Hair Color Changer Real is a photo editing app designed to help you try out new hair colors without actually dyeing your hair. I downloaded it from Google Play a few months ago when I was thinking about going blonde but was too scared to commit. The app has been around for a while and is available on both Google Play and the App Store. It has over 10 million installs on Google Play alone, which made me feel it was a popular and trusted choice. The best part is that it's completely free to download and install. You don't even need to create an account or register to start using it, which I really appreciate for quick, casual use. Once you open the app, you'll see some ads, but they aren't too intrusive. There are also optional in-app purchases if you want to remove ads or unlock some premium hair color shades and tools, but the free version has been more than enough for my needs.

Using the Hair Color Changer Real app is straightforward. After you install it, you just pick a photo from your gallery or take a new one. The app then automatically detects your hair. Sometimes it needs a little help, so you can use the brush tool to manually select the exact strands you want to color. My tip is to use a photo with good lighting and clear hair edges for the best automatic detection. Then, you browse through a huge palette of colors—from natural browns and blondes to crazy blues and pinks. You simply tap a color and see it applied instantly. You can adjust the intensity and blend to make it look more natural. I love playing with the ombre and two-tone options. I often save a few different versions to compare later. It's become my go-to app for brainstorming a new look before I even mention it to my hairstylist.

Compared to other similar hair color apps I've tried, like YouCam Makeup, Hair Color Changer Real feels more dedicated and simpler for this one job. YouCam has more full-face makeup features, which can be overwhelming if you just want to test hair color. This app is faster for that specific task. The color selection here seems more realistic for hair, with better matte finishes that don't look like a shiny wig. Some other apps make the colored hair look like a cheap filter, but this one has better blending tools. I chose this app over others because it was highly rated on Google Play for being easy and fun. It doesn't try to do too much; it just lets me experiment with hair color quickly and get a decent idea of how I might look, which is exactly what I wanted.

• 🎨 The core function is virtual hair dyeing. You pick a photo, and the app lets you apply any color to your hair. It's much more specialized than a general photo editor like PicsArt, which requires more steps for a similar effect.
• 🖌️ It features smart auto-detection and manual touch-up brushes. This precision sets it apart from simpler filter-based apps, allowing for realistic coloring of specific sections, like just the tips for an ombre look.
• 🌈 It offers an extensive color library with separate tabs for natural, fashion, and even fantasy shades. Compared to many similar apps that have limited palettes, this variety is a major standout for creative experimentation.
• ⚙️ The app includes adjustment tools for intensity, blend, and style (like all-over, ombre, or two-tone). This level of control over the final look is more advanced than what you find in basic competitor apps.

• 👍 The hair detection is generally accurate and fast, especially on clear photos. It works better than some other free apps I've tried that struggle with hair edges.
• 👍 The color output looks surprisingly natural when you use the blend tool. Compared to similar apps, the colors don't have an unnatural, plastic-like shine.
• 👍 It's incredibly user-friendly and requires no learning curve. For a simple "what-if" scenario, it's faster and more direct than multipurpose editors like Photoshop Express.

• 👎 The free version has ads that can interrupt the flow. Some competing apps offer a cleaner ad-free experience or shorter ad intervals.
• 👎 The auto-detection can sometimes miss finer hairs or struggle with complex backgrounds, requiring more manual cleanup than ideal.