6 Best hair dyes for dark hair without needing bleach [Expert advice].

It’s time to change up your hair color. You’re ready for a new look, a new vibe, a new you. But you don’t want to use bleach and potentially damage your hair to do it. We don’t blame you! So which is the best hair dye for dark hair? Let’s find out!

You’ll be able to find reviews on some of the best hair dyes on the market and see which one will work with your current hair color. Keep reading below!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Can you color dark hair without bleaching it?

It’s a common misconception that you can’t dye your hair without bleach.

In reality, most colorists use no bleach at all when applying new colors to clients’ locks. So if you’re looking for a way to change up your look without bleach, this blog post is for you!

Getting a great hair color result without bleach really depends on the base color of your hair now.

Blondes – can have more fun with colors, it’s true. A lighter base is the perfect blank canvas to try a whole range of bright, bold colors.

On-trend silver and pastel hair dye colors like lavender and lilac will still need a lightened base. And icy-white platinum blonde certainly will.

But generally, if you have a blonde base already, you can have some fun experimenting.

You can also try temporary colors that wash out after a couple of shampoos to find the right color for you before taking the plunge with something more permanent.

Check out the latest dark hair looks on our Pinterest board for ideas and inspiration.

Brunettes and darker – This page is for you.

Vibrant and strong shades like metallic silver, copper and rose gold and pastel hues lavender, lilac and even blues are all in need of a bleached hair base. You can’t lighten color with color.

Bleach strips your hair of it’s natural and any dyed color pigments so you can then, after a little time for your hair to recover from the bleaching process, dye your hair any color your heart desires.

The trouble with brunette and darker hair is that your base color is already dark. So bright colors won’t show up and will probably make your hair an even darker shade than it already is.

The trick is to choose colors that add depth, warmth and richness to compliment your base.

Red heads, same goes for you. It’s about adding a different tone or dimension to your color, rather than radically changing it.

These are the 6 hair colors and the best hair dyes for dark hair you need to confidently dye your hair without using bleach. Pick one that’s closest to the base you have now for the best and most fabulous effects!

What is the best hair dye for dark hair?

#1 Chocolate brown

Chocolate brown is a rich, warm color that adds depth and multidimensional tones to your hair. We love chocolate brown for making any type or condition of hair appear glossier and thicker.

Because of its deep dark tones, it doesn’t need a bleach base to begin with. The lighter your hair color now, the lighter chocolate brown you can experiment with.

For darker brunettes, you could try a choc brownie, iced mocha or dark chocolate color to add a hint of warmth and rich brown color. Always look on the side of your chosen box dye to match your hair color to the color on the box.

Best chocolate brown hair dye.

John Frieda’s Medium Chocolate Brown Color.

This is the first dark hair color on the list and we used this hair dye on a medium brown hair base. It gave a beautiful rich brown sheen to our hair and left it feeling like silk and well conditioned.

You’ll need two boxes if your hair is long as the foamy bubbles really sink into your hair, especially if it’s dyed hair which is more porous.

Overall, this hair dye is really easy to apply as the foam makes it simple and mess free.

Get the look.

#2 Burgundy.

Burgundy is a intense infusion of purple with undertones of brown and red. It frames faces. It makes skin glow and eyes pop. And it’s suited to every skin tone.

Burgundy is a great hair dye to put on a dark colored hair base such as brunettes without using any bleach.

It’s an easy color to dye yourself at home and it will add purpley lowlights that glint in the sun. If your hair is lighter brown, go for a red wine or plum color to get a brighter look.

Best burgundy hair dye.

Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color, Deepest Intense Burgundy

Garnier Nutrisse Deepest Intense Burgundy is the deepest of the three Ultra Color Burgundy shades – the others are Dark Intense Burgundy and Intense Burgundy.

Each is a different tone to suit light to dark hair. Nice touch!

We tried this on dark brunette hair as instructed and loved the condition of our hair after using it.

It definitely felt nourished and not as dry as some of the others on the list. The color is fab.

