9 best black hair dyes for perfectly dark, shiny strands
If you're looking to ditch your lighter strands and go dark, are looking to cover greys, or simply want to refresh your current raven shade, we understand that the idea of pulling off a DIY black hair dye job can be intimidating. But it shouldn't be!
Nowadays, at-home hair colour is easier than ever to use, and it allows you to experiment with different hair colours, like blonde or red, for a fraction of the price of a salon visit.
Most at-home dyes are now designed to keep colour vibrant for weeks. It's also worth investing in a hair mask or hair gloss to make sure the colour lasts as long as possible and keep it looking fresh between dyes. If you style your hair with heat, we always recommend using a heat protectant spray, especially if your hair is dyed.
But how to choose which black hair dye is for you? There are a variety of black shades and undertones out there to consider, including blue-black (which has cooler undertones), warm black, full-on jet black (if you want the darkest shade) and more. Below, we've rounded up a list of market-leading dyes that will have your hair looking fresh out the salon, from home.
What type of hair dye is best?
Semi-permanent
No matter which shade you decide to try, you don't have to go all in the first time. If you aren't ready to commit to a permanent colour, opt for semi-permanent, which fades after several washes.
“If you're looking to give your hair a colour refresh at home, I would advise sticking to the semi-permanent colours and glosses,” advises hair stylist and expert, Chlöe Swift. "These colour molecules don’t sit as deep into the hair shaft, compared to permanent colours. This allows the colour to slowly fade out, so you’re left with a regrowth line at the roots which is more subtle.”
Permanent
Alternatively, a permanent hair dye sits within the hair cuticle, for a deeper, longer-lasting colour. However, even 'permanent' colour won't last forever – you'll generally need to give locks a refresh after around 28 washes.
No ammonia
Ammonia is an alkaline chemical, which opens up the hair cuticle to allow dye to be absorbed, and is used to ensure your hair 'takes' the colour. However, it can be irritating to the scalp, so you may prefer to use an ammonia-free formula – many are designed with nourishing oils to treat your hair while you colour it.
Regardless of which hair dye you use, you should always do patch test beforehand to make sure you don't have any allergies, referring to the manufacturer's instructions.
How do I maintain dyed hair?
"The best way to maintain dyed hair is by using a good at-home haircare routine for coloured hair,” advises Swift. “For brunettes, reds, coppers or pastel colours, I love the Aveda Colour Control range, which includes a shampoo, conditioner and leave in treatment to keep your colour vibrant and protected.”
“Or for blondes I love the whole Kérastase Blond Absolu range, which keeps your hair strong, shiny and prevents those brassy tones which can creep in overtime," she adds.
A tinted hair gloss is also an effective way for topping up colour between box dyes. We recommend our winning tried and tested one from Wella.
Black hair, do care.
How we chose the best black hair dyes
We used our learnings from extensive hair dye testing in our Good Housekeeping Institute beauty lab to choose the best at-home hair dye brands, considering ease of use, colour richness, coverage and any extra nourishing ingredients. We've also taken into account recommendations from our editors. You'll find our best buys below.
Natural Instincts Semi-Permanent No Ammonia Hair Dye, 2 Black
This semi-permanent colour is both natural in colour and in formulation – the brand claims the ingredients are 80% naturally-derived. Those include coconut oil that nourishes and moisturises dry and damaged hair, and scalp-soothing aloe vera. The result? Super shiny, fade-resistant, and even coverage.
There's also a wide range of shades to choose from, from a cool light brown to a deeper brown-black.
Colorsilk Beautiful Color
Talk about a beauty steal. Priced at under £10, this boxed dye from Revlon excels at covering greys, retaining shine, and, according to users, it doesn't fade after four weeks.
The formula includes nourishing keratin and silk amino acid to keep hair in tip-top shape.
Precision Foam Colour 2N, Luminous Natural Black
Box dyes have in the past had a bad reputation for being messy, and your stained bath mat and towels may be testament to that. But John Frieda has formulated this non-drip foam dye to be significantly less messy than the standard at-home cream dyes. The foam texture makes it easier to saturate those hard-to-reach spots, and leaves less room for patchiness.
Included in the kit, you also get an after-colour conditioner that seals in the dye.
Casting Crème Gloss Semi-Permanent Hair Dye
You can't go wrong with a classic black hair dye, but this one adds a hue of blue – great if you're looking to subtly switch it up. The formula is made up with a glycolic gloss complex, which means that it adds extra hydration and shine to the hair, and leaves it feeling soft and looking glossy.
Preference Permanent Hair Dye
If you want fresh, shiny and healthy-looking hair, then look no further, as this box dye is full of light-reflective pigments that will leave your locks dazzling. It's also enriched with a protective UV-filter and vitamin E, which help repair damaged cells and encourage growth.
There's an included conditioner with shine serum to keep your hair in top condition after colouring, too. We're also big fans of the Refined Brown shade if you don't want to go so dark.
Olia 2.0 Black Diamond Permanent Hair Dye
If your hair is on the dry and brittle side due to the damaging effects of heat styling or bleach, then Garnier's Olia is a gentler permanent dye. It's ammonia-free so shouldn't irritate the scalp; instead, it uses a 60% oil-powered formula that nourishes hair while colouring, with the addition of flower-oil to avoid the unpleasant dye smell.
The kit contains developer cream, colourant and protective gloves for fuss-free application. There's also an after-colour, silicone-free conditioner.
Liquid Hair Colour
Dye can leave your locks extra susceptible to dryness, especially if you have curly, coiled hair, which is why haircare brand Creme of Nature has added extra-nourishing ingredients to its permanent, ammonia-free hair dye.
This one contains ultra-hydrating Argan oil, which is rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, which moisturise from your scalp all the way through to your ends. They also help improve hair elasticity, so there's less breakage. The gel formula makes it easier to apply, too.
Nice'n Easy Crème
If you're looking to go darker, but not too dark, try Clairol's brown-black shade. It's subtle and softer than jet black and has lots of dimension and shine.
With three different tones and highlights worked into into the final shade, it produces a more natural-looking colour.
Nutrisse Permanent Hair Dye
This permanent hair dye combines an ultra nourishing blend of five oils, which include avocado, olive and shea, with a colour-boosting technology to keep the shade strong over time.
Once developed you'll be left with a natural black result, rather than anything too harsh. The brand claims it covers 100% of grey, too.
You Might Also Like
