Top 5 Best Jet Black Hair Dye in 2021 – Plus Coloring Tips and Hair Care Maintenance

Jet Black, this deepest version black hair color shade is indeed a striking beauty statement. Think about Megan Fox, Priyanka Chopra, and Kim Kardashian’s signature sleek solid shade of black hair. It’s obviously far from being plain and simple but that is because these A-listers are sporting the stunning shade of jet black — full of dimension, bounce, and shine.

Regardless of skin tone, jet black with its subtle hints of cool tones looks good on anyone. Some people are lucky enough to be born with this sultry and exotic black color while some, well, daydream about it. If you fall on the latter, the good news is, you can totally pull off this jet black hair beauty. Scroll on our lists of best jet black hair dye to find your best match and stick around till the last page for some informative information on how to perfectly achieve and maintain this super dark hair color.

5 Best Jet Black Hair Dye

1. ADORE Creative Image Shining SEMI-PERMANENT Hair Color 121 Jet Black

Ammonia-Free Hair Dye

Hair dye is always associated with dryness. But it does not have to be that way. This jet black dye from Adore leaves out the used ammonia alongside peroxide and alcohol, leaving hair a deep black luxurious color minus all the hair drama.  In lieu of the harsh chemicals are a blend of natural ingredients such as aloe vera and hydrolyzed collagen to name a few, enhancing the appearance and feel of hair by infusing it with sheen, and suppleness.

2. Ion Color Brilliance 1V Jet Black Permanent Liquid Hair Color

With Intense Conditioning

As part of Ion’s line of Color Brilliance, this jet black dye utilizes the use of deep conditioning ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, argan oil, prequel oil, and other botanicals that feed hair nourishment and makes it resilient from within. It also boasts of ionic technology to deliver micro black pigments that penetrate into the hair shaft better, infusing each strand with a more intense deposit. And while the dye may be in a permanent formula, all Ion’s hair contains 38 percent lesser ammonia than other leading dyes in the market so it’s friendlier on hair and also skips of the scalp irritating PPD.

3. L’oreal Paris Superior Preference Hair Color Ultimate Black

Best in Grey Coverage

When L’oreal Paris labeled this dye “Ultimate Black”, they are not kidding. This dye will really take your even the whitest of your strands to the darkest of the darkest black, thanks to L’oreal Paris top-notch color formula that is additionally fade-resistant for up to 8 weeks. And because it comes from the L’oreal Paris series of Superior Preference, it will leave your hair with shininess and luminance. This gel-dye formula is sold in a kit that comes equipped with color boosting optimizing creme and a conditioner that is choke full of nourishing oils, vitamin and UV filter.

4. Splat Rebellious Colors Hair Coloring Kit Jet Black

Best in Low Maintenance

Splat Rebellious Colors take a different approach to their coloring process by taking advantage of the hair fortifying benefits of Baobab seed oil and quinoa extract complemented with hydrating panthenol and conditioning agents to improve the retention of hair to color and create a protective barrier against environmental color aggressors — all while enhancing hair shine. As such, you don’t have to worry about touch-ups for up to 30 washes. But even if your hair color wears out, they do fade beautifully making retouch not necessary.

5. Creme of Nature Liquid Hair Color, Jet Black

For  Healthier and Shinier Hair

If you want to color your hair in the least damaging way possible, refrain from chemical-laden dyes. A good natural jet black hair dye to stand by is this product from Creme of Nature, even the brand name itself already sounds nurturing. Among the certified natural ingredients includes an ultra-moisturizing mango extract and conditioning shea butter that is a sure way to meet your hair’s hydration needs while infusing massive shine.

Things to Consider Before Using the Best Jet Black Hair Dye

To perfectly nail your dream color, there are things you need to consider. Understanding the factors that have an impact on the outcome of your coloring process will allow you to make the right choice as to what type of jet black dye to use so you can wear your new beauty look with panache.

How healthy is your hair?

Hair that is damaged usually has high porosity and will not have enough natural color to accept the black dye, giving rise to those pesky green tints. Mixing your dye with a pigment filler (also referred to as a color filler or protein filler) corrects hair porosity and therefore creating a good base that accepts black dye better. Those whose hair has been recently bleached or chemically treated can also benefit from a pigment filler as it also functions to restore the color pigment that gets taken away during oxidation

Conditioning your hair beforehand is also a good idea especially if your hair is overly damaged. The goal is to have healthy locks for the color to hold up well.

What is your starting color?

Dying base colors that are only a few shades lighter than the intended color won’t be too much of a journey. If the original hair color is a brunette, for instance, a low-ammonia dye is enough to fully cover the hair with black. However, it’s not a walk in the park for those who have very light pre-existing colors because of the missing underlying pigments that needed to be filled in first.

Those that have level 10 or blonde as a starting color are usually primed with a  gold or copper color so the hair has something to hold onto. Otherwise, your hair will turn into brown instead of jet black. Hair that is recently bleached may additionally benefit from a dye with ashy or violet pigments to ward off undesirable brassiness and warm tones.

How long do you want the color to last?

Are you looking for a signature hair color you want to last for quite a while or are you just in the mood to try jet black without the commitment? Or perhaps you just want to simply cover those wisps of matured white hair or it could be that those stubborn regrowths you want to camouflage? Hair dyes generally come in different strengths of formulation, each differs primarily on their permanence and clarity.

Determining the Right Volume Developer

For those who are not familiar, developers are oxidant cream containing the hydrogen peroxide which is usually intermixed with the dye to activate the formula and penetrate efficiently into the hair shaft. They come in different concentrations ( level 10, 20, 30, and 40) but most hair color kits are prepackaged with 20 volume developer which is good enough if you are only going two shades darker. If you want to achieve the highly-sought jet black hair color, you may need to play with different developers considering that it is a very dark color.

