Who knew that the world of shampoo could have so many options? Gone are the days of picking our next hair cleanser based off of how cute the packaging was, or even just sticking to the tried-and-true classic that is the L’Oreal Kids No Tears shampoo. Nowadays, we have more pressing hair concerns than just whatever smells the best.
Thankfully, the hair care world seemed to grow up alongside us, having a shampoo fit for all of our growing hair concerns. From greasy hair to hair loss prevention, it seems there’s a hair wash product for every milestone in our life.
Including the need for a darkening shampoo! Whether you want to increase the life of your recently dyed black locks, or your melanin production just isn’t what it used to be back in the day, there will come a point in time where you might be interested in a darkening hair wash.
As niche of an issue as it may seem, finding your perfect fit may be a bit more of a journey than you originally thought.
So, what are the best hair darkening shampoos and shampoo bars? To find the best darkening shampoo, you’ll want to consider the type (cream vs. bar), if it darkens your hair over time or it has color transferring properties, and how environmentally sustainable it is.
From these qualities, we’ve narrowed down our top 11 choices for you to choose from. Read on while we break down our top eleven picks for darkening shampoos and shampoo bars, and what makes them stand out against the rest.
Darkening Shampoo Buyers Guide
Liquid Vs. Bar Shampoo
Bar shampoos have seen a resurgence within the past couple of years, even going so far is to become some people’s #1 choice in shampoos. Bar shampoo does the exact same work as liquid shampoo, just in a solid form.
Instead of emulsifying the shampoo in your hands like you would in the liquid form, you’d just work up a lather like it was a bar of soap, and then transferring the suds to your hair, or by rubbing the bar against your hair directly.
If you’re making the switch to a bar shampoo for the first time, we do have to warn you that there is a bit of a transition period.
A lot of people stop shampoo bars after their initial use because they feel that it doesn’t leave their hair as clean as a liquid shampoo, when in reality, all they’re noticing is their hair adjusting to being washed with a waxier texture than they’re used to.
The key to picking a good bar shampoo is by ensuring that it’s made with surfactants. This is an ingredient that will combine with the grease, oil, and dirt in your hair, catching them and making it easier for them to be rinsed away at the end of your shower.
However, if you’re loyal to your love of liquid shampoo, don’t feel pressured to make the switch! At the end of the day, you know what makes your hair feel best. There’s absolutely no need to fix what ain’t broke!
Those with curly or textured hair may find that their hair needs the type of wash that only a liquid wash can satisfy. We also recommend sticking to liquid if you have this hair type because rubbing a shampoo bar throughout your hair may cause your coils to tangle up, and no one wants that!
If you’d like to try shampoo bars but you’re just not sure where to start, here’s a great tutorial from Sedona Christina on YouTube all about how to use a shampoo bar.
How It Darkens Your Hair
In terms of darkening properties, you can go one of two routes. Either you pick a naturally darkening shampoo, or one that darkens via dye deposit.
If you’ve dyed your hair dark from a lighter shade like blonde, you may want to use a dye depositing shampoo to achieve the best results.
Since even the most effective naturally darkening shampoo can’t turn blonde hair into brunette, using a shampoo that instead infuses your hair with pigment will not only leave you with more saturated color throughout your strands, but also increase the life of your dyed locks.
If you’re looking to darken your already dark hair, or trying to slow down the eventual color loss that comes with maturing hair follicles, then try finding a shampoo that uses natural ingredients to increase the melanin production in your strands!
These are less abrasive than a color depositing shampoo, and can be more nourishing for your locks overall. We definitely recommend this type of darkening shampoo for those with overly processed, damaged, or dry hair.
Environmentally Sustainable
If you’re serious about reducing your carbon footprint and are trying to find the best possible shampoo to reflect that, there’s really no better choice for the environment than a shampoo bar.
Unlike shampoo bottles, shampoo bars don’t need to be contained in plastic, and often instead come in a compostable box that can be thrown in the recycling bin after using. Another great feature of the shampoo bar is that you can be sure that you’re using every last “drop” of product.
No need to shake or cut open the bottle to see if you’re wasting any product. To protect your shampoo bar when it’s not in use, you can purchase a reusable shampoo bar tin that can hold your bar (and subsequent ones) for years to come. This eliminates the need for plastic in your hair washing routine.
