9 best black hair dyes for perfectly dark, shiny strands

This semi-permanent colour is both natural in colour and in formulation – the brand claims the ingredients are 80% naturally-derived. Those include coconut oil that nourishes and moisturises dry and damaged hair, and scalp-soothing aloe vera. The result? Super shiny, fade-resistant, and even coverage.

There's also a wide range of shades to choose from, from a cool light brown to a deeper brown-black.

Talk about a beauty steal. Priced at under £10, this boxed dye from Revlon excels at covering greys, retaining shine, and, according to users, it doesn't fade after four weeks.

The formula includes nourishing keratin and silk amino acid to keep hair in tip-top shape.

Box dyes have in the past had a bad reputation for being messy, and your stained bath mat and towels may be testament to that. But John Frieda has formulated this non-drip foam dye to be significantly less messy than the standard at-home cream dyes. The foam texture makes it easier to saturate those hard-to-reach spots, and leaves less room for patchiness.

Included in the kit, you also get an after-colour conditioner that seals in the dye.

You can't go wrong with a classic black hair dye, but this one adds a hue of blue – great if you're looking to subtly switch it up. The formula is made up with a glycolic gloss complex, which means that it adds extra hydration and shine to the hair, and leaves it feeling soft and looking glossy.

If you want fresh, shiny and healthy-looking hair, then look no further, as this box dye is full of light-reflective pigments that will leave your locks dazzling. It's also enriched with a protective UV-filter and vitamin E, which help repair damaged cells and encourage growth.

There's an included conditioner with shine serum to keep your hair in top condition after colouring, too. We're also big fans of the Refined Brown shade if you don't want to go so dark.

If your hair is on the dry and brittle side due to the damaging effects of heat styling or bleach, then Garnier's Olia is a gentler permanent dye. It's ammonia-free so shouldn't irritate the scalp; instead, it uses a 60% oil-powered formula that nourishes hair while colouring, with the addition of flower-oil to avoid the unpleasant dye smell.

The kit contains developer cream, colourant and protective gloves for fuss-free application. There's also an after-colour, silicone-free conditioner.

Dye can leave your locks extra susceptible to dryness, especially if you have curly, coiled hair, which is why haircare brand Creme of Nature has added extra-nourishing ingredients to its permanent, ammonia-free hair dye.

This one contains ultra-hydrating Argan oil, which is rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, which moisturise from your scalp all the way through to your ends. They also help improve hair elasticity, so there's less breakage. The gel formula makes it easier to apply, too.

If you're looking to go darker, but not too dark, try Clairol's brown-black shade. It's subtle and softer than jet black and has lots of dimension and shine.

With three different tones and highlights worked into into the final shade, it produces a more natural-looking colour.

This permanent hair dye combines an ultra nourishing blend of five oils, which include avocado, olive and shea, with a colour-boosting technology to keep the shade strong over time.

Once developed you'll be left with a natural black result, rather than anything too harsh. The brand claims it covers 100% of grey, too.