Dying hair black (pic heavy)

[BelleBot]

I'm really tempted to dye my hair black.
My natural colour is dark blonde/light brown and I currently dye it with Directions in Poppy Red or Rose Red to get my reddy pinky colour. Unfortunately it fades on my crown after two weeks so I have to keep dying my hair all the time.

I'm just wondering if black will be any easier to maintain. Does it fade? Will I have to dye roots only or the keep dying the whole length? Does it bleed in the shower?

Also I'm looking for some opinions on whether I should go black or not. Here's some photos of my current colour and some from a few years ago when my hair was almost black.
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/8449/redhairp.jpg
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8585/redhairredlips.jpg
http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/46/18547110150406494158098.jpg


http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/3612/webcamblackhair.jpg
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/977/blackishhair.jpg
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/3087/blackhairl.jpg

So what do you think I should do? Plus any recommendations on how to dye my hair black, such as what I should use?

[Cleopatra18]

I think you look stunning with your current hair color. It's very unique while I think the black/brown hair is fine but a little boring to be honest.
I never had black hair dye but I hear that it fades quiet fast. Also, it takes alot of work to lift later if you decide to go lighter in the future.

[littleizz]

Wow, you're stunning with both!!! I love the red, but honestly I'm leaning black, I think it looks very sultry and mysterious on you ;) I can't answer any of your maintenance questions, but that's my color opinion! :D

[Amber_Maiden]

I like both!!!

[kamikaze hair]

Hi!! well the only advice I can offer you is that you look great with all of those different hair colours so I doubt going black will be a bad choice, style wise.

[misspurdy06]

My sister dyes her hair black maybe once a month if not every other month with revlon colorsilk. It does fade a little and I've never seen it rub off onto anything.

I have naturally dark to medium blonde hair and I have tried all of the above. The best I have ever tried and have stuck with is sun-in and chamomile tea to lighten my natural color. The longest I have ever stuck to one color..... ever.

I use sun-in once every month and a half and I just leave it on over night. (the easiest to maintain)

Black is just like any other color in maintenance. The easiest to maintain and is always recommended is 1 to 3 shades lighter or darker than your natural color.

Any more and you will be struggling with your new color much like your period.

[PolarCathy]

I would go darker if I were you :) but it would be hard to remove it if you change your mind :)

[Amber_Maiden]

I like both!!!

[PinkyCat]

I think black or blue black may shock you a bit too much. I'd go for a dark coffee color which will look black to you, but less jolting to how you are used to seeing yourself. Yes the dye fades - but for those who feel they've gone too dark, it never seems fast enough and leads to panic and poor lightening judgements. Maybe try a demi color first before you go permanent - that will fade much faster if you decide it isn't for you.

The color I use - L'Oreal Excellence Coffee - has a base color of intense red, but looks black - in the sun it glows a ruby color. The color does bleed in the shower for the first week - I just use a dark towel. No bleeding when dry.

Good luck!

[Sammich]

To be honest, you look way better with the darker hair. Black would look absolutely gorgeous, or even a dark dark brown. :)

[Venefica]

I have dark to golden blond hair naturally and I dye it black with store bought black nr 1. I do not bleach just dye. I have not had a problem maintaining it, after one and a half month or so the color fades a little bit but by that time it is time to dye the hair again to catch up with the roots.

I had scalp rashes due to allergies the (not to the dye) last time I was planning to dye my hair so I have not dyed it for months. My roots are showing like mad but the color is still reasonably good. I have posted a picture in the hair toy addict thread which was taken today so you can see it there, my hair is still very much black, so at least with the dyes I use there is no problem keeping dark blond hair black.

[Freija]

You could certainly pull off black - I love the soft, natural dark brown-black in the last image! Your current haircolour is beautiful too, though. I'd avoid the Nice'n'Easy semi-permanent and deposit-only dyes, because their darker shades tend to look really synthetic, in a bad way. Manic Panic blacks, meanwhile, tend to fade green really fast. And obviously, it's the darker chemical dyes which contain the highest concentrations of PPD, so that might be something to avoid. Henndigo/indigo can be hard to fix on an exact colour, and it will always look red/purple under some lights - and will be permanent.

