So youve broken up with your S/O, and youre looking to make a drastic transformation with the best hair dye, one or two red hair dyes to make it feel a little bit better? Only joking... kind of. Either way, if youre here off the back of a heartbreak or you just want to freshen up your locks with a dye as bright as Dianne Buswells, then weve got you covered. Here are the best red hair dyes you can shop right now.

　　If hair health is super important to you and you still want your hair to grow perfectly silky and smooth, then you might want to look at an ammonia-free dye like LOréals Casting Creme Gloss. This just means theyre longer-lasting but still gentle on your strands - and we can all do with that.

　　If you dont have the dough for expensive hair treatments, dont worry. After dying your natural hair - and even if youre looking for hair dye for dark hair - make sure to treat your hair with plenty of hair masks and leave-in treatments.

　　©dovecameron on Instagram The best red hair dyes to shop at a glance: Best red hair dye for dark hair: LOreal Paris Preference Vivids, £8.99 - Buy on Boots

　　Best red hair dye for a multi-tonal shade: Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color, £7.59 - Buy on Amazon

　　Best cool red hair dye: Schwarzkopf LIVE Permanent Hair Dye, £7 - Buy on Boots

　　On the flip side, if you already use clip-in extensions, you might not care so much about your virgin hair. Its all about your personal preference, and you shouldnt rush into any permanent dye decisions (thats what semi-permanent hair dye is for). So, without further ado, these are the best red hair dyes, both permanent and semi-permanent, for your perusal...

　　SHOP: The best red hair dye to buy online UK 2024 1. LOreal Paris Preference Vivids, Bright Red 8.624

　　Best red hair dye for dark hair

　　Price:8.99www.boots.com

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　　LOréal Colorista red hair dye is our top pick for dark hair, and its permanent, too, so that you can keep your hair dye looking shiny and fresh for longer. It promises a high intensity colour and, with a mix of pure dyes, Up to 3x more shine.

　　Customer review: I have used this dye twice now and I love it. I have naturally medium brown hair and this brightens my hair to a vibrant red with no bleach which is amazing. It does fade so redying hair every 8 weeks or so is necessary, but my hair faded to quite a pretty reddish copper so Im not mad. It leaves hair feeling soft, doesnt smell too strongly and the gel is really good for being able to see where you have and havent applied on your hair. I love it!

　　Pros ConsProsIntense colour even on dark hair The post-colour conditioner helps to maintain the hair's natural moistureConsBe careful sleeping on white pillowcases2. Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Colour, 5.62 Vibrant Red

　　Best red hair dye for a multi-tonal shade

　　Price:7.59View offer Description

　　If youre looking for a red hair dye thatll reflect the light and show shine and shadows to give your colour more depth, this Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Colour is the box for you. Using a deep-red hue and high-shine effect, your hair will be looking naturally glowing.

　　Customer review: I am always complimented by others when I use this hair colour at how nice the colour is. It lasts well, often between 4/6 weeks before I re-colour my hair again. Overall Im really pleased with the results of this product.

　　Pros ConsProsWorks on dark hair in a deep-red hueGives hair a high-shine effectConsIntense colour is only guaranteed for up to eight weeks3. Schwarzkopf LIVE Permanent Hair Dye, Red Passion

　　Best cool red hair dye

　　Price:7www.boots.com

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　　If youre not after a see-your-hair-from-across-the-street colour, then this is the subtle hue for you. Youll still reap the compliments of a redhead, but with this deep, purply shade in this Schwarzkopf LIVE Permanent Hair Dye, your hair will look deeply coloured and will even blur away any unwanted greys.

　　Customer review: Live XXL reds take well and last well PROVIDING you get your pre and aftercare right. Red is the largest molecule: it wont take if your hair shaft is full of plasticised silicones so double-clarify first. Nor will it stay red if you deep condition it or use hot water or sulphate shampoo daily afterwards. If you are slow at root application, use a second freshly mixed box to coat the lengths.

