SchwarzkopfColor Ultime Metallic Permanent Hair Color Cream, 3.45 Glossy Steel

Great product for the price! It’s affordable, easy to apply, and gets the job done. The color came out rich and even, and it covered my grays perfectly. Definitely a solid choice if you’re looking for a budget-friendly black hair dye.

Let me set the scene: It’s January 2025, and my head looked like a box of melted crayons. I had a full-head fantasy ombré job—red, pink, and purple fading into each other like a sunset designed by a teenage unicorn. But the roots? Oh honey… my naturally dark brown (but not quite black) roots had grown out enough to look like I was wearing an ill-fitting toupee.I decided it was time to go dark. Like, “rebooting my identity and clearing the color history” dark. I picked up Schwarzkopf Color Ultime in 1.4 Sapphire Black, hoping it would do the impossible: cover over that chaotic rainbow mess and blend my almost-black roots without looking ashy, green, or flat. (Spoiler alert: it absolutely delivered.)Not only did it cover my fantasy colors beautifully, but it left my hair feeling soft, not crunchy like other permanent dyes tend to do. That post-dye conditioner? Liquid velvet. It actually made my hair feel better than before I dyed it—which feels illegal, but I’m not questioning it.And let me tell you… it's now July 2025 as I write this review. That’s 7 months later, and the black? Still looking chef’s kiss. You can’t see the sapphire-blue undertone as strongly anymore, but the color hasn’t faded into that dull, tired black that most boxed dyes do after a couple of months. You know that grayish, chalkboard-looking shade? Yeah, none of that.For context, I’ve dyed my hair black many times over the years. I've tried brands across the board—from drugstore cheapies to salon snob specials. My favorite kind of black is the one with blue or purple undertones, and this shade absolutely nails it. Most others? They betray you around month three. This one? Loyal.TL;DR:Covered over red/pink/purple fantasy dye like a champDidn’t dry out my hairStayed vibrant for 7 months and countingConditioner included is basically magicNo gross fade-out phaseOfficially my favorite black dye nowIf you’re looking to ditch the rainbow or refresh your gothic roots, this is the black dye to beat. Trust the girl who once turned her shower pink for two weeks.

The Sapphire Black is such a beautiful color! This was my first time trying this dye and I am so happy with how it turned out! It's a very deep blue in the sun and indoors more of a lustrous black. The color took differently to my natural highlights giving it a multidimensional tone that I am in love with. I have naturally dark brown (and some grays 🫣) hair. The coverage of this dye is phenomenal, though a bit messy - definitely worth the effort. I have long hair, so I used 2 boxes and it was plenty to thoroughly saturate it. The smell wasnt overpowering either which is a nice plus! Use a dark towel or one you don't care about after washing, and wipe any skin that is exposed to the dye as you go if you don't want stains on your skin. A bit of bleach took the few drip marks off my white sink easily. Overall super happy and would purchase again.

ate down. blue in the sun that is a pretty color but very black otherwise. lasted way longer than other dyes did for me and I frequently wash my hair with color safe shampoo and warm water.

Easy to apply, didn't make a mess at all. Definitely can see the a mild blue tint, but overall a very true black. Applied very evenly.Update: Color is far from permanent. Started fading out after a week. It's so inexpensive and easy to apply so reapplication could be a solution. I'm just going to let it continue to fade out and likely seek out a different option.

This hair dye is fantastic! It doesn’t leave a blue sheen, it just has a blue base so that it’s not going to pull red in the sunlight, which is exactly what I wanted. Very much a cool-leaning neutral black. I have long hair so I purchased two boxes, which worked out perfectly for me! I do recommend buying two if your hair is past shoulder length to be super safe. Fast processing time in my hair, and it covered all of my grays! I left it on for about 5 extra minutes over the recommended processing time to ensure gray coverage. Love it, will be buying again!

Beautiful and perfect! Arrived on time, packing was perfect, product was perfect, results were exactly as expected.UPDATE! Beautiful color that lasted for the last month without fading or turning, and I'm on here as I write this to order more for my roots!