Most shampoo bars are also made with sustainable, reef-safe ingredients, so you don’t need to worry about whether your product is hurting your pipes, the environment, or your hair!
But if you’re sticking to liquid shampoo, fret not. There are still a ton of environmentally friendly choices out there. Finding a shampoo that’s made from organically sourced ingredients is entirely possible as the haircare community has begun to take notice of the public outcry for more sustainable products.
If you’re serious about care for the planet and its inhabitants, finding a shampoo that’s cruelty-free is a quality not to be looked over during your shampoo search. If it doesn’t explicitly say on the bottle that it is, chances are the product has been tested on animals. So look carefully!
Do Hair Darkening Shampoos Really Work?
If you’re just learning about hair darkening shampoos, it’s easy to think that they sound like a gimmick. How can a shampoo, that’s meant to rinse away hair impurities, instead infuse your hair with darkening properties?
Well, the answer is simple. Whenever you wash your hair, you’re not only rinsing away grease and dirt, but you’re also opening your hair shaft and allowing the follicle to absorb all the ingredients in your shampoo.
That’s why so many stylists and hair experts warn you to stay away from using shampoos with ingredients like sulfates, alcohol, parabens, and silicone; they’ll mess with the look and feel of your hair over time.
But if you’re using high quality shampoos, and ones with darkening properties, you’ll be able to work magic on your strands.
Not only can you grow healthier hair, but you can also stimulate the production of melanin (which darkens your strands). Of course, you won’t necessarily see results overnight, but with consistent use, you’ll be able to notice your hard work paying off.
If you use color depositing shampoos and shampoo bars, you’ll be able to see results right away. Why? Because this method of hair darkening works in the same way as dying your hair.
Artificial color coats the hair strand, temporarily turning your hair a different color. Obviously this isn’t permanent, but it is an effective way to darken your hair without dropping money on an all over color job at the salon.
Best Darkening Shampoos and Shampoo Bars
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nicimisey Shampoo Bar | 100% natural, plant-based, eco-friendly |
| 2. | Augeao Herbal Darkening Shampoo | Pigmented, nourishing |
| 3. | Chenri Instant Hair Coloring Shampoo | Black pigment, nourishing |
| 4. | Arencia Night Shadow Shampoo Bar | Universal, vegan, eco-friendly, cruelty-free |
| 5. | John Frieda Color Deepening Shampoo | Gradual color enhancing |
| 6. | Polygonum Multiflorum Shampoo Bar | Strengthening and restorative |
| 7. | NaturVital Black Henna Shampoo | Gradually darkening, restorative |
| 8. | SkinMenu Darkening Shampoo Bar | 100% plant-based, clarifying |
| 9. | Dexe Black Hair Shampoo | No harsh chemicals, darkening pigment |
| 10. | TruuMe Hair Darkening Shampoo Bar | Two bars, shea butter, eco-friendly |
| 11. | Mokeru Organic Hair Darkening Shampoo | Color lasts 6 months, all natural |
1. Nicimisey Shampoo Bar
If you’re in the market for something Earth friendly, look no further.
Nicimisey’s shampoo bar is among the most sustainable shampoo bars we can find, but when you pair that with its effective darkening properties, that definitely makes it a “BUY IT NOW!” option in our book.
Made with 100% all natural ingredients, you can rest easy knowing that you’re not opening your hair shaft to anything less than the best. This shampoo bar is entirely plant based, and made with absolutely no artificial ingredients.
It’s sulfate, chemical, paraben, and detergent free, so even the most sensitive skin types can use it with confidence. The active ingredients of ginger and ginseng not only give the shampoo and herbal, fresh scent, but also penetrate deep into the hair shaft to stimulate the production of new hair, and to also revive the melanin production in your locks. The result? Thicker, healthier, darker hair.
And this bar is concentrated. You don’t need a lot of lather to get your your mane squeaky clean. This single bar contains enough washes to last you as long as two standard size liquid shampoo bottles (up to 300mL). This bar could last you even longer if you have a more spaced out hair washing routine.
In terms of sustainability, this product knocks it out of the park. Certified Climate Change Friendly, this bar will arrive to your door already contained in a reusable metal tin, eliminating the need to recycle a box altogether. It’s pH balanced, making it safe for regular use, and is travel and camping friendly.
There’s no need to repack your shampoo into a TSA safe container! You can simply throw this bar into your luggage and be ready to go.
