How to Slightly Darken Bleached Hair at Home? (With 6 Easy Methods)

There are many ways how to slightly darken bleached hair at home. You can use a permanent dye, semi-permanent dye, or a toner.

Bleaching dark hair is usually intended to lighten it, but the result can often be lighter than what you had wanted.

If you’re not happy with the colour you’ve reached after bleaching your hair, there are ways to correct this.

The problem is, you’re trying to bleach your hair but it’s too light. Here are 6 quick and easy ways to make the color darker.

So you’re probably thinking that you should give up on your bleach job after it turned out too light, but don’t worry! There are some simple ways how to slightly darken bleached hair at home.

Hair is bleached because it’s naturally light. But if you want a more intense shade, there are a few ways you can do that without properly damaging your curls.

Use Purple or Blue Shampoo

Purple or blue shampoos and toners are used post-bleaching to remove unwanted color. These treatments also eradicate orange and yellow hues, can darken your hair color to a limited extent, but won’t make it as drastic of a change.

Why purple & blue shampoos can make hair look darker is that yellow & orange-toned strands are inherently bright and will make your hair look lighter. So, with these tints removed, hair is just slightly darker.

In order to use purple or blue shampoo, simply replace the shampoo you currently use with one of these once to twice per week. It will gradually make your hair darker as well.

Check your shampoo instructions to see if it is necessary to leave the shampoo on your hair for couple minutes before rinsing it out. Over time, you will notice that the bleached parts of your hair are gradually getting darker.

Note: It’s easy to determine which colors cancel out the bright tones in your hair. If you have green or orange shade, you will use a red toner (for green) use a blue toner (for orange) use undertones.

There are products that are specifically designed to be used on gray hair, such as toners. These provide a darker color to counteract the natural brightness of gray hair.

Use Purple Dye and Conditioner

If you’re looking for a different color, one way to achieve this is by using purple pigments. This can help neutralize the yellowish tones in your hair by adding an overall darker hue to it.

For this technique, mix together an ounce of purple dye with 3 ounces or more of your favorite conditioner.

Mix in a small amount of this mixture and apply to your hair, coating it fully. Leave the mixture on your hair for between 15 to 30 minutes before rinsing out with warm water.

About 1 oz of dye is used for the hair coloring. Conditioner is also applied to the hair during this process, which means your hair will be left feeling softer afterwards. This typically eliminates the need for using shampoo after applying the dye

Tone hair darker

If you prefer a more drastic change than tinted shampoo, then using a toner may be the next step. This will remove any unwanted brassy tones and help to darken light shades for a more natural look.

There are two major types of hair dyes: toners and highlighters. Toners are generally ammonia-based, but highlighters are offered in an ammonia-free formula for those with sensitive or thinning hair.

If you’re looking for the perfect toner for your hair, here’s a helpful tip: when choosing a new toner, make sure it is just a little darker than the color you’ve been wearing.

For example, if you’re buying toner for your hair but aren’t sure what color it is, take a look at a color wheel or swatch to find the right one.

It is advised to wait at least three days after bleaching before you use the toner. This will allow your hair to moisturize and strengthen itself so that it won’t get damaged by the intense chemicals in the toning process.

For this process, you’ll need the following:

• Toner
• Developer
• A plastic bowl
• Tinting brush
• Color-protect shampoo and conditioner

Mix the Toner

Step 1: Add developer to the toner in the ratio directed on the toner’s packaging.

Most experts recommend a 1:2 ratio but check the instructions to be sure. Combine them in the bowl and use your brush to fully mix them together

Apply the Toner

Divide your hair into sections, 4 to 6 sections should do. With an applicator brush, paint the toner over every strand of hair in the sections.

Make sure you cover the entire area with toner. Allow to sit for the recommended amount of time before rinsing off. This is usually about 20-45 minutes

Rinse and Wash Your Hair

When you’ve finished developing your colour, rinse the toner out and make sure not to leave any residue sitting in your hair. Leaving it there for too long could dry, damage and thin out the outer layer of all hairs.

Once you finish with the toner, use a color-protecting shampoo for hair. Rinse this away and apply conditioner afterwards to moisturize, soften and revitalize your hair.

Semi-Permanent Dye

Semi-permanent dye can be used to tone down your hair color if it’s too light. It comes in different dark colors and should generally only be applied a few shades darker than the actual color of your hair.

Bleaching your hair is a temporary fix and might not last as long as you expect. To avoid having to bleach it again, you can either dye it a lighter shade or go for a darker look instead.

Semi-permanent dye doesn’t damage the hair as much as permanent dye does, so you can use it the next day if you’ve still got a bit of bleach in your hair.

Dispense the Dye

Semi-permanent hair color doesn’t need to be mixed with any chemicals – simply brush it on and wash away the excess.

The dye can be dispensed into a bowl and lightly mixed with a tinting brush, or applied straight out of the container.

Apply the Dye

To color your hair with dye, start by using either a tinting brush or your fingers to apply it thoroughly to all of your hair. Leave it on for the right amount of time per the instructions on the dye packaging.

Rinse and Condition

Once the dyeing process is done, rinse it off and await the result. A clear water flow means that you’ve succeeded in dyeing your hair. Be sure to apply conditioner afterwards as well to avoid drying out your locks and stripping them of their natural oils. 

Coffee

Different methods are used to darken bleached hair, and the following are the most common techniques. In case you want an alternative that’s a little more natural, we recommend using coffee.

You may only need one application for a lightening effect. The color lasts about 3 weeks, so dyeing your hair this way is only temporary.

Brew coffee

We recommend using a standard ⅓ cup measuring scoop of coffee beans and brewing them in 3-4 cups of water that’s just off the boil. Once your coffee reaches room temperature, pour it into a jar or container to store it in.

Apply the Coffee to Your Hair

There are a few different ways to make coffee for your hair. For example, you can pour some into a bowl and dip your hair in it. Let it soak for a few seconds and then rinse out.

Depending on the length of your hair, pouring a pot of coffee over it can lead to disastrous results so it would be hard to recommend that approach.

A better way may be to pour the coffee over your head while bending at the waist or even lifting up your arms.

You can do this over the sink or in the shower. Repeat this process three times, then rinse out your hair with water.

Walnuts

Walnuts can be a really good option if you want to darken your hair. You just have to make sure you apply a natural type of walnut, not the black ones because they darken hair too much.

If you want a darker color, use more crushed shells. Just be sure not to add too many or it may be too dark.

Prepare the Shells

Crush 10 walnut shells or use walnut powder instead. Boil this mixture for 30 minutes.

Then just allow the water to cool for now. You can place it in the fridge to speed this up, or if you want, you can pop in some ice cubes. Once the water gets cool enough for touch, strain it using a sieve to remove the crushed shells

Apply the Tinted Water

Apply the colored water with either a brush or cotton ball. Apply it to every strand for the most even results.

Feel free to leave the tinted water in there for an hour or two. You should check up on your hair often, especially if the hair is exposed to it for a long time. When you’re done, shampoo your hair and wash it with warm water.

Conclusion:

There are many easy ways to darken bleached hair at home. You can do it with a few items that you can find in your kitchen cabinet or bathroom. The best way is to experiment and see which method works best for your hair.