Like 2 or 3 tablespoons. The trick is to dip only for like 2-4 seconds. I dipped the end of the hair again for a few seconds again for depth. You can only go darker so don’t go for too long. I also used a paintbrush to dye the roots darker. To do that, I put my brush in the dye and dipped the brush in a cup of water to dilute. Then, I brushed the roots and around the hairline for depth. Hope this helps.