2. Augeao Herbal Darkening Shampoo
If you’re looking for instant results, but aren’t too keen on the idea of exposing your hair to chemical ingredients or even hair dye, the Augeao Herbal Darkening Shampoo is for you!
All of the hair coloring properties in this shampoo are natural and plant-based, including: ginseng, polygonum multiflora, sesami nigrum, and ganoderma lucidum.
These are all orientally based plants, that when combined together, deposit color like no other. All of these ingredients are entirely organic and water soluble, so that your hair feels nourished and silky smooth after every wash.
Unlike other color depositing shampoos that “coat” the hair in pigment, leaving you with rich color but not doing anything in terms of nourishment, this shampoo is absorbed by the hair cuticles.
This makes a noticeable difference in both pigment, and feel of the hair. Your hair’s metabolic state and shape of the follicle aren’t compromised, meaning your locks will stay elastic, manageable, and healthy – they’ll just be a little darker.
3. Chenri Instant Hair Coloring Shampoo
Looking for a darkening hair wash that is both gentle and effective may seem like an impossible task, but thankfully Chenri pulled through with their instant hair coloring shampoo.
Also plant-based, including all natural ingredients like polygonum multiflora, ginseng, and coconut oil essence, this shampoo works overtime to deliver some serious darkening factors to your hair.
This is a great pick for greying hair, or black hair that just needs some refreshing.
This shampoo penetrates deep into the hair shaft to transform your locks from the inside out, nourishing not only your locks, but your scalp, which is imperative to the health of any new hair growth.
The package contains the shampoo, gloves, and instructions (heads up, the instruction packet is written in Chinese. However, the Amazon link gives you the instructions in English so there’s no confusion).
They suggest wearing the gloves before you apply just to reduce the chances of staining your hands. Then, simply lather the shampoo and let it sit for up to 20 minutes before rinsing. A single wash will give you a darkening effect for one week.
4. Arencia Night Shadow Shampoo Bar
Arencia is known for their incredible shampoo bars, and this one is absolutely no exception.
Formulated with ginseng, charcoal, vitamin A, and other naturally derived ingredients – this shampoo bar works overtime to enrich your hair with only the best ingredients.
All of the ingredients found in this shampoo bar are organically derived and plant based, so this makes it a great pick for all hair types and all hair concerns.
But since it stimulates the production of new hair growth, and restores the damage done on the melanin producers in your hair shaft, it makes our list for darkening shampoos.
This shampoo bar is 100% vegan, ethically sourced, eco-friendly and cruelty-free, as are all Arencia products. They are also, of course, cruelty-free, and made without the use of parabens, sulfates, petrolatum, and formaldehyde.
It will come to you packaged in a recycled, compostable box that isn’t coated in plastic, making it easily erodible and environmentally friendly. As for longevity, this single shampoo bar can last you up to 3 months (or longer), which can seriously reduce your carbon footprint in at least one part of your beauty routine.
5. John Frieda Color Deepening Shampoo
It’s no secret that John Frieda is considered a genius in the hair world, and this color deepening shampoo does not fall short of his hair expertise.
With an aromatically tantalizing combination of natural cocoa and primrose oil, this shampoo will elevate your brunette shades, whether you’ve got naturally dark hair, or achieved it with the help of a dye.
If you feel that your brunette locks are lacking richness, depth, or dimension, this is a great shampoo to pick.
We recommend it for those with naturally dark hair looking to make their locks look a little bit more lively without having to commit to highlights or lowlights.
This option is also great for gradual color payoff. The brand recommends using this in place of your regular shampoo, to deepen your color as effectively as possible.
But on top of being a color deepener, this shampoo is also extremely luxurious, and will leave your mane feeling nourished, healthy, and rich in feel (not just in color).
6. Polygonum Multiflorum Shampoo Bar
You may have noticed that the shampoo bars on this list contain the same ingredient, and that is polygonum multiflora.
This plant is native to China and is a part of the buckwheat family, and it is highly revered for its hair strengthening and restorative properties.
This shampoo bar makes this plant the star of the show, having it as the most active ingredient on the list.
From the first wash, this shampoo bar improves blood circulation to the scalp, thus increasing the amount of cells in your hair follicles.
The result? Serious hair growth stimulation and repair, making for darker, healthier, thicker hair in just a couple of washes. Since it improves scalp health too, you can kiss dandruff goodbye!
