The present patent application relates to dye-containing pellets obtained by (a) homogeneous mixing of a starting material containing at least one natural and/or synthetic dye with a suitable carrier material and then coating with a suitable encapsulation material or (b) coating a suitable carrier material with a mixture of at least one natural and/or synthetic dye and at least one suitable encapsulation material, to the use of said pellets for preparing colorants for keratin fibers and to the colorants based on said pellets.