It’s darker than the box but it has a beautiful shimmering tone that catches the light. Go for this dark burgundy hair dye if you have darker hair.

Get the look.

#3 Blue black

The metallics trend is full on this year and whereas colors like copper and silver are best applied to a bleached blonde base, the blue-black shades of midnight blue make it a perfect color to dye your hair without bleach.

Midnight blue is a color you’ll have to commit to. It’s luxurious mix of black and blue tones will definitely take to any hair color base. But will once the dye is in your hair, it can be really hard to remove.

It’s a color that suits cooler skin tones but you can try other blue black shades such as indigo to warm it up a little with hints of purple-blue.

Best blue black hair dye.

Clairol Nice’ n Easy Crème, Blue Black.

Nice n easy is certainly that. It smells great and wasn’t as messy to apply as some of the other hair dyes on the list.

This is a dark shade that turned almost black on our dark brown, dyed hair. In the light, it has a subtle blue hue that warms up the black and gives it a beautiful iridescent shine.

Lots of the reviews said the color kept really well. Best of all, it left our hair feeling in tip top condition. Use this for long lasting, deep blue black color.

Get the look

#4 Chestnut brown.

Chestnut brown is an on-trend brunette color for those with lighter bases. It’s not as dark and rich as chocolate brown but it’s not as cool as the lighter, grey-toned ash brown that might wash some people out.

It’s a warm color with undertones of red or gold and looks fabulous blended with blonde ombre, balayage or highlights. Chestnut is an easy color to do at home and there are a variety of box dyes that will help you to get the perfect silky chestnut brown color.

Best chestnut brown hair dye

L’Oreal Preference Permanent Hair Dye,Virginia Chestnut Brown.

This is a beautiful color. We dyed our medium brown hair and left it in for slightly longer than the recommended time. It’s a real, nutty colour that’s not as red as some chesnut browns can be. It’s almost slightly golden in some lights.

It has gorgeous multidimensional tones and left our hair feeling soft and silky too with plenty of shine. This is the best chestnut hair dye for us.

Get the look.

#5 Rich red.

Rich red hair colors are never out of fashion. Red is such a statement color and can add dimension and flirty flair to any style.

The spectrum of red hair dyes out there is immense. So warm or cool toned – you’ll find the perfect color for you.

Red is the perfect color to add to any dark base. Add depth and richness with auburn brown hair color, mahogany and dark cherry red to any dark hair base color.

Best red hair dye.

Garnier Nutrisse Vibrant Red Hair Dye Permanent.

This is the most vibrant red of the bunch. It’s not quite full-on perfect pillarbox red if your base hair color is dark. But it adds deep red tones of fire engine red that really glint and shine in the sunlight.

This colour is also fab for combining with darker colours for the ombre or balayage look. Gorgeous!

Get the look.

#6 Jet Black.

Another timeless classic that looks amazing from season to season is black. Solid black can make your hair appear fuller, shinier and in tip top condition. It’s a show-stopper that can suit warm or cool tones and an easy color to do yourself at home.

Black is a heavy color that will take to any base without the need for bleach. Once it’s on, black can be hard to get off so make sure you’re in it for the long haul.

You might need a couple of boxes of hair dye for full coverage if you are going for solid black.

Root regrowth is more noticeable with black but it’s nothing a good cover up can’t take care of in between colorings.

Get the hair dye.

Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color Hair Colorant Black.

This Revlon hair dye is certainly the most deepest and darkest color of the bunch.

It’s easy to apply and our hair felt saturated with the dye, although we needed two boxes to completely cover our shoulder-length hair.

We used this one dark brown dyed hair and the result was super duper black! Great coverage and solid tones.

The conditioner gave shine and softness. This is the one if you’re looking for total gray coverage.

Get the look.

---

Parting words

So, now that you know the best hair dyes to use without bleach, it’s time for a change.

Whether your goal is to cover up grey hairs or just experiment with new colors, have fun!