About This Hair Dye Shade
Garnier Olia shade 5.03, "Medium Neutral Brown," is a natural brown shade specially designed to balance warm and cool tones in your hair for the most neutral color result. This shade also provides 100% gray coverage.
Is This Shade Right For Me?
Medium Neutral Brown hair dye is best for anyone with natural hair between light brown and darkest brown. If you want to explore other shades in the medium brown family, check out 5.0 Medium Brown and 5.3 Medium Golden Brown.
For anyone who currently has color treated hair, there are special considerations for the color result you can achieve. Because of this, we do not recommend shade 5.03 for hair that has been previously dyed shade 3.0 Darkest Brown or darker. For more help, use our Shade Selector Tool to find the shade for you!
About Olia Unlike traditional hair dye, Olia uses a 60% oil blend with no ammonia natural flower oils to achieve brilliant, radiant color results. The oil powered technology propels colorants deep into the hair, giving you vivid, long-lasting color. Olia visibly improves and restores hair as the oils help to reverse roughness and dullness for more brilliant, long-lasting color. Olia-treated hair is hydrated, silky and up to 3X shinier than unwashed, uncolored hair.
Instructions of Use
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The non-drip, velvety cream texture of Olia helps provide optimal comfort during application. Because Olia is ammonia-free, there is no harsh smell and it won't irritate your scalp. The hair dye kit includes everything you need: a developer applicator, a colorant tube, after-color conditioner, a set of gloves, and the instruction sheet. Follow the instruction sheet for the step-by-step process or watch our how-to videos below:
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Average Customer Ratings
Quality of Product
Quality of Product, 3.4 out of 5
3.4
Value of Product
Value of Product, 3.3 out of 5
3.3
Most Helpful Favorable Review
5 out of 5 stars.
Olia 6 1/2.3 - Lightest Golden Brown
OLIAFAN
12 years ago
Love the color and the product. It is my first time that I use OLIA, my stylist recommended it. This is my second time I dyed my hair, my natural color is light brown with few grays, very fine and wavy in some areas. The first time I used Nutrisse Crème 63 Light Golden Brown. Loved the color of that product too, but I couldn't find it in any store. I heard it was discontinued. So after my stylist recommended I decided to try OLIA, my Mom helped me. I have to tell you guys that it has no odor, it is very soft like using conditioner and I did not have any allergy reaction. There is plenty of hair color in the bottle to use for long medium hair. I use to have that length in my hair, but in May 2014 I cut it short, for the first time. I love the results of the color and how soft my hair was after coloring. Another thing that make me decide to try it was because I suffer from allergies and asthma and products with strong odors like peroxide is not good for me. I wash my hair every day with Garnier Fructis Fortifying shampoo Color Shield and still have the color, now it is like growing and showing the roots but it's not much. I am going to wait for the end of August to dye my hair again, going to try a light color, looking for something in blonde color area that is not that light. I hope this review was helpful to other who want to try the dye color. Good luck!!
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57 people found this helpful
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5and 4
Most Helpful Critical Review
1 out of 5 stars.
Pulls Red
lolly
8 years ago
I used to use 6.1 which has been discontinued, and I saw on this web site to try 6.3 instead. I am in tears because my hair is now red instead of light brown.
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22 people found this helpful
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DayanaR
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Review 1
Votes 0
5 out of 5 stars.
Love the color
Received an incentive
22 days ago
Good color, easy to follow instrucions
It dosent damage my hair as other products did, ypu should give it a try, I think the best part was the color
After using Olía my hair looks radiant, it give you a natural glow on your hair, after using it your hair feels soft, definitely will recommend to family and friends
Amazing product, doesn’t stain the skin or irritate it easy to prepare there’s zero discomfort and has great texture definitely with the price nice and economic amazing product
I used this on a small patch of hair to see how it was and after one use, it was so hydrated and smooth! The instructions were clear even in my dark hair I saw a difference just like the box says! I loved the shade!
