Life Style

Josh Wood Colour Hair Colour, Gloss, Reviews and Shade Guide

Josh Wood Colour is a UK hair-colour brand focused on salon-inspired permanent colour, temporary root coverage, toning glosses and colour-care products designed for use at home. The range is particularly popular with people looking to cover greys, refresh faded colour or add shine without making frequent salon appointments.

Created around the expertise of British colourist Josh Wood, the brand aims to make professional-looking colour easier to achieve at home. Its current line includes permanent hair colour, Shade Shots, glosses, root products and conditioning treatments.

The important part is choosing the right product for what you actually want to achieve. Permanent colour, a Josh Wood Colour gloss and a root blending product can produce very different results.

What Is Josh Wood Colour?

Josh Wood Colour is an at-home hair-colour and care range developed around the work of professional colourist Josh Wood. The products are intended to bridge some of the gap between basic boxed dye and a personalised salon colour service.

The current permanent-colour range is marketed as ammonia-free, vegan-friendly and capable of providing full grey coverage. The company also offers tonal products that can be combined with permanent colour to create warmer, cooler or more dimensional finishes.

Unlike a single traditional box dye, the range is divided according to different needs.

Product typeBest suited toHow long it lasts
Permanent Hair ColourGrey coverage and longer-term colourPermanent
Shade ShotAdjusting the tone of permanent colourUsed with permanent colour
Hair GlossRefreshing tone, shine and softnessUp to around 6 washes
Blending BrushTemporary grey/root coverageUntil the next wash
Root SmudgeQuick root maintenanceTemporary/semi-permanent depending on product

This makes it easier to avoid repeatedly applying permanent dye over hair that may only need a tonal refresh.

Why Josh Wood Colour Is Different From Standard Box Dye

The appeal of Josh Wood Colour is not simply that it colours the hair. Much of the range is built around separating depth, tone, grey coverage and maintenance.

For example, someone may need permanent colour only on new grey root growth while their mid-lengths need nothing more than additional shine or a slight tonal adjustment.

That approach can help prevent unnecessary colour build-up.

The brand’s permanent colours also do not contain bleach and therefore are not intended to make naturally darker hair significantly lighter. If your main goal is moving several levels lighter, professional lightening may be more appropriate.

Josh Wood Colour Chart: How to Find the Right Shade

Choosing the correct colour is one of the biggest factors influencing the final result.

A Josh Wood Colour chart should be treated as a starting point rather than a guarantee that your finished hair will look exactly like a photograph. Your natural base, existing artificial colour, grey percentage, porosity and previous highlights can all affect the result.

The permanent range currently includes multiple blonde and brunette depths, with tonal options available through Shade Shots.

Understand Depth First

Hair-colour numbers generally help indicate how light or dark a shade is.

Within the current Josh Wood range, examples include shades such as:

  • 5.0 Dark Brown
  • 5.5 Brown
  • 6.0 Light Brown
  • 6.5 Lighter Brown
  • 7.0 Lightest Brown
  • 7.5 Darkest Blonde
  • 9.0 Blonde

Availability can change, so checking the current colour chart before purchasing is sensible.

Then Think About Tone

Depth tells you how light or dark the colour is. Tone determines whether the result appears warmer, cooler or more neutral.

Josh Wood’s Shade Shots are designed for this second stage.

Cool-toned options can help reduce unwanted warm or brassy tones, while warmer options can add golden, chestnut or richer-looking dimensions.

Don’t Choose a Lighter Box Expecting Bleach-Like Results

This is one of the most important limitations to understand.

Josh Wood’s permanent colour does not contain bleach and is not designed to substantially lighten existing darker hair.

If you have very dark brown hair, choosing a blonde permanent shade will not automatically transform it into light blonde hair.

Josh Wood Colour Gloss: What Does It Do?

Josh Wood Colour gloss is designed for people who want to refresh the appearance of their colour without committing to another full permanent-colour application.

The current gloss range is described as semi-permanent and designed to enhance colour, condition the hair and add shine. According to the brand, results can last for up to six washes.

