The 11 Best Hair Dyes for Dark Hair Without Bleach
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Copper browns, radiant reds and rich blues are just a few of the trendy shades making waves this year. Luckily, blondes aren't the only ones who can have fun with hair color. Believe it or not, dark hair can get a pop of color (or get a boost in their undertones) without stripping moisture and shine. Here's your sign to experiment with the boldest shades right at home with some box hair dye—no commitment necessary. We found the 11 best hair dyes for dark hair without bleach, damage or dryness.
The Best Hair Dye for Dark Hair at a Glance
Meet the Experts
How We Chose Best Hair Dye for Dark Hair
We asked professional hairstylists and colorists to share the best hair dyes for dark hair. Aside from providing top brands, they also recommended the trendiest shades for darker locks. We also scoured the internet and spent hours browsing through reviews to find at-home hair dyes that offer a nice hue without stripping your hair dry. Ready to try your hand at coloring? Ahead, our top 11 picks for dark hair.
1. DpHUE Color Boosting Gloss + Deep Conditioning Treatment
Add this deep conditioning treatment to your wash day and watch your hair's natural color change. According to the brand, you can see a fresh shade appear on your strands in as little as three minutes. Plus, the formula doesn't contain any peroxide or ammonia, so you can use it as often as you like without drying out your strands. Try out semi-permanent colors like auburn, copper or strawberry, which offers a boost shine and softness to your dark locks. "It took all the cool tones out of my hair and warmed it up [with] just the right amount and left it soft and shiny. I will continue to use this when I need to help my grays blend in better with my natural dark hair without that harsh stark contrast," shares one Ulta reviewer.
2. Splat Midnight Complete No Bleach Kit
Packed with finely milled micro-pigments that attach to the surface of your hair (rather than penetrating the shaft), this semi-permanent dye provides up to six weeks of bold color. The bleach-free kit is infused with baobab seed oil to nourish and protect strands, as well as quinoa extract to prevent breakage, improve shine and seal-in shade. It's specifically made for brunettes, so try out the "Midnight Tanzanite" shade without needing to lighten hair first. As one shopper notes, "It works great on brunettes. Purple is very vivid and [leaves] such a pretty color. You may need help because if it gets on the skin it can stay on for over 24 hours." Make sure to slip on a pair of rubber gloves before you get started because—as you can imagine—the dye is quite powerful.
3. Jerome Russell Temporary Hair Color Spray
If you're looking for a temporary color, Jerome Russell offers 17 shades for under $10. From copper tones to icy blues, spray the vivid hue directly onto your strands and opt for subtle ends or spritz all over to your hearts desire—with no mess, bleach or peroxide in sight. Shoppers enjoy the no-fuss application, using it primarily to cover grays or thinning spots. "I have fairly dark brown hair and needed this for a Halloween costume as Ginny Weasley [from Harry Potter], who has bright red hair. Of course, I didn't expect it to turn out as red as in the movies, but this did the job fairly well. It made my hair look reddish and was easy to apply," shares one Amazon shopper.
4. L'Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup
Do you have a fun event coming up? Turn heads with a temporary color. This hair makeup washes out after one rinse (with help from your go-to shampoo) so there's no need for the color commitment. Pick from five bold shades (like green or raspberry) and try out those money piece highlights you've been holding off on. "This color is awesome on my dark brown hair. I used it to change my hair color for a Halloween costume and I got so many compliments on my hair all night. I applied it to dry hair, combed through and then used the blow dryer. I then went and had my hair done with a curling iron and more teasing and brushing and the color stayed in wonderfully," says one Amazon customer.
5. Overtone Hair Coloring Conditioner
Hair dyes can leave a very strong (and often unpleasant) scent behind which has everything to do with the chemicals. However, this is not the case with this color conditioner from Overtone, which is specifically designed for brown locks. The formula has coconut oil, shea butter, avocado oil and jojoba oil to moisturize and repair strands. Leave it on for 15 minutes, rinse and see the pigment shine through—regardless what color you choose (though our favorite has to be the rose gold hue). "This is the second color for brown hair I've tried. Both worked well for me (purple and rose gold) and I love that it doesn't damage my hair. The color is really pretty though and Overtone [conditioner] smells great!" shares one Overtone reviewer.
6. Ion True Tones For Dark Hair Permanent Crème Hair Color
This line is literally dedicated to dark hair, so expect color to actually show up on strands. It's designed to tone and color your hair in one step without a pre-lightening treatment. Whether you want a fiery red or a blue tone, it only takes 30 minutes to get the rich pigment. It has 300 5-star reviews and even has one Sally Beauty shopper dropping a review for the very first time: "I honestly am not much of a review person, but I decided to leave this one because I love the product. I have very very dark brown hair and it works great. I love how bright and vibrant the colors turn out without me having to bleach it! I go through red hair phases every few years, and I use this every time. 100 percent recommend."
7. As I Am Curl Color
The brand behind the beloved curly hair products created a line of vibrant temporary colors. Try one (or all) nine shades on your curls and coils for the day. One PureWow editor (yours truly) even tried it—and yes, the claims are true. My dark curls took on fun colors I didn't think were possible without bleach. I never knew I could look this good in blue, gold or red.
8. Madison Reed Color Reviving Gloss
A hair gloss is a great way to boost your natural hair color and Perkins loves Madison Reed's Color Reviving Gloss for this. The semi-permanent shades (like Espresso) helps refresh locks, neutralize brassiness and improve shine. It can last for up to eight washes and works best when applied to the mid-length and ends of hair. "My preference is always an ammonia-free color and this one has keratin to strengthen hair and argan oil to moisturize strands, so you're improving the health of your hair while you're coloring it," says Perkins.
9. Clairol Natural Instincts Demi-Permanent Hair Dye
"I like demi-permanent dye [because] it deposits color and adds shine, as opposed to permanent dyes, which require peroxide for the color to take to the hair," says Dorram. Her favorite demi-permanent formula? The Clairol Natural Instinct line. With over 30 shades to try out, from dark bronze brown to dark burgundy, and infused with coconut and aloe vera, the color can last up to 28 washes—and it works well on gray hairs. The hair dye is also ammonia- and paraben-free, making it a gentler option for those with fine or thinning locks.
10. Hally Shade Stix
Although it's not a traditional hair dye, this temporary color stick can still provide fun, bold hues for you to decorate your strands in for any festival or party coming up. Whether you're eyeing pink, orange or yellow, it's easy to apply and wash out, so you can dabble in multiple hues at once. For one mom, she found it to be great for her kiddo's hair: "My kids are obsessed with these! No mess and the color washes right out of their hair. So much better than the temporary hair sprays and chalks. [I] will be buying all the shades!!"
11. Arctic Fox Semi-Permanent Hair Color
This semi-permanent hair dye offers the boldest shades for dark locks. From oceanic blue to deep purple, there are 14 colors to try out—minus any harsh chemicals (aka peroxide, ammonia and PPD). Shoppers say it's easy to use and the scent is deliciously good for a hair dye. "I love Arctic Fox hair color. It's easy to use and smells lovely. Most of the vibrant colors even give me a pretty good tint on my dark roots. It lasts a pretty long time on most of my hair but fades quickly on my grays," says one Ulta reviewer.
The Best At-Home Hair Color for Women, According to DIY Dye-ers
Why You Should Trust Us
PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.