This box color did very little for my hair. I have naturally dark brown hair and it was lightened maybe one shade. It did nothing to cover my grays. Even now as it has grown out, you can barely see the line between my natural hair and the hair colored with the Olia. The process to preparing it was just like any other box dye and the application was just as easy. My hair texture was slightly less soft but nothing a good conditioner doesn’t fix. Overall, I wouldn’t go with this brand again because of how little it did for the grays.
Hi MalikaB, Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding 3.11 - Darkest Platinum Brown. We appreciate your comments! Thanks for giving it a try!
FrankieG
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Reviews 2
Votes 0
4 out of 5 stars.
great!
Received an incentive
4 months ago
This was great, the development was fast and the color looked good. It didn’t irritate my skin, or mess with my hair texture. I don’t feel like it lasted super long on my head but it had a good looking package.
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juanag282f_7216
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Review 1
Votes 0
5 out of 5 stars.
Great coverage
Received an incentive
5 months ago
I applied this product to my hair to cover up some blonde, it was great. Did its job of covering the blonde. My mom loved the color she asked me to buy her one!
I was initially very skeptic. I didn't think it would retain long/be very apparent. My hair is thick/curly, naturally a dark brown/dark ash brown. Was told this color would fade into a natural looking chocolate which was what I wanted. The first couple of weeks, the change wasn't very apparent until after the first couple of washes. I stuck to washing every 5-7 days while also using Cantu Argan Leave-in conditioner which brightened it up/added moisture. I was happy with what I saw, and even more after the color retouch which I did about 5 weeks later. After that I was I was more than pleased! Definitely got the chocolate color I was going for. Its been about 3 months since the initial dye and its faded very nicely into chocolate/brown highlights. Was thinking of trying the 5.15 next.
Overall, had no irritation or visible damage. Hair fallout has been average but the texture and shine overall was great! Will definitely use this brand again.
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Average Customer Ratings
Quality of Product
Quality of Product, 3.4 out of 5
3.4
Value of Product
Value of Product, 3.3 out of 5
3.3
Most Helpful Favorable Review
5 out of 5 stars.
Olia 6 1/2.3 - Lightest Golden Brown
OLIAFAN
12 years ago
Love the color and the product. It is my first time that I use OLIA, my stylist recommended it. This is my second time I dyed my hair, my natural color is light brown with few grays, very fine and wavy in some areas. The first time I used Nutrisse Crème 63 Light Golden Brown. Loved the color of that product too, but I couldn't find it in any store. I heard it was discontinued. So after my stylist recommended I decided to try OLIA, my Mom helped me. I have to tell you guys that it has no odor, it is very soft like using conditioner and I did not have any allergy reaction. There is plenty of hair color in the bottle to use for long medium hair. I use to have that length in my hair, but in May 2014 I cut it short, for the first time. I love the results of the color and how soft my hair was after coloring. Another thing that make me decide to try it was because I suffer from allergies and asthma and products with strong odors like peroxide is not good for me. I wash my hair every day with Garnier Fructis Fortifying shampoo Color Shield and still have the color, now it is like growing and showing the roots but it's not much. I am going to wait for the end of August to dye my hair again, going to try a light color, looking for something in blonde color area that is not that light. I hope this review was helpful to other who want to try the dye color. Good luck!!
Show Full Review
57 people found this helpful
Show Reviews:
5and 4
Most Helpful Critical Review
1 out of 5 stars.
Pulls Red
lolly
8 years ago
I used to use 6.1 which has been discontinued, and I saw on this web site to try 6.3 instead. I am in tears because my hair is now red instead of light brown.
Show Full Review
22 people found this helpful
Show Reviews:
32and 1
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mmsam11
Peoria , AZ
Review 1
Votes 21
Age:18-24
Gender:Female
Hair Type:Normal
Hair Color:Blonde
1 out of 5 stars.
Color fading out the hair after a week
6 months ago
The hair dye is starting to fade and is getting out of the hair and i dyed it last week this is a really bad product. I can see my blonde hair coming back but last week it was pretty dark but now it’s just getting blonder.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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Quality of Product
Quality of Product, 1.0 out of 5
1.0
Value of Product
Value of Product, 1.0 out of 5
1.0
Response from Garnier:
6 months ago
Garnier
Hi mmsam11, We are sorry to hear about the experience you had with our Olia Hair Color 5.03 - Medium Neutral Brown We would like to help! Please call Garnier @ 800-442-7643 M-F 9:00am-5:30pm ET., and provide case #44774246. We look forward to your call!
ctda_645
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Review 1
Votes 0
2 out of 5 stars.
