01 What we foundOur own screening — every ingredient graded, then set beside the category best sellers.
The dhaliora verdict

How this pick earned its score

Every ingredient is graded on an EWG-style scale, then weighted with our own use-experience and curation read into one Dhaliora score.
The category's best sellers below are scored with the same formula.

Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml
Our pick

Grey coverage without PPD on the list — and 9,850 Korean reviews say it still covers.

Honest note — PPD-free does not mean safe for a PPD allergy. Toluene-2,5-diamine cross-reacts. Patch-test 48 hours before every use; not for eyebrows or lashes.

8.5
/ 10
Dhaliora score
How we grade →
Amazon best sellers
Just for Men Control GX Grey Reducing Shampoo

Why ours wins — Neither of us uses PPD, and Control GX goes further — no resorcinol, no peroxide, so it screens gentler than ours. The trade is what it does: it dims grey gradually over weeks and drifts back if you stop. Ours is a permanent oxidative colour that covers and holds, at the cost of a dye system that still needs a patch test.

8.5
/ 10
OliveYoung best sellers
MODAMODA Pro Change Black Shampoo
MODAMODA Pro Change Black ShampooProgressive gray-darkening botanical shampoo

Why ours wins — Another no-PPD route, and a gentler one on paper — it darkens through THB with no coupler set and no developer at all, so its mid/high list is far shorter than ours. What it cannot do is cover: the tone deepens over weeks and stalls where it stalls. Ours is a permanent colour that lands in two or three washes and stays.

8.3
/ 10
Ryo Double Effector Black Shampoo
Ryo Double Effector Black ShampooProgressive gray-toning herbal shampoo

Why ours wins — A basic-dye toning shampoo on Amorepacific's herbal Black Toning complex, with nitrophenol dyes and no oxidative system — so no PPD, no couplers, no peroxide. It also takes roughly 21 washes to build and rinses back out again. Ours is permanent: fewer washes to get there, and it does not wash away.

8.1
/ 10

Scores are Dhaliora's composite reading — ingredient safety screened against publicly available data (EWG-style 1–10), weighted with our own use-experience and curation judgment. Not a third party's score, and not medical advice.

Why it works

What this formula actually does

Built around centella, beer yeast & rosemary base and screened ingredient by ingredient — here is what earns its place.

01

Reformulated without p-Phenylenediamine

The 2026 formula drops PPD, and the maker prints the change on the pack rather than burying it. Phenacetin, which sat in the old developer, is gone with it. Both removals are real and both show on the declaration.

02

Gloves in the box, not a warning in the copy

Every carton ships a pair of vinyl gloves alongside the 300ml bottle and the instructions. The maker's own FAQ says plainly that nails are protein and protein takes colour — so it packs for that instead of claiming otherwise.

03

Clinical figures with a lab and a date on them

Grey coverage 99.42%, colour held after five washes 85.48%, measured by Ace Skin Clinical Research Institute between 20 Jan and 3 Feb 2026, against the maker's own baseline product. Sourced claims are rare enough in this category to be worth saying out loud.

04

Ammonia-free, vegan, with a real botanical base

Ethanolamine does the alkalising. Centella, beer yeast and rosemary leaf oil sit in the shampoo base, and nothing on the list is animal-derived.

Two ways to cover grey

Same price, same shades — different chemistry

We stock both because neither one wins outright. This is the trade, stated in both directions.

Strongest cover GDS Hair Dye Shampoo — Grey Coverage in 10 Minutes in the Shower 250ml / 190ml

GDS

PPD on the label, and the highest share of low-risk ingredients of the two.

8.6/10 $23.99
See GDS →
No PPD Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml

LEVERO

PPD removed and gloves in the box — but its replacement cross-reacts.

8.5/10 $23.99
You're reading this one
AttributeGDSLevero
Dye systemPPD + resorcinolNo PPD · toluene-2,5-diamine + resorcinol
Allergy notePatch test — PPD is a known sensitiserPatch test — its PPD substitute cross-reacts
Low-risk share45 of 6130 of 51
Time on hair3–10 min5–10 min
Size250ml / 190ml300ml
GlovesNot includedIn the box
Reviews behind it1,5739,850
CoverageBoth land on the first wash. How completely either covers depends on how much grey you have — heavy grey means a second pass for both.

