{"id":49452,"date":"2025-04-25T13:16:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T13:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/49452\/"},"modified":"2025-04-25T13:16:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T13:16:09","slug":"meghan-markle-had-a-box-dye-disaster-heres-the-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/49452\/","title":{"rendered":"Meghan Markle had a box-dye disaster \u2013 here\u2019s the solution"},"content":{"rendered":"

Home hair colour<\/a> is better than it\u2019s ever been, but sometimes it just goes royally wrong. Meghan Markle has revealed she suffered a box-dye disaster soon after leaving the UK for California, managing to turn her glossy brunette hair <\/a>an unflatteringly dark, goth-like colour.<\/p>\n

The Duchess of Sussex talks about her self-inflicted hair mishap<\/a> on the latest episode of her new podcast, Confessions Of A Female Founder<\/a>, which features Highbrow Hippie<\/a> hair brand creator Kadi Lee. <\/p>\n

As Meghan explains: \u2018So, my family had just moved to California and we were staying in our friend\u2019s home and, because it was the pandemic, I kept ordering boxed hair dye.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018I thought, \u2018I\u2019m going to look just like she does on the box\u2019, and instead, it was this very inky, almost Elvira-esque black hair.\u2019 <\/p>\n

\"meghanRon Galella<\/p>\n

Elvira was not the look Meghan was hoping for when she coloured her hair<\/p>\n

Fortunately for Meghan, her wedding hairdresser Serge Normant <\/a>put her in touch with Kadi, who was able to help out and the pair have been close friends ever since. <\/p>\n

What causes hair dye to go too dark?<\/p>\n

Overly dark hair dye isn\u2019t a good look for anyone (see George\u2019s Clooney\u2019s current, much derided \u2018Sharpie-coloured\u2019 hair colour<\/a> for proof), but it\u2019s a common rookie blunder with box dye, according to hairdresser and mdLondon founder Michael Douglas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"meghanpuhhha<\/p>\n

Adding dye that\u2019s too dark can lead to a harsh-looking result<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s very easy to make your hair darker with a box dye and that means going too dark can easily happen as well,\u2019 he explains. \u2018People often underestimate how dark the final result will look in real life.\u2019 In short: the problem isn\u2019t the dye itself being \u2018dodgy\u2019, it\u2019s simply about the wrong choice of shade for you.<\/p>\n

Use a virtual try-on<\/a> to help you see how a colour will actually look on you before you commit.<\/p>\n

The issue is compounded when \u2013 as Meghan possibly did \u2013 permanent dye is applied on top of dye. \u2018It\u2019s like painting dark coats of paint on top of a dark wall,\u2019 says Michael. \u2018The colour builds up and looks dense and heavy.\u2019 For that reason, if you\u2019re covering up grey regrowth<\/a>, only apply dye to the roots. Don\u2019t slather the dye on all over previously coloured hair or feel you \u2018need\u2019 to use up the whole pack. <\/p>\n

To help you get it right (and honestly, it\u2019s not that difficult), read our expert guide to home hair colour here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What can I do about a box dye that\u2019s gone too dark?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to be wise after the event and while this is stating the obvious, prevention is better than cure. Most permanent box dyes use a universal colour-coding system with 1 being darkest and 10 the lightest. Even very dark natural brunette hair hovers at around a shade 3, so shades 1 and 2 will look dramatically dark. <\/p>\n

Which can be great if that\u2019s the look you\u2019re going for (and we\u2019ve found the best black hair dyes<\/a> for you), but do be aware that those extreme, ultra-dark shades look more obviously dyed. To give you some context, picture Davina McCall.<\/a> She\u2019s what most of us would call a dark brunette, but she\u2019s actually a shade 5, and is even the face on the Garnier Nutrisse box of that colour.<\/p>\n

Garnier Nutrisse Permanent Hair Dye Shade 5<\/p>\n

\"Nutrisse<\/a><\/p>\n

Now 25% Off<\/p>\n

Credit: Amazon<\/p>\n

So rule number one is to be conservative if you’re using brown hair dye. \u2018If you\u2019re wavering between two shades, go with the lighter one,\u2019 says Michael. \u2018If it\u2019s too light, you can always use the darker one over the top.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Too late for that advice? Your next step depends on the type of dye you\u2019ve used. If you\u2019ve used a semi-permanent dye, you\u2019re in luck. It will naturally fade anyway over 20 or so washes, but you can speed that up. \u2018If you\u2019ve used a semi-permanent colour then wash it a few times with an anti-dandruff shampoo,\u2019 says Michael. \u2018Leave the shampoo in for 5 minutes before rinsing to help remove some of the colour and lighten the hair.\u2019 <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re dealing with overly-dark permanent colour, that\u2019s a trickier issue. This sort of dye does what it says on the box and won\u2019t wash out. \u2018The colour will need to be professionally stripped out,\u2019 says Michael. In some cases, this can be done in a single session, but it depends on your existing colour, your hair condition and where you want to end up. <\/p>\n

Our top tip? Be like Meghan \u2013 and cultivate a friendship with a great hairdresser!
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