 10V ( 3% Peroxide): Best to use in permanent dyes, this oxidizing level works should only be used if you want to layer a tone or tint to your hair or cancel unwanted color without significantly changing the color level. It works by opening the cuticle layer of the hair so the pigment molecules can penetrate into the hair shaft for and stays there in the long haul.

20V ( 6% Peroxide): Like the 10V developer, the 20V opens up the hair cuticle but will additionally alter your hair into 1 to 2 shade which is great for 100% grey coverage in permanent hair dyes.

30V ( 9% Peroxide): If you want to shift your hair into 3 to 4 shades darker, you’d want to stay around this level. The 30V also works best if the desired color is no more than 2 levels lighter than the base color.

40V ( 12% Peroxide): Since it contains the strongest concentration of the oxidizing agent, the 40V developer has the most potential to produce significant changes. It will take your hair to the darkest black but keep in mind that the high concentration can also potentially wreak havoc to hair and cause scalp irritations.

Getting the Right Amount of Product

You may need to buy more than a box of dye, especially if your hair is extremely thick or long.  But even if you only need twice as much, it’s always a good idea to keep stocks on hand so you don’t have to run out of dye halfway through the coloring process. You can always use the extra boxes of dye for touch-ups later. Getting that full-color coverage may also mean mixing up a double batch of the developer. And for this, you may also need to additionally purchase a separate developer other than the one that comes with the dye.

Hair Coloring Tips and Tricks

Did you know that you can dilute the dye or the developer to reduce the strength of the colorant? To do so, you can either water down or add a conditioner to the formula.  Reducing the strength does not compromise the efficiency of the colorant but rather prevents the contained chemicals from overly processing hair which is very ideal if you just primed up your hair with other dyes. This alleviation of chemicals also favors hair that can only tolerate mild formula.

The method of strength reduction is also used to lessen the intensity or darkness of your black dye. Basically, you just mix your dye with the diluent to the ratio of your liking. The more diluent you mix it with the more subtle the color. Don’t know where to start?  About one shade darker works best with most conditioners so you can mix your dye with such to a shade that is approximately equivalent to your intended color.

If you are not a fan of volume developers, another way to control the intensity of your black dye is to allow the formula to soak on your hair longer. The longer you let the dye saturate your hair, the darker it will be. This works for semi-permanent hair colors that do not usually come with developers. Just be cautious of leaving the formula for too long as it can dry out and make hair brittle. As a good rule of thumb never leave the dye in your hair for more than 40 minutes or better yet, follow the instructions on your dye product.

Caring for Jet Black Hair

Dying your hair — whether it’s a permanent or temporary fixture –needs maintenance and upkeep. This is especially true if your original hair color is very different from black because regrowths will be more visible. But we all know that all dyes fade at some point. Still, you wanted to make sure you made the most out of it before it exhibits sign of wear considering the meticulous process and efforts you’ve poured in to get the jet black hair you adore.

Refrain from shampooing 72 hours after the coloring treatment

Hair dyes particularly permanent formula open the cuticle layer of hair. You will want to wait for at least 3 days before washing hair to give the hair cuticles enough time to close and seal in the color of your hair.

Coloring hair, in general, can dry out and roughen hair, particularly if you overdo the chemical treatment. Proper conditioning is the key to repair color-treated hair. This can mean weekly hair masks, hot oil treatments, buying protein-based hair care products and incorporating deep conditioners in your hair washing routine. Altogether, this helps restore hair’s natural luster and shine.

Only wash and shampoo hair every other day, preferably only twice or thrice a week

You should know that simple hair care routines such as washing can contribute to the discoloration of your hair. Shampooing less also helps maintain the hair’s natural oils that help preserve the color of your hair.

Only use a color-safe shampoo

Most regular shampoos contain sulfate that can progressively fade hair. For this reason that you should only use shampoos that are meant for dyed-treated hair since it leaves out the use of color-fading abrasives.

Avoid subjecting your hair to heat of any kind

Exposure to sun rays, washing hair with hot water and heat-styling tools are the most common culprits to the premature fading of hair color. So you may need to take a break from the use of hot tools. But in cases you really need to, always use heat protectant beforehand. Wear hats or use hair care products with UV filters to protect hair from damaging sun. And as much as hot showers are invigorating, keep the water temperature down right before washing hair.

Stay away from chlorine and hard water

Pool water contains chlorine that is harsh on dyed hair. Meanwhile, hard water contains traces of minerals that can fade hair color quicker. So if you are facing hard water problems, you want to consider installing a water purification system to filter mineral aggressors or use shampoos formulated for hard water to remove the buildup of mineral from your hair.

If you want to keep your color for longer, you’ll need a retouch every 3 to 4 weeks

This is to keep your color fresh as well as regrowths and any possible bits of warmth under wraps. To keep up with a well-manicured hair, you can also do trimmings for possible split and frayed ends.

Our Top Pick

All features that you would want in a best jet black hair dye is in ADORE Creative Image Shining SEMI-PERMANENT Hair Color 121 Jet Black. It is free of the hair aggravators that are common in other dyes such as ammonia, peroxide, and alcohol. Yet, the result is still withstanding which comes as a no surprise considering the dye comes from one of the most trustable brand Adore. When it says “Jet Black” it will really take your hair into jet black.

Moreover, the use of natural ingredients will surely leave your newly black hair with a noticeable sheen. Because what’s other best way to flaunt your jet black hair than with a gloss, right? Even if you are not ready to commit to such a bold dark hair look, this Adore hair dye is in the semi-permanent formula which means it will give you the chance to test the jet black color without the commitment.

Enjoy your new hair color!