Can You Turn Your Black Hair Red Without Bleach? This Viral Tutorial Says You Can

Color director Jaxcee told Refinery29 that "dark hair has lots of natural red tones, so when you strip it there's a lot of warmth underneath," and recommends that you try this trick on virgin hair only. However, that perfect red shade you're looking for won't be so easily obtained. Though dark hair does contain reddish tones, toner is usually needed to maintain the desired shade, since it can turn out brassy when left to its own devices.

Jerome explains this in her TikTok, during a clip where her colorist is seen applying product to her hair: "This whole process . . . is toning my hair, to get the natural red out of the black." Afterward, she was also given highlights and a gloss, to achieve her current hair color.

So, while the absence of bleach definitely minimizes the damage, don't be fooled: there is still hair product involved in the process. Regular trips to the salon, while avoiding common newly-colored red hair mistakes, will keep your new color intact.