Blue black hair dye is sought out for many reasons. If you’re going from light to dark, it’s a surefire way to get just the right cool tone, and neutralize any warm undertones you might have.
It’s a vibrant knd of black with a lot of dimension to it. Or if you’re up for a change from regular dark hair, blue black adds some depth and interest, even a little color while still remaining sleek and sophisticated.
Just about any brand carries their own version of this navy blue hue, so how do you choose between all of them?
Here’s a list of the best options you can find from pretty common brands, so you know which one is best for you.
Best drugstore blue black hair dye
At the drugstore, you have so many different options for affordable dyes that you can reliably count on to available there for every touch-up you might need. We’ve narrowed it down to two:
Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme
Garnier is a longstanding household name, for pretty good reason. The Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme is a classic that holds up because of its 100% grey coverage.
It’s a quick and easy solution you can use at home. Plus, with its blend of oils–avocado, olive, and shea, it gives long-lasting nourishment as well.
A permanent dye like this should also give a lot more color pay-off if you want a really strong blue undertone
However, as it is a permanent color, it’s not 100% damage proof. The way permanent dye works penetrates each strand of hair, changing up the protein chains to create a new color, so for sensitive hair, this might not be the best option.
Pros:
- 100% grey coverage
- Nourishing formula
- Vibrant color
Cons:
- May be harsher on sensitive hair
REVLON Colorsilk Beautiful Color
Revlon is another steady, reliable old favorite when it comes to hair color and the Colorsilk Beautiful Color is another easy way to get the blue black look that you want.
Like the garnier, it’s also a permanent formula that’s free of ammonia and is infused with nourishing keratin and amino acids.
This means that this formula is likely to give you color that’s going to last longer, while keeping your hair nice and shiny. It also boasts a multi-tonal hair color that gives more dimension, preventing that flat black look.
Pros:
- Long-lasting color
- Ammonia free formula
Cons:
- Liquid gel formulation may be messy to use.
Best blue black box hair dye
Box dyes also come aplenty, and are often the most affordable options. Here’s another two that might be good for you!
John Frieda Precision Foam Color
This foam formula by John Frieda is easy to use at home, and gives salon-like results. It’s unique foaming formula avoids any nasty drippage down your hairline. This is particularly important for something as intense as a blue black.
But even if the texture of the formula stays on the safe side, the color sure doesn’t. Its intense blue black is so saturated and has a glossy finish that gives the hair a healthy look.
It also covers up greys quite quickly and even includes conditioning to make sure your hair is just as nourished as it is vibrant.
Pros:
- Vibrant color
- Non-messy formula
Cons:
- Contains ammonia
Clairol Nice’n Easy Permanent Hair Dye
Clairol Nice’n Easy, true to its name, is an easy way to get a really dimensional color. It gives the effect of having highlights and lowlights, and covers up grays for up to 2 months.
It also keeps hair nice and soft by including conditioners in each step of the formula.
It even includes innovative new dye molecules that are found to reduce the risk of allergic reactions.
Pros:
- Multi-tonal color
- Allergy-reducing
Cons:
- Can bleed when washing hair
Best permanent blue black hair
L’Oreal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Permanent Hair Color
A mainstay since the 70s, this dye has been the gold standard of all Lóreal dyes ever since. It has a unique blend of colors that gives vibrant undertones to all of its variants. This is especially good in order to get a really cool blue black.
It’s also packed with nourishing ingredients like camelina oil, Vitamin E and a UV filter to keep your hair nice and shiny. The UV filter is also a great additional shield against fading.
The liquid gel formula may be a bit finicky to work with though, so make sure to have towels in handy!
Pros:
- Long-lasting color
- Vibrant undertone
Cons
- Messy formula
Best blue black hair dye for dark hair
Adore Semi-permanent hair color
At-home dye jobs usually won’t be enough to completely lift the color of dark hair and transform it into an entirely different one.
However, some colors are more potent than others and the Adore Semi-permanent Hair color is one that can deposit color even to dark hair. Being a semi-permanent hair color, it doesn’t need any alcohol, peroxide or ammonia, so it’s a lot safer and less harsh too.
As it binds to the outside layer of hair, it provides a vibrant glossy look, that will reflect that cool blue undertone when hit by the light.
