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Box hair dyes. Would you? Should you? Historically my stance has been: no, not ever. I put them in the same category as fixing light switches and altering clothes: best left to the professionals.
“The permanent colour aisle has stayed the same for decades – Photoshopped boxes that often give disappointing results due to a lack of formula efficacy,” says Alex Brownsell, founder of London- and Los Angeles-based salon Bleach. Permanent dyes are typically developed to colour match and cover greys, relying on harsh formulas that create monotone results. “We paint our nails and apply our own makeup. It doesn’t feel right that people don’t have the option of great permanent hair colour at home.”
This week, Brownsell launched a collection of permanent hair dyes (£12 each) made entirely without bleach. It’ll join the brand’s existing offering of rainbow-hued DIY colourants, and comprises two “go darker” shades (glossy black and rich brown), three “go lighter” shades (natural copper, blonde and brown) and two tones for the more adventurous (vivid copper and vivid red). By splitting the range between people wanting to go lighter or darker, Brownsell has taken a salon professional’s approach: altering the level of developer – the chemical agent that allows colour to penetrate the hair shaft – to the specific pigment. Even without bleach – historically used even in darker hair dyes – the goal is to achieve “transformative results”.
Brownsell, who has created looks for Gucci, Byredo and Vivienne Westwood, started Bleach in her kitchen sink, dyeing friends’ hair with homemade concoctions. The new range is the result of more than 10 years of research and 3,000 salon hours. “The efficacy of a colouring product is not related to whether they contain bleach,” explains Brownsell, “but what product to use for what result. Many shades actually need the support of natural hair pigment to allow tones to shine through.”
No Bleach rich brown permanent kit, £12
Josh Wood Colour Miracle System Chestnut Brunette and Miracle Mask, £49
Sam McKnight Deeper Love treatment mask, £48 for 50ml
Living Proof Restore Repair Mask, £38 for 200ml
There are caveats: anyone wanting to go significantly lighter will need to bleach their hair first to get the full effect. (Whether you do this at home or in a salon, use an at-home treatment like Living Proof’s Restore Repair Mask or Sam McKnight’s Deeper Love). The point of the No Bleach collection, however, is to work with the pigments available to create the best results possible. Brownsell’s formulas are particularly suited to those with up to 70 per cent grey hair: “Blending it gives a more natural result – and more vibrant colour – by mimicking natural highlights in the hair,” adds Brownsell.
DIY colour options are looking up across the board: in 2023, consumer spending doubled across all home hair-colour brands on Amazon, one of colourist Josh Wood’s largest channels. “My salon clients travel, work, manage families and are often time-starved,” says Wood. “Developing at-home solutions that won’t mess up expensively coloured tresses is my driving force.” Wood’s hero product is the Miracle System (£34), a combination of permanent colour, personalised toner and a strengthening “Miracle Shot”.
WGSN beauty analyst Megan Bang points to the pandemic and the rising cost of living as reasons for the uptick in DIY hair products. But there are joyful reasons too. “Gen Z changes their hair colour regularly – often at home,” says Bang, highlighting experimental brands such as Good Dye Young, Lime Crime and influencer brand XMONDO. “The increase in DIY hair colour can also be attributed to the rise of anime culture and video gaming.” Cult Beauty now stocks colourants by Bleach, dpHUE and Christophe Robin, whose tinted masks are designed to keep hair looking glossy between salon visits.
Ultimately, Brownsell hopes to see “better products available to new generations”. “We want to disrupt this category,” she concludes. “Great results can be achieved at home with great products.”