Have you considered something like Pravana - either the Vivids, which are generally permanent, or the Botannicals which wash out after a couple of weeks? Or there's Herbatint Vegetal which also washes out within a couple of weeks. : )

[Zapookie]

I really love that red colour! I wish I could get my hair that red. It suits you well. I'm biased though, I've been red for over a year now... :P

[punkcatknitter]

I personally love the color you have right now, but I understand the urge to go black. I still get it from time to time, but remembering how much I damaged my hair removing the black usually changes my mind. (although it could have been sooo much worse!)

I have ashy blonde hair (middle photo in siggy) and I just used whatever black dye was on sale at wal-mart that week. :) It never faded, never bled. About the only down side (other than the permanence) for me was that when my roots started to grow in, I looked a bit like I was going bald. Or at least that's what my family told me.

[GlennaGirl]

Re: maintenance: as a not-blonde, not-brunette just like you, :p I can say that the maintenance for very dark hair will probably be about as frequent as what you're doing now, since the roots come in so much lighter than the length.

But maybe you deserve a little self-pampering time every two weeks. :) If you want to do the black, go for it.

I love both colors on you.

[BelleBot]

Thanks for all the replies. My mate had an idea of dying my hair black but leaving the tips pink/red. Perhaps with a fade effect down the length. I think that would be pretty cool.

I'd love to try pravana vivids but I'm not sure if you can get them in the UK. My initial thoughts for going black would be to use something like schwazkopf live but that may be overkill as it's not a semi. I guess I need to look into semis and see what's available. Perhaps Directions might have a black that will be suitable.

[Issmene]

I like the red, 'cause it's a really interesting colour and looks good on you, but so does the black, so if you feel tempted for a change, I'd say go for it :P

[Bianca]

Oh, no ideas about dying it black... But love your red... :)

[EmmaDStrange]

I used schwarzkopf live, the rockin' blacks deep black colour and I love it, been using it for nearly a year now. It's a good black with a slight undertone of red, or maybe that my hair just being crazy?
But, besides, my hair is dark blonde/mousey brown too, and the black takes just fine, never fades, so I only have to do my roots once ever month to a month and a half. :D I also find it only bleed for like the first 2 washes and then its fine.

Also, the live dyes are ace, they always leave my hair silky shiny with minimal damage.

Hope this helps! And you look gorgeous with all hair colours btw!

[MissAlida]

I vote for black.:D

[Macaroni]

Your hair color in the second to the last photo is very flattering to your skin tone.

[BrightEyes]

I love your red hair, it's so pretty and unique. But the black looks nice too. So I say either, although I think your red hair is so stunning.

[leslissocool]

Just remember, once you go black, going back to lighter means horrible damage or growing out the color. Just think about how long are you willing to have black hair? Black is a committing color, even pravana is hard to get out and your hair gets stained.

I like all the colors you posted, but I prefer the second picture. Red really suits you!

[XcaliburGirl]

My mate had an idea of dying my hair black but leaving the tips pink/red. Perhaps with a fade effect down the length. I think that would be pretty cool.
That would look amazing! I like both colors on you, too.

Maybe start with the semi-permanent first and if it fades too much, then consider something more permanent.

[lapushka]

I love the last couple pictures. It's not a dark dark color, not entirely black, so I like it.

[jacqueline101]

I've dyed my hair black but I do like it and the red on you. Your hair is amazing with either color.

[Freija]

Thanks for all the replies. My mate had an idea of dying my hair black but leaving the tips pink/red. Perhaps with a fade effect down the length. I think that would be pretty cool.

I'd love to try pravana vivids but I'm not sure if you can get them in the UK. My initial thoughts for going black would be to use something like schwazkopf live but that may be overkill as it's not a semi. I guess I need to look into semis and see what's available. Perhaps Directions might have a black that will be suitable.

