Are you thinking of switching from fabulous red hair to electric blue hair and want to do it efficiently and affordably?
If so, you might wonder, can you dye blue over red hair? Unfortunately, the answer is not as straightforward as you think, but we have all the details you need below, so keep on reading!
Can I Dye Blue Over Red Hair?
No, you can’t dye blue over red hair directly. It might turn purple if you don’t fade the red hair color properly. You have to consider two things before attempting this – the current condition of your hair and the type of dye you used to dye your hair red.
Factors to Consider Before Dyeing Red Hair Blue
Current Hair Condition
Before you dye your red hair blue, make sure that the red hair dye has completely faded.
If your hair still has few traces of red dye, wait a few more weeks until the red dye has completely faded before applying the blue dye.
This is essential because when the blue dye mixes with the red dye in your hair, it will produce a purple shade instead of just plain blue.
Type of Dye Used
What type of red dye did you use? Is it a permanent or semi-permanent dye? This is an important question because these two dye types affect your hair’s integrity and structure differently.
Semi-permanent dyes only deposit pigments on the surface of your hair, so the red pigments can easily wash out. Because of this, all you need to do is let the color fade then you can already dye your hair blue.
On the other hand, permanent dyes change your hair’s structure. As a result, you need to use a color remover on your red hair to get rid of the pigments before dyeing your hair blue. It’s best to choose a color remover from the same brand as the red dye you chose.
Can I apply permanent blue dye over red hair?
No, that’s because most blue shades are only available as a semi-permanent dye.
And while there are available permanent blue dyes—black blue or brown blue- these may not be the kind of blue you want.
How to Remove Red Hair Dye
If you wait for your semi-permanent hair dye to fade, it will take some time. This is most especially true with permanent hair dye.
Lucky for you, there are things you can do to make red hair dye fade faster. Here they are:
Step 1: Wash your hair more often.
The red pigments of a semi-permanent dye can be washed away when you shower. With that said, try washing your hair more often to hasten the fading process.
Step 2: Apply an anti-dandruff or a clarifying shampoo.
An anti-dandruff shampoo might contain salicylic acid, which helps remove dye from the surface of the hair. Clarifying shampoo, on the other hand, contains high amounts of sulfates. These substances are aggressive detergents and surfactants that can strip the color of your hair.
While they are meant to be cleansing agents, clarifying shampoos are strong enough to fade hair colors.
Pro Tip: Please note that these shampoos are not designed for regular use as these might cause dryness.
Step 3: Get bleached.
When your hair is permanently dyed, the most common solution you have is bleach. But while it can get rid of red pigments in your hair, it can also cause significant damage to your hair in the process.
You have two options: get a bleaching kit or bleaching services in a salon. We highly recommend the latter, so you have a higher chance of preserving your hair health.
Step 4: Use a hair color removal kit.
Good news! There’s a gentler way to remove permanent hair dye, no other than using a hair color removal kit.
This is because hair color removers enter the hair shaft, which targets and dissolves the artificial color pigments. It’s best to purchase a color remover from the same brand when you buy the hair dye. Generic color removers don’t work as well on fashion colors like red.
How to Dye Red Hair Blue: Tips You Need to Know
Once the red pigments in your hair have completely faded, you can proceed on applying the blue dye over your red hair following the instructions stated in the packaging. To achieve the best results, here are some pointers to keep in mind:
- Do a test strand first by applying dye on a small section of your hair. This will help you identify potential sensitivities and work out how long you should leave the dye on.
- Apply the dye half an inch away from your scalp until the ends of your hair.
- Halfway through the recommended processing time, apply the remaining dye at the roots.
So, can I Use blue Dye over red hair?
It’s possible to dye blue over red hair. However, if you use a semi-permanent dye, you must wait for the red pigments to fade or use bleach. On the other hand, you’d need to have a color remover from the same brand as the red dye if you used a permanent dye.
If you don’t do this, your hair will turn on a purple shade instead of the blue hue you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
The number of bleaching sessions you’ll need to eliminate red hair will depend on the shade of red you currently have.
Getting rid of deep and dark reds will take about 2 to 3 bleaching sessions, while lighter reds to pinks will already fade after 1 to 2 sessions.
When choosing a blue shade, check out how much red hair dye has faded. If there are still a few traces of red pigments, darker hues are much more effective in covering your base tone. But if your hair already has a pale pink shade, you can go for a medium colored hue, as long as it’s darker than the pale pink.