How to Use Purple Hair Dye for Dark Hair Without Bleaching

By
Updated

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

purple hair color dark hair no bleach

It goes without saying that purple hair dyes aren’t the easiest shades to get. What’s to say your dark hair won’t turn into a flaming red mess or turn into an ugly green shade, right?

While not all hair dyes will have bad results, purple hues have several undertones, and getting the wrong shades can very much happen if you’re not too careful.

What’ll pose even more of a challenge is getting a purple dye right on black hair or brown hair without bleaching. Fortunately, turning your hair purple without bleaching or a disastrous result is possible!

In this guide, we’ll expand on this topic, and hopefully, by the end of it, you’ll be able to get gorgeous purple hair without bleaching, so keep on reading!

Can You Dye Black Hair Without Bleach?

Yes! Dying dark hair purple is within the realm of possibilities, and there’s a range of products on the market to help you get the perfect purple hair shade you want.

You have 3 ways to achieve this: permanent hair dye, semi-permanent dye, and temporary dye. Temporary hair dyes are the easiest ones to get, but it goes away with only one wash, and it might not give you the perfect purple hair color you desire. Alternatively, permanent and semi-permanent dyes will stay longer and provide excellent results.

How Do I Dye Dark Hair Purple?

Follow these tips below to find out how to dye your dark hair purple without bleaching:

1. Figure Out Your Natural Hair Shade

It’s essential to identify your natural hair color to know what type of result you’ll get. Dye manufacturers usually provide charts for their purple dyes so you can understand better what results to expect. Light brown hair, for instance, will react differently to black hair.

Because you’re putting a purple shade on unbleached hair, one would think that the results could be unpredictable, but this simply isn’t true.

2. Prep Your Hair

Next, you’ll need to use a strong shampoo in your hair first before applying the dye. It’s worth noting, however, that these shampoos are harsh on the hair, especially if your hair is dry as it is.

To avoid dry and brittle hair, use your favorite conditioner or a deep conditioning hair mask; this will rebalance the moisture level in your hair.

3. Get Your Tools Right

Dying black hair purple isn’t an easy process, so make sure you have hair clips, gloves, a shower cap, and your product.

Now, choosing the best hair dye is the most crucial part of the process.

Scroll on to see our best recommendations …

Best Purple Hair Dyes for Dark Hair That Work Without Bleaching

Below are the best options we’ve picked covering permanent and semi-permanent products that you can use depending on your commitment level.

Permanent Purple Hair Dye for Dark Hair (No Bleach Required)

If you’re looking for a permanent purple dye, here’s the best one that works:

The Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color – Dark Intense Violet is one of the best permanent hair dyes. It works wonders with dark brown hair and darker hair colors in general, giving them an attractive dark purple shade.

Dyes, even ones without bleach, can strip hair of natural oils due to the harsh chemicals they contain. Luckily though, this product includes natural, nourishing ingredients, like shea butter, olive oils, and avocado.

What’s more, this particular purple hair color won’t fade quickly; it’ll last for more than six months. For that, experts and consumers like this permanent dye the best.

Beware, though, that some undertones, like red, tend to get sharper as you dye your hair with Garnier Nutrisse ultra color, so dying your hair brown every six months will keep the red from coming out.

Semi-Permanent Purple Hair Dye for Dark Hair

Unlike permanent dyes, semi-permanent hair dyes will last for a shorter time. Still, a semi-permanent hair color offers more flexibility, especially if you’re unsure that the purple color will look good against your skin tone.

If that’s what you’re seeking, here are our top recommendations:

Deep purple shades are the best and are often the purple color that most clients ask for at any hair salon. With this product, you can get it at home! This dye, also known as Purple Rain, works well with different base colors, so it’ll give you a deep dark purple color if you have dark, brunette hair and vibrant color as you move up the spectrum.

Ingredients are one of the main concerns for most people. Luckily, you needn’t worry about this if you dye hair purple with this product, as it contains vegan ingredients.

Also, if you’re looking for bold and extraordinary results, try pairing this dye with other colors from the brand, such as blue or burgundy.

If you want your dyed hair to have a warmer tint, this semi-permanent hair dye is for you. You can dye your hair purple without bleach with this one and get excellent results, but be mindful that it works better with lighter hair colors. Of course, the lighter your hair color is, the better.

This dye is also cruelty-free and contains vegan ingredients. Unfortunately, it only stays for 4-6 weeks on your hair, though, which is a pretty short duration as opposed to other products on this list.

