How to darken blonde hair at home

1. Prepare your hair

Bleaching is a chemical process that damages the hair fibre, so the first step to darken blonde hair while protecting it as much as possible is to make sure the hair is moisturised. Also, if the hair is dry when the dye is applied, it absorbs the dye to moisturise it. And since most hair dyes contain ammonia, the effect is to dry out the hair even more.

It is a good idea to start moisturising your hair two weeks before applying the dye with products containing oils or specific products for coloured or dry hair.

2. Choose the right shade

The shade of the dye we choose will have a decisive influence on the final result.

The conventional numbering of dark tones is: 1, black; dark brown, 3; brown, 4; medium brown or chocolate, 5. It is not advisable to apply a black dye if we are not very sure about it, as it will be very difficult to lighten it afterwards.

It is advisable to take your skin tone into account in order to choose the hair colour that best suits your complexion.

For pale skin we recommend a chocolate shade 5.5 that will look perfect on your skin. If your skin is darker you can choose a mahogany brown 4.5 which will give depth to your look.

If we go by hair type, for straight hair you can choose a dark brown 3, which will frame your features.

If your hair is curly you can choose an ash brown 4.1 which will give depth to your expression.

One option, if you don't want the change to be too radical, is to go for an intermediate shade first and then move on to the slightly darker shade you really want.

3. Apply the colour with precision

• Prepare all the utensils: gloves, brush, towels... and take your time to dye your hair properly.

• Cover the entire surface of your hair meticulously. As the colour contrast will be great, it is important that you do not leave any spaces uncovered.

• Leave the dye on according to the product's instructions, usually for 30-45 minutes.

• Rinse with plenty of lukewarm water until it runs clear, after the exposure time has elapsed.

• Apply the post colour treatment, either the one included with the dye or by applying a specific one afterwards. These treatments seal the cuticles so that the hair can finish absorbing the pigment and moisturise it at the same time.