9 Top Blue-Black Hair Dyes of 2024

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Winter’s coming. And so are dark-colored locks.

If you’ve been wanting to have super dark hair, this snowy season is the best time to give it a go. 

Now, you might be skeptical about dark colors because others believe they can look flat on your head.

Do you know what you can try? The top blue-black hair dye.

a sophisticated woman wearing black off shoulder and pink glossy lipstick looking sideways with long blue black hair

It’s a rich black shade with subtle blue tones that can give your hair dimension. It’s perfect for when you want a deep dark color without looking too plain or too bold.

And it’s easy to achieve this hair at home.

Read on to see our list of the top products that can make you become the dark-haired goddess of winter.

Clairol Natural Instincts Demi-Permanent Hair Dye - Blue Black Hair Color
Best Overall
  • True blue-black shade
  • 80% naturally derived ingredients
  • Lasts long
Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color - 12 Natural Blue Black
Budget Pick
  • Natural black with a subtle blue tint
  • Ammonia-free
  • High-definition color
Arctic Fox Semi-Permanent Hair Color - Transylvania
Premium Pick
  • Blue-based jet black
  • Safest vegan formula with no harsh chemicals
  • Conditions hair

What Is Blue-Black Hair Dye?

This shade’s name is pretty much self-explanatory because the color is exactly that: blue and black.

It’s a deep black with blue tones that can transform in different lighting. Your hair can look jet black indoors, and it can look navy when hit by sunlight.

The two colors, calming blue and elegant black, blend for a velvety rich and luxurious blue-black shade.

How to Choose the Perfect Blue-Black Hair Color

There’s no exact blue-black hair color. Some can be very deep and almost jet-black, while others can be a bit smoky blue.

So what shade suits you best?

Let’s take a look at some factors in choosing the shade.

Your Skin Tone

a portrait of 7 different arms of women and men representing different skin tones from darkest to light

The first thing to think of when coloring your hair is if it looks good on you. Will it flatter your skin tone?

Remember that there are different skin tones, and there are also different undertones. And these factors can make or break your color.

Types of Skin Tones

Dermatologists categorize skin tones into 6 main types:

  • Very fair — white, very pale, ivory
  • Fair — fair skin
  • Medium — peachy, beige, light olive
  • Olive — golden, olive, golden brown
  • Brown — brown to dark brown
  • Dark brown — deep brown to black

Skin Undertones

While skin tones or complexions are easy to identify, skin undertones are not. That’s because it’s underneath your skin.

There are three undertones:

  • Cool
  • Warm
  • Neutral

Here’s a chart that can help you identify which one’s yours.

Cool UndertoneWarm UndertoneNeutral Undertone
Veins on wristBlue or purpleGreenBlue-green or colorless
JewelryLooks great with silverLooks great with goldLooks good in both gold and silver
Burn vs TanSkin turns red and burns fast without sunscreenSkin tans easilySkin tans but can also burn

Now that you know your skin tone, let’s find out which black hair dye with blue undertones will flatter you.

Blue-black hair color is actually versatile. It can actually suit all skin tones. But there’s a certain shade that is ideal for everyone.

Fair Skin

  • Cool — Get something more blue than black.
  • Warm — Go for a dark blue or blue-green tint. 
  • Neutral — Any blue undertone can look good on you.

Medium and Olive Skin

  • Cool — A more intense blue-black hair dye can complement your skin.
  • Warm —  A shade that’s closer to navy is most flattering.
  • Neutral — Pick a blue-black shade that’s not too intense.

Brown and Dark Brown

  • Cool —  You can try a jet-black color with an indigo base.
  • Warm —  Super dark with a tint close to blue-green is best.
  • Neutral — Try black with bold blue highlights.

Your Current Hair Color

The result of your top blue-black hair dye will depend on the color of your hair right now.

If you have light-brown to blonde hair, you can apply the color without bleaching your hair.

The blue-black shade can look brighter on light hair. The result is somewhat more blue, like dark denim.

Meanwhile, if you already have dark hair, you can make your locks look a lot richer with really subtle blues.

Watch how a blue-black dye can turn out when applied over dark hair.

Even though there’s no need for bleaching to get a beautiful blue-black shade, bleached or precolored hair can get a more vibrant and longer-lasting color payoff.

That’s because there is more space between the cuticles of processed hair. Therefore, the pigments are absorbed better.

Dyeing Your Hair Blue Black at Home

To be honest, there’s no need to pay hundreds of bucks to get blue-black hair.

As you have seen in the video above, it’s pretty easy. With the help of your friend or even if you’re on your own, you can definitely do this color application in the comfort of your home.

A woman doing a diy hair dye

Here are more detailed steps to help you.

