We Tested 15 Temporary Hair Color Formulas — These 5 Are the Ones We Absolutely Recommend (2024)

Temporary hair color is there when you want the results of dying your hair a fun and vibrant hue without the actual commitment of going bold. These colorful dyes usually have a simple application process, very little downtime, and are often much less damaging on strands than traditional hair dyes (especially when it comes to box dyes). Whether you’re looking to temporarily transform your locks for a concert or music festival or want to refresh your already dyed strands with a toning formula, temporary hair color is the way to go.

To find the best temporary hair color, we recruited a team of 12 testers to try out 15 at-home dyes over a six-week period. We spent about 360 hours in total testing each product's ease of use, effectiveness, and longevity and evaluating the overall results.

Keep reading to discover the best temporary hair color on the market, including full-coverage semi-permanent formulas, single-use applications, glosses, and color-depositing masks.

Our Top Picks

Other Temporary Hair Colors We Tried

• Splat Rebellious 10 Wash Hair Color: In addition to our top picks, we also tried the Splat Rebellious 10 Wash Hair Color. This formula works best on a blonde base and effectively deposits bright colors to strands. However, it’s actually a better option for those looking for something less temporary, as this stuff stays in your hair for much longer than traditional temporary hair color.
• Keracolor Color + Clenditioner: For a temporary hair color you can use in the shower, consider the Keracolor Color + Clenditioner. This temporary color conditioner comes in over 20 different colors — including more traditional hues as well as bright tones — and allows you to give your strands a refresh without much downtime. With that said, this only provides a subtle color tint, so it’s not the best choice for those looking to actually dye their hair. Nonetheless, if you want something for color maintenance, this is an excellent pick.
• L'Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray: Color hair spray is a fun option for single-use situations like concerts and music festivals. This temporary hair color comes in 11 different colors and is designed to give you a commitment-free color that rinses out with shampoo. While we preferred the Curlsmith Hair Makeup Temporary Color Styling Gel for a single-use option, this is a great choice for travel or someone looking to add some color in a pinch.
• As I Am Curl Color: For another temporary hair color gel option, consider this formula, which comes in 10 different colors and is designed to work on both blonde and brunette bases. After testing this out, we found that it stains really easily and leaves hair with a weird texture. However, it’s one of the best options for those who want a vibrant color transformation for a costume party or cosplay moment.

Things to Consider When Buying Temporary Hair Color

Base Color

If you’re going for a brighter color, such as pink or purple, your base color is worth considering. Blonde bases usually work best for temporary hair colors, though some colors can work with brunette hair. “For brunettes, I recommend using cooler tones like purple, blue, or green and adding product as you go to achieve a brighter pop of color,” Dimitris Giannetos, a Los Angeles-based celebrity hairstylist who has worked with Megan Fox, Cindy Crawford, Joey King, Camila Cabello, Britney Spears, Amal Clooney, and more, tells PEOPLE.

For a temporary hair color designed to work on most bases — including brown hair — we recommend the Artic Fox Hair Color. This temporary hair color comes in lots of fun hues and is made for application on platinum blonde, light blonde, medium brown, and even light brown.

Staying Power

Temporary hair color is meant to be, well, temporary, so they usually don’t last beyond a few washes. If you are someone who washes your hair often and prefers the look of a bolder color, Giannetos recommends straying away from the dyes and opting for a one-time use spray or gel, such as the Curlsmith Hair Makeup Temporary Color Styling Gel. This can help you prevent the inevitable fading that comes with washing while still getting to play with your hair color.

Ingredients

While it’s not always applicable, some formulas should feature nourishing ingredients that support hair health. For example, if you are shopping for a temporary hair color mask, the mask should act as a treatment in addition to depositing color into your hair. For a hair mask that revitalizes hair color and health, we recommend the IGK Color Depositing Mask, which is formulated with squalane, prickly pear cactus, meadowfoam oil, and quinoa to strengthen, hydrate, and nourish strands.

How We Tested

To find the best temporary hair color, we researched dozens of formulas before selecting 14 options for real-world testing. From there, our PEOPLE Tested team began a six-week testing period where we tried each temporary hair color to gain first-hand knowledge and experience of their performance.

• Ease of Use: Since at-home hair dying can have a bit of a learning curve, we first made note of the formulas’ overall ease of use. For this test, we considered the overall application process and paid close attention to details like necessary downtime, how messy the process was, how many steps were involved, and whether the dye was easy to wash out.
• Effectiveness: After gaining an idea of the ease of use, we considered the overall effectiveness and made note of how the products and colors worked with our hair type and color, whether or not the color was immediately noticeable, how much formulas was required to achieve desired results, and whether or not we had a reaction to the dye.
• Longevity: Temporary hair color is meant to be temporary, but you still want it to stay for some time. So, with this in mind, we also considered the longevity for both single-use and semi-permanent dye options. During this test, we considered how well the formulas faded (when applicable) and if we experienced any dye transfer on our clothes and hands throughout the process.

Once the six-week testing period was over, we compiled all of our notes and compared each experience. After much deliberation, we landed on 5 of the best temporary hair color formulas, plus a few extra honorable mentions worth sharing with our readers.

Why Trust PEOPLE?

Jessie Quinn is a contributing commerce writer for PEOPLE and has written for publications such as Byrdie, InStyle, The Spruce, NYLON, and more. When covering the best temporary hair color, Jessie began by researching all of the top formulas selected by the PEOPLE Tested team, in addition to thoroughly reviewing their testing insights to gain a better understanding of their experiences. From there, she reached out to a celebrity hairstylist to learn more about temporary hair color, including what to look for in these products and the application process to better understand what makes a high-quality formula.

What Is PEOPLE Tested?

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.

In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.