Clairol Nice 'n Easy Permanent Hair Color, 2.5/123 Soft Black, 1 Kit

I used this product for years. You kind of have to stick with it because unless your hair is actually black or very dark, the roots become noticeable when they grow back. I've never tried the root touch-up product, but I've seen it for this color and I would imagine it's a good idea to use it. This color is a shiny jet black, and I love the way it shimmers with a blue tint in the light. My hair always looked glossy and healthy after using it. If your hair is long and/or thick, I'd recommend using two boxes. The dye looks bluish purple when you use it (I usually left it on for about 45 minutes!), but the actual color is pure black after you rinse. Using petroleum jelly around the hairline is a great idea to avoid staining your skin, although of course it does eventually wash off after a couple of days, or quicker if you use something alcohol-based like hand sanitizer. The only downside of this product is that if you ever want to grow your hair out, it may take awhile if you don't bleach (which is not healthy!) and re-dye another color, and the gradually growing roots may look strange - it took me about two years to grow it all out!

I normally dye my own hair using products from professional beauty shops. I was in a pinch though, and had to go with a regular box dye. I used color 114, Natural Light Ash Brown, and it turned out great. My hair came out the same color as the top of the box, and its SO shiny and soft. I've washed it several times with non-colorsafe shampoo, and it's held the color and shine very well. It's easy to use, and you get a good amount of product as well. I have waist long, thick hair and have recently had to buy 3 bottles to make sure all the hair is saturated, but two bottles was more than enough for me. Highly recommend this product, it's a great price, and even better quality!