“It’s important, and it gives you confidence,” says colorist Christine Thompson, co-founder of the hair salon Spoke&Weal. “There’s definitely a realization now that even if you are at home—perhaps by yourself or not being seen by a lot of people—how important the way you see yourself is on the way you feel. It’s a psychological thing. I always knew that, but it’s being reinforced right now.” Not to mention, there are things other than dyes to help you in the interim. You may think you’re in desperate need of a color update when a simple refresh would suffice: In these instances, turn to toners. “Hair toner” is more-or-less an umbrella term to encompass products like glosses, color-correcting shampoos, pigment-depositing treatments, and demi-permanent dyes. These will be able to bring vibrancy back to your hair or help blend harsh grow-out lines. They do not have the same long-wear as hair color, but their low-stakes nature makes them perfect for an at-home trial. See our list below for further details—you can also check out our list of DIY at-home toners. When you actually go about dyeing the hair, we recommend the following guidelines: Total Color Clean + Vegan Nourishing Cream Formula, Revlon ($7.99) Semi-Permanent Color-Reviving Gloss, Madison Reed ($25) Temporary Color Gel, Christophe Robin ($35) Dream Filter, ColorWow ($24) Coloring Conditioner, Overtone ($29) Color & Lift, TruHair ($26) Black Bird Shampoo, Together Beauty ($26)
