Good Luck *Not* Dyeing Your Hair After Seeing These Blue-Black Shade Ideas (2024)

This time last year, I was standing in my bathroom with a towel around my neck, covered in red hair dye (RIP towel), and staring in the mirror, horrified at what I had tried to do to my hair at home. But can you blame me? The future of hair salons was murky, and I really wanted to change up my hair color asap (priorities, right?). Thankfully, I learned my lesson from that DIY dye job, and I’m now safely leaving my hair color in the hands of a trained professional—and, apparently, so is everyone else. Because over the last few months, a new hair color trend has suddenly burst forth from the salon scene, and unlike everything that was 2020, this one is incredibly cool and fun: blue-black hair.

ICYMI, the blue-black hair trend involves all-over black hair with subtle blue undertones peeking through (or, the opposite: all-over blue hair with black undertones). From bright blue to smokey denim shades, the blue-black trend is all about customization within a narrow color palette, which makes the look even easier to wear for every hair color and skin undertone. And FYI to all you DIY enthusiasts: Though you can kinda get a similar, subtler blue-black shade from a box dye, this trend really will look best when in the skilled hands of a professional, so I highly recommend you spring for a salon appointment instead.

Got all that? Good. Now please keep scrolling and get ready to screenshot one of these 25 incredibly cute blue-black hair color ideas, below.

The range of blue shades in this blue-black hair color—turquoise, ocean blue, royal blue—is truly incredible, and will definitely require the skilled hands of your local colorist to achieve. You can have your ends dyed darker at the ends like this pic, or ask your colorist to keep it the same level of brightness throughout. The best part? Since there are warmer and cooler blues here, it’ll work as a summer or winter hair color.

If you aren’t down to dye your whole head (baby steps, I get it), ask your colorist to keep your roots darker (or straight-up black) at the top, and then opt for blue on the lower half of your hair. The result? A cool-toned shadow-roots finish that’s bright yet smokey at the same time.

The teal tones in this blue-black dye job are almost indistinguishable, giving it a super-glossy, all-over blue sheen that still lets a good amount of black hues shine through. The key to that shine? Pre-poo treatments, like hair masks and hair oils, to keep your ends from fraying, breaking, or drying out.

Bright blue is a great shade option to choose for your blue-black hair. It truly stands out on dark shades, which can be notoriously hard to achieve with bright colors (IYKYK). To keep your color vibrant, make sure your shampoo and conditioner are free of sulfates (aka no clarifying shampoos allowed, sry), and always, always use a heat protectant before styling.

These curls are hitting two major 2021 hair trends: blue-black hair and blue ombré hair. With this short ombré style, the roots start out as blue-black, then fade into a bright, solid blue for a result that’s super cute and wearable. The only downside? It’ll require some bleach to make happen, so if you’re not down to permanently dye your curls and coils, try playing around with a temporary color wax instead.

These soft indigo highlights are a great way to add some blue-black color to your hair without going for a full color treatment. FYI, when it comes to a subtle shade like this, make sure to cut down on how often you’re shampooing each week to prevent fading (dry shampoo will be your BFF here).

Blue-black hair is honestly perfect for summer, as proven by this summer-y aqua shade, which is essentially pure mermaid hair IRL. Pro tip: To keep this bright hue vibrant, start using a color-depositing shampoo each wash day to help amplify blue tones and prevent the sun from turning your blue brassy.

When you finally head to the salon for your blue-black hair, don’t be afraid to play around with a couple different shades of blue to add extra dimension to the trend. Or just screenshot this and show your colorist exactly what you want, being very specific about which shades of blue and where (like this teal that fades into royal navy).

This violet blue-black hair hits the sweet spot between warm and cool-toned—ahem, ~neutral~ as we say—making it a perfect year-round shade to copy. If you’re trying this look out on curly hair, try loading up on a hot-oil treatment afterwards to infuse moisture back into your hair.

This blue-black hair has double the blue: gun-metal blue in the base, and bright navy streaks in the top layer, all perfectly—and, ahem, expertly—blended together for a truly gorgeous finish. Bonus points if you go for the inverted bob haircut, too.

Um, can we just acknowledge that this denim blue-black balayage is actually stunning, and I will not be taking further questions at this time? Since this look will definitely require some bleach (if you’re starting from a deeper hair color), make sure to prep your hair with a deep conditioner in the days leading up to your appointment to start with a moisturized foundation.

For this slate blue-black shade, tell your colorist that you want gray undertones in your blue to keep it from feeling too bright and summery. The gray hair color here is what keeps this shade v smokey and cool-toned, versus warm and cheery (which, hey, also a cute look, but not the vibe).

This blue-black hair has an added shade of silver at the ends, so if that’s where you’re starting from, this look will be 10/10 for you. Since you’ll be working with a lighter shade towards the ends, a purple shampoo to combat orange brassiness will be a must in your shower.

FYI: You don’t need to have black hair to get in on the blue-black trend. First of all, there’s no rule against adding blue to your naturally brown hair (let’s make blue-brown a thing for 2022, yeah?), and second of all, blue-black hair dye literally comes in a bottle—see: Clairol Nice’n Easy in Blue Black or Garnier Nutrisse in Dark Intense Indigo—so whether it’s at home or at the salon, you’ve got options.

If you don’t do “subtle,” welcome to your new hair color. There’s no missing this electric-blue shade (and peep the black undertones!)—it’ll stand out in literally any lighting. And don’t forget to incorporate some hydrating pre-poo treatments into your routine to keep your color vibrant and your strands healthy.

Heads up: You don’t have to commit to a permanent dye job to jump on the blue-black hair trend. If you’d rather tiptoe into the look at home first, try experimenting with a temporary dye first, which will last up to 15 washes.

Not only is this pic honestly all of my hair-shine goals, but it’s also the perfect balance between muted blue and soft black, making it incredibly flattering on every skin tone. To get your hair as glossy as this, try adding a shine-enhancing toner to your weekly hair routine, like DpHue’s Color Boosting Gloss or Overtone’s Blue Toning Conditioner.

Ah, Billie. A true hair-color icon. If there’s any pic that’ll convince you to make the switch to blue-black hair, it’s this one. Also, if you’re going for a shadow-roots finish, I highly recommend mastering some half-up hairstyles ahead of time to let those dark roots shine.