5 Simple Ways to Dye Brown Hair Black Without Bleach

Question from a reader:

Cindy, I’ve been embracing my natural chestnut hair color for years, but I’m tempted to go into a darker, more raven-toned hue. The thought of bleaching my hair sends shivers down my spine! Is there a way to get a deep, black shade on my brown hair without subjecting it to bleach?

Avery Woods
Aurora, Illinois

Hello Avery,

Yes, you can turn brown hair black without using bleach.

If you want to make your hair darker, you don’t need to use bleach. Bleach is only needed if you want a lighter color than your natural hair or if your hair is already dyed a dark shade. So, changing from natural or dyed brown hair to shiny black can be done without bleach.

Helpful advice for coloring your hair black

To get a true black color, it’s important to choose the right dye that fully covers brown hair.

If your hair has warm tones and you want a cool black shade, choose a color with cool or ash undertones. This helps remove the warm tones. If you pick the wrong color, your hair might look dull and muddy instead of shiny and black.