The best hair dye - Estel, OLLIN or Matrix?

The products presented in the selection belong to the budget and mid-budget segment. The cost of dyes varies within 1000 rubles. The cheapest option is Estel Professional ESSEX. It can be bought for only 180-300 rubles, and from some retailers even for 140-150 rubles. This is the best budget paint for home use among professional lines.

The second is the remedy from OLLIN. The price tag for the dye fluctuates around 260-500 rubles. You can’t call it completely cheap, but it doesn’t fall into the segment of the most expensive either. The third place in terms of prices was taken by paint from Londa Professional. You can buy it from online retailers for 390-560 rubles. A little expensive, considering that when dyeing hair of medium length and density, you may need 2-3 tubes of the product.

The penultimate position was shared by Matrix and IGORA. The average price of paints is at the same level: 520-530 rubles. And the most expensive professional product that can be used at home is L'Oreal Professionnel Inoa. Its cost is 800-1000 rubles. for a tube. And this is without taking into account the cost of a branded oxidizer, which also costs a lot of money.

Now many brands have begun to produce ammonia-free dyes that gently affect the strands. However, they are not as effective on gray hair and are not as long-lasting as products containing ammonia. Many users consider the dye from Londa to be the best in composition. This ammonia-free demi-permanent color even takes on gray hair. Unless, of course, there are no more than 30-50% of them, and the base is completely clean. There is no unpleasant smell when working with the product, as well as burning, which makes it acceptable for use at home.

The second place is occupied by another ammonia-free dye - Professionnel Inoa from L'Oreal. The composition contains caring components, gray hair is taken, but not as good as in the case of Londa. The aroma is pleasant, the product acts gently, without disturbing or overdrying the hair structure.

Ammonia paints in this comparison criterion were in last place. However, among the so-called outsiders there are funds with a gentle effect on curls. Even though they still contain ammonia, such dyes do not greatly damage the strands.

Therefore, the honorable 3rd place in terms of the safety of the composition can be safely given to IGORA Royal. This dye, of course, smells far from roses, but it does not “kill” curls. Yes, an individual negative reaction is possible, but it all depends on the initial state of the strands.

Paints from Estel, Matrix and OLLIN share the latter position. Of course, for some, these products are more suitable than dyes without ammonia.But if you use them for home dyeing, and even on initially damaged porous hair, then the result of such an experiment can be a strong loss of strands, the appearance of brittleness. Yes, they contain many nutritional components, but, unfortunately, they do not save from damage when lightening or dyeing already thinned hair.

The largest selection of shades is offered by Ollin's Professional Performance line. Here, 121 colors are available to change the image: from neutral 0.0 to blue-black 1.0. There are shades for lightening by 2-3 tones, as well as products that help to protonate an already pure base on a weak oxide.

L'Oreal has a slightly smaller palette - 103 colors. The assortment of the line includes natural and very bright colors.

Estel is only slightly inferior to the dye from France.Here are 98 rich and soft shades for bright brunettes, blondes, brown-haired, red, blond and gray hair.

In the Matrix line, the palette consists of 91 colors. All shades are quite saturated, there are warm and cold tones.

But at IGORA Royal, the palette consists of only 72 colors. It includes mixtons and natural, as well as highly pigmented shades.

Londa Professional without ammonia has the most modest number of colors.

There are 48 of them in total: 9 shades of intense toning, each of which has 2-5 colors.

All paints selected for comparison have a creamy texture. This means that they are easy to apply and do not spread through the hair. However, ammonia-free products are still more pleasant to apply to strands, because the dyeing process is not accompanied by a sharp chemical smell.

According to reviews, L'Oreal Professionnel Inoa paint is recognized as the best in terms of comfort in work. It smells unobtrusively, mixes easily with a proprietary oxidizer and does not flow. Despite the fact that the tool is professional, no specific tools are required to work with it. An ordinary brush and a plastic bowl - these accessories are enough for application. Quite a bit of the composition from Loreal is inferior to Londa Professional. Yes, this paint is also without ammonia, which means that there will be no special problems in working with it in the form of a “flavor” that cuts the nose and throat. It washes off just as easily as L'Oreal Inoa.

In third place is the remedy from OLLIN. Professional Performance is applied easily, does not burn the scalp. Of course, it contains ammonia, but it does not have such a vigorous smell as cheaper dyes. It is ideal for coloring at home. The only but - you need to use it only with the oxidizing emulsion OLLIN OXY. If you use another oxidizing agent, the result can be very unexpected.