Popular tonal goals include:

  • Cooling yellow or brassy blonde tones
  • Adding warmth to blonde hair
  • Deepening brunette tones
  • Improving shine
  • Refreshing colour between permanent applications

The formula currently includes conditioning ingredients such as shea butter and perilla oil.

Who Should Consider a Gloss?

A gloss can make sense if your colour still looks structurally fine but has become slightly dull, faded or brassy.

It is also useful for people with balayage or highlights who do not want to cover their dimensional colour with permanent dye.

Josh Wood specifically advises users with highlights or balayage to choose an appropriate blonde gloss rather than automatically choosing according to their darker natural base.

What a Gloss Will Not Do

A gloss should not be confused with permanent grey coverage.

It can alter visible tone and make hair appear fresher, but it is not designed to permanently colour substantial grey regrowth.

If greys are the main issue, permanent root colour or a temporary root-cover product will usually make more sense.

Josh Wood Colour Gloss Reviews: What Should You Look For?

When reading Josh Wood Colour gloss reviews, focus less on whether a reviewer simply says the product is “good” and more on whether their starting hair resembles yours.

Useful reviews should tell you:

  • The reviewer’s starting colour
  • Whether their hair was natural, highlighted or dyed
  • Which gloss shade they used
  • Whether their hair was porous or damaged
  • How strongly the tone changed
  • How quickly the result faded
  • Whether their hair felt softer or drier afterwards

The brand currently displays hundreds of customer reviews for its Hair Glosses, but individual results still depend heavily on starting colour and hair condition.

A cool blonde gloss, for example, may noticeably neutralise warmth on one person’s hair while creating a subtler difference on another.

Josh Wood Colour Before and After: What Results Are Realistic?

Searching for Josh Wood Colour before and after photographs can be useful, but they need to be interpreted carefully.

Lighting alone can make hair look considerably warmer, cooler, darker or glossier.

For a meaningful comparison, look for photographs taken:

  • In similar lighting
  • From a similar angle
  • Without heavy filters
  • With the starting shade clearly visible
  • After the hair has been dried and styled similarly

Permanent Colour Before and After

With permanent colour, the most noticeable difference is likely to be at the root area when grey regrowth is being covered.

If the shade match is accurate, the ideal result is usually a smooth transition between newly coloured roots and existing lengths rather than an obvious band of new colour.

Gloss Before and After

Gloss results are generally more subtle.

Expect changes in tone, reflectivity and shine rather than a dramatic transformation from dark hair to light hair.

Root Touch-Up Before and After

Temporary root products can provide the most immediate visible change because they place colour directly over contrasting grey or regrowth.

The effect disappears much faster than permanent colour, however.

Josh Wood Colour Blending Brush Explained

The Josh Wood Colour blending brush is designed primarily as temporary grey-root coverage between permanent colouring sessions or salon visits.

The current Blending Brush is applied to damp hair before blow-drying. The colour remains temporary and washes out, making it useful when you need quick coverage without colouring your roots again.

According to the brand, the current product comes in several shades and its tapered applicator is intended to make precise placement around visible regrowth easier.

When a Blending Brush Makes Sense

It can be useful for:

  • Grey temples
  • A visible parting
  • Small areas of regrowth
  • Extending the time between permanent-colour applications
  • Covering roots before a meeting, event or night out

It is less practical if you have a very large amount of regrowth and want long-lasting coverage.

Josh Wood Colour at Boots

People searching for Josh Wood Colour Boots are usually trying to find out whether the products can be bought without ordering directly from the brand.

Boots currently lists selected Josh Wood Colour products online, including gloss and root-colour products. Stock, promotions and specific shades can vary.

Buying through Boots may be convenient if you already shop there or want to combine your hair-colour purchase with other beauty products.

The direct Josh Wood Colour store generally offers a broader view of the full colour system, including its permanent kits, Shade Shots and product-matching tools.

Josh Wood Colour Discount Code: How to Save Without Chasing Fake Codes

Searches for a Josh Wood Colour discount code are common, but shoppers should be cautious about coupon websites displaying expired or unverified codes.

