How to Dye Your Hair Blue
Blue hair is a very striking look. Not only is it unusual but there are also so many shades of blue to choose from that you can be sure to feel like your look is your statement. With blue hair being more in the public eye in the last few years due to the fact that a host of celebrities have tried this daring colour, the question is how to get the look from home.
No matter what your starting colour, it is possible to get blue hair. There are a wide range of blue hair dyes on the market, meaning that you can choose one which suits your needs - whether that be vibrancy of colour, shade or that the product be cruelty-free - there's a blue hair dye for everybody!
If you're not sure that you want to commit to blue hair - don't worry, there are also wash-out blue dyes available, meaning that you can just rock the colour for 24 hours! Remember that any lightening you do to your hair that uses bleach is irreversible, though - if your hair is dark then whilst you might not have to commit to blue, you may be stuck with your pre-lightened hair for good!
How to achieve blue hair depends on the colour of your hair at the moment and the shade of blue that you want to achieve. By taking these things into consideration, you can best analyse how you will need to go about getting your hair blue and are more likely to achieve the shade that you are looking for. If you do not mind what shade of blue your hair will be, it is recommended to go for a shade darker than your own hair for optimum results.
Starting From a Dark Colour
This also applies if your hair is any darker than the shade that you want to achieve. It is best for your hair to be at least a shade or two lighter than your desired colour.
If you are dying your hair from a darker colour like black, brunette or dark auburn shades then you will need to lighten the hair. There are hair lighteners on the market that do not use bleach, although the results of these can vary. Most people will bleach their hair in order to lighten it. By lightening the hair, you are giving the dye a better base to go on - consider if you were to have a black wall that you wanted pale blue; you would have to paint the wall white until it was pale enough to take the blue shade, or else the colour would not show.
If you are concerned about bleaching your hair, an alternative is bleach bathing. This process is much kinder to the hair and is more likely to retain its condition. Bleach bathing is better than bleaching particularly if you are growing your hair as the hair needs to be healthy in order to keep its length.
In order to keep your hair in good quality, try to bleach or bleach bathe over a long period of time rather than lightening the hair dramatically all in one day or week. How much you need to bleach your hair depends upon the shade of blue that you want, although results tend to be more vibrant the lighter the hair is. Remember, when applying bleach, to put it on the ends of your hair first. This is because the heat of the scalp makes it develop quicker - bleach applied to the roots first will leave your hair uneven with lighter roots than ends and an uneven base for your blue hair may affect the results.
Starting From Dyed Hair
If your hair is already dyed you may want to use a hair dye remover product. These remove most hair colours from the hair, leaving your natural shade underneath. Your natural shade is, however, changed itself by bleach or silicone meaning that most blonde dyes and many black dyes will leave a lasting change in your hair colour when using colour removal products. In order to find out whether these might work out for you, check out the ingredients of the dyes that you've previously used. Colour removal products are also good if you are trying to wash out a semi-permanent dye quicker so that you can start the process of getting your hair blue.
Aside from using hair dye removal products, you will again need to decide whether your hair needs lightening before dying it blue - meaning that if your hair is darker than the shade that you are looking for then you will need to carefully lighten it as above.
Popular Hair Dye/Stain Brands:
The following brands sell shades of blue hair dye:
- Manic Panic
- Directions
- Fudge
- Special Effects
- Schwartzkopf Live XXL
Now That Your Hair is Lightened
If you haven't yet bought a blue dye, browse for a shade that best matches the colour that you have in mind for yourself. Looking at colour swatches might be helpful, or looking at pictures of people whose hair has been dyed with the colour that you have in mind could help you make a choice.
Once you have bought the dye, you should strand test it. Dye a small section of your hair somewhere discreet. This will help you to see what the end result would be like and you can determine whether this is indeed the right shade for you. You should strand test near the scalp so that you can make sure that you are not allergic or irritated by the product before applying it to the whole head, although you can also apply some dye to the tips or dye a few entire strands of hair if you want to see what effect the dye will have to the ends and mid-section of your hair.
If you are colouring your hair with a stain (you should find this out beforehand), more than one application might be necessary in order to achieve the depth or tone of colour that it is meant to create.
I Want Pastel Blue OR My Blue Dye Is Too Dark
In order to lighten a shade of blue to make it closer to your desired shade, try adding conditioner to the dye in a mixing bowl. You can experiment with small amounts of dye and conditioner at first until you decide on what ratio you will need to get the shade that you are looking for.
If you can't quite find the perfect shade of blue hair dye, you can also try the above method for mixing two shades of blue together. Mixing shades makes the colour possibilities endless and means that you have more creative control as to the look you will achieve.
Have You Ever Dyed Your Hair Blue Before?
Looking After Your Hair
Now that you have dyed you hair blue, you should ensure that it is in good condition. Either use a deep conditioner once a week or simply keep your conditioner in for 10-15 minutes before rinsing if you use a natural one.
To keep the colour looking vibrant for longer, you may want to wash it less. This will help to retain the colour and will also help with the condition since you will not be washing away your hair's natural oils.