Be careful with the Schwarzkopf! I reckon I've used almost every readily-available permanent box-dye brand in the UK at one time or another, and I've used the Live dyes a lot. They were always the most difficult to get rid of, and the most subborn to lighten. If you use high heat after dyeing your hair, it sets permanently (that particular brand contains a lot of silicone which melts inside the hair shaft during heat styling and then can't be removed). That said, the best non-natural colour I've ever had came from putting Cosmic Blue over already-vivid scarlet hair. The result was a deep, rich black which shone peacock purples and blues in various lights!

Pravana Vivids are available in on eBay, and I've found them in random online shops before. : )

[geeorgie]

Love the faded idea, and I definitely think the black is lovely on you. When I went black, I used 'naturtint' from holland & barrett, and the colour was perfect (I used ebony black). There was no fade at all for me, and I had it for quite a while, so would definitely recommend it!

[MagicalMystery]

I love the red! :) I too have dark blonde/light brown hair, so black is too extreme for my complexion. It does look beautiful on you, but I'd maybe go for a medium to dark coffee brown. :)

[luxepiggy]

Thanks for all the replies. My mate had an idea of dying my hair black but leaving the tips pink/red. Perhaps with a fade effect down the length. I think that would be pretty cool.

I'd love to try pravana vivids but I'm not sure if you can get them in the UK. My initial thoughts for going black would be to use something like schwazkopf live but that may be overkill as it's not a semi. I guess I need to look into semis and see what's available. Perhaps Directions might have a black that will be suitable.

While all the colours in your photos look great on you, I really love how striking the red is. I would encourage you to try Pravana Vivids before giving up on your current colour - I've been using Pravana Blue for about 5 months and it is a completely different experience from the consumer-branded deposit dyes. The colour is so vibrant and dimensional and leaves my hair incredibly shiny afterwards. It really sticks to hair too, I don't foresee having to redye my length anytime soon; I just touch up the roots once a month.

Someone posted pics in the Pravana Vivids thread of some gorgeous red hair that was done with Pravana Magenta: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1943508&postcount=91

This seller was recommended over in the Pravana Vivids thread for UK buyers:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PRAVANA-CHROMA-SILK-VIVID-DEMI-PERMANENT-HAIR-DYE-10-SHADES-TO-CHOOSE-FROM/180850724008?ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1&ih=008&category=31412&cmd=ViewItem#ht_4256wt_934

[dwell_in_safety]

I am a bit biased because I tend to think that on those without naturally black hair, it always looks jarringly fake (not fake in a beautiful perhaps-better-than-natural way, like your pink-purple-red hair currently looks), so take this with a grain of salt. :p I would go for a deep chocolate brown were I in your shoes. That way, if you're content with that, you're content with it, and you won't have to deal with extensive damage from trying to lighten it a little if you're not crazy about the black. You also already know you look great with that color. The difference between black and one shade off is HUGE to my eye, and most look fantastic a shade or two off while pure black rarely suits those who aren't born with it.

[mzBANGBANG]

love the red and the deep purple/burgundy pics the best :) having had many tragic experiences with black dye I tend to lean away from it.... far, far, away from it.

[MagicalMystery]

Same here. I went black once and it completely washed me out. In an attempt to remove it, I was left with florescent ginger hair (which strangely and thankfully worked on me). Chocolate brown would look great, but the red is also pretty awesome. Perhaps I'm a bit biased, since I wear red too. :D

[leslissocool]

While all the colours in your photos look great on you, I really love how striking the red is. I would encourage you to try Pravana Vivids before giving up on your current colour - I've been using Pravana Blue for about 5 months and it is a completely different experience from the consumer-branded deposit dyes. The colour is so vibrant and dimensional and leaves my hair incredibly shiny afterwards. It really sticks to hair too, I don't foresee having to redye my length anytime soon; I just touch up the roots once a month.

