To determine the best beard dye, we looked at a range of factors: color range, permanent vs. semi-permanent, ease of application, and ingredients. In our research, we preferred brands that offered multiple colors to best match your natural hair color and also prioritized semi-permanent options over permanent dyes. But we also considered that many people aren’t used to dying hair, and focused on easier to use application methods with gentle skin-friendly ingredients. To apply your beard dye, ensure that you have other essentials like gloves, color activator/developer, and even a cleanser to remove the dye when the time comes.
After considering all of the above, we nominated Just For Men Mustache & Beard Dye as our best beard dye. We liked that this was an easy to apply brush-in dye that even a first-timer could use with ease. It’s a full dye kit that comes with everything you need and quickly processes so you can touch up your beard or facial hair before you head off to work. Keep reading to learn more about the rest of our top picks.
Top 7 Best Beard Dye
#1 Just For Men Mustache & Beard Dye
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: A fast-acting item that comes with a beard brush for precise application that quickly eliminates grays.
- Best for eliminating whites
- Easy brush-in dye
- Fast 5-minute process
- Requires mixing
Just For Men is probably one of the most recognized brands when it comes to men’s beard dye. We’ve selected their Mustache and Beard Dye as our Top Pick because it’s an easy to use brush-in dye that processes in just five minutes. We like that this brand offers a 10-shade range from blonde to jet black.
In this kit, you’ll get the color developer, color base, mixing tray, and brush. Because it’s a beard dye as opposed to some of the other options in our guide that are color shampoos, the pigment is better able to penetrate coarse beard hair for a rich color that banishes grays. We also think that the relatively simple application method and budget-friendly aspect of this product make it great for first-timers looking to dye their beards. For more of your beard grooming needs.
#2 Refectocil Color Kit Beard Dye
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Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: A productthat pulls double duty as a tinting agent that can also be used on your brows to remove grays anywhere on your face, with the inclusion of a precision application brush.
- Perfect for touch-ups
- Precision application brush included
- Also doubles as eyebrow dye
- Requires mixing
- May need more tools for whole beard application
This Refectocil beard dye is actually a tint kit i that boasts a gentler formula that was originally designed for tinting brows, but it is also safe for use on your beard and mustache. Because of the application method and the included precision brush, this is best for touch-ups as opposed to a full beard application.
We also like that this is a complete kit that comes with the cream hair dye, the 10 volume Liquid Oxidant three percent developer, a mixing brush, and a glass dappen dish to mix your beard dye. For your hair needs in the morning, take a look at the best hair clay too.
#3 Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye
Award: BEST HYPOALLERGENIC
WHY WE LIKE IT: If you struggle with traditional dyes that irritate your skin, this natural ingredient based option is the best beard dye for sensitive skin, with an included tinting brush and featuring organic ingredients.
- Zero chemical formulation
- Creates multidimensional color
- Tinting brush included
- Lengthy processing time
- Results can vary depending on hair color
- May be drying
If you’re leery about using a traditional box beard dye, then this Grizzly Mountain Beard Dye is the best beard dye for sensitive skin. Instead of relying on harsh chemicals, it features a blend of natural dyes that include henna and indigo. However, it’s important to note that henna and indigo dye works slightly differently than traditional box dyes. The color uptake is dependent upon the state and color of your hair so results can vary and this dye is designed to create a more natural multidimensional blended brown look as opposed to one uniform color.
Because natural henna-based dyes are permanent, this is a beard dye that’s best reserved for more experienced DIY beard dyers, or those who’ve tried box dyes and had an allergic reaction to them. This pack includes 100 grams of the beard dye, 30 grams of the organic base, an applicator brush, and application instructions.
#4 Blackbeard for Men Formula X Beard Dye
Award: BEST WATER RESISTANT
WHY WE LIKE IT: A box dye that applies with a precise wand applicator for quick touch-ups that excels with giving asalt and pepper look and is designed to last all day.
- Quick & convenient application
- Great for touch of gray look
- Bulk 3-pack
- Only lasts for a day
Maybe you prefer to get your beard professionally dyed, but you still have a week before your next appointment with your barber and your grays are starting to show in your beard. If this sounds familiar, then we think the Blackbeard for Men Formula X beard dye is a great solution. This quick-fix beard dye is perfect for touch-ups when an errant gray appears, or for you to reduce the total amount of grays in your beard.
Because of this, we think it’s the best beard dye for a salt and pepper look. You’ll like that this travel-friendly design comes with an applicator wand that allows for precise application to the random grays you might have. This is also a hypoallergenic beard dye that dries down instantly and is water-resistant. It’s designed to be truly temporary but will give you all-day coverage for up to 12 hours.
#5 Just for Men Control GX Grey Reducing 2-in-1 Shampoo
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: An easy to use formula that gradually reduces gray hairs for a natural transition back to your original hair color, with a quick-acting design that also moisturizes.
- Naturally looking reduction of grays
- Moisturizing formula
- Quick-acting formula
- May stain hands
If traditional beard dye colors aren’t your thing then you’ll appreciate this next option from Just For Men (also the brand featured as our Top Pick). This budget-friendly solution can pull double duty for the grays on your head and face because it’s a two-in-one gray reducing shampoo and moisturizer.
