Switching up your hair color is tricky enough. ("Will it be flattering? Will I hate it? Will it fry my hair?") Factor in fragile curls, relaxers and the naturally dark shades that come with African American hair, and the difficulty skyrockets. Still, coloring your hair at home can be done -- you just need to know what to look out for before heading to the store and which products to pick up once you get there.

We've done the work for you by rounding up the best at-home color kits for African American hair. All you need to do is decide on your new hue and promise to follow the cardinal DIY dye rules: have Vaseline or a face cream handy to prevent staining skin around your hair line, always do a strand test before you dye your entire head, enlist a friend to get those hard-to-reach spots and moisturize, moisturize, moisturize afterwards.

Image via Imaxtree

Try: Clairol Textures and Tones, $4.99

This Clairol color is specially formulated for women of color with fragile hair, who want a permanent color change without losing half their length in the process. It's packed with natural moisture-infusing ingredients like jojoba and reconstructing natural wheat protein to prevent breakage. Plus, it's free of harsh ammonia and comes in 14 shades designed to complement darker skin tones.

Try: Dark and Lovely Go Intense!, $5.94

This line of vibrant permanent hair color allows dark-haired women to go lighter without having to resort to bleach. Dark and Lovely's Go Intense line features seven highly pigmented shades that work with the undertones of dark hair for reflective, saturated color that you'll be able to see. Follow up your hair color with the brand's complementary products, like temporary glosses for relaxed hair and creams that keep curls from shrinking.

Try: Shea Moisture Moisture Rich Ammonia-Free Hair Color System, $14.99

The ingredients in many hair dyes can obliterate curl patterns, leaving them stretched and limp, but Shea Moisture's super gentle color system ensures curls keep their bounce. Made with natural ingredients like organic shea butter for moisture, soy protein for strength, flaxseed oil for shine and organic glycerin for moisture retention, it's hard to believe this is a hair dye. Because the 12 ammonia- and sulfate-free shades have such a natural finish, it's best to use this color on hair that is no more than two shades lighter or darker than the box color you pick up.

Try: Clairol Jazzing Temporary Hair Color, $7.25

Relaxers leave hair extremely porous; adding a dye job on top risks a perfect storm of dryness, brittleness and breakage. Clairol's temporary hair color allows you to have it all. This lively line of color comes in 15 bold and vibrant shades like fuchsia plum, jet grape and ruby red that are perfect for re-creating the rainbow hair trend. Because it's free of ammonia and peroxide, this color can be applied to relaxed, permed and previously colored hair without the worry or the commitment. Use without heat for fleeting color you can remove on your next wash or apply heat to make it a semi-permanent switch that lasts up to eight washes.