How to Dye Dark Hair Without Bleaching

Dark hair can be tricky to dye for several reasons. Sometimes, the dye doesn't take at all, or it turns out brassier or orange. While bleaching offers the best results, not everyone wants to go through the extra effort or risk damaging their hair. Fortunately, you can still successfully dye your hair without bleaching if you choose the right products. Keep in mind that you can only lighten your hair to a certain extent.

Understand that you can't lighten hair without bleaching. If you have dark hair, you can dye it another shade of the same darkness, such as deep brown or dark red. However, you cannot turn dark brown hair into blonde without using some form of bleach, like a bleaching kit or peroxide.

• You can use products containing bleach or peroxide, but be aware that they can only lighten your hair to a certain degree.

Forget about light pastel colors if you're not planning to bleach your hair, as this is impossible. Even hair that’s naturally blonde requires bleaching and toner to balance the hair color.

Keep in mind that hair dye has a transparent effect. A part of your natural hair color will still shine through. For instance, if you're planning to dye blonde hair into blue, the result could be green. Since your hair is darker, any dye color will turn out darker than the shade shown on the box after application. If you have dark brown hair and want a red color, your hair will end up dark red.

Note that some hair types and textures take dye better than others. There are various hair types with different thicknesses and porosities, all of which affect how well your hair can absorb dye. For example, Asian hair is often hard to dye because the cuticle layer is too strong. African hair is also tough to dye as it tends to be weak and prone to damage.

• Even if you have the same hair color as a friend, there’s no guarantee that the dye she used will have the same result on your hair.

Opt for permanent (permanent) or demi-permanent (demi-permanent) dye instead of semi-permanent (semi-permanent). Demi-permanent dyes contain a small amount of peroxide, so they can lighten your hair to a certain degree. This is a good choice if you want to brighten your hair a little. Permanent dye is much stronger and can lighten your hair by up to 4 levels; however, it’s also more damaging.

• Semi-permanent dyes won’t remove your natural color but will add additional color instead.

Try using a bright, concentrated hair dye, but be aware that the result may not be very noticeable. Lighter colors sometimes won’t show up on dark hair. Brighter shades like blue or purple might show, but they will appear very dark. You may see these colors in natural sunlight, but not under other types of lighting.

• Look for "temporary" hair dyes such as: Directions, Manic Panic, and Special Effects.

Use specialized products for the best results, but keep in mind that your options might be limited. There are specific hair dyes for dark brown hair, like Splat. These products are still quite new and come in limited colors like purple, red, and blue. When buying hair dye, look for labels that say: For dark hair.

• You can also try color-enhancing dyes such as Splat or Manic Panic. These are concentrated dyes and work better on dark hair compared to other hair dyes.

Choose cool tones or ash colors. Dark hair often turns brassy when lightened. Warm-toned hair dyes will make your hair even warmer, and in some cases, it may even turn orange. Cool or ash shades will neutralize red undertones and give you a more accurate color.

Prepare toning shampoo in case your hair turns brassy. This step isn’t mandatory, but it’s a good idea. As mentioned earlier, dark hair tends to shift to brass or orange when lightened. You can counteract these brassy or orange tones with purple or blue toning shampoos.

Choose a dye color, preferably one with cool undertones. Permanent hair dye will yield better results than demi-permanent as it contains ingredients that help lighten hair. While demi-permanent dye opens the hair cuticle and allows more color to penetrate, it won't lighten the hair. Cool tones are recommended because they help minimize the risk of hair turning brassy.

• If you have black hair and want to dye it brown, go for a light or medium yellow shade.

Section your hair into several parts. Gather all of the hair, except for the section beneath (around from the middle of your ears down). Twist it into a loose bun on top of your head and secure it with a hair clip or elastic band.

Protect your skin, clothes, and the work surface. Cover your work area with plastic or newspaper. Drape an old towel or hairdresser's cape over your shoulders. Apply petroleum jelly along your hairline, around the back of your neck, and behind your ears. Finally, wear plastic gloves.