Different hair types results will vary with hair
Received an incentive
7 months ago
It didn’t give a conditioning look and will go for different color, Maybe using a different product will change how your hair will look b it I found it to be disappointing
Hi ctda_645, Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding Olia 6.0 - Light Brown. We appreciate your comments! Thanks for giving it a try!
lauramariap_5358
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Review 1
Votes 0
3 out of 5 stars.
Does the job!
Received an incentive
7 months ago
I actually use this box on my mom and it turned out fantastic. Although nothing lasts that long on her she enjoyed the freshen up. It was easy to use. It wasn’t irritating and when applying properly you’re not staining everything I’m sure it’s a great value however she has a specific color that she always goes to so she won’t be buying it again.
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Response from Garnier:
7 months ago
Garnier
Hi lauramariap_5358, Thank you, for your wonderful review! We are happy to hear Olia 5.03 Medium Neutral Brown was a fantastic product for your mom! Thanks for sharing her experience!
influreviews_guppya_5708
Received an incentive
Review 1
Votes 0
4 out of 5 stars.
Good color
Received an incentive
7 months ago
This product worked well and I love the extra moisture. The packaging and everything it includes is great . I had little to no mess or at least nothing that permanently stained my sink or bathtub. The washout was normal no issues. The development was good I loved the color on my hair.
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solmarier1_1934
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Review 1
Votes 0
5 out of 5 stars.
Beautiful!
Received an incentive
8 months ago
Loved this hair dye so much! It comes with everything you need for an easy at home hair dye. The coverage and color is amazing and left my hair so soft and shiny!
Love this hair dye! The color came out vibrant and
Received an incentive
9 months ago
My first time using a box dye and I can say it turned out really nice! My hair doesn’t feel dry or damaged. The shade is as it says and I think it covered my hair nicely
Very good coverage and beautiful finish. No smell with a very smooth texture. Beauty packaging as well and it’s very good for my 4b hair. Easy application process and 100% color accuracy
I really like this product because it doesn’t have that harsh chemical smell most dyes do. The formula feels gentle, and it actually leaves my hair softer and shinier after coloring instead of dry. The color payoff is rich and natural-looking, and it lasts well without fading too quickly. It makes the whole dyeing process feel a lot more pleasant.
Garnier Olia 3.11 Darkest Platinum Brown gave my hair a rich, shiny color, and it left my hair feeling soft and healthy, not dry like other dyes. It was easy to apply to my hair, no dripping.
Easy to use, good amount of product in a box,smell
Received an incentive
11 months ago
The application process was straightforward, and I used two boxes to fully cover my long hair. I bought a shade that should’ve been a few shades darker than my hair color but for some reason it actually lightened my hair color. weird, but maybe user error if i bought the wrong shade 🤷♀️.I appreciated that the scent wasn't overpowering like some other dyes. The included conditioner was a nice touch. However, I've noticed my hair is drier than usual after a few washes, which is something I haven't experienced to this extent with other dyes. Overall, I wouldn’t repurchase after this experience
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Response from Garnier:
10 months ago
LeCare
Hi angel111_4567, We are sorry to hear Olia did not meet your expectation. We thank you for sharing your thoughts after using the hair color. We will pass your feedback along. Thanks for giving it a try!
samantha0703_9964
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Review 1
Votes 0
5 out of 5 stars.
conditioner
Received an incentive
11 months ago
I really like this hair color, but what stands out the most is the conditioner that comes in the box—it’s amazing. Makes my hair feel so soft and healthy after coloring. I wish they sold it on its own!
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chrystals18_4450
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Review 1
Votes 0
5 out of 5 stars.
Would buy again
Received an incentive
11 months ago
I love the application process so easy to do the safe is great the scent was great no headache. the packaging was great to I love this product . I am going to keep buy this product
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janetted8_691
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Review 1
Votes 0
4 out of 5 stars.