Materials Needed

  • Hair dye product
  • Old shirt
  • Hairdresser’s cape or old towel
  • Petroleum jelly as a barrier cream
  • Applicator brush or wide tooth comb
  • Hair clips for sectioning
  • Gloves
  • Plastic mixing bowl (if there’s no applicator bottle)

Steps in Coloring

Make the most out of your hair dye by following these steps.

Before Coloring

  1. Wash your hair 2 days before coloring.
  2. Take a strand test. Follow the instructions on the box to test a small section of your hair.
  3. Put on your old shirt and a cape or towel, and cover other surfaces you don’t want stained.
  4. Coat your hairline, ears, and neck with petroleum jelly.

Color Application

  1. Mix the hair dye products as instructed.
  2. Part your hair into 4 to 8 sections.
  3. Apply the hair color to your hair by sections.
  4. Let the color process according to the amount of time written in the instructions.
  5. Rinse until the water runs clear.

After Coloring

  1. Use a conditioner without shampooing.
  2. Dry and style using a gentle blow- dryer.
  3. Wait 48 hours before washing your hair again.

9 Top Blue-Black Hair Dyes

It’s now time to choose the top dye for blue-black hair.

We’ll give you a list of our tried and tested products. These hair dyes are categorized into three: permanent, demi-permanent, and semi-permanent.

We’ll also talk about their longevity, top features, and downsides as we go (if there are any).

Top Permanent Blue Black Hair Dye

1
Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme - Intense Blue Black

The nourishing oils found in this dye’s formula can make your hair 3x more moisturized and 2x stronger than before you colored.

Primary Benefits: Nourishes while you color, penetrates deep into the hair fibers, locks in moisture

Features:

  • 100% gray coverage
  • Infused with avocado, olive, and shea oils
  • Enriched with a fruit oil concentrate
  • Works well for brown to black hair

This easy-to-use hair colorant not only delivers an intense blue-black color but also gives you soft, silky, and nourished hair.

The shade: Dark, almost jet black with steely blue hints under sunlight

Package includes:

  • Nourishing color cream
  • Cream developer
  • Fruit oil ampoule
  • Nourishing conditioner
  • Gloves

Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme is true to its name. Here are its nourishing ingredients:

  • Olive oil that leaves the strands strong and glossy
  • Avocado oil that smooths and makes hair silky

The only problem with this dye is the black stays long while the blue fades fast. It also has a strong but not unpleasant smell.

For a more blue tint, you can opt for Garnier Hair Color Nutrisse Nourishing Hair Color Creme, Blueberry Jam 32.

2
John Frieda Precision Foam Color - Blue Black 2A

John Frieda is one of our favorites because of its non-drip foam formula. It ensures easy and even application, so you can definitely DIY using this product.

Primary Benefits: Spreads evenly for complete coverage, penetrates strands for deep pigment saturation, helps lock in rich salon-quality color

Features:

  • 100% gray coverage
  • Fade-resistant
  • For all hair types and base color

There’s no need to go to a salon for hair coloring. Just use John Frieda Precision Foam Colour!

The shade: A deep blue-black color with a shiny finish

Package includes:

  • Colorant
  • Color developer
  • After-color conditioner
  • Foaming bottle
  • Gloves
  • Instruction leaflet

John Frieda Precision Foam Colour is made by expert colorists. They know what they’re doing, and it shows in their products.

This hair dye can effectively color your locks so evenly it would seem like a professional did the job. It’s also the top blue-black hair dye for dark hair.

Plus, users like the fact that it doesn’t stain the skin and it doesn’t have a strong smell.

The drawback? Even though it’s considered a permanent dye, some reviewed that the color doesn’t last long. You’ll need to recolor in as early as 4 weeks to maintain the deep blue-black shade.

3
Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color - 12 Natural Blue Black

What’s nice about this product is how the color slowly fades and gives the strands a beautifully natural hue.

Primary Benefits: Delivers long-lasting high-definition color and shine; comes with ultra-hydrating cream conditioner

Features:

  • 100% gray coverage
  • Ammonia-free
  • With keratin & silk amino acid
  • Uses 3D color technology

Get quality color for an affordable price with Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color.

The shade: Natural black with a very little blue tint

Package includes:

  • Colorant
  • Developer
  • Conditioner
  • Gloves
  • Instruction leaflet

The keratin and silk amino acid can nourish your hair and make it silky and shiny while the 3D color technology delivers rich, multidimensional color

This dye is also gentle on hair and has no unpleasant smell.

However, it still has some harsh chemicals that may irritate the scalp. So it’s not recommended for people with sensitive skin.

