Box dye refers to any and all hair color you can buy without a professional license. Yes you read that correctly. Everything from grocery store hair dye kits to beauty supply chain tubes of color are considered box dye. If you can buy it yourself, you really shouldn't use it on yourself.

Box dyes often contain high levels of ammonia and other harsh chemicals that can strip the hair of its natural oils and cause dryness and breakage. These dyes can also cause uneven color or damage if applied incorrectly or left on for too long.

On most heads of hair, that would mean getting a good 6-8 weeks between touch-ups – but sometimes, even with permanent dye, colour fade can happen within a few weeks. Why does this happen? Typically, hair dyes are water soluble. When you wash your hair, the dye molecules simply dissolve and your new colour rinses away.