What happens if you put blonde hair dye on dark hair?

If you’re currently sporting brown hair, but are feeling the urge to change up your brunette hair color, the options are endless. However, if you’re planning on going ultra-light like platinum blonde, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind so that your strands not only look great, but feel great, too. Ahead, we’re sharing important things you should know about how to go from brown to blonde hair without causing severe damage to your strands. Plus, we’re highlighting the best drugstore products you can use to keep your hair healthy once you’ve transitioned into your new hair color. 

Before beginning your blonde hair journey, you’ll need to decide which shade of blonde you’re going for. If you want a preview of what different shades of blonde, like ash blonde or honey blonde will look like, check out the L’Oréal Paris Hair Genius Virtual Hair Color Try-On tool which lets you upload a selfie or try on various hair color shades in real time using your phone or computer’s camera. 

Getting blonde hair requires bleaching — and the darker your starting shade, the more work may be required to reach your desired shade of blonde hair. If you have super-dark brunette hair and want to go blonde, don’t expect your hair to magically transform into a beautiful blonde color after one sitting. It’s important to remember that you may need a few bleaching and coloring sessions to achieve your dream hue. 

For a DIY at-home blonde hair color you can check out some online tutorials to help guide you through the process. And of course, you should always follow the directions on your at-home hair color kit. If you're aiming for a light blonde shade or your starting hair color is deep, you’ll likely have to bleach your hair. Try the L’Oréal Paris Feria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System Bleach, which is ideal for dark brown hair and can lighten your hair up to eight levels. After bleaching, you’ll be ready for your blonde dye. 

For Light Brown Hair: If you have light brown hair becoming a blonde will require lifting your color a level or two. This needs to happen in order to lighten your hair so that it’s a more receptive base color for blonde dye. You’ll probably need two sessions to make hair magic happen, but (lucky for you) it shouldn’t take too long for you to go from brown to blonde hair. 

If you’re looking for a large range of shades to choose from, check out the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color line. If you have stubborn gray hairs that you want to conceal, the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Créme Permanent Triple Protection Hair Color line is for you. And if you’re looking for a shimmering color with lots of dimension, opt for the L’Oréal Paris Féria line.

For Dark Brown Hair: If you have dark brown hair, transitioning to blonde will require some patience, but it’s totally doable. If you’re getting your hair colored at the salon, you’ll definitely need to book a few appointments to transform your strands. And you won’t be able to go one day after the next — you have to give your hair time between bleaching sessions to get a lighter color without stripping it of necessary oils and moisture. The wait time will depend on your hair’s specific needs and condition. 

While you wait, treat your hair with protein masks to help strengthen it before your next appointment. Try the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Power Restore Multi use treatment, which is formulated with a repairing concentrate that includes proteins to strengthen and fix any damage. It’s also a good idea to use strengthening shampoo and conditioner like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Strengthening Color Care Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Strengthening Color Care Conditioner which helps to repair weak hair bonds in bleached hair, and also helps to prevent future damage. 

How To Care For Your New Blonde Hair Color

Once you’ve achieved your ideal blonde hair color, make sure you give it the extra care it needs to keep it in excellent condition. Swap out your regular hair care arsenal for products that are specifically formulated for color-treated hair

If you’ve noticed your hair has gotten brassy, you’ll want to add a purple shampoo into your blonde hair care routine. To combat the brass, reach for the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Brass Toning Purple Sulfate Free Shampoo, L’Oréal Paris EverPure Brass Toning Purple Sulfate Free Conditioner, and the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Anti Brass Purple Mask Treatment to hydrate your hair and neutralize yellow and orange tones in blonde, bleached hair. The L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss is also great for toning the hair while conditioning and adding shine. 

Next: How To Get A Natural-Looking Blonde Hair Color


Edited by: Alyssa Kaplan, Photography: Chaunte Vaughn, Senior Art Direction: Melissa San Vicente-Landestoy, Senior Visual Designer: Hannah Packer, Associate Creative Producer: Becca Solovay, Makeup Artist: Jonet Williamson, Hair Stylist: Akihisa Yamaguchi, Wardrobe Assistant: Victoria Ochoa, Digital Tech: Kyle Thompson, Model: AnnChristine Velazquez 

Can you put blonde hair dye over dark brown?

For Dark Brown Hair: If you have dark brown hair, transitioning to blonde will require some patience, but it's totally doable. If you're getting your hair colored at the salon, you'll definitely need to book a few appointments to transform your strands.

Can you put light hair color over dark hair color?

Dark hair that hasn't been previously colored can be dyed the same level or up to two shades lighter without bleaching. Previously dyed hair can be dyed darker, but it can not be dyed lighter without bleach.

What happens if you dye brown hair blonde without bleach?

While you can potentially use dye to lighten medium brown hair to a dark blonde shade, having a darker initial color puts you more at risk of an unsatisfactory result. It is highly likely that you'll be left with orange hair that will never look blonde even after substantial toning.

What happens if you dye black hair blonde with box dye?

If you've previously tinted your hair with dark hair color then blonde hair color will not lighten black pigmentated hair because color doesn't lift color. If you have new growth and use blonde color on your entire head, the roots will be light and the rest of the hair will remain dark.