Here it is – the ultimate guide to dyeing your hair a fun and vibrant color – the right way. I’ll share my personal experiences with different colors, brands and methods. I’ve been dyeing my hair vibrant colors for the past 13 years and I’ve had many experiences, good and bad. My goal in writing this article is to help you make an informed decision when it comes to choosing a vibrant color and hopefully avoid the same mistakes I have made in the past.
To Bleach or Not to Bleach
If you have very light blond hair, you can probably achieve a vibrant color without bleaching. If your natural color is darker than platinum blond, you’ll need to bleach. Red, brown, black, dirty blond – we all need to bleach.
What sort of bleach works best when your goal is to dye your hair a vibrant color? Well, I’ve found the flash lightning bleach kit made by Manic Panic is the absolute best. Over the years I’ve tried many bleach kits and this one has the best effect, by far.
I have naturally dark, dark brown hair and it will turn my hair to a platinum blond in about an hour and a half. How long it takes to get your hair that light, platinum blond will vary greatly.
If you have blond hair, you’ll probably only need to leave the bleach on for a maximum of thirty minutes, usually less. If you have dark blond – medium brown hair, you probably won’t need more than 45 minutes – an hour. For dark brown – black hair, I’d recommend around an hour and a half.
Check your hair every 10 minutes or so and rinse as soon as you achieve the desired result.
If you have dark hair and you don’t bleach, you’ll end up with a pretty highlighted effect but it won’t be an actual vibrant color. If you’re just going for a highlight, then forego the bleach. I’ll explain which vibrant color is good for this purpose below.
Colors, Colors, Everywhere!
Choosing a vibrant color is dependant upon your specific needs. Do you want a vibrant color that will last for months, a few weeks, forever? Unfortunately, when dyeing your hair a vibrant color, permanent dye jobs are not going to be an option. Vibrant colors are semi permanent, which means they’ll usually fade after several washes.
Some vibrant colors last longer than others and some are easier to maintain. I’ll discuss colors here but first I want to talk about the brands of vibrant colors. Manic Panic is hands down the best brand to use when you dye your hair a vibrant color. There are many others brands on the market, many of which I have tried, and none of them come close to the quality of Manic Panic. Beauty supply stores such as Sally’s will stock Manic Panic products as well as alternative stores such as Hot Topic.
I’ve tried nearly all of the Manic Panic vibrant colors and the longest lasting of them is “After Midnight Blue”. If you want to go with blue as a vibrant color and you don’t want it to fade quickly, this is the color for you. This is my current hair color. I dyed my hair this vibrant color around three months ago and it’s only just beginning to fade.
If you choose red as your vibrant color, go with Manic Panic’s “Vampire Red”. It’s a bit darker than a normal red but it lasts for ages. This was the first vibrant color I ever used and I grew rather attached to it. Your hair will turn out to be a nice, stop-sign red. Remember, the dye is always darker than your hair will be when you’re finished.
If you fancy pink as a vibrant color, go with “Pillarbox Red”. I know, I know. It says “red” in the title but trust me, your hair will turn out an extremely bright pink. My hair is “Pillarbox Red” in the picture. It’s a gorgeous vibrant color but its only drawback is it doesn’t last as long as other reds or blues. I kept this vibrant color for about six weeks, washing my hair only twice a week, before it faded so badly I had to dye it again.
Purple is another vibrant color that fades quickly but you’ll have beautiful results at first. If you don’t mind that it fades quickly, purple or pink are great choices. I would recommend Manic Panic’s “Ultra Violet” if you choose purple as your vibrant color.
Green is the fastest-fading vibrant color of them all. If you’re determined to go green, try Manic Panic’s “Electric Lizard”. It will result in a beautiful, bright green. However, it will only last a few washes. If you want something really temporary, go with green as your vibrant color.
If your goal is to highlight unbleached hair, a darker vibrant color such as red, purple and blue work best. I once dyed my hair with “Ultra Violet” without first bleaching and it turned out rather tame, but still attractive. The color will be most evident in the sun and under bright lights. If you have a job where a vibrant color is frowned upon, you could try this. Manic Panic’s “Black and Blue”, “Deadly Night Shade” or “Ultra Violet” are all good choices.
How long is too long?
The amount of time you need to leave the vibrant color on will also vary. If it’s a vibrant color that fades easily such as pink, purple or green, I will leave the dye on overnight. Because these are semi-permanent dyes, they won’t damage your hair and you can leave them in as long as you like.
For blue and red as a vibrant color, I’ve found a couple of hours will usually suffice but feel free to leave these on overnight as well.
Wrap your hair in a shower cap or plastic wrap with the dye on. Wrap your head in a towel and go to sleep. Wash it out in the morning. You might want to use old pillowcases when you do this, as mine have been seriously stained using this method. It doesn’t bother me but if you have fancy pillow cases, you might not want them stained.
Also, if your worried about the towel or plastic wrap coming out of place during the night, you can pin it in place with clothespins, bobby pins, whatever.
Tips for Longer Lasting Vibrant Color
Wash your hair the minimal amount of times possible. I usually wash my hair 2-3 times per week with cold water. In my experience, the vibrant color will last longer if you wash with cold water.
With “After Midnight Blue” I’ve been able to wash my hair 4-5 times a week without significant fading. This is the only vibrant color I have found that allows me to wash my hair so often without much of an effect.
For green or pink as a vibrant color, wash your hair only once or twice per week with cold water.
You can also reserve a little dye for touch-ups here and there when you notice fading. Try adding a bit of dye to your conditioner bottle, that way you get a touch-up every time you wash your hair.
Take a step outside the norm and enjoy your new vibrant color!!
