BRITE hair dye on dark hair

Q: Can I put Brite hair dye on wet hair?

Yes, as a matter of fact, you can dye your hair while its wet.

Q: Do I need to wash my hair before I dye it Brite?

Any product thats left on your hair before you wash could block the semi permanent colour from attaching to your hair in different places, and nobody wants patchy colour. So give your hair a really good shampoo before you dye your hair, but leave out the conditioner.

When Kim Kardashian West went from sultry brunette to a banging blonde bob in 2015 hairdressers around the globe braced themselves for an onslaught of misguided requests. Kim made it look easy but it takes patience to go from dark hair to a lighter colour. And Kimmy K’s secret to her overnight transformation? A really great wig!

Table of Contents Show

Your base hair colour will affect the final colour
For pastel hair you’ll need to pre-lighten first.
If you pre-lighten your hair let it rest before dyeing it
You can still achieve colourful hair without pre-lightening
Strand test for no regrets
Is Brite hair dye good for dark hair?
How long do I leave Brite hair dye in?
Can I put Brite hair dye on wet hair?
Do I need to wash my hair before I dye it Brite?

Luckily for our dark haired beauties you can still get the colourful hair you've been dreaming of. Read on for everything you need to know about colouring dark hair with semi permanent colours.

Your base hair colour will affect the final colour

Think of your hair like a wall in your house you want to paint; the colour of the wall will show through slightly when you paint over it, and this will impact the final colour.

The same goes for your hair when you apply semi permanent dyes. Semis coat the outside of your hair rather than developing on it, so the colour your hair is before you dye it (aka your ‘base colour’) will show through slightly and affect the outcome.

Being aware of this means you can manage your expectations and pick the best colours for your hair.

For pastel hair you’ll need to pre-lighten first.

Sticking with our wall painting analogy, if you wanted to paint your wall a light colour you would first paint it white with an undercoat. Similarly if you want to dye your hair pastel, it’s best to start from a very light base colour. Otherwise the dark hair colour will show through and make the pastel virtually invisible in most cases. Not the best reward for your efforts!

Using a bleach kit to pre-lighten your hair is the best option if you have dark hair but dream of it being pastel. You might need to bleach it in 2 stages if you are starting from very dark hair.

If you pre-lighten your hair let it rest before dyeing it

Similar to your muscles after a big sweat session at the gym, your hair needs a rest day (or more) after bleaching. This is super important to protect your hair and keep it looking at its shiny best with your new colour. If you notice your hair breaks easily or feels dry after bleaching, use a repair treatment like Briteplex before dyeing it to rebuild the bonds broken during the bleaching process and strengthen your hair.

You can still achieve colourful hair without pre-lightening

If bleaching isn’t for you, the good new is that pre-lightening isn’t necessary for all colours! If you pick a vibrant dye with lots of colour pigment you can still achieve a beautiful hue when applying the dye directly onto dark hair. Our vibrant range (purple, red, pink, blue, and turquoise) are all packed with pigment and designed to work on dark hair as well as light hair.

On dark hair you’ll get a more tonal result than on light hair - a glowing in the sun vibe!

Strand test for no regrets

Semi permanent dyes will turn out a little different on everyone because your hair is unique to you. Always strand test before dyeing your hair all over to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Below FAQ are some common concerns of our customers before purchasing , if you have other questions, please just send it to

Do you test on animals?

We love animals so we don’t test our products on them. We are PETA certified, we’ve never tested on animals and never will, and we don’t work with companies who do.

What colour should I dye my hair?

The possibilities are endless! We have a huge range of vibrant, neon and pastel semi permanent colours for you to choose from. If you’re feeling spoiled for choice check out our instagram @briteorganix for inspiration.

Can I use your products while I’m pregnant?

Our products do not contain Paraphenylenediamine (PPD), however it is always best to check the ingredients with a healthcare professional to determine what is best for you.