4
L'Oreal Paris Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Colour - 411 Downtown Denim

This latest permanent hair dye by L’Oreal is well-loved by many because of its multidimensional coloring effect. It doesn’t give just one shade. It also adds highlights for that intensified brilliant result.

Primary Benefits: Seals in moisture; gives shine and softness; adds shimmer

Features:

  • 100% gray coverage
  • 3x highlights
  • Multidimensional effect

If you want a vibrant, lasting color that’s not too dark, try this Downtown Denim shade!

The shade: Faded black with a dark blue undertone and silver highlights

Package includes:

  • Conditioning color cream
  • Conditioning developer cream
  • Aromatic shimmer serum
  • Power shimmer conditioner
  • Gloves
  • Instruction leaflet

The L’Oreal Paris Feria Glam Grunge Multi-Faceted Shimmering Colour gives 3 tones in one coloring product. These tones are blended by master colorists for gorgeous, full-bodied hair.

It has a pleasant scent that won’t hurt your nose, but its not-so-gentle formula can sting on the scalp.

If you think this shade isn’t blue enough and you want to add a slight tint of teal, you can mix this color with 517 Tropical Teal.

Top Demi-Permanent Blue Black Hair Color

5
Wella ColorCharm Demi Permanent Hair Color - 2BBL Blue Black

When you want lasting color but hate how permanent hair dye dries out your strands, this product is for you.

Primary Benefits: Adds richness to your existing color; works well with colored hair; makes hair feel better after color

Features:

  • Blends grays
  • No ammonia, gluten, and parabens
  • Cruelty-free
  • Enriched with shea butter
  • For all hair textures

Get shiny, healthy-looking blue-black hair that lasts up to 24 washes with Wella Colorcharm Demi-Permanent Cream Hair Color

The shade: Dark blue-black that’s close to navy

Wella Colorcharm is a professional hair DYE. Unlike the best blue-black box hair dyes, this has no developer or conditioner.

You have to purchase a separate Wella Colorcharm activating lotion.

This blue-black demi-permanent dye is formulated with no harsh chemicals, so expect less damage when coloring.

It’s gentle to use on hair that’s been permed or chemically relaxed too and can even be used as a hair gloss.

The downside is, this can stain your skin. We suggest that you still use gloves when rinsing the product. After the first wash, you’ll notice that there’s less wash-off.

Additionally, it has no strong smell and doesn’t burn the scalp.

6
Clairol Natural Instincts Demi-Permanent Hair Dye - 2BB Blue Black

There are blue-black dyes on the market that look too black, and some look too blue. But this one? It’s blue-black, for real. You can definitely see the blue, even indoors.

Primary Benefits: Enhances your natural hair color and boosts shine; gives no harsh root lines

Features:

  • Blends grays
  • 80% naturally derived ingredients
  • With coconut oil and aloe vera
  • No ammonia and parabens

Color without compromise with this specially formulated gentle formula of Clairol Natural Instincts!

The shade: Truest blue black

Package includes:

  • Color enhancing cream
  • Color activator
  • Brilliant shine conditioner
  • Gloves
  • Leaflet instructions

Want to have healthy-looking, radiant blue-black hair? This hair dye can give you that. It’s gentle on your hair and scalp, so it can give you a beautiful color without damaging your strands.

It has no horrible smell and can last up to 28 washes. So if you want to keep it longer, you just have to shampoo your hair less often.

Top Semi-Permanent Hair Dye

7
Adore Semi Permanent Hair Color - 130 Blue Black

We love this product’s fruity candy smell, which makes the coloring process feel safer and more fun.

Primary Benefits: Gives softness to the hair; enhances shine; infuses each strand with a vibrant color

Features:

  • No ammonia, peroxide, and alcohol
  • Made with the finest natural ingredients
  • Ideal for light hair
  • Gentle for textured hair

Adore Semi-Permanent Hair Color assures us that there are no strong chemicals in its ingredients and still give you rich, blue-black hair without the fuss with its easy, direct dye formula. There’s no need to mix it with anything!

The shade: Soft blue-black color

This color works perfectly well on light hair, as it can result in a soft blue-black.

Whereas for black or naturally dark hair, it may turn out really black with little to no blue tint.

If you want a more blue tint, you may mix this with #178 Royal Navy.

Since it’s a semi-permanent dye, it can only last up to 2 weeks before it starts to fade.

It’s also easy to use because it’s a direct dye. Just apply it to your hair like a conditioner and wait 20 minutes for it to process.

However, you need to be careful with the application because it has a runny consistency. It can drip and stain surfaces. Plus, even after washing, it can bleed and stain pillowcases and towels on the first few days.

To avoid staining your pillow, you can wear a silk sleep cap.