This product has one of the most straightforward application methods in our guide since all you need to do is wash your beard, apply the shampoo, lather, wait one minute, and then rinse out the shampoo. We like the fact that this works gradually so that it’s not as obvious that you’re dying your hair (including your beard). Just note that since this is a shampoo, you might want to use latex or rubber gloves to avoid staining your hands during the application and rinse process. For your bathroom organization needs.
#6 The Henna Guys Light Brown Henna Beard Dye
Award: BEST ECO FRIENDLY
WHY WE LIKE IT: A body art quality (BAQ) hennal formulation that’s naturally sourced and is perfect for vegans or people committed to only using cruelty-free products.
- Long lasting premium BAQ Henna
- Lasts several weeks between applications
- Great for sensitive skin
- May require multiple applications
- Long processing time
- Does not ship with mixing tools
The Henna Guys hair and beard dye is the second henna-based beard dye in our guide. Henna is a great solution for natural hair dyes when properly sourced because it’s generally safe for your skin, and is also free from harsh ingredients that might include animal byproducts, making this the best beard dye for sensitive skin that we researched. We also loved that it lasts for several weeks before needing an additional application.
But much like our number three pick, this type of hair dye is best for more experienced DIYers. However, this specific brand is only providing 100 grams of the henna. You’ll need to source your mixing tools. And as is common with henna hair dye applications, the process takes longer than with quick box dyes. In case of any dye stains, you can change the scrubbing settings, as well as the interchangeable accessory brushes on the best bathroom power scrubber, so that you can get the job done.
#7 Volt Grooming Instant Beard Dye
Award: BEST QUALITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: A quick-drying hypoallergenic beard dye kit that won’t stain skin, shipping with a comb and a precision applicator for quick touch-ups.
- Include multiple useful accessories for improved application
- Hypoallergenic with moisturizers
- Dries instantly
- Not ideal for long beards
Whether you’re just starting in the world of beard dying or are an old pro, there’s nothing wrong with picking a dye that’s easy to use, hypoallergenic, and moisturizing. We nominated the Volt Grooming Instant Beard Color as our Best Quality because we like the fact that you get as many as 35 applications per tube and can choose from 10 colors — blond to jet black.
This is a complete beard dye kit, which means that you get a beard comb, the travel-friendly beard dye, the prep and clean solution, instructions, and a convenient carrying pouch. You’ll also appreciate that the beard color is infused with argan oil and vitamin E to moisturize the coarser hair in your beard. We also liked that this is a smudge-free and water-resistant option that dries instantly once applied. If you are not sure which product to use to moisturize your skin.
How We Decided
Not everyone wants to walk around with a beard full of grays. So, to create our best beard dye guide, we focused on the following features — color range, permanent vs. semi-permanent, ease of application, and ingredients.
We know that ease of use is subjective depending on your experience with dying hair, and your comfort level with mixing dyes. But in our guide, we selected a wide range of application methods that included on the go picks (#4 and Best Quality) that rely on wand application with pre-mixed dyes, traditional brush in options (Top Pick, Honorable Mention, and #6), and a dye shampoo (#5).
Except for our two henna-based choices (#3 and #6), the remainder are all semi-permanent solutions that will wash out either within a day (#4) or in a few weeks. Likewise, we considered the color range. Most brands offered a range of hues, but some were more limited than others. And in particular, with the henna-based picks, it’s important to note that depending on your current hair color, and whether you’ve previously dyed your beard, the color can vary or may require multiple applications to create the desired outcome.
And finally, we focused on the ingredients. For people with sensitive skin, the best bets will be the henna picks since they’re derived from 100 percent pure body art quality henna which is less likely to cause skin irritation. Still, there were hypoallergenic traditional box dyes as well (Best on a Budget and Best Quality).
Best Beard Dye Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Factors to Consider
- Color
Unless you’re purposely going for a two-tone look between the hair on your head and the hair on your face, you should try to look for a beard dye that matches your natural hair color as close as possible. This usually means that you shouldn’t go more than a few shades lighter than your actual hair color. Whether you’re trying to cover up a few gray hairs or a full salt-and-pepper effect, picking a color that closely matches your natural hair can help to prevent the jarring effect of choosing a dye that’s too dark. - Permanent vs. Semi-Permanent
Are you looking for something that will wash out over time — yet requires routine applications — or a beard dye that you only have to use on occasion because the color is permanent? The answer is going to be based on which version you find to be the most convenient. If this is your first time dying your beard, you should opt for a semi-permanent beard dye. In the event you pick the wrong shade, it’ll fade out within a few weeks and you can try it again with a different color. But if you’re an old pro at dying your beard and have a trusted brand and hue that works for you, permanent beard dye might be the way to go so you don’t have to touch it up as frequently. - Ease of Application
Beard dyes come in a range of application methods. Some can be brushed into your beard and dry down quickly. Meanwhile, others require you to go through the same steps as if you were dying the hair on your head — solutions need to be mixed, you need to wear gloves, and you need to wait for the color to set before rinsing it out. Again, depending on your experience level and which version you feel produces the best results, the application method you choose is going to depend on personal preference. - Ingredients
Hair dye — even for beards — can be irritating for some people. And considering that you’re applying dye to your face, you want to make sure that the ingredients won’t cause irritation or cause you to break out. Look for beard dyes that are billed as hypoallergenic and don’t contain harsh ingredients like ammonia.
