Should I Dye My Hair Black? Pros and Cons

Are you wondering should I dye my hair black? Just remember these three crucial points before beginning to apply that striking black, and you’ll be fine.

Both benefits and drawbacks exist when dying hair black. On the one hand, dark hair provides total gray coverage and, if your hair is naturally dark, it will need very low maintenance.

However, if you have expression lines, wrinkles, or if your skin or base tone is very light, black will not be your color.

Continue reading to learn the benefits and drawbacks of having black hair dyed.

Should I Dye My Hair Black?

Before you dye your hair black, you should think very carefully. It goes beyond merely projecting an air of confidence or mystique.

It involves evaluating actual issues with your skin tone, your facial expression lines, the base tone of your hair, and even how much you are willing to spend on color maintenance.

• Black might be a good option for you if your base color ranges from dark brown to brown.
• However, you should consider your options carefully if you have very noticeable expression lines or wrinkles or if your base color is very light.
• The only two ways to get rid of black dye are by cutting your hair or using a chemical procedure.

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Pros of Dyeing Hair Black

Now that I’ve gotten the doom and gloom out of the way, keep in mind that the advantages of dyeing your hair black may be well worth the disadvantages for you. So you may still want to dye your hair black if:

Your Hair is Already Dark

It will be simple to go from light to dark hair if your hair is only a few shades away from black. The fact that dying it won’t be a drastic change means you’re less likely to have regrets afterward.

And if you only need to lighten your hair a couple of shades, it will be much simpler to go back to your natural hair color if you decide you don’t like it. Even more, the dye may wear off to the point where you can grow out your roots subtly.

Also Read: What Color Can I Dye My Black Hair Without Bleaching?

You Want Your Eyes to Pop

Black hair dye is one way to draw attention to your eyes if your natural hair color doesn’t do much for them. No matter what color your eyes are, having black hair will enhance and enhance them.

You Have the Right Complexion

If the shade is the right, black hair can look good on anyone, regardless of complexion or skin tone. But if you have fair skin, finding the ideal shade for your complexion will be more difficult.

It’s just harder to pull of black hair with light skin. You may feel cleansed or your face may become more red. Therefore, you must exercise caution when dying your hair black if you have acne or rosacea.

Either consult a skilled colorist who can help you find a black shade that will look good with your skin tone or settle for a dark brown rather than a true black.

On the other hand, even if you have facial redness or other skin issues, you can pull off black hair much better if you have medium or darker skin.

Your Hair Looks Lackluster

Black hair simply appears healthier overall.

Lighter hair colors typically look less wholesome and lean. When you add black hair dye, this deposits color molecule in the hair shaft, which actually fattens up the strand just a bit. So black hair dye can give the appearance of thicker hair.

Additionally, because it reflects light better, black hair is more lustrous. Therefore, black may be the color for you if you want thick, shiny, healthy-looking hair.

You Want a Subculture Look

If I’m being honest, the main reason I’d recommend dyeing your hair black is if you are going for a very specific look that requires it.

Black hair is essential to the aesthetic of many music subcultures, such as gothic, emo, and scenester subcultures. Black hair may be worth all the drawbacks to you if you simply adore that scene or that look.

I wore black hair for a very long time because of this. I simply believed at the time that it suited my character and way of life.

If that’s not the main reason you want black hair, I’d suggest sticking with dark brown. It won’t require as much effort to maintain or get rid of, and it looks more natural.

Read More: Does Hair Dye Kill Lice?

Cons of Dyeing Hair Black

Although there are many reasons to dye your hair black, let’s get the cons out of the way first. You’ll know that going black with your hair may not be the best option for you if any of these terrify the living daylights out of you.

Upkeep

Consider the maintenance before getting your hair dyed black. Your hair roots will start to become visible fairly frequently because hair grows about half an inch per month.

This won’t be a problem if you already have dark hair. However, if your natural hair color is fairly light, if you don’t touch up your roots as soon as they begin to grow out, you’ll frequently look like a skunk.

Therefore, if you want to maintain the desired look, plan on dying your roots every 3-6 weeks.

Eyebrow Mismatching

You will have eyebrows that don’t match your top-of-the-head hair if your natural hair color is significantly lighter than black. It’s possible that you like this style, but if it’s not your thing, there may be a problem.

The conventional wisdom is to simply get your brows tinted or dyed to match your hair. But this isn’t always a wise course of action.

One is that the Food and Drug Administration has yet to approve any brow tints or dyes. In spite of nearly a century’s worth of data on these products, this continues. They have all been shown to be unsafe, and many have resulted in severe injuries, including blindness.