A better approach is to check current offers directly before buying.

Possible savings may include:

  • Brand promotions
  • Multi-product bundles
  • Retailer offers
  • Subscription or repeat-purchase savings where available
  • Seasonal promotions
  • First-order offers when officially advertised

Never assume that an old promotional code still works simply because it appears in a search result.

Prices and discounts change frequently, so compare the final basket price rather than choosing a retailer based only on an advertised percentage reduction.

Josh Wood Colour Reviews: Is It Worth Trying?

Josh Wood Colour reviews are generally most helpful when considered alongside the type of colour result you want.

Someone looking for natural-looking grey coverage has very different expectations from someone trying to go several shades lighter.

Potential Advantages

1. Products for different stages of colour maintenance

You do not have to permanently colour all of your hair every time your roots appear.

2. Tonal customisation

Shade Shots and gloss products provide more control over warmth and coolness than a basic single-shade box.

3. Grey-coverage focus

The permanent range is specifically marketed for complete grey coverage.

4. At-home convenience

Root products and glosses can reduce the need for a full colouring session every time your colour starts looking less fresh.

5. Professional-colour philosophy

The separation of permanent colour, tone and maintenance reflects techniques commonly used when managing salon colour.

Possible Drawbacks

1. Shade selection still requires care

No home-colour system can automatically account for every previous colour treatment.

2. It cannot perform major lightening

The permanent colour does not contain bleach, so it is unsuitable for dramatic brunette-to-blonde transformations.

3. A multi-product routine costs more

Using permanent colour, tonal products and maintenance treatments together may be more expensive than buying one conventional box dye.

4. Gloss results can be subtle

Someone expecting a dramatic new shade may be disappointed if they purchase a product intended primarily to refresh tone.

Permanent Colour vs Gloss vs Blending Brush

Choosing between the main product types becomes easier when you identify your actual problem first.

Your goalBest starting option
Cover substantial grey regrowthPermanent Colour
Refresh faded brunette colourGloss
Reduce blonde brassinessSuitable cool-toned Gloss
Add warmer blonde tonesWarm-toned Gloss
Hide a few greys temporarilyBlending Brush
Customise permanent colour toneShade Shot
Become dramatically lighterProfessional lightening rather than these products

If you only have a small strip of visible grey at your parting, a permanent full-head application may be unnecessary.

Likewise, a temporary brush is unlikely to satisfy someone wanting lasting grey coverage.

How to Get Better Results With Josh Wood Colour

Good home-colour results depend as much on technique as the product itself.

1. Match Your Existing Base Carefully

Do not choose a shade only because you like the photograph on the box.

Consider your actual root colour, previous permanent colour and percentage of grey.

2. Concentrate Permanent Colour Where It Is Needed

If your goal is covering regrowth, permanent colour should generally be focused on the roots rather than repeatedly pulling it through previously coloured lengths.

Josh Wood’s product guidance similarly recommends concentrating permanent colour on regrowth and using gloss on lengths where appropriate.

3. Section the Hair Properly

Thin, consistent sections make it easier to saturate resistant grey hairs.

Large random sections can leave untreated patches.

4. Apply Enough Product

Stubborn grey roots need thorough saturation.

Trying to stretch too little colour across a large area can create inconsistent coverage.

5. Don’t Overload Porous Ends

Previously lightened or damaged ends can absorb colour differently from healthy roots.

This is particularly important when using toning products because porous areas may grab pigment more strongly.

6. Maintain the Result Rather Than Constantly Re-Dyeing

Use colour-safe care, tonal maintenance products and temporary root coverage when appropriate.

Repeated permanent colouring is not automatically better.

Essential Hair-Dye Safety

Hair colour can cause allergic reactions even if you have successfully coloured your hair before.

Josh Wood Colour instructs users to perform an Allergy Alert Test 48 hours before colouring each time. If redness, itching, swelling or another reaction occurs, the product should not be used.

Always follow the instructions supplied with the exact product you purchased.

