Going darker may be a brave move if you’re thinking about doing a dramatic makeover, especially when you usually have lighter hair.
But what’s great about having black hair is how easy it would be to maintain since it won’t need constant touch-ups.
But would changing your hair color to jet black make it healthier, or would it ruin it further?
So before you pick up that bottle of dye, you’ll need to decide whether you’re ready to commit to having dark hair. So is it a good idea to dye your hair black?
There are a few things you need to know to help you figure out whether black hair is right for you, so read more to find out.
Is dying hair black damaging?
When lightening your hair, bleach temporarily opens up your hair cuticles to lift up the pigments from your strands.
But if you bleach and dye your hair frequently, constant contact with these harsh chemicals will eventually damage your hair, permanently opening your cuticles.
But since transitioning into a darker color will add pigments back into your hair, is black hair dye healthier?
Applying black dye to your hair will make it look healthier, but it won’t necessarily make it healthier.
Since black dye contains chemicals, it will still do a bit of damage to your hair, but as long as it won’t have any ammonia, it won’t do anything severe.
The color molecules will make your strands look healthier by filling in the gaps of the “holes” in your hair caused by chemical damage. The dye will also add a coat of pigments over each of your hair strands, making them look thicker and stronger.
If you have damaged hair, applying black dye will still make your hair feel dry, so it’s up to you to get it back into a healthy state by moisturizing it daily.
Advantages and disadvantages of dying hair black
When you need to make a decision, it’s sometimes helpful to make a pros and cons list to break down the situation. So here’s a quick overview of what to expect if you dye your hair black:
Advantages
First, let’s start with the pros of transitioning to dark hair.
Aside from making your hair look healthier, having black hair will also look shinier since light reflects better on dark surfaces. So if you have damaged hair, you can create the illusion of having instant lustrous hair by going dark.
If you have naturally medium to dark brown hair, you won’t have to dye your roots a lot since the contrast between your raven strands and your natural hair growth won’t be as stark. So, in turn, your hair would be healthier in the long run.
Black hair dye is also excellent for hiding gray hairs since it contains the darkest pigments, so you’re sure it would cover all of your silver strands.
Disadvantages
Black hair dye is difficult to remove on healthy hair, especially if you use permanent hair color. So if you want to go dark, you’ll really need to commit for a long time.
Since it will take several bleaching applications to get your hair to a lighter shade again because you’ll also have to get rid of its underlying pigments, otherwise, you’ll need to grow all of your hair out or cut it short to get rid of the black pigments.
So if you’re more likely to change your hair color after a few months, it’s better to use a semi-permanent hair dye since you can strip it off with a hair color remover.
Another disadvantage of dyeing your hair black is that if you have naturally blonde hair, you’ll need to touch up your roots every few weeks to keep your hair color uniform since the color difference will be more evident than on brown hair.
Lastly, if you have porous hair from bleach damage, black hair dye will fade quicker since your strands will have difficulty holding on to dark pigments. So you’ll have to re-apply the color constantly if you want to maintain the shade.
How often should I dye my hair black?
Whether you want to touch up your roots or freshen up your raven hair, how often you’ll need to re-apply black hair dye will depend on several factors, including your frequency of washing and your hair porosity.
But if you want to do an all-over color, you can dye your hair every 5-6 weeks without damaging it. But if you only want to touch up your roots or cover gray hairs, you can apply color every 3 weeks but make sure to limit it on your roots.
On porous blonde or bleached hair, black hair dye sometimes won’t last as long on your hair. So if you want the color to fade out longer, the trick is to apply a color filler.
It’s a transitional shade that helps your hair build back its pigments so the black color molecules can stick longer to your hair. So when choosing a color filler, pick a hue that’s 1-2 shades lighter than your black dye.
How do you know if you would look good with black hair?
If you’re stuck here wondering, “Should I dye my hair black if I have pale skin?”, here are a few things you need to assess before taking the plunge.
Facial features
If you have delicate facial features with blonde eyebrows and eyelashes, we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but black hair can be too intense for your face.
Some can pull off the look if you also dye your eyebrows darker or fill them in with a darker brow pencil, but it can be an added upkeep, so you’d really have to commit.
But if you have prominent features like cheekbones or eyes, black hair can emphasize them and improve your look, especially if you also have naturally dark eyebrows and eyelashes.
Skin tone
Your skin tone can also determine how black hair will look on you. So if you have really pale skin, jet black hair can be too heavy on you, especially if you also have delicate facial features, since the color will wash them out.
Ashy skin with green undertones also won’t pair well with black hair since it will bring out the yellow tints in your skin, making you look sick and tired.
But if you have a warm skin tone, black hair will look good on you by making your face appear brighter. But if you find that the color is too intense, you can also opt for a warmer toned black since it’s softer than the true black color.
But if you’re still not sure whether black hair will look good on you, you can try on different black wigs to determine which shade will look best on you.
Should I dye my hair black or dark brown?
If you can’t decide whether to go black or dark brown, go for the dark brown shade first since it will be easier to go darker later.
If you’re not satisfied with the dark brown hue, you can tone your hair to remove any warm under pigments to get a true black shade.
Dark brown will also be a better option if you change your hair color a lot since it’s easier to strip off than black dye.
As mentioned above, black hair will appear too heavy on very pale skin with delicate features, so if you want to go dark, a rich brown shade might look better on you since it won’t be as intense as black.
Should I dye my hair black or blonde?
If you have brown hair with the option to go dark or light, the current state of your hair may determine what’s best for it.
Since going blonde will need to use bleach to remove the pigments from your hair, multiple applications can be too harsh on your hair, especially if it’s already damaged. So if you want to go really light, the process would fry your strands to the point where your hair falls off.
So it’s better to dye your hair black since it will make your hair thicker and stronger, so you can focus on making it healthier again.
CHECK OUT: Does black hair dye fade
The bottom line
Dyeing your hair black can be beneficial when you want to heal your damaged hair since it will make it stronger and shinier.
But if you want the shade to look natural on you, you’ll have to consider your facial features and skin tone so that the color won’t overpower your face.
But if you’re looking to fit into a certain aesthetic, don’t let any beauty rules stop you from expressing yourself as long you keep your hair healthy.