　　Pros ConsProsMaintains hair shine Successfully blurs away grey hairsConsNot as long-lasting as some of its competitors4. Manic Panic High Voltage Classic Cream Formula, Vampire Red

　　Best semi-permanent red hair dye

　　Price:13.47View offer Description

　　This offering from Manic Panic is our top pick for a semi-permanent hair dye. It doesnt require a developer and works straight from the jar, even promising to leave your hair in a better condition than before it was dyed.

　　Customer review: My favourite red hair colour! For anyone who is looking for a red that is not an orange-red, this is perfect. Ive had so many compliments on it. I put this over my natural hair colour, which is a medium ash blonde, and it came out so vibrant. No need for lightening my hair prior to the colour application. The hair colour does transfer to your skin very easily, but it also comes off very easily.

　　Pros ConsProsResealable jar Vegan and cruelty-free formula Up to six weeks of colour (if you follow the brand's care instructions)ConsWorks better on light or bleached hair5. Clairol Nicen Easy Crème Oil Infused Permanent Hair Dye, Golden Auburn

　　Best natural red hair dye

　　Price:7.99www.boots.com

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　　We have it on good authority that this is the hair dye Stacey Dooley uses (she is on the box, after all...). Apart from that, this is a gorgeously natural shade, and the product is oil-infused to prevent any irritation to the scalp. We also have a full round-up of the best auburn hair dyes on Closer.

　　Customer review: First its easy to use and non-drip. It produces a very natural colour. So natural that people dont believe Ive used a hair dye! It comes with clear instructions and a great conditioner. My only complaint is it tends to fade after a few weeks!

　　Pros ConsProsBlends three tones for natural-looking high and low lights Smooths out grey hairsConsBetter for light hair, turns darker hair more auburn than golden6. Bleach London Super Cool Colour, I Saw Red

　　Best bright red hair dye

　　Price:6.50www.cultbeauty.co.uk

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　　Semi-permanent dyes are great for those weeks when you fancy being a louder version of yourself, and this dye from Bleach London is the perfect pairing for that mood. Itll fade away between two and ten weeks (depending on your virgin shade), but after that initial dye, youll be wowing bystanders with your firey-red tresses.

　　Customer review: Its so bright, gives such amazing coverage and looks stunning. And it washes out slowly but really nicely.

　　Pros ConsProsIt's cruelty-free and vegan Lasts two to three dyes per bottle (on long hair)ConsSome reviews claim it works better on bleached hair for a really vibrant shade7. LOréal Paris Casting Crème Gloss Semi-Permanent Hair Dye, Black Cherry

　　Best cherry red hair dye

　　Price:9.99www.lookfantastic.com

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　　So, youre a bit of a scaredy cat? Only joking. But, seriously, if you dont want to take the permanent dye plunge and youre hesitant to dry out your virgin hair, this colour from LOréal is for you. The ammonia-free formula promises softer, smoother and improved hair quality, and some reviews even state that it helped to rejuvenate bleached hair.

　　Customer review: Fantastic box dye!! First time Id ever dyed my own hair and it was very easy to apply. All done in around half an hour. Colour is great and good grey coverage.

　　Pros ConsProsNo harsh chemicalsNo nasty smellsConsColour not as long-lasting on already damaged hair8. Schwarzkopf LIVE Semi-Permanent Hair Dye, Pillar Box Red

　　Best red hair dye for beginners

　　Price:7www.boots.com

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　　This hair dye from Schwarzkopf is the perfect fix for someone whos not very experienced and just wants to try out a new colour for a couple of weeks. You wont need to commit as it fades fairly quickly, making it perfect for a special occasion, and you can even mix the colour with the provided conditioner for more of a pastel hue.

　　Customer review: Bold colour, amazing, lasts about a week on darker hair.