You should also:

  • Wear the recommended gloves
  • Avoid colouring eyelashes or eyebrows
  • Keep colour away from the eyes
  • Rinse immediately if accidental eye contact occurs
  • Stop using the product if an adverse reaction develops
  • Avoid using hair dye on an irritated or damaged scalp

Product formulations and instructions can change, so the information printed on the current package should take priority over an older tutorial or online review.

Who Is Josh Wood Colour Best For?

Josh Wood Colour makes the most sense for people who want more flexibility than a basic box dye but still prefer colouring their hair at home.

It may be particularly suitable if you:

  • Regularly cover grey roots
  • Want a natural-looking brunette or blonde result
  • Need temporary coverage between colouring sessions
  • Want to refresh faded colour without immediately re-dyeing
  • Like adjusting warmth or coolness
  • Prefer a structured home-colour routine

It may be less appropriate if your hair needs significant colour correction, bleaching or a dramatic transformation.

Complex corrections are usually safer in the hands of an experienced professional colourist.

FAQs About Josh Wood Colour

Is Josh Wood Colour permanent?

Some products are permanent and others are not. The permanent hair-colour range is designed for lasting colour and grey coverage, while glosses are semi-permanent and the Blending Brush provides temporary coverage.

Does Josh Wood Colour cover grey hair?

The permanent-colour range is marketed as providing 100% grey coverage when correctly selected and applied.

Temporary root products can visually disguise grey hair but do not provide permanent coverage.

How long does Josh Wood Colour gloss last?

The brand states that its current Hair Glosses can last for up to six washes. Longevity will vary according to hair condition, washing frequency and products used.

Can Josh Wood Colour make dark hair blonde?

Not dramatically. The permanent colour does not contain bleach and is not intended to lighten hair substantially.

Major lightening normally requires a separate lightening process.

Does Josh Wood Colour gloss cover greys?

Gloss is primarily intended to refresh tone, condition hair and increase shine rather than deliver permanent grey coverage.

Use permanent colour when full grey coverage is the goal.

Can you buy Josh Wood Colour at Boots?

Yes. Boots currently stocks selected Josh Wood Colour products online, although ranges, shades, prices and promotions can change.

What is the Josh Wood Colour Blending Brush used for?

It is a temporary root-touch-up product designed to disguise grey regrowth between colouring sessions. It is applied to damp hair and styled with a hair dryer, with the colour washing out again.

Is Josh Wood Colour ammonia-free?

The current permanent-colour range is marketed as ammonia-free. The Hair Gloss range is also described as ammonia-free.

Do I need a patch test before using Josh Wood Colour?

Yes. The company instructs customers to perform an Allergy Alert Test 48 hours before each application, even if they have used hair colour previously without a problem.

Are Josh Wood Colour before-and-after photos reliable?

They can be useful for understanding potential results, but starting colour, lighting, porosity, previous dye and styling can make two people’s outcomes look very different.

Use before-and-after images as guidance rather than a guaranteed prediction.

Where can I find a Josh Wood Colour discount code?

Check the brand and authorised retailers for current promotions rather than relying entirely on third-party coupon websites. Discount codes and promotional offers can expire quickly.

Final Thoughts

Josh Wood Colour offers a flexible approach to home hair colouring by separating permanent grey coverage, tonal adjustment, gloss and temporary root maintenance. That makes the range particularly useful for people who want to maintain an existing blonde or brunette colour rather than completely reinvent it every few weeks.

The best results start with identifying the problem you actually need to solve. Use permanent colour for lasting root coverage, a gloss when your lengths need tone and shine, and temporary root products when you simply need to disguise regrowth until your next proper colour.

Most importantly, choose your shade according to your current hair rather than your dream result, follow the product instructions carefully and complete the required 48-hour Allergy Alert Test before colouring.

Ready to choose your shade? Start by comparing your current root depth with the Josh Wood Colour chart, then decide whether you actually need permanent colour, a gloss or simply a temporary root refresh.

Also Read: Simple Skincare: A Practical Guide to Products, Routine and Skin Types

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