Coloring your hair is a fun way to express your personality and style. Many people enjoy mixing different vivid shades to create a unique hair color. A popular combination is pink and blue to achieve a purple hue. But does blending pink and blue hair dyes really create purple locks? Let’s take a deeper look.
How Hair Dye Works
Hair dye contains color pigments that are deposited into the hair strand to alter the natural pigment. There are two main types of hair dye:
- Permanent hair dye – Uses ammonia and peroxide to open the cuticle and alter the natural melanin pigment inside the strand. This achieves long-lasting color that does not wash out.
- Semi-permanent/deposit only hair dye – Coats the outside of the hair strand with color that eventually washes away. Does not lighten or damage the hair.
With permanent hair dye, mixing color shades follows basic color theory. Primary colors like red, yellow, and blue can be blended to create secondary colors. For example, combining yellow and blue permanent dyes will create a green shade. But mixing semi-permanent fantasy colors does not necessarily blend together to form a new shade.
Blending Pink and Blue Semi-Permanent Dye
Vivid semi-permanent dyes in shades like pink, blue, purple, and green have become wildly popular. However, these fun fashion shades don’t mix together on the hair strand like primary permanent colors do. There are a few reasons why:
- Semi-permanent dyes coat the outside of the hair, so the colors don’t actually combine.
- Vivid tones like pink, blue, and purple have a similar secondary base made from a red dye. This makes them prone to mixing into an unappealing brownish or murky color.
- Blue is the strongest tone, so it often overpowers pink when blended together.
You can still achieve a light pastel purple by layering a pink semi-permanent dye over pre-lightened hair, followed by a diluted application of blue. But in most cases, pink and blue semi-permanents will not properly combine into a true purple.
Mixing Pink and Blue Permanent Dye
What happens when you blend pink and blue permanent hair dyes together? Permanent hair color follows basic color theory, so in theory combining primary blue and red-based pink should form a secondary purple. However, there are some factors to consider:
- The starting base color of your hair will impact the final result. Light hair will show truer tones.
- The exact shades of pink and blue permanent dye will change the final color. A blue-based pink and darker blue will turn out different than a red-pink and sky blue.
- Uneven blending and application can lead to a splotchy or muddy outcome instead of true purple.
To achieve the best true purple result, it’s recommended to:
- Lighten hair to a pale yellow first to remove any brassiness.
- Use a red-based pink and blue-based navy blue permanent dye.
- Thoroughly mix the dyes together before application.
- Apply evenly across every strand to avoid an uneven patchy effect.
Even with proper application, don’t expect the purple shade to be extremely bright or vivid. Mixing blue and pink permanent dye creates a darker muted purple. For a bolder purple, use a pre-made permanent dark purple hair dye instead.
Best Practices for Mixing Pink and Blue Hair Dye
Here are some best practices to follow when attempting to blend pink and blue hair dye at home:
- Do test strands first! Mix a bit of the pink and blue dyes and apply to a small section of hair to see if you achieve the desired color.
- Use similar dye formulas. Mixing a semi-permanent with a permanent will not work well.
- Thoroughly combine the dyes before applying them to hair for an even color distribution.
- Focus on hair porosity. More porous hair will grab more color than healthy hair.
- Deep condition hair before and after to prevent dryness from multiple processing steps.
Helpful Application Tips
Here are some tips for properly applying mixed pink and blue dye to your hair:
- Work in sections – this helps control application and coverage.
- Start applying the dye at the mid-lengths and ends. Save the roots for last.
- Saturate each section fully, focusing on the ends.
- Use a tint brush to paint on dye and separate strands.
- Once all hair is covered, smooth sections with a wide-tooth comb to blend.
Ask a friend to help apply the mixed dye. It’s difficult to fully saturate and blend your own hair! Having an extra set of hands ensures every strand gets thoroughly covered.
How to Remove Purple Hair from Pink and Blue Dye
What if your custom pink and blue dye job turns out more purple than you wanted? Here are some ways to remove the unwanted purple shade:
- Use a color remover. Look for a remover formulated for direct dyes. Apply, let sit, rinse. Repeat until the desired amount of color lifts.
- Try an anti-dye shampoo. Specialized shampoos like Malibu DDL help lift direct dye molecules.
- Bleach wash the hair. Use a weak 10 vol bleach solution to gently lift and dilute the purple. Rinse promptly.
- Full bleaching. For drastic removal, apply lightener to fully strip the unwanted purple color.
Be patient with removing purple hair dye. It may take a few rounds of stripping washes to fully lift out the color. Avoid over-processing which can damage the hair.