Both are permanent oxidative colours. PPD-free is a difference in which dye is used, not a difference in whether a patch test is needed.

How it works

Five to ten minutes, on dry hair

  1. Glove up. A pair ships in the box — the dye colours nails and skin.
  2. Pump into your palm and work it together, then spread it on dry or towel-dried hair, roots first. Not soaking wet — the colour grips better dry.
  3. Leave it 5–10 minutes. Reviewers covering heavy grey give it closer to ten to twenty.
  4. Rinse until the water runs clear.
  5. Expect it to build. Two or three washes in a row, then top up periodically.

Creator footage from Korea, used with permission.

Ingredient transparency

Read it like a label, not a promise

We publish the full ingredient list and risk ratings so you can check it against your own sensitivities.
Grades are our own EWG-style reading — not a third party's proprietary score, and not medical advice.

LEVERO · fully listed

51 ingredients, screened

8.5/ 10 · Dhaliora score
51fully listed
30low-risk
19mid-risk
2high-risk
Risk distribution · 51 graded
30192
Low — well-tolerated · 30 Mid — use-rated · 19 High — patch-test · 2
Free ofPPDAmmoniaParabens
Hero ingredient — Centella, beer yeast & rosemary base.
How grades are set — Dhaliora screens each ingredient against publicly available safety data (EWG-style 1–10). Grades reflect our own reading, not any third party's proprietary score, and are not medical advice.

Our take

Set beside GDS, this is the branch for anyone who wants grey covered without PPD on the list — and that is a real difference, not a marketing one. But it screens 8.5 rather than higher because what replaced PPD is its closest chemical relative, and because three entries further down the list drag on an EWG-style read. Gloves in the box and a named testing lab are the things that move it up. Go in expecting to patch test, to repeat it once or twice, and to get a permanent oxidative colour — because that is what it is.

Worth knowing

  • PPD-free is not allergy-free — toluene-2,5-diamine took its placeIt sits sixth on the declaration. It is the standard PPD substitute and cross-reaction between the two is common, so a PPD allergy does not become safe here. Patch test 48 hours before every use.
  • Still a permanent oxidative dyeResorcinol, three aminophenol couplers and a hydrogen peroxide developer are all present. This is the same chemistry class as any box colour, delivered through a shampoo base.
  • Coverage builds over two or three washesThe pack says five minutes. The maker's own FAQ says use it two or three times in a row, then keep it up periodically. Plan for the second answer.
  • We could not substantiate the hair-loss claimThe page advertises anti-hair-loss actives dosed to 0.1%. None of the ingredients Korea recognises for relief of hair-loss symptoms — biotin, panthenol, salicylic acid, menthol — appear anywhere on this declaration.
  • Ethylene glycol, mineral oil and TEA-lauryl sulfateThree entries that screen poorly on an EWG-style scale. Ethylene glycol in particular is unusual to see in a cosmetic and is the single item we would most want confirmed against the physical carton.
02 What buyers reportDrawn from customer reviews of this product, not from us.
AI review insights

Reviewers keep calling it a dye, not a shampoo — and mean it as praise.

Covers greyEasy as shampooLeaves hair softWear the glovesGive it 10 minutes

Across 9,850 Korean reviews — 5,231 on Naver and 4,619 on the maker's own store — the strongest signal is that this behaves like a proper colour rather than a tinting shampoo: it covers, it holds, and it stains what a dye stains.

9,850Reviews analysed
4.7Avg. rating
5,231 / 4,619Naver / maker store

Strengths

Covers grey well1120
Simple — used like shampoo840
Leaves hair soft, not stiff495
Works best on dry hair121
No scalp sting or smell215
Gloves in the box140
Lathers properly131
Natural-looking result89

Frictions — read as fit guidance

Needs longer than the five minutes on the pack260
Stains hands, hairline and the bathroom259
Lighter than expected on coarse or stubborn grey144
Scalp itch or irritation for a minority113
Takes several sessions to build99
Comes out darker than the shade name suggests56
Colour fades between uses38
N
Naver reviewer, Dark Brown
Translated · 5 stars · Verified purchase

“I put it on dry hair like a dye, left it about ten minutes and rinsed. The grey covered really well, and there was no harsh chemical smell at all.”