Great coverage!
Received an incentive
11 months ago
I've had pretty good results whenever I have used Garnier, and this time didn't disappoint. I got the 5.03, and it's a good color for me. The packaging is sleek, very nice. It doesn't smell too bad like typical hair dye, either, so that's a plus.
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chicacherricola_4081
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Review 1
Vote 1
3 out of 5 stars.
Perfectly acceptable “average” color
Received an incentive
a year ago
I was definitely really pleased with this Garnier Olia in Light Golden Brown. I love that there is no ammonia smell and that there was plenty of product for my long hair. I feel that because of my previous shade, there is somewhat of a reddish tone to it but unfortunately that’s been difficult to get rid of. The color is very nice and it completely covered my gray. I personally like something that has a bit more of a wow factor but this is still a great product! It left my hair feeling very soft and healthy!
Hi chicacherricola_4081, Thanks for sharing your thoughts regarding Olia Hair Color. We are happy to hear this left your hair feeling very soft and healthy! Thanks for giving it a try!
shabina_5556
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Review 1
Votes 0
5 out of 5 stars.
Best
Received an incentive
a year ago
I love this color didn’t ruin my hair most color I used they ruined my hair I really recommended this color bcoz it’s easy to use so good must try this
Product worked great without damaging my hair. Nice bright color loved it and would recommend to others for use. Not too bad of a smell either but I use for wigs typically.
Hi TARA1972, thank you for reaching out about 6.0 - Light Brown. We are sorry to hear you did not get the coverage you had expected. We would like to speak with you directly about it. Please give us a call at 800-442-7643, 9:00 am - 5:30 pm ET for assistance and provide the case #42968953. It would be helpful if you could have the product available when you call. Looking forward to speaking with you.
andreab124_7002
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Review 1
Votes 0
5 out of 5 stars.
Go to hair dye
Received an incentive
a year ago
Love this color of Olia hair color. I used to have very dark brown hair with a platinum blonde money piece and this dye covered all of it plus my gray hairs.
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gilleyrobin_3121
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Review 1
Votes 0
5 out of 5 stars.
I got exactly what I wanted! Ombré style
Received an incentive
a year ago
5 stars! I use the darkest brown to get the darkest color w/o using black. (As black can be complicated) The darkest brown was exactly as described and shown on the box. I also used Garnier in blonde as I decided to do an ombré look. Both colors came out perfect and I included pics. It was easy, fun, and I’m very pleased with the outcome! I definitely recommend and keeping up with my hair color with Garneir! Excellent results at an affordable price with no salon necessary which saves time and a lot of money!
I was very excited for this bc let me tell you the greys are here to stay and I can't contain em. I used this as a touch up mainly due to having long thick hair I need like 2 to 3 boxes but I definitely ran to my Walgreens and got two more. Results are amazing. Made my hair feel so soft and healthy
Hi jessicae235_801! Thank you for taking the opportunity to try Olia, 6.3-Light Golden Brown, and for reaching out to share your feedback. We are thrilled to hear that your results are amazing! We are committed to bringing our consumers products that meets their needs and expectations. Your feedback is appreciated and will be shared with others in our company.
erinodowd_5152
Received an incentive
Review 1
Votes 0
5 out of 5 stars.
Yummy Brown Hair Color
Received an incentive
a year ago
I absolutely adore this hair color. It is a perfect chocolatey dark brown. It’s also amazing that it is oil based and more on the natural side. It’s safer for you and the planet than other commercial dyes! It’s exactly the shade I go for when I want a deeper brown l for my hair. I have the kind of hair that will lighten me easily in the sun. Oila uses nutritive plant oils to take me back to my roots. Color lasts plenty long. For me, my hair will just bleach out in the sun anyway.
It's a light color, and the scent is pleasant enough to endure. The packaging arrived very well, and the instructions are easy to understand. For me, the product lasted about three months.
Over all this a great product. Coverage grays perfectly. Does not have a chemical smell. It leaves the hair so soft. Very simple packaging. The color came out great!
