So, you decided to dye your hair into a vibrant shade of blue. This is a very bold decision that will change your look completely. And more importantly, the road back is not so smooth.
But since you already made up your mind, let’s see how you can do that according to your hair color. If you are wondering how light does your hair have to be to dye it blue, keep on reading!
How Light Does Hair Have To Be To Dye It Blue? To dye your hair blue successfully, your hair should have a very light color such as blonde. No other shade, not even a medium darker one will support blue.
Do You Need to Bleach Your Hair Before Dying it Blue?
If you need or not to bleach your hair before dying it blue will depend on your original color. If your hair is in its natural color and you happen to be a light blonde, bleaching it will not be necessary.
Lucky you! But since this is rarely the case, you might want to consider bleaching it in order to get it to the light blonde color.
However, bleaching your hair doesn’t have to be dramatic. You can do that by using a low volume bleach and in different sessions that way it will not damage your hair too much.
You also have the option of using a clarifying shampoo or a toner. These two strategies will only work if you don’t need to lighten your shade too much though.
You can try using a color remover before you resort to bleaching your hair. But if you come from a dark shade of brown, orange or any other unnatural color, most likely you will need to apply some bleach eventually.
It is recommended to try these hair color removing methods first though, in order to reduce the darkness of your shade as much as possible. This will help you keep the bleaching process to a minimum and use light products.
Make sure you Check out this List of Best Blue Hair Dyes.
Once you decided that bleaching your hair is a must in order to get the blue shade you want, use high-quality products. You can get this done at home or at a salon. If you do it at home respect the instructions strictly and don’t take any extra risks.
After you bleached your hair, don’t go directly to dying it blue. Bleaching is a trauma for your hair and it will need some extra care after such a process.
Use hydrating products such as a deep conditioner or hair mask. Your hair will most likely be dry and lack softness after bleaching it.
This is why a hydrating treatment will help it get ready for the new dying process. If your hair is severely damaged, give it a few days before you dye it blue.
Bonus tip: When you dye your hair blue, make sure to use gloves and protect your clothes and surroundings. Blue hair dye is highly pigmented and it can be hard to clean. Almost impossible to clean when it gets on clothes or other surfaces.
How long does blue hair dye last
Another concern that you might have is how long will you be able to enjoy your blue color. This depends also on the type of hair dye you use.
The most common blue hair dye is a semi-permanent one. This will last on your hair for up to eight washes (not eight weeks). So, it will not be something to rely on in the long run.
There is also a permanent blue hair dye. If you choose this type of dye, you can have a vibrant color for around six weeks. But in this case, you have to consider the growth of your roots as well.
Regardless of how long your color will last, chances are that you will have to redye your roots often because blue hair and dark roots don’t mix well.
How to make blue hair last longer?
If you absolutely love how you look with such a vibrant color, you will want to help it last more. This is not impossible if you consider the following aspects. There are things that will support your hair color and save you the money you would spend at the salon as well.
Don’t wash your hair so often
Washing your hair on a daily basis will simply not help you. Not only that it will not maintain your hair color but it will encourage it to fade faster.
The best way to wash your blue hair is every three days or more. If you have oily hair you can use dry shampoos rather than the traditional ones. By using a dry shampoo, you avoid getting your hair wet which is the main culprit for stripping off your blue shade.
Use a permanent hair dye
As we mentioned before, you can go for a semi-permanent or a permanent blue hair dye. Your color will naturally last longer with a permanent dye because it will penetrate your hair deeper.
So, if you are determined to keep your bluer hair in the long run, such a day is the go-to product for you. Make sure to use a quality dye as well since not all of them are the same.
Stay out of the direct sunlight
Spending time at the beach is not a good idea if you want to protect your blue hair. The strong sunlight will damage your color and make it fade a lot faster.
Saltwater will not help your blue hair wither! Not only that sun and saltwater will damage your blue hair but you might end up with a green shade.
When you wash your hair, rinse it with cold water
Every three days, when you do wash your hair, using a cold water rinse will help you keep your blue shade a bit longer. Cold temperatures will lock the pigment of the dye into the cuticles of your hair.
It will be uncomfortable for the first few times but before you know it, you will get used to it. Plus, rinsing your hair with cold water has other benefits too. It can improve blood circulation for instance!
Do I need to tone hair before dying it?
Not everyone needs to use a toner, but in the majority of cases, this can help you get just the right shade of blue! Toners are products used to neutralize yellow or blue tones in your hair.
After you bleach your hair, these tones tend to be very strong. They can break through the layer of blue and even get combined with the dye.
If your yellow or orange break through the dye, you will end up with blue hair with some unaesthetic yellow highlights. Or orange ones!
Either way, it is not what you were aiming for at the beginning of this transition. If these tones get mixed with your bye dye you might have green patches of hair.
To avoid such unpleasant consequences, using a toner can definitely help you. It will neutralize the yellow and orange tones after bleaching your hair. Toners will also hydrate your hair and make it look softer and shinier. These are much-needed treatments after severe bleaching!
Keep in mind that toners will not give the same results on darker shades. These products attack the undertones and not the color of your hair.
So, you can’t use a toner to lighten your shade instead of a bleaching product. If you have brassy hair or yellow hair only in some areas, you should use the toner on those strips of hair and not your entire hair. It will be a lot more efficient this way.
Choosing the right toner is also important. You can use a toner shampoo which is most often a purple one. Toner shampoos should be used every time you wash your hair in order to take the best effect.
You can also use an ammonia toner or a dye toner. These last two are more professional products and you might need to go to the salon to apply them best.
Conclusion
Blue hair is an amazing change to the way you look like but also a radical one for your hair. This is why you should think twice or even more times before you actually start the process.
In a salon, it might take several hours to get from your color to the blue shade that you want. If you do it at home it might take even longer. But the bottom line is that once you get it, it will look very stylish.
Blue hair is very popular nowadays and it is one of the most vibrant colors to go for. If you take care of it properly, you might even enjoy it for a longer time! Make sure to keep your hair hydrated and healthy through this intense transition process as well!