　　Pros ConsProsEasy to applyPerfect if you want something short-termConsHas a more vibrant effect on bleached hair What should I look out for when buying red hair dye? This may sound obvious, but for starters, you need to decide whether you want a permanent or semi-permanent do. Are you certain this is the colour you want to sport over the next couple of months. Or do you just want a temporary break over? And, as weve already mentioned, you need to factor how much you value your hairs health into your permanent vs. semi-permanent dye decision.

　　Next up, which tone should you go for? Well, obviously, you being the decision maker here, you can choose whatever colour you so desire. That being said, heres our advice:

　　If your skin has warm undertones, then keep an eye out for coppery reds. If your skin has cool undertones, try to look for red dyes with bluey hues. For example, a burgundy or purply red. And, the third option, if your skin has rather neutral tones, well, the world is your oyster, so get experimenting!

　　What colour can I dye my hair? Taking the plunge with a permanent red hair dye can be scary, to say the least. But you can always have a go with a semi-permanent dye first. Once youre happy with your colour, you can commit to the permanent a few months down the line.

　　From silver hair dye to black hair dye to even orange hair dyes (hey, if Olivia Bowen can rock it, so can you), theres quite the array of box dyes to choose from. But, chances are, if youve landed on this page, youve probably got your heart set on a certain rouge-y shade already...

　　Whether youre looking for a bright red hair dye or a dark red hair dye, worry not because there will be an option for you. But you should also look out for which dyes are best for your hair long term.

　　Is red hair dye damaging? Annoyingly, the answer to this question is... it depends. Essentially, the thing about dying hair that can be damaging is using peroxide to strip away your natural colour.

　　When it comes to using a red dye, if youre a natural platinum blonde, you probably wont need to lighten your hair before you start. So, in this instance, its likely that the darker red dye wont significantly harm your hair.

　　By contrast, if youre a natural brunette, you might want to lighten your hair using a blonde hair dye or bleach. Use this before you start the dying process to maximise your chances of achieving a vibrant red. In this case, your hair will probably be in a much weaker condition before you even apply your dye, thus increasing the possibility of damage.

　　But remember to check the ingredients on a dye before you use it, as some/most permanent dyes use peroxide. The solution? Semi-permanent dye. Again, always check the products ingredients list, but generally, semi-permanent dyes are peroxide-free. This does mean they might not be as effective, but its a worthwhile factor to consider when picking your dye.

　　Is red hair high maintenance? In short, yes, but there are ways to extend your colours life.

　　Prolong your first post-dye wash for as long as possible and minimise your hair washing long-term. Yep, Manic Panic advises its customers to use dry shampoo as much as possible to avoid washing colour from the hairs cuticle.

　　If you can bare it, try washing your hair in cold water (when you do wash it) to avoid further swelling of the hair cuticle. Also, use baby shampoo; its neutral (neither acidic nor alkaline) and will help minimise loss of colour. Even better, you can alternate this with shampoo for red hair to keep your tones as fiery as possible.

　　If youre sick of your red hair and want to move on from your red-head era, using a colour-stripping shampoo can work wonders.

　　What red hair dye do the celebrities use? Chatting to heatworld as part of their Self-Care Sunday series, Strictly Come Dancing dancer Dianne Buswell revealed that she actually achieves her incredible crimson locks AT HOME.

　　She said, In terms of colour, its actually not as high maintenance as everyone thinks! Gasp. Tell us more.

　　She continued, I found a colour that I put on my roots, and its the LOréal Professionnel Majirel Mix Permanent Hair Colour. I just put that on my roots myself, I dont need to bleach anything. I just put the colour straight on and then rinse it off, and its red.

　　She finishes off her colouring routine with this: Then on the ends of my hair, I never actually put colour, I just put this conditioner that has a red tinge to it.

　　We love this product because its for professional use in salons up and down the UK. Therefore, you know its going to do a fantastic job. At just under £15, you can save yourself heap loads of money by doing your hair colouring at home.

　　Caitlin Casey was a Senior Beauty Fashion Products Writer for heat, Closer, and Grazia. She covered shopping, womens lifestyle, popular culture as well as all things trending.