Blue hair, purple hair, all the hair

My hair has been a lot of colors over the years.  Mostly shades of blue and purple.  Recently though, I’ve decided to try pink!  So I’ve been trying to fade my hair as much as I can before I give it a “nice” bleach bath.  Washing it often with a clarifying shampoo in hot water.  My favorite part when I’m switching shades!  I don’t get to take steamy showers usually since it makes your hair fade faster.  So now my hair has got this weird silvery look towards the tips that Lou says makes me look like an old lady.  The middle is more of a lavender and the top is a deeper pinky purple.

It’s scary going to a new color because I have so much hair.  It’s a big gamble when I’m trying new brands or mixing colors not knowing if it will hold to my hair well and/or last long.  Plus, the more hair, the more cost for hair dye.  I know a lot of people recommend mixing your hair dye with half conditioner to extend the amount, and still are able to achieve the same color as the dye, but I don’t have a lot of luck with that.  The dye doesn’t seem to stick as well to my hair and fades a lot faster.  I do add a little though (more of a 1:5 ratio), especially when it’s a new color over freshly bleached hair.  The conditioner helps to repair all the damage I did.

So here’s the color that I’m going to use as my base.

I’m not really a huge fan of Manic Panic. Of all the shades I’ve tried, they seem to fade the fastest. But this cotton candy pink color is exactly what I wanted, and the name is just so deliciously cute. I’m going to mix it with a tiny touch of red to hopefully get more of a strawberry pink than a cool-toned pink.

Of all the brands I’ve tried, Manic Panic, Punky Colour, Fudge Paintbox, Special Effects, I definitely prefer the Jerome Russell Punky Colour by far.  It has lasted the longest on my hair, and I’ve tried more than a few shades.  I just wish they had more shades!  I also think it’s the best value for the quantity.  Aside from that, I think they bleed and stain the least, as well.  Of course, I guess it doesn’t hurt that I have a blue tub and sink.

So I thought I’d celebrate my soon to be new color by answering some of the common questions I get about my hair.

 

• Did you do that yourself?  Yep.  I’ve been dying my hair since I was in high school.  And it’s SO much cheaper, as long as you know what you’re doing.  Of course, back then, I started off with the tame colors.  Well there was a stint where I had two green stripes down the front that I joked looked like I wiped my nose with my hand and rubbed it on the top of my head when I wore a pony tail.  Let’s not talk about it anymore…
• Where did you get the dye?  I only buy it online.  The selection is the best.  You can find a few colors in places like Sally Beauty and Hot Topic, but they don’t carry all the brands.  And a lot of times, it’s cheaper online.
• Is that permanent?  The dye is called semi-permanent, but I consider it permanent.  It never fully goes away unless I bleach it out and even then some colors are still too stubborn to come out.  So yeah…I guess that’s the definition of semi-permanent.
• Do you have to bleach your hair first?  Yes!  Absolutely!  If you want a vibrant shade like the color you chose then you have to bleach your hair first.  You need a blank canvas basically, to soak up the dye.  Unlike peroxide-based hair dyes, these kinds deposit the color into your hair strands, which means no damage to the hair, but also prone to fading.  Some lighter shades of blond can get away with not bleaching, but the original blond color will show through the colored dye a little making it less vibrant or darker.  Darker hair colors can also sometimes achieve a cool tint that you can only see in the sun.

Every so often I get a weird question or a question that the person didn’t really think through their head before saying out loud.  I try to have patience and never be snarky though.

• How did you do that?  This might seem like a tame and reasonable question, but the majority of times I get asked this is when I’m doing things like hurriedly walking out of the food store with ten bags in my hands about to cross the parking lot and I pass someone who yells out to me randomly.  Do they really want me to stop and tell them the whole story?  It’s certainly not a one-word answer.
• Did you do that for graduation/a party/upcoming holiday/past holiday/etc?  The most awkward part of this question is when answering “no”, it’s always followed up by an “oh…” with an incredibly confused look on the person’s face.
• What do your parents think of your hair?  As an adult, I’m sure they’re comfortable with me making my own choices.  I know, I look young.  Young people do weird things to their hair.
• What color is that?  This is a question I really don’t understand.  Is the color not clearly displayed on my head?
• Were your parents Smurfs?  If you’re trying to be hilarious, it’s not working.

There are a few reactions that I wasn’t prepared for once I dyed my hair crazy colors.  Random people love to touch it, for one.  They come up to me and just start fluffing it in awe like this is somehow acceptable behavior.  It doesn’t really bother me, but it’s weird.  I would never do this to someone else I saw paying for her iced tea in the food court at the mall, but I guess I’m not everyone.  I also get a lot of shouts in parking lots and public, simply proclaiming the hair color I have at the moment – “blue!”, as if it’s another form of hello.  You’re off to a great start buddy.

My favorite reaction is from the mothers shopping with young children.  When in a store, I turn the corner in an aisle to come face to face with a mother talking to her kid.  Upon seeing me, she stops dead in her tracks, her mouth wide open, with a look of surprise at the alien being.  It’s priceless.  After everyone comes back to their senses after a few seconds, this is usually followed by “mommy mommy!  blue hair!” from the kid.

Well that’s enough rambling about hair for now.  Hopefully my next hair update will be some good results!