8
Arctic Fox Semi-Permanent Hair Color - Transylvania

We love how highly pigmented this colorant is. It can transform blonde hair into a deep dark shade and keep it that way for a long time (longer than other semi-permanent dyes).

Primary Benefits: Conditions while coloring; leaves hair healthier and deeply hydrated; has less bleeding and staining

Features:

  • Vegan formula
  • No harmful chemicals
  • Non-GMO
  • Extreme hydration
  • Great for level 7 blonde or higher

Show off your darkest dreams with this Transylvania shade from Arctic Fox!

The shade: Blue-based jet black that fades to dark blue

Here’s the thing. Arctic Fox’s Transylvania shade is supposed to be their jet-black color.

However, it’s rich in blue undertones. That’s why it appears more blue-black when applied on light hair.

So if you’re a natural blonde, this is one of the top blue-black hair dyes for you.

However, if you want a more blue tint to Transylvania, you may mix it with the Arctic Fox Blue Jean Baby color.

What’s more, it will certainly not damage your hair, because it has no harmful chemicals like

  • Ammonia
  • PPD
  • Peroxide
  • Alcohol
  • Paraben
  • Sulfate
  • Silicone
  • Phthalate

You know, all those ingredients that can irritate your scalp and dry out your hair? Arctic Fox made sure to avoid them.

9
Kiss Colors Tintation Semi-Permanent - Blue Black

We get how frustrating it is to use semi-permanent dyes on dark hair. It seems to color your scalp and hands more than your hair strands.

That’s why we’re glad to know that Kiss Colors Tintation in Blue Black can work on dark hair effectively.

Primary Benefits: Gives maximum hydration, deposits color without damage

Features:

  • Made with aloe vera water
  • Formulated with natural ingredients
  • No ammonia, peroxide, and sulfates
  • Contains amino acids, argan oil, olive oil, collagen, and keratin

For a no-commitment blue-black color, try the Kiss Colors Tintation Semi Permanent Dye. You can flaunt the color for 3 weeks up to a month.

The shade: Black with very bright blue undertones

As we’ve said, this dye can turn your dark hair into an appealing blue-black shade.

On the other hand, those with light hair can try the Jet Black shade for a deep blue-black effect, since it also has a blue tint. 

If you want it to have a more blue tint, mix this with Royal Navy. For a slightly greener tint, there’s also Hunter Green and Emerald to mix with Blue Black.

It says the processing time is 15 minutes, but for the color to deposit more, you have to wait longer. Not to worry, because this hair dye isn’t damaging at all.

Maintaining Blue-Black Hair

Blue pigment fades fast. And the main cause for that is washing your hair.

Of course, we have to keep our hair and scalp clean. But there are some things you can change in the way you wash your hair so you can enjoy your blue-black hair for a longer time.

Hair Washing Tips

  1. Wash your hair every 2 to 3 days.
  2. Use shampoo for black-colored hair.
  3. Condition your hair every time you wash it.
  4. Don’t wash your hair with hot water as the heat can open up the hair cuticles and cause the dye pigments to come out.
  5. Use a blue shampoo every 2 weeks.

If you wash like this, you can keep your hair color from fading fast.

a beautiful brunette girl with bob hair cut and blue black dye

Frequently Asked Questions

Is blue black a natural color?

No, blue-black isn’t a natural color.

Our natural hair color is produced by melanin. Now, melanin doesn’t make blue pigments. So a natural black color has red undertones instead of blue.

Who can have blue-black hair?

While blue-black hair can generally flatter any skin tone, whether it has cool, warm, or neutral undertones, there are blue-black variations that look better on certain complexions. 

Check out our suggested specific shades for each skin tone above.

What does blue-black hair dye fade to?

If you use a dye with intense blue undertones, it will fade into a greenish brown. While those that are more black than blue will eventually fade into a dark brown with an ashy or grayish tone.

The Top Dye for Blue Black Hair

Blue-black hair can give you a bold, sophisticated look. This mysteriously dark shade can enhance your skin tone as well.

There are many black hair dyes with blue undertones available in the market. They can be permanent, demi-permanent, or semi-permanent.

Some dyes can give multi-tonal shades, while others can condition your hair.

Make sure that you choose the top blue-black hair dye for your hair’s current color and your skin tone. Check for safe ingredients and steps for effective coloring too.

What other hair colors can you try?

Check out these hair dye trends:

Author

  • Rachelle Velasco

    Rachelle, is a sought-after freelance hair and makeup artist, shines particularly in the world of hair color. From subtle ombres and balayages to vibrant hues and intricate root work, she crafts unique styles tailored to individual preferences. Beyond her artistic talents, Rachelle also holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, showcasing her diverse skill set and dedication to learning.

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