Price range diagram

Tips

Do an allergy test before coloring

You must perform an allergy test 48 hours before coloring your hair. To do this, you must apply the coloring product to your skin. If you feel any tingling, redness or swelling, it means that you cannot tolerate the product. On the other hand, if your skin shows no signs of allergy, it's safe to go ahead with the coloring.

Avoid shampoos with sulfates

It's advisable to wash your hair with a sulfate-free shampoo after coloring. This is because sulfates are strong detergents that can damage your hair and irritate your scalp. This washing base can also dull your color and reduce its hold. On the other hand, shampoos that don't contain sulfates are more suitable if you need to wash your hair daily to avoid reducing the hold of your color.

Opt for more pigmented shades

If you want to have a semi-permanent color that doesn't require much maintenance, you can choose a highly pigmented color. This is because darker colors are more likely to last longer than pastel colors. Thus, with a pigmented color on a bleached base, you will manage to keep your color longer.

Maintain your hair after coloring

Colorings can weaken your hair, so it is essential to maintain them properly. Thus, it is advisable to use a shampoo for colored hair and a nourishing mask to preserve the quality of your hair and maintain your coloring. You can also do oil baths regularly so that your hair can be nourished in depth. In addition, a repigmenting treatment is necessary if you wish to space out your coloring.

Protect yourself while coloring

It is important to avoid your eyes coming into contact with the product. If this happens, immediately rinse your eyes with plenty of water. Also, if signs of allergies appear during or after coloring, you should rinse your hair as soon as possible. You should also keep the gloves that come with the product on throughout the process.

FAQ

How to choose the right semi-permanent hair color? What are the precautions to take? Does permanent hair color damage the hair? How long does permanent hair color last?

If you have light hair, any color you choose will stand out easily. So you can choose flashy, pastel or bright colors. Dark hair can also provide a very visible result, but for that, it needs bleaching. If you want to have bright highlights on your dark hair, you can opt for a coloring that brings out all the shades of your natural color.

You should always do an allergy test 2-3 days before coloring your hair. To avoid staining your forehead due to pigment transfer, you can apply a greasy cream to it. Wearing coloring gloves is also essential to protect your hands. Also, you should give up the idea of coloring your hair if you have an irritated scalp or dandruff.

Semi-permanent hair color is less aggressive than permanent hair color. In fact, it penetrates the hair fiber without reaching the heart of the hair. It therefore treats your hair gently. It is the most suitable color for covering the first few gray hairs. Nevertheless, whatever the type of coloring you apply to your hair, you should always give it a suitable care.

A semi-permanent coloring fades after a few washes. It therefore aims to color your hair over a fairly short period of time. You can then return to your natural coloring after 6 to 8 weeks if you do not renew your coloring. However, it is possible tooptimize the duration by maintaining the hair with adequate products. Thus, this type of coloring product is the ideal solution to offer yourself a new color without adopting it permanently.

Sources

Note: Below are some of the sources we have consulted in writing this article. Links to other sites are not continuously updated. It is therefore possible that a link may not be found. Please use a search engine to find the desired information.
  1. Toxic Substances in Cosmetics Comparison - Hair Colors (Hair Care), quechoisir.org
  2. Semi-Permanent Haircolor: Brand Comparison, color-mania.fr
  3. Best Semi-Permanent Haircolor: Our Top 5, lucette.com
  4. Semi-Permanent Haircolor: A Tone on Tone Without a "Root" Effect, laboutiqueducoiffeur.com
  5. Semi-Permanent Haircolor: Everything You Need to Know About Semi-Permanent Haircolor, loreal-paris.fr
  6. Semi-Permanent Haircolor: Why Choose It, topsante.com
  7. Permanent vs. Temporary Haircolor: Which Haircolor Should You Choose?, puretrend.com
  8. Permanent semi-permanent hair color: pros and cons, franckprovost-expert.com
  9. All you need to know about semi-permanent hair color, cosmopolitan.fr
  10. The 20 Best Temporary Hair Colors for Commitment-Phobes, marieclaire.com
  11. Semi-permanent hair color: all you need to know about this color, loreal-paris.fr
  12. Amazon.co.uk | Semi-permanent hair coloring, amazon.co.uk
  13. Semi-permanent hair coloring: what is ..., femmeactuelle.fr
  14. Semi-permanent hair dyes and coloring without ammonia ..., naturalforme.fr
  15. Everything you need to know about semi-permanent hair coloring ..., cosmopolitan.fr
  16. Tuto on semi-permanent hair coloring, without ammonia, laboutiqueducoiffeur.com
  17. Semi-permanent hair coloring : How to Choose It Right ..., color-mania.fr
  18. Best Semi-Permanent Haircolor 2020: Our Top 5 ..., lucette.com
  19. Adore Semi-Permanent Haircolor | AFROCLASS, afroclass.com
  20. Semi-Permanent Haircolor Products by L'Oreal ..., lorealprofessionnel.fr
  21. Semi-Permanent Haircolor - Pro Duo, pro-duo.fr
  22. Semi-Permanent or Temporary Haircolor, futura-sciences.com
  23. Semi-Permanent Haircolor | Semi-Permanent Dye ...., notino.fr
  24. Semi-permanent hair coloring Online store - Profi ..., profi-coiffeur.fr
  25. Semi-permanent hair coloring | semi-permanent dye ..., notino.be
  26. Semi-permanent hair coloring : everything you need to know to change your ..., marieclaire.fr
  27. Temporary, semi-permanent and permanent hair coloring ..., uniprix.com
  28. Permanent or semi-permanent hair coloring : What is the ..., garnier.ca
  29. Semi-permanent hair color - Cdiscount, cdiscount.com
  30. Direct or semi-permanent hair color ..., lacolorationducheveu.wixsite.com
  31. Semi-permanent hair color - Fauvert Professionnel, fauvertprofessionnel.fr
  32. Semi-permanent hair color products and tips - L'Oréal ..., lorealparis.ch
  33. Amazon.co.uk : Semi-permanent hair color - Violet ..., amazon.co.uk
  34. Semi-permanent hair color - Gouiran Créative, gouiran-beaute.com
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Updates

March 2022 : Translation of this buying guide from our partner meilleurtest.fr

See more
Our selection
L'Oréal Paris Colorista 9
L'Oréal Paris Colorista
Fire Crazy Color 10
Fire Crazy Color
Garnier Movida 11
Garnier Movida
Schwarzkopf Hair Mascara 12
Schwarzkopf Hair Mascara

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