Also, be sure to check the product’s colored hair guide to know exactly what result you’ll get as you dye your dark hair.

Some dyes work well with certain hair types, but you’d be surprised to find that this one works almost for every hair type!

The Amethyst hair dye doesn’t contain bleaching agents, doesn’t require a developer, and will give you luscious semi-permanent colors depending on your hair.

Moreover, this hair cream deposits the molecules directly into your hair strands but doesn’t penetrate them; hence, your hair will be soft and shiny after you’re done. The good thing about this semi-permanent hair dye is that it’ll remain on your dark locks after 20 washes, more or less, so be ready for your hair to give an amethyst purple glow for a long time!

Nothing works best like a vegan-based dye cream that’s also highly affordable. While most cheap hair dyes can be worrisome, many people still favor Punky Plum Semi Permanent Conditioning Hair Color over other expensive options. This is mainly because you can effortlessly turn your dark hair purple with this dye in mere 15-30 minutes.

This one will also last for 25 shampoos, so it fares well in the permanence aspect. Furthermore, it’s quite nourishing compared to other hair dyes, as it’ll condition hair and minimize breakage, so you don’t need to add peroxide to this dye.

All in all, an affordable hair dye that gives bold colors and relatively conditions the hair is a sweet deal!

Purple rage might be very hard to get if you haven’t bleached your hair by little, but this Adore Purple Rage dye will give purple bleaching products a run for their money!

This product is arguably the best purple hair dye for people with darker hair. The striking results you can see scattered all over the internet confirm this as well.

With vegan, alcohol-free, peroxide-free, and ammonia-free ingredients, it’s safe to say that this product should be suitable for all hair types and won’t strip your hair as much as other products.

Make sure to check the color guides with this dye if you want to get the best results to know which shade you’ll get on your hair color.

Besides following the instructions with the dye, you might want to experiment a little with the dye before applying. For example, you might not want to condition your hair before dying it, as it’s already gentle on the hair and will give the molecules a chance to penetrate the hair strands even better.

Speaking of conditioners, you can utilize the oldest trick in the book and add some conditioner to your dye; this will give you lighter results.

Tips and Tricks

Now that you know some of the best purple dye products on the market, dyeing dark hair purple should be a breeze. The only thing left now is to pamper your purple strands with some aftercare.

Avoid the Sun

Unfortunately, UV rays are dyes’ mortal enemy, and it’d be wise to cover your hair or avoid the sun altogether if you want to keep your hair color purple for as long as possible. However, it’s impossible to avoid the sun, so what you can do is cover your hair with a hat, a scarf, or any headwear you prefer.

Related:

Depositing Shampoos and Conditioners

As colors keep bleeding out every time you shower, the simplest way to keep the color looking fresh is with color-depositing shampoos and conditioners.

If you can’t find these products, you can create one yourself by adding some leftover dye to your conditioner and using it!

No Daily Washes

Aftercare can also mean no care at all. Frequent washes of your purple hair will typically bleed the color out of it pretty fast. In fact, we recommend that you don’t wash your hair after dying it for a few days. Instead, shampoo it when necessary, and use sulfate-free shampoos.

Wash With Lukewarm Water

Heat can cause the pores of your hair to open up and allow the color to seep out more quickly, so it’s best to avoid hot water, especially around your scalp. Cool water is also great, but you should wash your hair with cold water during the hotter days.

Avoid Heat Styling

People with textured hair don’t need to worry about this since they’re probably not heat-styling their hair at all times. However, people with straight and wavy hair might be using styling tools more frequently.

Let your hair dry naturally instead of using the blow-dryer or use a heat protectant product if necessary.

Avoid Chlorine

That’s right. Swimming pools can do a number to your perfectly dyed hair, which is why you should minimize exposure to them.

The best way to do this is by wearing a swimming cap. For extra protection, you can use a chlorine-protective hair product.

Related:

Conclusion

With that said, you now know some of the best purple hair dyes for dark hair without bleach that are safe for your hair and how to take care of your dyed hair afterward! Protectant products are your best friends, so remember to use them and avoid heat as much as possible.

Shehnaz Shirazi
Shehnaz Shirazi
Chief Editor

Shehnaz is the co-founder and the chief editor for Salon-Worthy Hair.

She combines an interesting background in cosmetics and copywriting, which fires her passion for this blog.

When she’s not busy trying out new hair treatments or editing, you can find her curled up with a good book or taking long walks with her cute dog.