Best Dye Brands for Mixing Pink and Blue
Certain professional brands of hair dye tend to mix and blend more seamlessly than drugstore box kits. Here are some top brands for mixing custom pink and blue shades:
| Brand | Details |
|---|---|
| Pravana | Vibrant, long-lasting color perfect for vivid pink and blue mixing. |
| Pulp Riot | High quality professional formulas designed for blending and painting. |
| Joico | Salon brand with a wide range of mixable vivid colors. |
| Schwarzkopf | Known for their color expertise. Try their Igora Royal line. |
| Guy Tang Mydentity | Customizable permanent dye system perfect for pink + blue mixing. |
Always do allergy tests before using a new brand or formula. And strand tests to confirm the shades mix well together.
How to Maintain Mixed Pink and Blue Hair
Preserving your custom pink and blue purple hair color requires proper maintenance. Here are some tips:
- Use sulfate-free shampoo and cool water when washing.
- Shampoo less frequently, only lathering roots.
- Rinse with a vinegar solution to keep color vibrant.
- Apply weekly conditioning hair masks.
- Use a tinted conditioner to refresh color between dye jobs.
- Avoid chlorine, salt water, and heat styling.
Also, be prepared to re-dye the hair every 4-6 weeks. Vivid mixed shades fade faster than natural tones. Using a coloring conditioner as needed will help combat fading.
Do’s and Don’ts When Mixing Pink and Blue Dye
Here are some key do’s and don’ts to remember:
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Do strand tests first | Don’t expect neon bright purple |
| Do use similar dye formulas | Don’t dye over unlightened hair |
| Do apply dyes evenly | Don’t overlap colors too much |
| Do mix colors thoroughly before applying | Don’t leave dye on too long |
| Do deep condition before and after | Don’t shampoo too frequently |
Following these tips will help you achieve the best possible purple hair color results from mixing pink and blue dye!
Troubleshooting Muddy or Patchy Results
What if your pink and blue dye blending resulted in unsightly splotches or a gross muddy color? Here are some troubleshooting tips:
- First, shampoo a few times with a clarifying shampoo to remove any excess dye buildup.
- Next, use a color remover to strip the color and restart the process.
- If those steps don’t work, try bleaching. But be very gentle to avoid damage.
- Tone hair after lightening to neutralize any unwanted brassiness.
- Once hair is reset, redye following all proper techniques for blending pink and blue.
It can take a couple rounds of removal to get the hair back to an even, clean base again. Be patient and avoid overprocessing. Use conditioning treatments to restore hair’s moisture after all the stripping steps.
How to Create a Gradient or Ombre Effect
Instead of fully blending pink and blue dyes, you can create a fun gradient or ombre effect. Here’s how:
- Start by dyeing the bottom portion of your hair blue.
- Next, paint pink dye starting around ear level up to the roots.
- Use a tinting brush to blend the two colors together.
- Pull thinner subsections of hair when applying to get a seamless gradient.
- Finish with purple dye blended through the middle section overlapping pink and blue.
Use foils when first applying the low and highlights to keep the colors separate. Then remove foils and carefully blend with a tint brush in small subsections for a smooth ombre.
How Long Does Purple Hair from Pink and Blue Dye Last?
How long your custom purple hair color lasts depends on a few factors:
- Type of dye used – Permanent vs semi-permanent
- Your natural hair color – Darker hair holds color better
- Hair porosity – More porous hair absorbs more dye
- Frequency of washing and styling
Here is an approximate guideline for purple hair dye longevity:
| Dye Type | Longevity |
|---|---|
| Semi-permanent | 4-8 washes |
| Demi-permanent | 8-12 washes |
| Permanent | 5-8 weeks before roots show |
To extend the longevity, use color-protecting products and avoid washing too frequently. Re-dye roots as they grow out to keep hair looking vibrant.
Experimenting with Fun Colors
Playing with vivid hair dyes like pink and blue is the perfect way to switch up your style. While the shades may not blend into the perfect purple concoction, you can still achieve a unique look. With the right techniques and products, you can get creative mixing pink and blue – as well as other fun colors.
Just remember to thoroughly prep and lighten the hair first. Always do allergy and strand tests. Use professional quality dye and proper application techniques for the best results. Expect to do many rounds of maintenance to keep the colors looking their best. But most importantly – have fun with it!
Conclusion
Blending pink and blue hair dye to create purple locks seems like it would be straightforward. However, the reality is mixing vivid semi-permanent fantasy colors can result in less than desirable results. While pink and blue permanent dyes can combine to form purple, the outcome greatly depends on the original base color and application technique. For best results, lighten hair first and use professional quality dyes in similar formulas. Thoroughly mix the shades before applying evenly across every strand. Maintain the color with specialized shampoos and conditioners. Vibrant purple hair from pink and blue dye requires effort – but makes a fun and striking hair color effect.