An AI-generated representative voice, based on aggregated Korean customer review signals. Not a real customer.
N
Naver reviewer, Black
Translated · 5 stars · Staining

“I did not expect much from a colour shampoo, but it really does colour. I got careless and washed with bare hands, and the skin under my nails went black. Not quite salon-dye level, but it hides my grey if I keep using it.”

An AI-generated representative voice, based on aggregated Korean customer review signals. Not a real customer.
N
Naver reviewer, Light Brown
Translated · Shade running dark

“It is gentler than a box dye, which I like, but the colour comes out deeper than I expected. Wear gloves — bare hands went black.”

An AI-generated representative voice, based on aggregated Korean customer review signals. Not a real customer.

Good fit if

  • Anyone who wants grey covered without PPD on the ingredient list
  • People willing to treat it like a dye — gloves on, applied to dry hair, ten minutes
  • Those topping up roots between salon appointments

Set expectations

  • A five-minute job — reviewers report ten to twenty minutes for full cover
  • A mess-free shampoo — it stains hands, hairline and tiles like any dye
  • An exact match to the shade name — it tends to land darker, so size down if you are between shades
  • A hypoallergenic dye — PPD is gone, but toluene-2,5-diamine is not, and a minority report scalp itch

All insights in this section are AI-generated analyses of individual customer reviews. They describe common patterns — not medical advice.

FAQ

Questions, answered

It says PPD-free. Is it safe if I am allergic to PPD?+
No, and this is the one thing worth reading twice. PPD is genuinely off the list, but toluene-2,5-diamine has taken its place — it is the standard substitute and people allergic to PPD very often react to it as well. Patch test 48 hours before every use, and if you have reacted to a hair dye before, treat this like any other oxidative colour.
How is this different from the GDS shampoo you also sell?+
Chemistry and format. GDS contains PPD and works in three to ten minutes at 250ml. Levero has no PPD, runs five to ten minutes at 300ml, mixes two parts in your palm, and includes gloves. Both are permanent oxidative dyes and both build over two or three washes. Pick Levero if PPD on a label is the thing you want to avoid.
Will one wash cover my grey?+
Usually not. The maker's own FAQ recommends using it two or three times in a row and then keeping it up periodically. Expect the colour to build.
Do I need gloves? Does it stain?+
Gloves are in the box — use them. Levero states directly that nails are a protein structure and can take colour, and recommends vinyl gloves if you are sensitive to staining. If you do get it on bare hands, wash them during the wait rather than after.
How long do I leave it on?+
Five to ten minutes. Apply to towel-dried or dry hair rather than soaking wet hair — the colour grips better that way.
Which shade should I pick?+
Match the shade closest to your hair now rather than the one you want, so the result reads as natural. If your grey is extensive, go one step darker for coverage and space out the washes to keep it from deepening further.
How many uses in a bottle?+
About 15 on short hair, and fewer as length increases — the maker publishes roughly 15 / 7.5 / 5 / 3.75 applications by hair length.
Is it really vegan and ammonia-free?+
Both check out on the declaration. Ethanolamine does the alkalising in place of ammonia, and nothing on the list is animal-derived. Ammonia-free is about smell and scalp sting, not about whether it is a permanent dye — it still is.
What about the anti-hair-loss claim?+
We could not substantiate it. The product page advertises anti-hair-loss actives, but none of the ingredients Korea recognises for relief of hair-loss symptoms — biotin, panthenol, salicylic acid or menthol — appear on this declaration. We have left it out of our score.
How long does delivery take?+
Ships from Korea. After dispatch, typically 7–14 business days to the US, Canada and the UK, and 5–12 business days to Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml $23.99$29.99
Customer results

What it looks like on real grey

Filmed by a creator in Korea, not shot by us. One wash — the maker and the reviews both say colour keeps building over two or three.

