“My Colour’s too light.”
“My roots are glowing, but the rest didn’t budge.”
“I used this product and… nothing happened.”
Sound familiar?
You didn’t mess up—you just used the wrong product.
Here’s the truth: supermarket box dyes are cheap for a reason. They’re made to be generic — one formula, one developer, one-size-fits-all. And if your Hair has any kind of personality (spoiler: it does), those boxed promises are setting you up for disappointment.
Salon-quality home Hair Colour, like ours, is different. You get choice. You get control. You get the right Shade and the right Developer, mixed for your Hair — not some hypothetical average head of Hair. And that’s when the magic happens.
So before you swear off home Hair Colour for good, let’s get into the five most common reasons Colour doesn’t go to plan — and how to finally get the shade you’ve always dreamed of.
1. Box Colours Ignore Your Natural Hair Colour
Your Natural Hair is the blueprint for your entire Colour plan — yet box dyes completely ignore it.
We get it — you saw that “Cool Beige Blonde” on the supermarket shelf and thought, yes please.
But if your Natural Colour is a Light Brown? That box dye doesn’t stand a chance.
Why? Box Colours use generic, pre-set formulas that can only lighten 1–2 Shades — no matter what the picture on the box looks like. So that “Cool Beige Blonde” you were promised? It usually turns brassy, flat, or… not Blonde at all.
And Greys? Forget it.
Box dyes don’t adjust for your percentage of Greys — they throw the same formula at 10% Grey as they do 90%. That’s why you often end up with translucent, uneven coverage, especially through your part line.
With our salon-quality range, you take control.
You choose your starting level, your goal Shade, and your Developer strength. This means you can Lighten beautifully, deepen richly, cover Greys completely or Tone with precision. Plus, our products are designed to actually grip onto Greys.
2. You Didn’t Account For What’s Already On Your Hair
Your ends are still Chocolate Brown, your roots are fresh, and you’re wondering why nothing’s even?
It’s not your fault — box dye doesn’t account for previous Colour.
Why box dye fails:
It assumes all Hair is the same — even if it’s layered with old Colour, faded Reds or previous Dark dye.
Say you’ve got Chocolate Brown through your lengths and suddenly want to be a Peach Blonde. You can’t just slap that Peach Blonde box dye on top. That Darker pigment needs to be removed first before you can Lighten it. Otherwise? Nothing changes. Or worse — roots glow, ends stay put.
And in reverse — if you've Coloured with a Light Blonde (say 9 Very Light Blonde) and you want to be a Brunette (say 5 Light Brown) a Colour Filler is essential to rebuild pigment for a smooth, Natural-looking Colour.
Why our Colour works:
We actually account for your Hair’s real-life history. Our range gives you the tools to get results, not regrets:
Colour Remover to gently cleanse out Build Up or Dark pigment.
Colour Fillers for a smooth transition when going Darker.
Colour and Developer are chosen based on your actual Hair — not a one-size-fits-all guess.
3. You Didn’t Follow Processing Times (Or Were Given The Wrong Ones)
Timing matters. Always.
Box dye instructions are vague because they have to be.
They’re guessing at your Hair type, your history, your texture.
Why box dyes fail:
It’s guessing — your texture, your porosity, your Grey coverage needs.
So you either under-process or overdo it, and your results are inconsistent.
Why our Colour works:
We use salon-quality formulas that follow salon-quality rules.
That means real instructions that actually guide you — from how long to leave your Colour on for proper pigment development, to how to remove Colour effectively and Tone away Brassiness beautifully.
We’ve heard it all:
“I have fine Hair so I washed it out early.”
“It looked light enough, so I rinsed at 25 minutes.”
“I left Colour Remover on for an hour just to be safe.”
Here’s the truth: development time matters.
If you rinse too soon, the Colour doesn’t have time to Tone or fully develop — especially with Ash shades, which need time to neutralise warmth. And with Colour Remover? 20 minutes only. It’s science, not a suggestion. Leaving it on longer can reverse the process, pushing pigment back in instead of out.
4. Your Hair Had Product Buildup
Silicone-heavy treatments, Colour-locking shampoos, conditioners and treatments in your Hair can all block Colour, Toners and Colour Remover from developing.
Bet your box dye didn’t tell you that, did it?
Why box dye fails:
It doesn’t account for what’s coating your strands — so your roots grab Colour, but your mid-lengths stay dull.
Here’s how to prep your Hair for success:
Stop using Colour-locking products at least one week before your Colour, Toner, or Colour Remover.
Wash regularly leading up to Colouring to gently cleanse buildup.
And steer clear of clarifying or anti-dandruff shampoos post-Colour unless you’re trying to fade it.
5. You Didn’t Know Your Undertone
You followed the instructions.
You picked the “Ash Blonde” box.
But somehow… you ended up with brass?
That’s your undertone talking — and box dye definitely wasn’t listening.
Why box dye fails:
Supermarket Colour doesn’t account for your Hair’s Natural Undertones — the subtle Warmth or Coolness that lives beneath your Colour.
Instead, it drops a generic pigment on top and hopes for the best. The result? Uneven Tone, unexpected Warmth, and a finish that never quite matches the box.
Why our Colour works:
We formulate for real Hair — with real Undertones. Our salon-quality Colour is true-to-Tone and customisable, so you can:
Choose Cool, Warm or Natural base Shades to suit your Undertones
Use Toners to refine or balance your result
Counteract unwanted Warmth or Coolness, instead of amplifying it
Because no two heads of Hair are the same — and your Colour shouldn’t be either.
The Bottom Line? It Was Never You — It Was the Box.
Box dye sets you up to fail with vague instructions, one-size-fits-all formulas, and zero regard for your Hair’s unique history.
Our salon-quality range? It gives you the actual tools for great Hair:
Real pigment
Custom Colour choices
Developer that does the job
And results that speak for themselves
So if your last Colour left you brassy, blotchy, or just plain confused — take a breath.
You’re not bad at Colouring.
You’ve just never had the right products.
Ready for salon-level results without the salon?
Start with our Colour Range and see what happens when the Colour actually works for you.