Someone posted pics in the Pravana Vivids thread of some gorgeous red hair that was done with Pravana Magenta: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1943508&postcount=91

This seller was recommended over in the Pravana Vivids thread for UK buyers:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PRAVANA-CHROMA-SILK-VIVID-DEMI-PERMANENT-HAIR-DYE-10-SHADES-TO-CHOOSE-FROM/180850724008?ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1&ih=008&category=31412&cmd=ViewItem#ht_4256wt_934

Oh my! Had I seen the red tutorial, I would have died my hair red before :lol: I have pravana in my bathroom, I'm going blue/black but haven't had the time...

I think red would look terrible on me though, if it looked good I would so do it!

[faellen]

I think you'd look good with black hair, but beware, the decision to go black is not to be taken lightly as it is bloody hard to get rid of if you ever get bored with it!

I dyed my hair black some years ago, and kept it for a long time, but it made me look ill at times. I put my hair through a lot to try and get rid of it.

I think the brown colour in the last pictures is absolutely stunning.

[jaquelines]

While I love red hair and I like how both colors suits you, I would go for the black one, I think it makes your nice bright face look more dramatic. Maybe use indigo, for a natural black color ? Anyway, you look great in both.

[deeHowe]

I love the red! Please don't go black!

As someone who dyed her hair black for many years, I can tell you that the only way to get rid of it is to cut it off--- there is NO lifting, unless you want brassy orange hair that breaks off when you touch it! :(

Also, if your hair is light, when your roots begin to show in 2-3 weeks, it looks like your hair is thinning, even if it's very thick! (mine is medium brown and I had this problem, had to touch up at least once per month).

[McFearless]

I love both colours they are flattering on you. With black you'll have the same root problem but compared to pink it will be more noticeable and look like balding to be honest. So its a big commitment. If you're down with the up keep then I'd go for it. You could also start slowly and experiment with different reds and browns on the way to black.

[jojo]

I like the black...but remember once you go black there aint no going back!!! its notoriously hard to remove! so think long and hard before dying! plus black has the habit of looking lovely and shiny like a ravens wing in the first weeks but then dulls!!!

[xoxophelia]

Hi Bellebot,

On the topic of black dye not lifting there is actually a really large variety of outcomes with that. In my particular case I had used black permanent dye twice. The first time was only on the underside using a pretty cheap dye (around $3) and the second time was on all of my hair about half a year later and that one was closer to $10. Outside of that, I used semi-permanent dyes from Natural Instincts and only once was that fully black (the other times it was a warm dark brown). My hair was also fairly damaged from flat ironing but not so badly it was splitting. I used a few different methods like deep oiling mixed with honey, did lap swimming which helped it fade out, and also just gave it time. I never used a hair stripper or put dye or bleach in my hair to remove it. This is what it initially faded to after maybe 10 months?

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=4575&pictureid=63116

And then this is what it has faded to sinced I joined LHC (I last dyed about 3 months before joining).. the part that is reddish brown but looks less red in real life used to be dyed black
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=4575&pictureid=123292

But, I've also seen cases where the dye just won't budge. The cheap black dye I had used was like that and hardly faded at all where the slightly more expensive one gradually faded even in the first two months.

Overall it seems like black hair dye can be fairly harsh. I'm not sure why that is.. if it only looks harsh because it doesn't have the dimension of natural hair or if it is actually more damaging. I also never noticed any bleeding and my shower water didn't look tinted.

One of the problems with black hair dye is that it can make you a little more dependent on makeup. I'm not sure if with your current color you also have that upkeep so it might not bother you. It is fun in a way being able to pull off a bolder eye but for many people with middle toned hair, such a dark dye can be harsh on a bare face. You also start to realize how many people around have black hair and for me I was like.. hmm I want my natural sun kissed highlights back! They aren't boring.. they are unique! But, it was fun while it lasted.

Definitely check out semi-permanent colors though because there is the possibility that the permanent one won't budge for you without serious bleaching. For me I found I only had to redo my hair every 6-8 weeks while using semi-permanent hair dye as long as I washed every three days (with full strength shampoo). Even the semi-permanent may not completely fade.