Pros:
- Alcohol, peroxide and ammonia-free
- Glossy, vibrant color
Cons:
- Will wash away more easily than a permanent color
Best professional blue black hair dye
Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Royal Permanent Color Creme
Trusted by hair professionals, the Schwarzkopf color creme is tried and tested. If you really want vibrant colors that can withstand a couple washes, then it’s best to trust the salon experts on this one.
It’s great even for porous hair and delivers intense, even coloring.
Pros:
- Intense blue black color
- Long-lasting
Cons:
- Not made for home use
Best blue black hair dye for african american hair
Arctic Fox Blue Jean Baby
Dyes and natural african America hair don’t often go quite well together. The chemicals in traditional dyes can often strip curls of moisture and nourishment, or ruin curl patterns all together.
But Arctic Fox boasts a very gentle formula that contains no peroxide, ammonia, alcohol or PPD! It’s also a vegan-friendly formula with no animal biproducts.
This particular shade is highly pigmented and fades out to a smoky blue-grey.
Pros:
- Vegan, gentle formula
- Vibrant colors
Cons:
- May not appear as intense on dark hair
READ NEXT: How long does Arctic Fox last?
What is the best blue black hair dye with the bluest tint in it
Manic Panic After Midnight Hair Dye
For a while, Manic Panic was every teenage girl’s dream. They’re most famous for their intense, bright and crazy colors, so it’s no surprise that it’s our pick for the bluest blue black dye.
The After Midnight shade is a deep dark navy blue, and can even appear bluer than that on light hair. But even when used on stubbornly dark hair, this Manic Panic dye can add dark blue highlights to unbleached locks.
Like Arctic Fox, it’s also a vegan formula, free of a lot of nasty chemicals that strip hair of moisture and nourishment.
Pros:
- Intense color
- Vegan, gentle formula
Cons:
- Semi-permanent dye can wash away after a few weeks of shampoong
Best blue black hair dye brand
RAW Midnight Blue Demi-Permanent Hair Color
RAW’s Midnight Blue is possibly the perfect black dye. It’s a demi-permanent formula, which gives you the longevity of a permanent dye without the damage.
The blue undertone in the RAW dye is also intense and long-lasting with nearly instant midnight blue results.
RAW is best known for their more natural formals too. So you can be assured that your hair is getting the least damaging treatment possible. It’s paraben, ammonia and PPD-free. THis makes it great for preventing skin allergies and respiratory irritation too.
Pros:
- Natural formula
- Intense color
Cons:
- May not show up true to color on darker hair
- Does not work well on discolored bleached hair.
FAQs:
Things to consider when getting a blue black dye
A good blue black dye really varies, depending on your needs. There are a lot of factors to consider and some of them may be more important to you than the others. These include:
Longevity
Longevity matters in choosing a formula. A demi-permanent or permanent color would be better if you want a color to last between a month and a half to two. However, if you want something
that you can easily wash out and change, then a semi-permanent dye might be better.
Color Intensity
Intensity would be dictated by whether you really want an intense pop of blue that catches the
light, or if you want something more subtle, that just gives your black hair a richer, cooler tone.
Hair Sensitivity and Allergies
Hair Sensitivity is something only you can tell. So, know your hair better and figure out what chemicals work and don’t work for you. Either way there’s a huge range of options from more traditional chemical dyes, to the more natural vegan one.
Your Current Hair Color
Your current hair color will also affect how light or dark the dye shows up. It can affect the intensity of the color and how well the color translates on you. Darker hair will often take on a tinge of the color, and will be more like a gloss of blue rather than a true blue black. While yellowing, bleached hair might alter the color as well.
Formula Consistency
One more thing to consider is the formula consistency. Being such a dark color, blue black lends better to stiffer consistencies like foams and creams. This just prevents any unwanted drippage that might stain your hairline and your face.
CHECK OUT: Does hair dye expire?
Can you dye blue black on black hair?
The quick answer is yes!
However, it won’t be as intense of a blue undertone as it would be if it were to be done on lighter hair. It can appear as dark blue highlights, or depending on the original warmth of your hair, it can just cancel out the warmth and make darker hair appear cooler.
Blue black hair dye comes in many shapes and forms, and at the end of the day, what matters most is a formula and color that works for you the best.
So just take into consideration the intensity, the longevity and the kind of ingredients you want to put in your hair, then go ahead and go blue!
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