A two part aqueous composition for coloring and providing durable conditioning to human hair which forms a gel on mixing of the two parts comprising: a: an alkaline aqueous lotion having a pH of from 7 to 11 containing from 0.005% by weight to 5% by weight of at least one primary intermediate and at least one coupler for the formation of oxidation dyes, from 0. 1 % to 5% of a cationic polymer, from 0.5% to 15% by weight of an anionic or amphoteric surfactant or mixture thereof and at least 70% by weight water, and wherein the cationic polymer forms an insoluble precipitate when mixed with said surfactant in water at a pH above 7 and the precipitate does not readily dissolve upon addition of more of said surfactant
