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I thought I was meant to be a brunette until the day I tried a copper hair dye. I had never had my hair dyed before, let alone done it for myself, but with a boxed dye from the drugstore my hair was transformed. I’ll admit, it’s not the best copper dye I’ve ever used (it was a little more dramatic than I tend to go for these days) but the transformation into a redhead was exciting and bold.
Since then, I’ve tried a lot of copper hair dyes at home and have had varying experiences, but I’ve rarely regretted it. If you’ve been looking to dye your hair copper, it’s an easy choice for a bold transformation that you can do at home, no matter what your starting or natural color is. These copper hair dyes are the best, both for the formula and in the gorgeous shades they offer.
Copper is a shade that can look great on everywhere (I mean it.) This is partly because there are so many different shades you can choose from: cinnamon, dark copper, strawberry blonde, auburn, etc. Adding a light red tint to your current or natural color is an easy way to get a flattering look that works with your skin tone.
If you’re not sure which shade will look best on you, use this as a guide:
Fair skin tones: Bright copper and ginger copper
Medium skin tones: Auburn copper and rich copper
Dark skin tones: Dark copper and cinnamon copper
Standout Copper Shades: 4AR: Dark Chocolate Brown (with the slightest hint of copper), 5RB: Medium Reddish Brown (a gorgeous auburn), 7R: Red Penny (classic copper)
Loreal’s permanent hair color is one of my favorites for at-home permanent color. The colors are beautiful and my hair is always left looking and feeling healthy at the end. There are seven red shades that all give hair a subtle and natural-looking tint of copper.
Standout Copper Shades: 4RR: Dark Red, 6R: Spiced Tea Light Auburn, 7RG: Dark Rose Gold Blonde
Clairol’s demi-permanent line lasts for 28 washes so you get the hair color without a long commitment. It’s composed of 80% naturally derived ingredients including coconut and aloe vera. While not the strongest on grey hairs, it does blend them into the color so you get some temporary relief.
Standout Copper Shades: Pomegranate 66: True Red, Ginger Snap 643: Light Natural Copper, Black Cherry 42: Deep Burgundy
Garnier Nutrisse’s line of permanent hair color uses oils (avocado, olive, and shea) to nourish hair while it colors. They also have a color-reviving 5-minute color mask to makes your color more vibrant. It’s great for covering greasy as well as leaving your hair moisturized and shiny.
All Copper Shades: Bright Red, Autumn Red, Peach, Bright Copper
The Maria Nila Color Bombs are semi-permanent masks that come in convenient pumps to deposit color onto your hair. The color bomb should be applied with gloves and let to sit for 3-10 minutes, depending on what level of intensity you are going for. They have 15 colors, (including four red shades) but some like the White Mix are meant to be mixed with other colors to create a custom color. It also hydrates hair as it deposits pigment. I love this as a super convenient way to give locks a copper boost without much effort.
All Copper Shades: Electric Bronze, Tarantino Red, On the Money, Williams-Burgundy
Color depositing masks were one of my great hair finds of the last year and this one from IGK is my favorite so far. It’s an easy way to tint your natural color with semi-permanent color. These masks are also great if you want to try a color out before taking the plunge.
Electric Bronze is the subtlest, giving hair a darker, slightly bronze tint. Tarantino Red makes blondes fire-engine red and gives brunettes a dramatic, unnatural red shift. On the Money is the brightest and purest copper. Wiliams-Burgundy gives hair whether starting from light or dark, a dark burgundy color.
All Copper Shades: Wild Berry: Deep Rich Burgundy, Copper Penny: Medium Copper Gold, Ruby: Medium True Red
An in-shower hair gloss is the easiest way to achieve a boost of color and these affordable and much-hyped glosses from Kristin Ess come in three gorgeous copper colors (15 colors overall) to suit different skin tones. The color lasts for 3-4 weeks (depending on how often you shampoo) also gives hair a vibrant sheen.
Copper hair doesn’t last as long as other colors so it needs refreshing often. Shampooing less often and using a color-safe shampoo will help extend your color and avoiding frequent use of hot tools will keep your copper looks from damage that can also change the color.
Copper is a fun color to try and a good choice if you’re looking for some drama. Semi-permanent dyes and hair glosses are great for a trial or a quick refresh, but dying your hair with a permanent copper tint at home can be a success too.
