How to make light hair darker? Secrets of expressive coloring in a salon and at home

A common question among those with light hair is how to get darker hair color without sacrificing its inherent luster or softness. Whether you want a bold transformation or a more subdued change, darkening your hair can add depth and create a more dramatic look.

There are many ways to accomplish this, ranging from trying some techniques at home to going to a professional salon. Depending on the products you use and the desired look, each option offers a different set of outcomes.

We’ll go over the best salon and do-it-yourself methods for darkening light hair in this guide, so you can choose the one that suits you the best.

How to make hair darker?

• Direct action pigments
  With their help, you can achieve full or partial darkening in various colors – from fashionable ash-blond to deep black.
• Natural dyes
  Henna, basma and even coffee – before, everything that could darken the hair at least a little was used. Today, this direction is considered the most promising: modern technologies allow us to reduce the side effects of eco-coloring, and more advanced paints are created on natural ingredients, such as Botanea from L’Oréal Professionnel.
• Classic hair dyes
  The choice between permanent or ammonia-free paint depends on your personal preferences and the condition of your hair. For example, not every ammonia-free product can cope with 100% gray hair.

Why do stylists like the final category of darkening products better? The first and foremost reasons are its robustness, practicality, and predictability; however, it’s also important to consider the subtleties of color and the depth of the palette. Here, the count is expressed in dozens rather than in special tone units.

There are several techniques for darkening light hair at home and in a salon. Each method offers varying degrees of intensity and durability, whether it be through the use of natural ingredients, semi-permanent color treatments, or professional-grade dyes. Selecting a technique that will minimize damage and produce a rich, expressive color result while working with your hair type and desired shade is crucial. You can achieve darker, more vibrant hair with depth and shine with the appropriate technique and maintenance.

Options for stylish hair darkening in trendy techniques

When true coloring experts handle the coloring, dark hues cannot be boring. How can one go deeper with the color of their hair without going overboard with the latest fashion trends that seem to favor blondes?

Entire length

Select subdued yet unique hues for tone-on-tone coloring, such as cappuccino, smoky chestnut, ash dark blond, and subtle brown tones.

Tips

Reverse ombre is a difficult technique that appeals to people who like bold podium shots as well as those who want to make their hair color only slightly darker and prefer subdued color transitions.

Roots

In order to avoid having an unpainted root zone as the final product, you must work carefully in this area. And in this case, Redken’s artistic partner Chris Isaak’s Crownlights technique saves the day. A few centimeters of dark, rich tone added from the roots on down will create a distinctive look.

Natural brown hues were used to create the Dim Out technique, which produced a more "homey" look.

Strands

Strand-by-strand darkening is something we’re used to seeing as reserved for the young and bold. Indeed, there are plenty of options for every age, ranging from subtle bronzing without lightening to block coloring.

Layers

A simple blonde lacks the zest that hidden coloring gives the image. In this instance, the dark tone solely affects the inner layer of hair, causing the hidden color to subtly reveal itself with every head turn.

Darkening hair without dye is possible?

Making your hair darker without coloring is actually quite easy, and as we already know, natural and direct action pigments work well for this. There is no chemical oxidation reaction involved in their appearance on the hair. These products all have advantages and disadvantages. Further information on this.

Sprays

If your hand shakes, the direct action pigments in the bottles can stain everything nearby. However, they disappear quickly, so the somber tone won’t have time to grow monotonous. Take note of the ingredients in these products: while they don’t go very deep under the cuticle, sprays can cause the hair to become dry if they don’t contain any hydrating ingredients.

Tonics and light toning products

All toning products with creamy-colored direct action pigments fall into this category, enabling producers to enhance the formula with nutrient-rich additives. They can withstand roughly ten shampoo applications on average; this is not a product for daily natural looks. Because of this, their color scheme generally radiates all the hues of the rainbow, with the exception of the subdued ones.

If the mass market’s selection of toning products doesn’t appeal to you, SalonSecret experts suggest checking out the professional palette SoColor Cult by Matrix. Especially to the marble gray, royal purple, and deep blue tones that seem a little dusty and retro. Each color can be made lighter with the transparent shade Clear, leaving a hint of a color nuance that darkens.

Tinting shampoos and conditioners

They function on a similar principle to tonics because they have a high concentration of pigments. These products should only be kept for five to ten minutes. It is advised by experts to use them to bring out the natural shade and adjust the tone following coloring.

Folk remedies

According to urban legends, girls are still attracted to plant dyes that naturally darken hair, like henna, basma, oak bark, coffee beans, sage, and rosemary leaves, even in the twenty-first century. despite the fact that contemporary cosmetics manufacturers create safe formulas.

The downside of pure henna and basma is that they make weaker hair more porous. These powders are good for people with thick, healthy hair who don’t need special treatment because they blend well with copper, cognac tone, very dark chestnut, and natural brown—that’saboutit when it comes to interesting dark shades.

Everything is easier with coffee, walnuts, oak bark, and herbs. As long as you don’t restrict your care to them, they can’t harm the hair. However, you will need to put in a lot of effort and prepare decoctions every day if you want to see at least some results, as the color will only slightly darken until your next hair wash.

Crucial! Allow the natural pigments in basma and henna to completely disappear before using industrial dyes to prevent unexpected color effects. And go for tried-and-true, patented formulas—they’ll be unquestionably more dependable and predictable!

Ammonia-free dyes

And dyes nonetheless, minus the ammonia. In contrast to traditional dyes, they have a more mild effect on hair and interact with pigments in a way that prevents damage to the hair by only penetrating the outer layers of the cuticle.

In this category, Redken Shades EQ Gloss, which has an acidic pH and proteins, is one of the most well-known products worldwide. Up to five weeks of color brightness are promised by this gentle and soft dye. And these are the most remarkable dark tones in its palette, in our opinion: Walnut, Moroccan Sand, Toffee, Caramel, Sun Tea, Maple, Espresso, and Cherry Cola.

How and where is it better to darken hair with dye: at home or in a salon?

While the dyeing algorithm for darker tones is less complicated than for blondes, the "apply dye/wash off dye" scheme is insufficient to achieve an even tone.

In what phases does a light hair shade change to a dark one?

1. Pre-pigmentation. It will be required if you have to darken three or more tones previously clarified or tinting gray hair.
2. Toning or staining chosen dye.
3. Washing dye with technical shampoo for better color fixing.

Even though it doesn’t seem difficult, we advise you to consult the salon experts to get the ideal dark hair color for the following reasons:

• Before staining, it is important to evaluate the porosity of the strands, the degree of gray hair and the general condition of the hair;
• On the basis of the information received, paint is selected for a suitable color for renovation and/or staining;
• Only in the cabin there is a wide selection of hair dyes of any type.

A skilled hairstylist can attain a consistent tone even on highly porous and problematic hair strands; the finished color will undoubtedly meet expectations; and the hair’s condition will significantly improve.

Whether you do it at home or in a salon, dying light hair a darker shade can be a thrilling change. You have options that suit your needs and style thanks to the range of techniques available, from professional coloring to natural home remedies.

If you want a more exact and durable outcome, visiting a salon can guarantee a customized color along with expert maintenance advice. On the other hand, at-home techniques like coffee or tea rinses offer a gentle way to darken your hair if you’re looking for a small or transient change.

The decision ultimately comes down to how much time or effort you want to put in and the results you hope to achieve. Regardless of the technique you use, taking good care of your freshly darkened hair is essential to keeping it vibrant and healthy.

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