Beauty Hair Dye Kits Compared: Loreal Excellence vs Revlon Pick
Loreal Excellence Creme and Revlon Colorsilk are the two giants of the box dye aisle. Loreal brings premium conditioning technology and top-tier gray coverage. Revlon brings ammonia-free gentleness at the lowest price in the category. Both are permanent and widely trusted. Here is the direct comparison for your next color. At-home color saves serious money.
| Factor | Wella COLORCHARM Permanent Liquid Hair C | Wella COLORCHARM Cream Hair Color Develo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Check price | Check price |
| Gray coverage | Excellent triple protection | Very good, ammonia-free |
| Gentleness | Standard permanent formula | Ammonia-free, gentler |
| Conditioning | Pro-Keratine complex included | Silk proteins included |
| Best for | Stubborn gray coverage | Budget gray blending |
| Longevity | Long-lasting permanent | Long-lasting permanent |
Our Verdict
Pick Loreal Excellence for the best gray coverage with premium conditioning care. Pick Revlon Colorsilk for excellent results at the lowest price with a gentler formula. Both color reliably at home. Budget and gray stubbornness should make this call for you. When between shades, choose lighter. Root touch-ups need less time. Set a timer when you finish.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: Standard permanent color applications.
Wella COLORCHARM Cream Hair Color Developer 20 Volume 4 oz
- 20 volume cream developer
- Standard lift for permanent color
- Small 4 oz trial size
- Cream consistency mixes well
Pros
- Standard all-purpose volume
- Small size, no waste
- Affordable
Cons
- Small bottle, few uses
- Stronger than 10 volume
- Needs careful timing
Best for: Neat root touch-up applications.
Wella COLORCHARM Permanent Liquid Hair Color Bottle Applicator
- Applicator bottle for liquid color
- Designed for COLORCHARM liquids
- Precise root application
- Reusable bottle
Pros
- Makes application easier
- Precise root touch-ups
- Very affordable
Cons
- Bottle only, no color
- Needs thorough cleaning
- Tip can clog
Best for: Rich very-dark-brown at home.
Wella COLORCHARM Permanent Cream Hair Color 2N Very Dark Brown 2 oz
- Permanent cream hair color
- 2N very dark brown shade
- Rich, deep brunette results
- Cream formula, easy application
Pros
- Cream is easier than liquid
- Deep rich color
- Good gray coverage
Cons
- Very dark, hard to reverse
- Needs developer
- Stains skin
Want the Full Picture?
Hot Roots, Banding, and Dark Ends: Fixing Box Dye Mistakes
Three dye disasters account for most at-home color failures, and each has a specific fix. Hot roots happen when dye is applied to roots first and the scalp heat processes them faster and brighter than the lengths; the fix is applying to the mid-lengths and ends first, then roots last for the final 15 to 20 minutes. Banding, the horizontal stripe where new color meets old, comes from overlapping dye onto previously colored hair; fix it by applying only to regrowth and pulling the color through the lengths for just the last five minutes. Too-dark ends happen because porous ends grab more pigment; the correction is a clarifying wash or two to lift the excess, not re-dyeing. Missed spots at the nape and behind the ears are a sectioning problem: work in four quadrants with clips, and have someone check the back. If a mistake is truly severe, uneven black bands or orange patches, stop and wait two weeks before correcting; immediate re-dyeing on stressed hair causes breakage that no color can hide. For product-level comparisons of the kits themselves, the main hair color buyer guide breaks down box dye categories.
Patch Testing and PPD: The Safety Step Everyone Skips
PPD (paraphenylenediamine) allergy is the serious risk in permanent dye, and the patch test exists because reactions can escalate. A real patch test means dabbing a coin-sized amount of mixed dye behind the ear or on the inner elbow 48 hours before coloring, then watching for itching, redness, swelling, or burning. Itching alone at hour 30 counts; do not talk yourself into proceeding. If you react mid-application with burning, itching, or swelling, rinse immediately with lukewarm water, do not finish the processing time, and take an antihistamine. Severe reactions with facial swelling or breathing difficulty need emergency care. People who have reacted to black henna tattoos are at higher risk of PPD allergy and should avoid PPD dyes entirely. Temporary metallic or henna-based dyes are not automatically safer; so-called black henna often contains PPD at higher concentrations than box dye. Keep the dye box for 48 hours after coloring so you have the ingredient list if a delayed reaction appears.
Metallic Salts and the Salon Conversation
Some box dyes contain metallic salts, and they create a genuine hazard at your next salon appointment. Metallic salts, found in some gradual-color and compound henna products, react with the lightener and perm chemicals salons use; the reaction can heat the hair, cause breakage, or turn hair strange colors. The practical problem: boxes rarely list metallic salts clearly, hiding them under names like silver nitrate or lead acetate. If you have used any gradual darkening product, tell your stylist before any lightening service, no exceptions. A good stylist will do a strand test before committing to full lightening, and you should insist on one if they do not suggest it. There is no home test that reliably detects metallic salts. Going from box-dyed dark to lighter safely is a multi-session project: color removers first, then bleach baths, with weeks between sessions, and hair that was box-dyed black may never lift past orange without severe damage. Anyone considering the dark-to-light journey should read realistic timelines before starting, because the process takes months, not one appointment. For gentler color categories without these risks, the Arctic Fox guide covers direct dyes that wash out instead of committing permanently.