7 Best Hair Color Try On Apps to Instantly See Your New Look

Drastic hair color changes can go one of two ways. It can either be a stunner or a flop, because unfortunately, there is no middle ground when it comes to something so obviously noticeable. Even with celebrities, fans refer to their hair color changes as “eras” or “phases” depending on whether they love or hate the look, but notice how it’s still something they vividly remember years later so if you’re about to pick up that blue hair dye, pause for a second and consider that maybe you’d like a trial run first. Patch tests don’t work with hair, so how to test out hair colors without smearing them all over your head? Try out these 7 hair color try on apps to get a better perspective of what hair color suits you best. 

Editing parts of a photo or a person’s body that are smooth, solid, and don’t have too many breaks in their outline is tricky enough, but editing hair is a different story altogether. Hair acts more “fluid” than the rest of the body, the texture is more visible, and each strand can still be outlined and picked up by the AI. It is a lot of work to get the details of the hues and overlays just right while also ensuring that the hair doesn’t look unnatural on you, but still, there are apps out there that have brought this down to a science. Here are 7 of the best-performing hair color try on apps out there.. 

BeautyPlus

BeautyPlus is known for its versatility as a photo editing app, and fortunately, that capability extends to hair color alterations as well. You can try out different hair colors virtually with its realistic AR hair color feature that lets you instantly view how different shades look on you and it can be credited as one of the more realistic AI edits out there so if you want an edit that is the truest reconstruction of what your hair could look like, BeautyPlus should be your go-to.

Pros 

• It has an easy-to-use interface.
• The final results have a realistic color blending.
• It offers free basic features.

Cons

• Some premium shades require a subscription.

Available

The BeautyPlus app is available for both iOS and Android.

Facetune

Facetune needs no introduction; it is outright synonymous with photo editing, so much so that people sometimes use the words face edit and facetune interchangeably. Photo retouching has never been a problem for this app, and that includes a hair color changer that lets you experiment with your look using vibrant, photo-realistic overlays, which is perfect for anyone who would like to post their high-quality edit onto social media without actually going through with the color change in real life.

Pros

• It offers trendy hair colors.
• Provides you with high-quality edits.

Cons

• It offers very limited free options.
• It is more focused on overall photo retouching than just hair.

Available

Facetune is available on iOS and Android devices.

MakeupPlus

MakeupPlus is one of those apps that lets you try out makeup as an artistic medium for self-expression, and that also includes playing around with hair colors. The app does not restrict anyone looking for a creative outlet; they are free to try out the most natural of browns to the most outlandish red or green hues with just a few taps, which makes it ideal for anyone who feels particularly experimental. It also lets you tweak your makeup look to go along with your new hairdo, giving you an overview of what looks to try if you actually dye your hair that color.

Pros

• It combines hair and makeup simulations.
• It is super user-friendly and free.

Cons

• The Ads can be distracting.
• Some colors look less realistic in poor lighting.

Available

MakeupPlus is available across both iOS and Android devices.

Style My Hair     

The hair experts themselves launched this app. The Style My Hair App was created by L’Oreal Professionnel so that people can have a salon-like experience at home using advanced augmented reality tech, thereby giving the app user an ultra-realistic preview of what professionally done hair colors would look like on them. It wouldn’t be L’Oreal if it weren’t extra, the app goes a step further by actually recommending the treatments you want to go for to achieve the look you see in the app. 

Pros

• It gives you a professional-grade color matching.
• It includes salon recommendations.

Cons

• It requires a strong internet connection.
• Some features may need registration.

Available

Style My Hair is available for both iOS and Android.

Hair Color Dye

It couldn’t be more “on-the-nose” than Hair Color Dye. The app literally spells out its purpose in its name, so there is a very real chance you’ll come across it at least once when looking into hair dye appointments. It’s like a safety question, almost as if the app is there to say, “wait, try it out virtually first” before booking that salon appointment. Hair Color Dye is a virtual hair color app that allows you to manually paint over your hair in the photo, giving you more control of the color placement, which is ideal if you’re going for something more subtle, like highlights. 

Pros

• It offers a customizable color application.
• It’s fun for creative looks.

Cons

• It can take time to adjust the color manually.
• It gives less natural results for full-head color changes.

Available

Hair Color Dye is available for iOS only.

YouCam Makeup

The Youcam series is one that keeps its users on their toes. YouCam Makeup is one of the most popular apps for virtual makeovers, and it also includes a section for hair color changes, which is why it is included as an app to change hair color. It does this through, again, augmented reality instead of just plastering on hair color filters (which look unrealistic and tacky) and lets you view the results in real time through your camera lens. You can experiment to your heart’s desire with natural tones or bold looks.