In spite of its power, this shampoo is actually super gentle, and suitable for all hair types. Made with 100% organic herbs and 0% chemicals, this is a much safer alternative to the chemically heavy shampoos you may find on the shelves today.
7. NaturVital Black Henna Shampoo
If you’ve looked into natural hair dyes in the past, you may have seen people recommending henna hair dye.
Henna is a natural color depositing agent, and while it looks beautiful when used to make intricate designs on skin, it has a plethora of other uses that people may not know about, including hair dye.
While this shampoo doesn’t claim to act as a hair dye, it can gradually darken your hair over time due to the addition of henna in the ingredient list.
This isn’t meant to be kept in the hair as it doesn’t deposit color, but will instead deepen the color over time- whether you have naturally dark locks or not. This makes it a great pick for those maintaining brunette color in between salon visits, but we love it for those who already dye their hair using henna to begin with.
Formulated with amino acids, sunflower oil, and aloe vera, this shampoo keeps hair healthy, restores damage, and protects against future breakage, making it a fantastic choice for your regular shampoo.
8. SkinMenu Darkening Shampoo Bar
Whether your hair has gone white, or you’re looking to prevent grey hairs in the future, this shampoo bar is for you.
The SkinMenu darkening shampoo bar is our pick for the silver foxes out there looking to give their hair new life (literally).
This bar uses 100% plant-based, all natural ingredients to restore the dead color depositing follicles in your scalp, reactivating melanin production where there once was none.
How? By penetrating deep into the scalp and working to heal your hair at the source. This product doesn’t focus on fixing your strands, but rather healing the damage done at the root to bring life to current growth, and stimulate new growth.
Because it’s so effective at restoring the natural health of your hair, this is a great shampoo for all hair types and all ages. And you don’t just need to be looking for a darkening shampoo to enjoy the benefits of this bar either! It’s a great pick for those with heavy oil production, dandruff, or an irritated scalp overall.
9. Dexe Black Hair Shampoo
Turn back time and get rich black locks with Dexe’s Black Hair Shampoo.
Unlike the other shampoos on this list, this shampoo does contain hair dye, making it a perfect pick for those wanting to darken their color in a pinch!
Unlike other hair dye shampoos though, this shampoo contains no ammonia and no harsh chemicals. It’s an herbal alternative to salon dyes, making it a lot less abrasive to your hair shaft.
We love this for those looking to upkeep their color in between real dye sessions, but it’s also great if you’re just looking to darken your natural hair without dropping too much money.
Since it is a dye depositing solution, your order will come with gloves. From then, massage the shampoo into a lather and work it through your scalp for 10-15 minutes before rinsing. You’ll see results from the first wash!
Use as needed to refresh color, but remember that this shouldn’t take the place of your regular shampoo.
10. TruuMe Hair Darkening Shampoo Bar
If you have damaged locks, and are looking to deepen your color without additional damage, this shampoo bar will be your new best friend.
It was formulated specifically for damaged hair types looking to darken their locks, so you can rest assured knowing that you’re not applying anything to your hair that isn’t nourishing.
Formulated with olive oil, ginseng extract, polygonum multiflorum, and shea butter, you’ll have the darkening effect you’re yearning for, with the added bonus of moisture.
We also love this shampoo bar for those with thick hair, because this combination of ingredients works hard to restore your hair shaft and stimulate new growth!
The best part is that you’ll get two shampoo bars with each purchase, costing less than $20. It may sound like a lot, but with each bar lasting 4-6 months each, you’ll only need to buy shampoo once to last you an entire year. And that’ll make you, and your wallet, happy campers.
11. Mokeru Organic Hair Darkening Shampoo
And last, but certainly not least, on our list is the Mokeru Organic Hair Darkening Shampoo. This is another hair dye shampoo, but like the Dexe Shampoo, this one is also ammonia and chemical free- so worry not about damaging your mane in search of a darker color!
One of the best features about this shampoo is that one use will give you color that lasts up to 6 months. Yup, that means that one bottle of this color depositing shampoo could last you years depending on how often you need to touch up your roots.
Made with all natural ingredients and noni fruit essence, this shampoo will hydrate and nourish your scalp, making it a great pick for those with allergies or sensitive skin.
This shampoo is gentle, and a lot less messy than traditional hair dyes. You don’t even need gloves! Just wash your hair as you normally would to achieve rich, dark hair.
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