ETA:
I like the black...but remember once you go black there aint no going back!!! its notoriously hard to remove! so think long and hard before dying! plus black has the habit of looking lovely and shiny like a ravens wing in the first weeks but then dulls!!!

This is true and this is kind of what I was talking about when I said black dye can be harsh. It looked shiny at first but then looked kind of like a chalk board and just about as shiny too XD

[Cirafly24]

I love your red hair! Black may be easier to maintain, but much harder to change if you don't like it. I dyed my hair black for a few years, and it did fade, but very slowly (took years).

[Quixii]

Honestly, I love the colour you have now. It's so unique yet flattering. Have you perhaps tried other brands to see if they fade less?

I feel like black is a good choice if you ever want something more "normal." It works for you. I just don't think it looks as amazing.

[irisheyes]

You look great with the dark hair and red lipstick.

[Kathie]

I'm a fan of the black or almost black hair color. I went blue-black once.. It looked terrible on me- I had to wear a lot of makeup to pull it off. You look like you suit the darker colors though :agree:

[BelleBot]

Thanks for all the responses, you guys are fantastic :)
I think I may do what piggy suggested and try pravana vivids in red / magenta first before taking the plunge and going dark. Perhaps I'll dye the underside dark and see how I feel about that.
Whatever I do I'll keep you updated.

[Lady_C_longhair]

I think the red hair looks so much more special on you. It's really cute! Black is pretty too, but less unique.
I have only used black hairdye on the inner part of my hair, which looked pretty cool but a bit odd now that it's growing out. The worst thing is that the part with the dye in it is in a much worse condition than the rest of my hair! It tangles all the time in a horrible way and feels very dry. I have given up the hairdye for as long as I can. Perhaps I will try a semi-permanent red dye some time, but that's as far as I'll go. Especially when your hair is getting longer, it's going to look much more healthy when it's all natural.

[joflakes]

Blacker is better! But yes, do go with the red first as a last foray into red before committing to the black.

I recently went from Poppy Red Directions to a black with Directions Plum in the fringe...I love it. Much better! :)

[MonaLisa]

I really like it! :) I'm joining you soon!

[lapushka]

Also, if your hair is light, when your roots begin to show in 2-3 weeks, it looks like your hair is thinning, even if it's very thick! (mine is medium brown and I had this problem, had to touch up at least once per month).

That's the downside to dyeing your hair a darker color, especially if you have blonde or dark blonde hair, if the roots grow in, it's going to look like you have bald spots.

[carolinaberry]

I'm really tempted to dye my hair black.
My natural colour is dark blonde/light brown and I currently dye it with Directions in Poppy Red or Rose Red to get my reddy pinky colour. Unfortunately it fades on my crown after two weeks so I have to keep dying my hair all the time.

I'm just wondering if black will be any easier to maintain. Does it fade? Will I have to dye roots only or the keep dying the whole length? Does it bleed in the shower?

Also I'm looking for some opinions on whether I should go black or not. Here's some photos of my current colour and some from a few years ago when my hair was almost black.
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/8449/redhairp.jpg
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8585/redhairredlips.jpg
http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/46/18547110150406494158098.jpg


http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/3612/webcamblackhair.jpg
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/977/blackishhair.jpg
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/3087/blackhairl.jpg

So what do you think I should do? Plus any recommendations on how to dye my hair black, such as what I should use?
I definitely think you should stick with the stunning reds. That color suits your face perfectly. I don't know the brand you're using, but the bright dyes like Manic Panic (there's another I can't think of) have some awesome vibrant reds and they are non-damaging so you can use them often and be ok. It's a pain to dye all the time, but I tell you that red on you makes me say, "Wow." I would definitely notice you in a crowd. You're still lovely with the darker color but it just doesn't have the same wow factor.

[MaryRose]

Red is gorgeous but you look the best with the darker hair.

[Avital88]

No, i think the red gives you color in the face the black is kinda dull imho.
So i vote No, keep the red,it looks fantastic on you