So bear that in mind before dyeing your brows. It’s best to consult a professional if you still want to take a chance. They will still use substances that the FDA has not deemed safe, but they will do so while employing the best practices and sanitary practices, lowering the risks.

True Commitment

Having black hair requires a lot of dedication. You are committing more when your natural hair is lighter.

Once you’ve dyed your hair black, to get to a lighter color, you will have to use a product that removes permanent hair dye. Thankfully, black dye doesn’t really harm natural hair that much. But every product that removes black hair dye damages your hair. And none of these items are perfect, especially when trying to remove black dye.

Basically, you will never again have hair that is exactly like your natural hair. Consequently, you will eventually need to let all of that hair grow out.

So, depending on how you go about it, you’re going to have a slow, difficult transition and possibly do a lot of damage to your hair.

Expense

If you’re going to DIY your black hair like I did, you probably don’t consider the process to be expensive. You realize that a box of black hair dye costs less than $10? You might have a different opinion about the costs if you look past that initial application, though.

For instance, you might need to consult a professional to fix that boxed hair dye if it doesn’t work out well. Due to the fact that they dislike working with store-bought hair dye on top of their own dyed hair, they will probably charge you more.

Furthermore, trying to fix a bad dye job may damage your hair by over-processing it. Then, costly products like protein fillers will be required to repair the damaged hair.

After that, keeping up with the roots becomes a concern. Additionally, color-safe shampoo and conditioner. You’ll need to spend more on hair products if you want to keep your hair from fading.

And of course, as I discussed in the previous section, if you later decide you want to lighten your hair, you’ll have to pay much more than $10.

A lot of money may be spent over time on maintenance and products to keep black hair dyed and maintained. Is having black hair really worth the effort you put into earning those dollars, in your opinion?

Makeup

Another cost, in relation to expenses, might be new makeup. You might like the way your makeup looks on you right now, but once you have black hair, you might have a different opinion.

Be prepared to modify your makeup routine to find a look that complements your new hair color if you are drastically changing the color of your hair.

Cancer

Nowadays, almost everything we use exposes us to potential cancer-causing substances. And another one of those things might be hair dye.

Hair dye has been associated with cancer for a long time, but a recent study of 47,000 women found that those who used permanent hair dye the year before had a 9% higher risk of breast cancer than those who did not.

Although this is only one study and does not prove that hair dye causes cancer, if you are worried about your risk of developing breast cancer, you might want to limit your exposure to substances connected to the disease, such as permanent hair dye.

Allergic Reactions

When dyeing hair any color, you can have an allergic reaction or other adverse effects. This is something to consider before deciding to dye your hair any color because even if you’ve dyed your hair a lot without experiencing any issues, you could suddenly develop an allergy to an ingredient in these products.

But one component of hair dye known as p-phenylenediamine, or PPD, is more likely to result in allergic reactions.

Additionally, this component is more frequently found in dark hair dyes than in lighter hues. Therefore, if you have sensitive skin, black hair dye might be even riskier for you than a lighter color like blonde.

Tips for Dyeing Hair Black

Here are some pointers for dying black hair.

Go Slow

Go slow if you’re unsure of your readiness for black hair. Start with some lowlights that are two or three shades darker than your natural hair color, then decide how you feel about it.

When you’ve tried black hair and fallen in love with it, you might be ready to make the switch. If not, returning to your current location is a simple fix.

See a Professional

Hair coloring involves both art and science. Additionally, there are a ton of factors that need to be taken into account when deciding exactly how to dye your hair black, and understanding them requires extensive training and experience.

It is best to leave the task in the hands of a professional colorist who will know for sure how to get you good results and the ideal shade for your hair and skin type if you are going to make a dramatic change like going black, which is extremely difficult to reverse.

Don’t Trust the Color on the Box

Remember that you can’t rely on the color on the box if you decide to dye your hair yourself in defiance of the advice in the previous section.

You might not end up with the precise shade you see in the picture because there are so many factors that can affect hair color.

Do a Patch Test

Always conduct a patch test prior to applying any hair dye. No matter how many times you’ve already used the product.

Any time is a good time to develop an allergy. So read the dye’s instructions and perform a patch test before dousing your entire head in chemicals.

Final Words: Should I Dye My Hair Black

Black hair dye can give you a dramatic look that you love, but there are many things to consider before you take the plunge.

Any color of hair dye, but especially black hair, can be very expensive and require a lot of maintenance. And it will take a lot of work to get back to your natural color.

If black hair complements your face and the style you want to achieve, these disadvantages might be well worth it.

Now that you know a little bit more about black hair, what are you waiting for? You can have gorgeous, Snow White-style black hair!

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