Came perfectly packaged and in a beautiful color. It covered my long hair easily and smelled very nice compared to some box dyes I've used. It also left my hair feeling soft and healthy.
As someone with a deeper skin tone, I was a bit hesitant about trying a lighter hair color, but Garnier Olia Light Golden Brown was a perfect match! The golden undertones blended beautifully with my complexion, giving me a warm, sun-kissed glow without looking too harsh or brassy.
The color payoff was rich and vibrant, and I was really impressed that it didn’t fade quickly—weeks later, it still looks fresh and radiant. Plus, my hair felt soft and nourished, not dry or damaged. If you’re darker-skinned and thinking of trying a lighter, golden hue, this shade is definitely worth it!
This color was way too dark. I don’t use box hair color and was very disappointed that this was not salon quality. I will not be joining any more hair color campaigns!.
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Response from Garnier:
9 months ago
Garnier
Hi frankie_diamond_6799! We appreciate you trying Olia, 5.03-Medium Neutral Brown, and sharing your experience. We regret that the shade selected was too dark for your hair type. Your feedback is appreciated and will be shared with others in our company.
alexlpz19_8769
Received an incentive
Reviews 4
Votes 0
5 out of 5 stars.
10/10 would recommend love this brand
Received an incentive
a year ago
Share range is amazing Not to harsh on my hair. Packing is pretty. Application was easy and not to bad in the scent. I would absolutely recommend this
A: Hello, Thanks for reaching out! Usually, the time between touching up your roots is about four to six weeks. The faster your hair grows, the more often you need your roots touched up, so in this case you can touch up in 3 weeks. We thank you for your interest in Garnier!
GarnierConsumerCare2 months ago
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Q: Does your hair dye stain skin?Do I need to use Vaseline on my hairline and ears before using dye
A: Hi there, Yes, applying a barrier like Vaseline (petroleum jelly) around your hairline, ears, and neck is highly recommended. It creates a protective wall that prevents the dye from seeping into and staining your skin. Thanks for your interest in Garnier!
GarnierConsumerCare2 months ago
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Q: The medium brown 5.0 was a little too dark. Which shade do you recommend that would be just a tiny bit lighter?
A: Hello, Thanks for reaching out! We suggest using a clarifying shampoo to fade your hair color. Fading is a gradual process and may require multiple sessions to achieve the desired shade. Once the color has faded we suggest trying Olia 6.0 Light Brown in a touch up application. We thank you for your interest in Garnier!
GarnierConsumerCare2 months ago
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Q: 1. How long do i have to wait until i can wash my hair?
2. how long do i have to wait until i can redye my ends with the same color?
A: Hi random90210, Thanks for reaching out! Wait a minimum of 24 hours after your color process for best results.
When applying hair color its best to wait until the last 5-10 minutes of processing time to touch up the ends. This prevents over processing. Thanks for your interest in Garnier!
A: Hi AnneBeth, Thank you for reaching out! Olia 3.0 Darkest Brown does not offer a ash tone, however this shade is dark with neutrals tones, so it may not reveal brassiness. We suggest doing a strand test to preview your results. We thank you for your interest in Garnier!
A: Hi JoloNYC, Yes, you can mix at-home hair colors for custom shades. As long as you stick with the same product. We hope you can get a suitable shade of color. Thanks for your interest in Garnier!
GarnierConsumerCare6 months ago
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Q: The 4.12 Dark Iridescent says it’s not recommended to use on hair that has been treated with 3.0 Darkest Brown. I had dye my hair that color (3.0) exactly a year ago and most of color is gone. Besides the color, what would the 3.0 hair dye interfere with?
A: Hi mocha25, Yes, you can color your hair lighter after using a dark color a year ago, since most of the color is gone. Thanks for your interest in Garnier!
GarnierConsumerCare7 months ago
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Q: which dye (preferably darker) are ash based and wont fade orange, i used the neutral dark brown and after a few washes my hair ended up brassy with no fix (i've dyed my hair 3 times with olia box dye)
A: Hi hiyori221, We are sorry to hear about your results after using Olia Hair Color 4.0 Dark Brown. We suggest the next time you color try 3.0 Darkest Brown. We hope this helps!