Attracting attention, blonde locks may take all the spotlight, but dark women with beautiful locks can still enjoy exploring color options for their locks. From natural-looking balayage to bold fashion hues, playing with shades will surely enhance their complexion and bring out their best features.
If you’re not ready to commit to bleaching your strands, temporary hair dyes that rest atop the cuticle without altering or harming pigment underneath may be just what’s needed (these typically last 1-6 washes). Here are some light hues that work great on darker locks:
Warm Copper
Copper is an ideal fall hair color choice for those with warmer complexions. This vibrant hue adds warmth and dimension to brown locks while emphasizing natural red dyes, creating beautiful shoulder-length shaggy bobs styled in loose waves.
If you want to test out a copper hue but are hesitant about making a total commitment, ask your colorist to paint just your face-framing layers a burnt orange shade as a test run without going too bright. This gives you time to determine whether this shade suits you without making too big of a commitment!
When applying copper hair dye, it is crucial that the product you select is free from ammonia and contains moisture-rich ingredients like jojoba. This will protect the integrity and prevent dryness of your hair.
Rose Gold
Rose gold tones pair beautifully with dark pigments, especially with brown hair. However, rose gold may require regular touch-ups, so utilize products such as Overtone’s Color Enhancing Conditioners to keep your locks healthy and vibrant.
Maisie Williams’ light rose blend gives her long and wavy strands an Instagrammable glow and is best achieved using freehand balayage techniques for maximum Instagrammability. Ask your stylist about using such methods for the best results.
Opt for a copper rose tone on a honey-blonde base for a subtler look for your rose gold hair shade. Its warmer tones and more realistic hue can also give blunt cuts an eye-catching aesthetic.
Raspberry
Apply a berry-tinted gloss to the top or all over your strands for a subtle splash of color. Unlike traditional box dyes that require bleaching, this nourishing formula is free from ammonia and PPDs. It will not dry out your locks as you wear it – Clairol’s Raspberry shade offers warm toffee brown with peach-pink highlights!
Raspberry is an umbrella term that refers to any fruit belonging to the Rubus genus; however, it is most often associated with its aggregate fruits, such as those produced by two shrubby black raspberry species: Rubus occidentalis and Rubus idaeus. Mutations within both species also produce purple berries.
Fuchsia
Fuchsia is an eye-catching pinkish-purple hue between red and pink on the color wheel, much like hot pink but more mature in its approach to femininity than its counterpart.
The color magenta comes from its namesake plant, the fuchsia. First identified in 16th-century Germany by German botanist Leonhart Fuchs, its first synthetic dye patented under this name was then known as fuchsine until being changed shortly after that to magenta as being too difficult for most to pronounce.
As with purple and pink, fuchsia can be an intense shade that is potentially too stimulating for some people. Therefore, it should be used with caution. It works well with other hues, such as warm browns, oranges, yellows, and fabulous shades, like teal and mint green.
Purple
Purple is an eye-catching hue that works beautifully when worn on darker hair. A merlot-tinged bob or dark plum ombre contrasts sharply against its brown base, creating a sensual difference. Purple inspires creativity and ambition, which works particularly well for creative people.
Purple is closely related to violet but tends to have more reddish and saturated tones than its bluish-violet cousin. Some people also refer to both shades as purple/lilac interchangeably.
Teal and lavender hues work best on pre-lightened strands, as bleach is necessary to achieve the desired color payoff on dark hair tones. But there are semi-permanent options that work as well – Manic Panic offers several shades that could work on such techniques as their popular line-up.
Champagne
Warm copper highlights are an elegant choice for dark hair. Their stunning balayage effect looks particularly striking when worn against a calm complexion with green or hazel eyes.
Soft pastel shades like pink, lavender, and baby blue don’t always appear well on virgin strands but can work beautifully when pre-lightened hair has already been lightened. Colombini notes that for this style to work effectively, the best dyes should contain nourishing ingredients to protect while coloring.
Try Garnier at-home box dye in Teal or Rebellious Colours’ semi-permanent deep blue. Both gradually fade with each shampoo without damaging strands, and both are free from ammonia, PPD, and phthalates – ideal options to experiment with at home!
