We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process. Overview You can dye your hair in a variety of ways, from getting it done at a salon, from a box at home, or through a temporary color spray. Traditional hair dyes, however, can contain potentially toxic and damaging chemicals like ammonia or parabens. One way to avoid these chemicals is through natural hair dyes, which often use ingredients you might already have at home. Try the following natural hair dyes if you’re looking for alternative ways to color your hair. Try carrot juice if you want to give your hair a reddish-orange tint. Depending on the color of your hair, the tint can last for a few weeks. To dye your hair with carrot juice:
If you want a deeper red tint with cooler undertones, opt for beet juice instead of carrot juice. The steps for using beet juice as a natural hair dye are similar to those for carrot juice:
Henna is a natural plant-based dye that’s traditionally used to create temporary tattoos directly on the skin. It can also be used to dye your hair red. Henna comes in powder form and is probably the longest-lasting, most vibrant natural hair dye option. The color can last as long as four to six weeks. To use henna to dye your hair:
Lemon juice can help strip your hair of its pigment slowly, lightening it over time. It’s best used to achieve sun-kissed highlights naturally. Unlike the other methods described here, which achieve temporary color changes, the results of using lemon juice are permanent. The pigment on the portion of hair you apply lemon juice to will be gone. You can get rid of this lightened hair by cutting it off. To use lemon juice to color your hair:
You can do this several times to get the desired effect if necessary. It works slowly, and will likely require a few repeat sessions. A cup of brewed coffee can do more than just give you a caffeine boost. It can also help dye your hair a shade or two darker, and may even cover up some gray hair. To dye your hair with coffee:
Coffee won’t provide a drastic change to your hair, and it won’t last for long. But if you need a quick and affordable boost, it’s a good option to try. If you have dark brown or black hair and want to darken it up a bit, sage is a good option. It can deepen shades of brunette hair, and it can also help cover up gray hairs. To use sage to dye your hair:
Want to lighten up your hair? Chamomile tea can help you do just that, and is especially effective for those who already have blonde hair. To use chamomile tea to lighten your hair:
You can use this treatment once, but it’s most effective when you use it at least once a week to maintain the beautiful bright color. Once you’ve dyed your hair and it looks perfect, the last thing you want to worry about is the color fading. There are a few ways to extend the life of your naturally dyed hair:
If you don’t want to bust out the beet juice or the henna, natural hair dyes are available for you to purchase. These hair dyes claim to be manufactured without the toxic chemicals of traditional hair dyes, though you should check the label before you purchase one of them. You’ll want to avoid ingredients like parabens, ammonia, and sulfates. Some brands you can try include:
Traditional hair dyes are full of chemicals that can have toxic effects on your body. According to the American Cancer Society, both semipermanent and permanent oxidative hair dyes penetrate the hair shaft and can potentially increase cancer risk, particularly for bladder cancer and blood cancers like leukemia. However, more studies are needed. Even if the cancer risk is low or minimal, the harsh chemicals in traditional hair dyes can cause skin irritation and damage your hair. If it’s possible to use a more natural alternative, your hair will thank you in the long run.
Not to be incredibly dramatic, but the power of hair color to change up your look is basically unparalleled. And it doesn't need to be a Kylie Jenner-level of hair transformation to make an impact—which is why you're here. You're thinking about dyeing your black hair brown, and you want to know what, exactly, that would entail. Is it possible to do in one session? Does it make a difference if your hair is colored black versus naturally black? Is it necessary to use bleach, even if you're just going a tiny bit lighter? We asked Nikki Lee and Carolyn Aronson to get their tips for dyeing dark, jet-black hair brown.
Meet the Expert
Keep scrolling for some expert tips on how up to lighten up black hair. If you have virgin black hair—AKA hair that hasn't ever been dyed—you're going to have a much easier time with dyeing black hair brown than someone who has colored their hair black. "Color will not remove color, meaning you cannot just put a brown color on top of [dyed] black and it will magically turn brown," Lee explains. "You have to use a color remover or lightener first to remove the black then layer on top of a brown color." However, if your hair is naturally black, you can immediately go into the process of lightening the hair without lifting any previous dye—though, the hair can only lighten so much without bleach, and your colorist will probably recommend you do so in order to get noticeable results. This is just good advice in general for hair appointments. "We may speak different terms but we can all see the same," Lee says. And don't just bring pictures of what you want—Lee recommends showing a couple of photos of what you don't want as well. "Pictures say a million words. Bring a photo or two of the color you desire," Aronson adds. "It will really help your stylist target your desires." But be prepared because a dramatic change can take time. Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images The healthier the hair, the better chance you'll have of lightening it. "In order to get the hair from black to brown, consider the health and strength of your hair," Aronson says. "You will need to use bleach to lift it and that could be very drying to the hair." When you get ready for your appointment, come in with clean, product-free hair, Aronson says. "Otherwise they may have to wash your hair before they apply the color," she explains. Clean hair is like a clean canvas, allowing the stylist to apply the proper ingredients to get you lightened in a healthy way.
It's a 10 Haircare Potion 10 Miracle Repair Hair Mask $39.00 ShopAs previously mentioned, dyeing your hair can be taxing on your strands. Aronson recommends using the above mask twice a week to help repair any damage and keep your hair healthy and shiny.
Extend the life of your hair color by opting for a gloss, which can be applied in a salon or at home. Shop more of our fave deep conditioning masks below.
Garnier Whole Blends Honey Treasures Repairing Mask $5.00 ShopThis mask contains a blend of royal jelly, propolis, and honey meant to nourish and repair hair.
Key Ingredients
Royal jelly is a term used to describe creamy white secretions that come from the throat glands of honeybees. It hydrates, increases collagen production, promotes wound healing, and fights inflammation.
Oribe Gold Lust Transformative Masque $66.00 ShopLike all Oribe products, this mask smells divine. It's also jam-packed with hair silkening ingredients, like baobab, and protects hair from UV damage. (Yes, that's definitely a thing.)
Unite Hair 7 Seconds Masque $43.00 ShopSoft, strong hair can be yours after using this shea butter-infused hair treatment. It also contains hydrolyzed keratin, which is a protein that helps repair hair. Using high quality shampoo, conditioner and (as mentioned above) hair masks will give your stylist the best chance of being able to lighten until you hit exactly the right hue. While high-quality hair oil and conditioners might be a little more pricey, they'll do a better job at moisturizing hair — nad keeping frizz at bay is key to healthy strands. If you take a peek at the hashtag #hairtransformations on Instagram, you'll get over a million results—many of which feature side-by-side before and afters. But what these comparisons don't always show is the amount of time and work it takes to pull off a change. Lightening up dark hair—even going from black to brown—is a process. "You might need two or three appointments to get it to your perfect shade," Lee says. This is especially true if your hair is dyed black because removing the dye is going to be damaging to your hair. Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
|