How can I darken my hair after bleaching it?

Author: Leon Ernser  |  Last update: Sunday, November 23, 2025

If you want to dye your bleached hair considerably darker, such as to dark blonde (colour level 7) or darker, pre-pigment your hair first. This is because the red pigments have been permanently removed by bleaching. You need enough warm pigment in your hair to achieve a beautiful darker colour.

How to darken hair after bleaching?

If you want to take bleached blonde darker, you need to add some shade of red first. Use an auburn dye first. Let your hair rest a day then dye over that with the darker brown or black dye. Just remember that black dye is notoriously hard to remove, so be certain this is a change you want for some time.

Can I dye my hair dark after bleaching it?

Yes, you can dye your hair after bleaching, but there are some important considerations to keep in mind: Wait Time: It's usually recommended to wait at least a week after bleaching before applying hair dye. This allows your hair to recover from the damage caused by the bleach.

What to do if bleached hair is too bright?

Use a purple or blue shampoo

Pick your toning shampoo based on the original colour of your hair before you applied the bleach. Blue and purple shampoos neutralise unwanted brassy tones to reveal a cooler blonde or light brown shade.

What color can I put over bleached hair?

After you hair is bleached, you can use semi-permanent dyes with no issue. These will color without lifting (essentially a stain) and don't do further damage.

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Can you put box dye on freshly bleached hair?

Yes - it's generally safe to colour your hair by yourself using a box dye as long as you do the following: Wait at least 2 weeks after you have bleached, colour-treated, highlighted, permed or relaxed your hair before colouring your hair again. Do a patch test 48 hours before colouring.

What cancels out bleached hair?

If your lousy bleach job has come out more yellow, you'll need a purple toner. Purple shampoo can help neutralize the yellow. If your hair is orange, you'll need a blue toner. Try a blue shampoo to tone the brassiness and get rid of the orange.

How do you fix overly bleached hair?

8 Ways to Fix Bleach-Damaged Hair
  1. Leave-in Conditioner. Using leave-in conditioner is a great way to bring moisture back into your bleached hair follicles and strengthen the hair shafts. ...
  2. Trimming. ...
  3. Avoid Heat Styling. ...
  4. Protein Treatments. ...
  5. Gentle Hair Care. ...
  6. Regular Hair Masks. ...
  7. Overnight Oil Treatment. ...
  8. Silk or Satin Pillowcases.

How do you fix bleached hair that is too white?

You would want to replace the pigment that is missing from the hair. If it is white you would want to add a formula with red, copper and yellow as your hairs melanin is missing and it needs a base to stick to.

Can I put brown hair dye over blonde?

When going from blonde to brunette at home– choosing a shade is crucial. The good news is that you're heading in the right direction. Going from light to dark is much easier than the other way around. Think of it like colouring in or decorating; it's always easier to darken a colour than to lighten it.

What hair dye is best for bleached hair?

Applying Manic Panic on bleached hair provides much better performance from your chosen colour as the hair is a lot more porous making it easier for it to absorb and keep the colour lasting for longer.

How to remove bleach from hair?

While the bleach itself cannot be undone, you can combat these side effects by using a pre-shampoo deep conditioning treatment on a weekly basis. This may help your bleached hair grow out more easily and quickly. Apply your deep conditioner to dry or wet hair and let it sit in for at least 20-30 minutes.

Can you put dark color over bleached hair?

If you want to dye your bleached hair or highlights darker, pay attention to a few things to ensure you achieve the right colour. Care for your hair well eight days prior to dyeing to close your hair cuticles as much as possible. Choose a lighter and warmer colour than the one you aim to achieve.

Can you tone bleached hair to make it darker?

However, toner is a great option if you find yourself in this predicament. While it may not literally darken the color of your hair, it can neutralize or reduce the appearance of the brighter, brassier tones in your hair, making it appear a bit darker in the process.

What developer to darken bleached hair?

Volume 10 is the weakest developer level, containing only 3% hydrogen peroxide. Volume 10 is a great option if you're hoping to go just a bit darker than your current hair color and don't need to lift or remove any of your existing hair color.

What does fried hair look like?

Damaged hair becomes brittle and breaks easily. Your hair might look dull and dry, and the appearance of split ends is more noticeable. It can also be challenging to get your hair to lie flat.

What to do if hair is bleached too light?

5 Tips to Correct Hair that Was Colored too Light
  1. 1) Apply a darker shade to your hair. Be careful not to end up with the opposite problem: having to correct a color that is too dark. ...
  2. 2) Choose a color full of nutrients. ...
  3. 3) Prevent other hair dye mistakes. ...
  4. 4) Pamper your hair. ...
  5. 5) Test before going forward.

What is the best treatment after bleaching hair?

The following tips, tricks, and hair care treatments can help you start to repair your damaged hair.
  • Wash your hair less often. ...
  • Condition more. ...
  • Use a hair mask. ...
  • Dry your hair gently after washing. ...
  • Keep brassiness at bay. ...
  • Add a hair oil into the mix. ...
  • Skip the heat styling. ...
  • See your stylist for a hair gloss treatment.

What color cancels out bleached hair?

Purple shampoo

Like blue shampoo, purple shampoo is another at-home option with color pigments formulated to counteract brassy yellow tones in color-treated hair. It's primarily used to tone lighter hair colors, such as platinum blonde or silvery gray.

What cancels out bleach?

Sodium metabisulfite is an effective bleach neutralizer. 2.2 grams (one teaspoon) of sodium metabisulfite added to 2.5 gallons of water effectively neutralizes all harmful bleach residue. Sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) is used in spas to lower bromine and chlorine levels.

How do you reverse the effects of bleach on your hair?

Deep conditioning is one of the best ways to repair bleach damaged hair. Deep conditioners penetrate the hair shaft and help to restore moisture and nutrients. Look for deep conditioners that are specifically designed for damaged hair.

How to slightly darken bleached hair at home?

  1. You can darken your hair easily with coffee. ...
  2. Brew some strong coffee. ...
  3. This is pretty simple and you should see results quickly.
  4. The coffee should stain your hair. ...
  5. Coffee can be used to darken all shades of hair, but the best results are seen in light and medium shades of brown.

How to fix a bad bleach job?

However, dyeing your hair a darker colour is the fastest way to resolve badly bleached hair. This is an especially good option if your hair was dark to begin with and the bleach has turned it orange, yellow or green!

How do you save overly bleached hair?

How do you rehydrate bleach-damaged hair? Reach for hydrating treatments that can trap moisture into the hair like oils and leave-in treatments. Hydrating masks and overnight treatments can also help rehydrate bleached hair. Make sure to stay away from hot tools during the process because they will strip moisture.

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