For people with natural or color-treated black-to-dark-brown hair (level 1-4) who notice red or orange undertones creeping in between colour services. It's a maintenance step, not a first-time colour corrector, and works for any gender or hair length. Skip it if your hair is blonde, gray, white, or has been lightened to level 5 or above — the same green-toning pigment that cancels red on dark hair can leave an unwanted tint on lighter hair.

Dark hair color doesn't usually go brassy the way blonde does — it tends to warm up, picking up a reddish or copper cast as color fades between salon visits. Dark Envy is built around that specific problem: its blue-green direct dyes sit opposite red on the color wheel, so a few minutes of contact time each week is enough to neutralize the warmth before it becomes noticeable, while the conditioning base keeps the hair from feeling dulled by the extra product.

Shampoo hair as usual, then apply Dark Envy Mask to towel-dried, wet hair, avoiding the scalp. Wear gloves to prevent skin staining. Leave on for up to 5 minutes, adjusting time within that window for a stronger or lighter cooling effect, then rinse thoroughly. Use 1-2 times per week in place of a regular conditioner.

Where it earns its place: corrects brassy, orange-red cast in dark hair in one 5-minute step, conditions at the same time it tones, and works between full colour services rather than requiring a salon visit.

Worth knowing: the tint fades with each wash, so upkeep means reapplying weekly; it's formulated for levels 1-4 only, so lightened, gray or blonde hair is the wrong match; and gloves are recommended since the same dye that tones hair will stain skin.