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After enjoying various hair color trends – pastel colors, blondes, and neons – you’ll most likely revert to a darker hair color to give your hair a rest. After all, nothing beats the classic.
Most women would go for dark brown hair color as it’s more forgiving and a lot more versatile than its jet-black counterpart. Plus, it still provides a versatile blank canvas once you decide to experiment with your hair color again.
So, which is the best hair dye for dark brown hair? Check out our recommendations below!
Key Takeaways
- Dark brown hair dye is a popular color choice for those looking to darken their hair.
- It can provide a rich and natural-looking color, but it can also be prone to fading.
- To achieve the best results, it’s important to choose a high-quality dye and use the proper application techniques.
- It’s also important to maintain your color with regular touch-ups and use of color-safe hair care products.
- If you’re unsure about the shade of dark brown that suits you, it’s recommended to consult with a professional hair stylist before applying hair dye.
- It’s also important to consider your natural hair color, as going too dark may require multiple treatments to achieve desired results.
- Before using hair dye, it’s important to conduct a patch test to ensure that you are not allergic to the ingredients used in the product.
Best Dark Brown Hair Dyes Revealed
| Product | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| L’Oreal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying + Shine Permanent Hair Color | Multi-dimensional hair color for natural look, can last for up to 8 weeks without fading, includes hair shine serum, doesn’t dry hair | Strong chemical smell, not great in covering gray hair |
| John Frieda Precision Foam Color | 100% gray hair coverage, easy to apply, comes with post-color conditioner, different shades of brown | Color fades quickly, box contains only a small amount of the dye |
| Clairol Natural Instincts Semi-Permanent Hair Dye | Recommended for all hair types and textures, can last for up to 28 washes, contains nourishing and moisturizing ingredients, 80% natural formulation | Doesn’t give a natural-looking hair color, overwhelming fragrance |
| WELLA Color Charm Demi Permanent Hair Color | Affordable, contains Creamfuse technology for vibrant and rich hair color, ammonia-free, boosts hair shine by up to 43%, can last for up to 24 washes | Runny consistency makes application challenging, floral fragrance not preferred by all users |
| TRESemmé Root Touch-Up Dark Brown Temporary Hair Color | Free of ammonia and synthetic dyes, residue-free, convenient and fast touch-up process, effective in concealing gray hair, affordable | Shades are darker than pictures shown, not suitable for full head application |
1. L’Oreal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying + Shine Permanent Hair Color
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Shine and vibrant hair color—this is what the L’Oreal Paris Hair Color promises to give you. This hair dye is formulated with a fade-defying color system which ensures that your hair will remain dark brown for as long as possible.
Additionally, the system is paired with their Care Supreme Conditioning System, which delivers unparalleled shine. The Shine System is made up of nourishing golden camelina oil, antioxidant vitamin E, and a UV filter to protect your hair from the harmful rays of the sun.
Pros:
- The dye creates a multi-dimensional hair color for that natural look.
- The hair color can last for up to 8 weeks without fading.
- It includes a hair shine serum.
- It doesn’t dry the hair.
Cons:
- The dye gives off a strong chemical smell.
- It’s not great for covering gray hair.
2. John Frieda Precision Foam Color
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of brush application, the John Frieda Precision Foam Color is here to make your dyeing experience as hassle-free and easy as possible!
You just simply apply this hair color the same way you use a shampoo—it’s that easy! Just leave it on for 20 minutes to achieve overall color. Then, if you have gray hair that you wish to cover, just add 10 more minutes, and you’re good to go!
With this simple application method, you can easily dye the hard-to-reach areas in your hair effortlessly so you can create evenly and beautifully colored brown hair in less than an hour.
Pros:
- It offers 100% gray hair coverage.
- Precision foam hair color is easy to apply.
- It comes with a post-color conditioner to keep your newly colored hair vibrant, soft, and nourished.
- The hair dye comes in different shades of brown.
Cons:
- The color fades quickly.
- The box contains only a small amount of the dye.
3. Clairol Natural Instincts Semi-Permanent Hair Dye
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The Clairol Natural Instincts Hair Dye is probably one of the healthiest and safest hair dyes in the market. This is because 80% of the formula is made up of naturally derived ingredients like the nourishing aloe vera and coconut oils and creams.
That’s not all. This hair dye is also free of ammonia and parabens, which are harmful chemicals that are commonly found in commercial hair dyes.
The kit already contains everything you need to color your hair—gloves, color-enhancing cream, color activator, and shine conditioner.
Pros:
- This is recommended for all hair types and textures.
- The hair dye can last for up to 28 washes.
- It contains nourishing and moisturizing ingredients to prevent dryness and damage.
- It has an 80% natural formulation.
Cons:
- It doesn’t give a natural-looking hair color.
- The fragrance is overwhelming.
4. WELLA Color Charm Demi Permanent Hair Color
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The Wella Color is one of the most affordable dark brown hair dyes on the market, but its quality is truly impressive. This is because it contains a Creamfuse technology formulated to saturate, penetrate, and fuse with your hair strands to create a vibrant hair color that doesn’t fade easily.
Because of this, the dye is perfect for toning, refreshing hair color, and concealing gray hair. It’s also said to boost hair shine by up to 43%.
Pros:
- One tube can last for up to 2 applications.
- The hair dye is ammonia-free.
- A small amount of the product already goes a long way.
- Hair color can last for up to 24 washes.
- It covers gray hair by up to 50%.
Cons:
- It has a runny consistency which makes the application a little bit challenging.
- The dye gives off a floral fragrance that not all users like.
5. TRESemmé Root Touch-Up Dark Brown Temporary Hair Color
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Touching up is now made easy with the use of TRESemmé Hair color spray. Since this comes in a spray form, you can easily touch up your roots within seconds by spraying the hair color on the area you wish to touch up.
While the touch-up color is only temporary, It can last for up to your next wash so you can enjoy your perfectly colored hair all day long.
The best thing about this temporary hair color product is it dries quickly and is smudge-proof, so the application is mess-free!
Pros:
- The spray is free of ammonia and other synthetic dyes.
- It’s also residue-free.
- The spray provides the most convenient and fastest touch-up process.
- It’s effective in concealing gray hair.
- The spray is affordable.
Cons:
- The shades are darker than the pictures shown.
- It may leave hair oily.
The Verdict
Which of these best dark brown hair dyes is for you? Well, that would depend on your needs. Our top pick is the one from L’Oreal Paris as it’s long-lasting and leaves hair shiny, soft, and healthy. But if your goal is only to touch up your roots, the TRESemmé Hair color spray is the best option for you.
FAQs About Brown Hair Dyes
To determine which brown shade would suit you best, you need first to identify your skin tone.
The best brown shades for women with warm undertones are dark chocolate, dark auburn, and chestnut brown, while women with cool undertones would look amazing with golden brown or caramel hair.
For neutral tones, medium brown hair is the best option.
Yes, you can! Lowlights look best on darker hair. To achieve the perfect lowlights, all you need to do is choose a highlight color that’s two to three shades lighter than your dark brown base.
If you have plain dark brown hair, there’s no need for you to use purple shampoo. But if you have blonde lowlights or highlights, the use of purple shampoo is recommended since it can prevent your blonde streaks from getting brassy.
Yes, you can. However, transforming blonde hair to dark brown would require an additional step- filling. This is a process wherein warm pigments are re-deposited into your hair strands so that the brown dye can stick to your hair.
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