Did you know that you can significantly transform your dark locks without lightening them with bleach, which puts you at risk of dry hair and damage? In fact, while lightening dark hair is certainly within a professional realm, changing your current shade, making the color warm or cool, or going a few levels lighter or darker can actually be accomplished from home.

Here's a complete guide to the types of dyes and the products that are the best choice.

Anyone who had a coloring book in their youth knows that for light colors you need a blank canvas and that you will not achieve any results if you have already covered something with brown chalk. With darker hair colors it is basically the same.

For any drastic lightening of dark hair, you must first remove the natural hair color by bleaching and then transform the light blonde strands into the desired shade. If you want to dye your hair without harsh chemicals (read bleach), be prepared that the result will be close to your current hair color. However, this doesn't mean it won't have a big impact on the overall look!