Grey running through the parting before the first washBefore
The same head after one wash, the grey darkenedAfter
One wash, on dry hair. The two frames are from one continuous video — the camera sits closer on the first, so read the colour, not the framing.

Frames lifted from a creator's own video, used with permission. Lighting, angle and hair type all move the result — treat this as what the colour can do, not what it will do on you.

Complete the routine

What pairs with a colour shampoo

Colouring is the easy part — keeping the colour and the scalp in good shape is the rest of it. These went through the same screening.

Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml

This item

$23.99
Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml
Dr.Orga Alpine Rose Silicone-Free Damage & Color-Care Conditioner 210ml

After every wash

$16.30 $25.00
Dr.Orga Alpine Rose Silicone-Free Damage & Color-Care Conditioner 210ml

Silicone-free and built for coloured hair — a tara-fruit film-former plus grape and apple stem-cell antioxidants help guard colour from heat, UV and fading.

Lighter than a silicone conditioner. Very damaged hair may want a richer feel — use enough and leave it on a few minutes.

JHP Cosmetics Argan Oil Hair Essence 120ml

On damp ends

$16.00 $33.80
JHP Cosmetics Argan Oil Hair Essence 120ml

A leave-in for the dry, colour-treated ends dye leaves behind — 100% Moroccan argan with jojoba and camellia oils for frizz and shine.

Silicone-based, not silicone-free, and fragranced with declared allergens. A few drops on the ends only — more feels heavy at the roots.

DEEPEER Premium Perfume Repair Treatment Hair Pack 200ml

Once a week

$19.20 $24.00
DEEPEER Premium Perfume Repair Treatment Hair Pack 200ml

Four hydrolyzed proteins and a seven-peptide complex for hair that has been coloured, bleached or permed. 2026 Hwahae Beauty Award #1.

Silicone-based, not silicone-free, and strongly fragranced with four declared allergens. Patch test if you are fragrance-sensitive.

8grow Scalp-Care Pro-Vitamin B5 Hair Tonic 100ml

After every wash, on the scalp

$12.90 $24.00
8grow Scalp-Care Pro-Vitamin B5 Hair Tonic 100ml

A leave-on scalp tonic with pro-vitamin B5, copper peptides and 20+ botanical extracts. A #1-ranked hair mist with 2,500+ reviews.

Alcohol-and-menthol based with salicylic acid, so it can tingle or sting. A cosmetic hair-loss-relief tonic, not a medical treatment.

EIIO Refreshing Sea Salt Scalp Scaler 200g

2–3× a week — not on dye day

$18.15
EIIO Refreshing Sea Salt Scalp Scaler 200g

A pre-shampoo scrub for a buildup-prone scalp: 46% sea salt lifts sebum and residue, salicylic acid loosens what is left.

A strong physical scrub with BHA and a sharp menthol tingle. Skip it on the day you dye, and on any broken or irritated scalp.

1 item $23.99

Reviews

Reviews & ratings

Honest, verified reviews from people who actually bought this — collected independently through Loox.

Customer Reviews

Overall rating: 4.7 / 5 from 2192 reviews.

Customer photo review of Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml

Isn't this a quick dye rather than a shampoo? Wash your hair with this the way you'd use a normal shampoo and you'll be scrubbing dye off everything~ Use it carefully like you're coloring and it's a decent quick dye.

Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml

Customer photo review of Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml

Didn't expect much from a coloring shampoo and it genuinely colors. I got complacent and did it barehanded and it stained under my nails a bit. Not box dye level, but shampoo with it consistently and you can keep greys hidden. Happy with the first use.

Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml

Customer photo review of Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml

One go and the grey coverage is good. And because the coverage is good it stains skin, so apply carefully. The color stays about a day. With other coloring shampoos anything on your skin goes quickly but you need two or three goes to cover greys, this one covers in one. Pros and cons

Levero Coloring Shampoo — PPD-Free Grey Coverage 300ml

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