Matrix and Estel took 4th place. No, these are not the worst ammonia paints for home coloring. It's best to apply them in a well-ventilated area. The fact is, the smell of both products is quite strong. Especially when mixed with an oxidizing agent. Therefore, not everyone is comfortable working with them.

IGORA Royal is a paint that, judging by the reviews, is very poorly washed off the hair during the first application. There are also complaints that after drying, the curls can stain clothes and bedding. And it can also begin to flow in the process of distribution over the curls, but here everything is individual and depends on the correct preparation of the composition.

OLLIN is the best tool that easily covers even 100% gray hair. In their reviews, the ladies share that the paint, with the right choice of tone and oxide, copes with a large amount of gray hair. At the same time, there are no serious negative manifestations on the strands.But before using it at home, you need to consult a colorist or hairdresser to select a shade.

IGORA Royal took 2nd place. It perfectly paints over gray hair even in natural colors: there are no bald spots, it lasts quite a long time on hairs that have lost pigment. The second position with this dye is shared by the paint without ammonia L'Oreal Professionnel Inoa. This ammonia-free product is one of the few that can cover 100% gray hair. Only use it better with 6% oxide to get the desired result.

Estel takes gray hair, but not all tones are up to the task. If there is more than 70% gray hair on the head, then non-painting is possible. The remaining gray strands will treacherously shine. However, much depends on the structure of the hair. Matrix shares 4th place with Estelle. The problems with these paints are similar. Users complain about undyed strands, color mismatch declared by the manufacturer. Londa ammonia-free paint is the worst at dealing with gray hair. Its maximum is up to 30-50%. But it is not intended for complete repainting. This tool is more suitable for toning a clean base and a small amount of gray hair.

Estel and Matrix are some of the best dyes in terms of durability. Yes, for some users, the color is washed out before 4 weeks or even after 1 wash, but this is an individual reaction.IGORA Royal, like the first 2 paints, keeps well, but on a pre-clarified base, the product lives for a maximum of 3 weeks. But the red tones calmly hold up to the strong regrowth of the roots. Color from OLLIN promises up to 6 weeks of intense color. But in fact, the shade lives up to 3-3.5 weeks. And for some, it even begins to wash out after 14 days.

Londa and L'Oreal are tied for 4th in longevity. The fact is that products without ammonia envelop the hair and practically do not penetrate inside, which is why the shade is washed out faster than with ammonia dyes. But for toning at home, these paints are ideal. Yes, the brightness of the color will last a maximum of 2-3 weeks out of the promised 5, but frequent dyeing will not harm the hair.

Ammonia-free products from Londa and L'Oreal are the best for the condition of the hair after dyeing. Yes, the dye is less resistant, but the curls, along with a new shade, receive care. Judging by the reviews, the hair after these products is silky, soft and not overdried.

Paint from OLLIN is one of the most gentle among ammonia products. Of course, you should not expect a therapeutic effect from her, but she does not spoil healthy curls before painting. Unless, of course, you use 3% oxide. At 6%, as with other dyes with ammonia, drying out of the tips is possible. But in general, the paint does not have a serious negative effect on curls.

Matrix with its rather aggressive composition does not guarantee 100% care. However, the product contains jojoba oil, which has a positive effect on the condition of the hair. Therefore, after painting, the strands look well-groomed and quite alive. Unless, of course, before that they were not burned by numerous clarifications.

This time Estel and IGORA are real outsiders. The quality of hair after dyeing at home with these products, and even at a high percentage of oxide, is clearly far from ideal. At a 3% oxidizing agent, the picture looks a little better, but even the care components that make up these paints are unable to protect the curls from drying out, brittleness and falling out. But there are those ladies who liked staining with these compositions. Indeed, on healthy curls, the funds do not behave so aggressively.

In this comparison, 2 dyes won: OLLIN Professional Performance and L'Oreal Professionnel Inoa. They shared first place. Ollin's remedy is one of the best among ammonia paints. But the coloring composition from Loreal is considered the safest and most gentle.

Paints that took places from 2 to 5 are no less good for home use than the winners of the selection. You just need to use them carefully and only after consulting a professional.

If you have already decided to change the color of your hair yourself, then before dyeing, be sure to test the paint on the skin and a small strand. This will prevent a severe allergic reaction and help you see exactly how the shade will unfold on your curls. Remember - in coloring everything is purely individual.Some dyes from the mass market are suitable, while others - only professional products. Choose the color according to the features of your hair, and then the updated color will delight you for a long time.