If you're anything like my friends and I, at-home hair dye kits conjure up some pretty graphic memories of hair-dos past we'd like to pretend never happened. The flawless women on the cover of seductive glossy boxes looked so great, and how could such a tiny box do so much damage, anyway?

Every last trace of photographic proof has been erased from cyberspace, but the emotional baggage is still with us. With my great powers of denial, I successfully buried everything down deep — till my mom, who had already missed two grey-covering salon visits asked for a recommendation on at-home hair dye to cover up her greys.

With the newfound will for research came the deep-seated memories, but also a refreshing look at the dynamic and evolving selection of dyes, from bright purples and rose golds if you're feeling a bit bold to vegan and cruelty-free neutral dyes.

The best overall ammonia-free permanent hair color

Target

The best vegan, semi-permanent hair dye in a variety of thirteen pastel shades

Amazon

The best natural, hypoallergenic hair color infused with nourishing flower extracts

Amazon

The best in-shower gloss for low-key maintenance and high-key salon shine

Target

The best vegan, cruelty-free tint for a pop of pink that goes with everything in your closet

REVOLVE

The best shimmery, silvery grey for blondes

The best nourishing, permanent blonde for coily hair

Amazon

The best all-in-one bleaching kit for even the darkest hair colors

The best hydrating hair color if you want to go jet black

Amazon

The best temp color if you ever wondered what it would be like to have pastel hair for a day

REVOLVE