• You can also wear an old t-shirt instead of a towel or hairdresser’s cape.
• You might not need to buy plastic gloves since many hair dye kits include them.

Prepare the hair dye according to the instructions. Typically, you just need to pour the dye into the provided mixing bottle with the base cream and shake well. Some hair dye kits come with additional products, such as hair shine oil, which you should also add to the bottle.

• You can also use a dye brush to mix the dye in a non-metallic bowl.

Apply the dye to your hair. Start by applying the dye at the roots, using your fingers or a dye brush to spread it evenly down. Add more dye as needed.

• You can also use the tip of the dye bottle to apply the dye directly onto your hair.
• If you mixed the dye in a bowl, you can use a dye brush for application.

Nhuộm phần tóc còn lại theo từng lớp. Tháo búi tóc trên đỉnh đầu và thả một lớp tóc nữa xuống. Búi phần tóc còn lại và phết thêm thuốc nhuộm vào lớp tóc mới thả xuống. Cứ tiếp tục như vậy cho đến khi xử lý hết phần tóc trên đỉnh đầu.

• Nhớ nhuộm cả phần tóc mai và hai bên thái dương.
• Bạn nên nhuộm phần tóc trên đỉnh đầu sau cùng, vì đây là phần tóc có thể xử lý nhanh nhất.
• Nếu có mái tóc dày, có thể bạn cần phải chia tóc thành nhiều phần nhỏ và phết thuốc nhuộm lần lượt từng lớp một để đảm bảo toàn bộ mái tóc đều ngấm thuốc nhuộm.

Quấn tóc thành một búi và chờ thuốc nhuộm lên màu. Thời gian chờ thuốc nhuộm lên màu tùy thuộc vào loại thuốc nhuộm. Hầu hết các thương hiệu thuốc nhuộm tóc yêu cầu phải chờ 25 phút, nhưng một số hiệu cần phải đợi lâu hơn. Bạn hãy đọc nhãn sản phẩm cho chắc.

• Trùm tóc bằng màng bọc thực phẩm, túi ni lông hoặc mũ tắm. Bước này giúp giữ nhiệt bên trong để thuốc nhuộm có hiệu quả hơn.

Xả sạch thuốc nhuộm bằng nước mát và dùng dầu xả. Khi hết thời gian chờ thuốc nhuộm lên màu, bạn hãy dùng nước mát để xả sạch tóc. Tiếp tục xả cho đến khi nước trong. Thoa dầu xả dành cho tóc nhuộm, chờ 2-3 phút rồi xả lại bằng nước mát để khép biểu bì tóc. Không dùng dầu gội.

• Nhiều bộ thuốc nhuộm tóc có sẵn dầu xả.

Làm khô tóc và tạo kiểu tùy thích. Bạn có thể để tóc khô tự nhiên hoặc sấy bằng máy sấy tóc. Nếu tóc có ngả sang màu đồng thau hoặc cam không như ý bạn muốn thì cũng đừng lo. Bạn chỉ cần gội đầu bằng dầu gội tím hoặc xanh dương để khử màu; sử dụng theo hướng dẫn trên chai dầu gội.

• Consider adding a color corrector for red, orange, or yellow tones to your dye mixture. This product will help neutralize brassiness caused by the lightening process.
• You could also try a highlighting dye kit made for dark hair, mixing it with a 30 volume developer.
• Keep your hair healthy before and after dyeing by using deep conditioning treatments and hair masks.
• Lighten your hair gradually to avoid damage. It’s best to dye your hair in stages, lightening it a little each time, instead of trying to go lighter all at once.
• Use shampoos and conditioners specifically designed for dyed hair to maintain color, shine, and hair health.
• If you can't find shampoo and conditioner made for color-treated hair, use sulfate-free products instead.

• Cold-toned lightening dye kit
• Old towels, old T-shirts, or a hairdresser’s cape
• Non-metallic bowl (optional)
• Shower cap (optional, but recommended)
• Dye application brush (optional, but recommended)
• Plastic hair clips
• Vinyl gloves