If you have beautiful Asian hair, you definitely want to be using Asian hair dye if you color it.
Since I’m guessing your hair color is close to black, oftentimes the first step is bleaching.
But bleaching and dying can be VERY damaging together, and a lot of hair products don’t account for how harsh their chemicals can be. The great thing about Asian hair dye is that many brands have perfected formulas with natural ingredients.
Some of my favorite brands offer a wide range of specific hair colors as well. So if you prefer to stick to more natural tones like me, there are plenty of dyes to choose from.
Instead of just “brown” or “blonde,” my fav products offer dyes with specific undertones to match different skin tones.
While most of my favorites are from Asian brands, I also wanted to highlight products that work well on Asian hair.
Asian hair has more cuticle layers than Caucasian hair, which is why it needs more effort to lift. The pigmentation is also darker—and that adds even more time to the dyeing process.
But that doesn’t mean Asian hair dye is exclusive to Asian hair! So if you want to try some popular hair colors or cover up gray hairs naturally, here are my top recommendations!
Shop my recommended Asian hair dyes below:
9 Best Asian Hair Dye
1. Madison Reed Light Smoky Brown
This kit has everything you need, so it’s super beginner friendly and a great place to start. It comes with the hair dye, color activator, cap, gloves, and of course, instructions on how to use everything properly.
Their formula is cruelty, PPD, and ammonia free with no parabens or other ingredients that are known to cause any irritation. The brand is very transparent about having “ingredients with integrity.”
They also have a page on their website that goes into more detail about what is and isn’t in their formulas.
The hair dye has full coverage, and the conditioner within the kit leaves your hair feeling soft and shiny. If you’re skeptical of diving straight into box dyes, try this one first!
2. Dariya Salon De Pro Hair Color Cream
If you’re more experienced and are confident in using box dyes, Dariya is a great, mess-free option.
Dariya’s hair dye has a creamy, lotion-like texture that counters the bad reputation of most box dyes. To achieve their formula, they use silk polymer proteins for their famously smooth application process.
To moisturize your hair, they use royal jelly extract. On top of that, they use olive oil and other vegetable proteins to protect your hair while giving it a natural shine.
3. Kao Liese Creamy Bubble Color
Kao Liese uses foam so that the bubbles can penetrate into hair roots. So if you hate the long, drawn-out process of reaching into the roots, you’ll love this.
The box comes with a Rinse-off Treatment Pack that you can use post-dye that repairs hair cuticle layers. Although the dye contains hydrolyzed silk and lanolin acid that protects your hair, it’s nice to have a backup kit!
The dyes are also mixed with gray and blue hues to create a layered look, mimicking salon finishes. It’s so impressive that it’s been rated as Japan’s No. 1 Hair Fashion Color and the No. 1 Hair Color in Singapore.
4. Mise en Scene Hello Bubble Foam Color
Mine en Scene has been Korea’s No. 1 hair dye for 8 consecutive years from 2014-2021, so you KNOW they’ve mastered their products.
The hair dye comes as a thick, creamy foam with its signature formula being ammonia, PEG, and PPD-free. And of course, no animal cruelty.
Instead, they use natural ingredients found in green tea, camellia, and pomegranates to level up the dye’s gentle strength.
My favorite aspect of Mine en Scene is that each dye is paired with skin tone recommendations—which ensures that you don’t look washed out!
5. Etude House Hot Style Bubble Hair Coloring
Just like all the other bubble hair dyes, Etude House specializes in providing a soft, foamy mixture that feels like shampoo. Because it’s an easy-to-apply formula, there is no chance of having uneven coverage.
Their key ingredients include lavender, sunflower seed oil, camomile, royal jelly, and more to give your hair a smooth, silky finish. Since they include a hair treatment packet, your hair will come out looking smooth and shiny despite having dyed it—nothing like cheap box dye.
It’s also, of course, ammonia-free, and Etude House always provides a care package that comes along with the dye. There’s a hair treatment packet, a plastic gown, gloves, instruction manuals, and more.
6. Dariya Palty Hair Coloring Milk
Dariya also has another series of hair dyes that’s extremely popular and for good reason. The Palty Hair Coloring Milk is one of their bestsellers, and they provide gloves, hair treatment serum, and hair lotion with the dyes.
It’s odorless, doesn’t drip, and doesn’t irritate your skin or nostrils. They use camellia oil for the shine, pearl extract for hydration, rosehip oil for gloss, hawthorn extract and royal jelly for moisture, and seaweed extract for protection.
Dariya was also the first brand to create a one-push bottle that dispensed two hair treatment agents at the same time in 2014. It just goes to show how dedicated they are to promoting hair beauty!
7. Rishiri Kombu Hair Color Treatment Dark Brown
This product was voted No. 1 in Japan as the “Best Hair Color and Manicure Product” for 2 consecutive years in 2011-2012. Since it was voted as the best product, not as a brand, that means it HAS to be good.
What I love most about this treatment is that it gradually, gently dyes your hair. It’s meant to be used every day, after shampoo, and it dyes your hair bit by bit.
Because it’s gentle and used every day, it is especially good for people with sensitive scalps, skin, or allergies to chemical hair dyes. It contains iodine and different minerals that promote protein generation in your hair, as well as your scalp.
They use natural extracts from herbs and their signature Rishiri Sea Kelp Extract is harvested from the Northern Islands of Hokkaido.
8. Daeng Gi Meo Ri
Like most of the other products, Daeng Gi Meo Ri is PPD and ammonia free. Instead, they use directly-decocted oriental herbal extracts, which are represented beautifully in the traditional art style that decorates their packaging.
Their key ingredients include Korean ginseng, Cnidium officinale, and Artemisia. They also use Keratin to counter potential damage from the dye, and PCA to moisturize your hair.
Since they provide a hair dye brush, a vinyl glove, and a gown, I also love the mini salon experience you get with their kits. It’s a nice reminder that I deserve to treat myself!
9. Somang Clinic Black Hair
Since all the other products were brown and light shades, let’s finish off with my favorite product for black dye. Somang Clinic Hair Color uses 1,200mg of Keratin to keep your hair strong and healthy.
They also use ceramide to capture moisture, glycyrrhiza extract for your scalp, and camellia oil for a healthy shine. Like most of the other products, they also provide a comb, brush, gloves, and cape.
All hair dye products should include mini kits like these! It makes dyeing hair so much more fun and streamlines the process.
It’s already getting warmer, so it’s time to complete our spring makeovers and have some fun! Asian hair dye is key for finding products that won’t damage your hair.
I’ve always seen the botched box dye results online and was deterred from trying it for a long time. That being said, always remember to test-swatch a portion of your hair before diving headfirst!
If you end up dyeing your hair, tag me on Insta (@wtfab) so I can see your transformation!
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FAQs
Not necessarily, but because of its pigmentation and cuticle layers, it can be a long process.
Yes, the process is different across all hair types and compared to Caucasian hair, not all products work the same!
Yes, Korean bubble hair dyes are some of the best on the market! Most Korean dyes don’t contain ammonia or any harmful chemicals, so they focus on both color and health.