Do the semi permanent dyes work on dark hair?

Our vibrant and neon range of semi permanent dyes are packed with strong colour pigment so that they work on dark hair as well as light hair. The colour will turn out brightest on light blonde hair and will give a more tonal result on dark hair. Semi permanent dyes coat the outside of the hair rather than developing on it so your base colour will have a big impact on your final result. We recommend always performing a strand test before you do a full application to see how the colour turns out on your hair.

Do the liquid hair chalks work on dark hair?

Yes, our liquid hair chalk works on blondes, brunettes, and everything in between. The colour sits on top of your hair, and the base colour of your hair typically won’t affect the outcome much, if at all. The colour washes off with shampoo.

Do I need to bleach my hair to use your pastel range of semi permanent dyes?

Our pastel range delivers the best results on very light blonde hair with no yellow tones. Your base colour will affect how the colour turns out on your hair, so we recommend you always strand test before dyeing your hair to make sure you’re happy with the colour. If you find from the strand test you need to pre-lighten your hair for the colour to come through how you’d like it, you can use our bleach kit before dyeing. Please wait at least 48–72 hours after bleaching to dye your hair so that the cuticles have time to settle. To eliminate yellow tones from blonde hair before colouring we suggest using a purple shampoo like Make Me Pastel Purple Shampoo or a purple toner.

Can I mix two semi permanent colours together?

Absolutely! You can mix two or more of our semi permanent dyes together to make your own personal custom colour. Just remember that the colour can turn out quite differently on your hair compared to how it looks in the mixing bowl, so please strand test first to check how the colour will turn out on your hair and adjust as necessary before a full application. You can also add white conditioner to semi permanent dyes to lighten the colour. Just be aware that this can make them fade a little faster.

I’m done with the colour, how can I get it out of my hair?

To speed up colour removal of our semi permanent dyes you can mix a little baking soda with tea tree or anti-dandruff shampoo and massage this into your hair, leave for 10–15 minutes then rinse and condition well. A few applications may be necessary to fully fade the colour. Please patch test this first to ensure you don’t have an adverse reaction.

I’ve spilled some of the semi permanent dye in the bathroom, what do I do?

Accidents happen, but never fear; if there’s any staining on your surface after cleaning up the initial spill then spraying your normal shower cleaner and leaving overnight will knock out most of the colour staining. If it is safe to use a bleach-based cleaner on the surface this will help to get rid of any staining quickly.

The colour looks different to on the box, what happened?

Semi permanent dyes coat the outside of the hair follicle rather than developing on it, so your base colour plays a big part in how the colour turns out on your hair. Everyone’s hair is different so the colour will turn out differently on different people. We recommend always performing a strand test on a small, hidden section of your hair before you do a full application. Even if you’ve dyed your hair many times before. If you’re not satisfied with the results of the strand test you can send a photo to and we can help you with some specific advice.

How do your shampoo and conditioners work?

Our tonal shampoo and conditioners contain a small amount of colour pigment which allows you to gradually build up the colour in your hair to your desired intensity. To increase the intensity of the colour leave the shampoo and conditioner in for longer before rinsing or use it more regularly. To fade the colour wash with your regular shampoo and conditioner.

Is Brite hair dye good for dark hair?

Our vibrant and neon range of semi permanent dyes are packed with strong colour pigment so that they work on dark hair as well as light hair.

How long do I leave Brite hair dye in?

Check the colour after 10 minutes and see if the colour has taken. You can leave the dye longer without damaging your hair. The longer you leave it in before rinsing, the longer the colour tends to last after.

Can I put Brite hair dye on wet hair?

Yes, as a matter of fact, you can dye your hair while it's wet.

Do I need to wash my hair before I dye it Brite?

Any product that's left on your hair before you wash could block the semi permanent colour from attaching to your hair in different places, and nobody wants patchy colour. So give your hair a really good shampoo before you dye your hair, but leave out the conditioner.