Pros

• It features AR technology for live previews.
• It has a huge color selection.

Cons

• Some features are locked behind premium plans.

Available

Youcam Makeup is available for both iOS and Android.

Hairstyle Try-On 

Hairstyle Try-On is another change hair color app that is entirely dedicated to hair, whether that’s hairstyles or hair colors. It helps you find the right style to go with the color, so that you don’t find yourself stumbling and experimenting over and over, trying to find the right look to go with your color choices because lets be honest, hair color will only take you part of the way, the rest is all about how you carry it. 

Pros

• It tests hairstyles and colors together.
• Has an easy photo upload system.

Cons

• The interface feels outdated.
• Has fewer advanced editing options.

Available 

Hairstyle Try-On is just available for both iOS devices.

The options are laid out for you but the choice of “The right app” really just depends on the end user, but when it comes to virtual try-ons before actually dying your hair, you’d want an app that gives you results that are as close to the real thing as possible so if you’re looking for realistic previews of virtual hair color try ons, BeautyPlus is an excellent contender and here is how you can use it to try out different hair colors before committing to one.

Step-by-Step Guide to Use BeautyPlus for Hair Color Try-Ons.

1. Download the BeautyPlus app through the App Store or Play Store. 

2. Open the BeautyPlus app, and on the welcome dashboard, you’ll find a button labelled “Start Editing”. Tap on it.

3. Next, upload your photo from your gallery, and make sure the picture is clear and in good lighting. Natural light helps because it reveals your actual skintone to contrast with the hair color.

4. From the scrollable panel at the bottom, select “Portrait”.

5. You’ll see a list of features to choose from, tap on “Hair”.

6. You can then browse through the color palette and choose your desired shade.

7. You can even adjust the intensity of the color for a more natural or bold look.

8. When you’re happy with the results, go ahead and tap on “Save” on the top right to download the image to your gallery, and from there, you can share your new hair color look with friends!

Having cross-platform accessibility is a significant advantage with any tool, and fortunately, BeautyPlus comes as a web tool as well for the days when you don’t have access to your phone or tablet. Here is how you can use the BeautyPlus web tool to try out different hair colors.

Step-by-Step Guide to Use BeautyPlus Web Tool for Hair Color Try-Ons.

1. Using your browser of choice, head over to the BeautyPlus website.

2. Across the top of the landing page are multiple tabs; click on the one labeled “Online Tools”.

3. Under online tools, on the left, you’ll see a button labeled “Explore all tools”.

4. You’ll be taken to a listing of all the tools, scroll until you get to the “Portrait and Hairstyle” section, from the options select “Hair Color Changer”.

5. Next, click on “Upload your Photo” and select a clear photo of yourself from your device’s gallery/photo album.

6. The AI will automatically and expertly detect and highlight your hair to select it, but if you’re not happy with the AI’s work, you can always manually brush over your hair in the photo with your cursor.

7. Select one of the colors available from the band of colors on the right side of your screen. 

8. Click “Generate” and wait a few seconds for the AI to generate the new image. The result is a realistic overlay of color onto your hair in the photo.

9. Try out different colors, and once you’re happy with the result, go ahead and save the photo by clicking on the “Download” button in the top right corner of the editor. 

Trying out new things is a part of being human and curious, and therefore it is not at all surprising that oftentimes we find ourselves wondering what we would look like with different features, eyes, and hairdos and while we can’t change a lot about our look there are things like haircolor that we can experiment with but picking the right color is crucial before taking that leap. With a hair color try-on app, you can experiment with peace of mind and make as many changes as necessary until you land on the right shade, and apps like BeautyPlus, YouCam Makeup, and Style My Hair help you reach for that confidence by helping you make informed decisions before your next hair appointment.

1. How can I check if a hair color will suit me?

You can use hair color try-on apps with AR tech, such as BeautyPlus, to virtually try on a hair color before committing to it. Simply try out different hair colors until one just feels right.

2. What’s the best free hair color changer app?

BeautyPlus and YouCam Makeup are amongst some of the best hair color changer apps out there because they offer realistic hair color changes that don’t need a premium.

3. Is there an app that determines your hair?

Yes! Style My Hair by L’Oreal not only lets you try out hair colors but also offers recommendations based on your natural hair. It’s like a hair encyclopedia!