Dying your hair can be an exciting experience, especially if you’re considering some unnatural hair colors. Finding the perfect unnatural hair color you can dye your hair is a great way to give the world a glimpse of your personality, but it can take a little research to get it right.
How To Choose an Unnatural Color To Dye Your Hair
Unnatural hair colors are wild and vibrant, but they can have some real downsides if you’re not careful. Fortunately, a quick assessment in the mirror will help you find that perfect shade.
Before starting your journey, it’s a good idea to research how color works and how each one looks next to other colors. Try looking at a color wheel to get a good visual of complementary colors and how tone is just as important as shade.
Generally, complementary colors sit across from each other on the color wheel. That is great if you’re looking for a bold contrast, but don’t discount different combinations. Choosing something monochromatic by matching your hair to your eyes or skin tone is also quite striking.
Determine Your Skin Tone
Before picking a hair color, it’s critical to determine your skin tone to ensure that the hair color you use doesn’t clash or wash you out. Finding unnatural dyes that match will give your skin a healthy, glowing appearance, especially if your skin tends to look pale.
Look at the veins on your wrist or near your temple to find your skin tone. If they appear blue or purple, you likely have a cool skin tone, and you should look for hair colors with other cool shades like blue or silver.
You’re more likely to have a warm skin tone if your veins appear green or brown. People with warm skin tones should consider other warm hair colors like bright red or dark lavender, which can create a nice contrast without sacrificing warmth.
If you are one of the few people who have a neutral skin tone, you’ll likely notice that your veins look greenish-blue or could vary in shade depending on the lighting. This characteristic means you’ll have an easier time picking from a wide selection of hair colors.
Choose Hair Dye According to Your Hair Color
Your skin tone isn’t the only thing that will affect how your hair appears. Dying your hair is a complex process and it isn’t just applying the color. It’s wise to consider your natural hair color when choosing an unnatural hair color, especially if you want to avoid bleach.
If your base color is dark brown or black, it already has a lot of pigment, and the dye is less likely to stay. You should go for darker shades, such as purple or navy blue.
However, it’s easier to dye your hair without using bleach if you have light hair, such as blonde, light red, or light brown. That means if you want to go for some bright or neon hair color, you’ll get the level of vibrance you’re looking for without extra steps.
One way to ensure a clean slate for your dye is to bleach your dark hair. The bleaching process is similar to the way dye works. The bleach penetrates the strands and eliminates the pigmentation through oxidation. It’s important to remember that working with bleach can be damaging to your hair, scalp, and eyes.
Color of Your Eyes
Picking the right hair dye according to your eye color is a great way to turn heads. If you have blue or green eyes, take the chance to turn your hair sapphire or forest green to match!
Blue and orange look great side by side but need to have the same level of vibrance to appear crisp and contrasting. It’s a striking combination that captures the attention of those around you.
Otherwise, you can always get playful with your hair color and opt for a shade that contrasts your eye color. Just try to avoid clashing shades that can be distracting or make certain colors appear muddy.
Trendy Unnatural Hair Color Ideas
1. Scarlet Red and Orange
Enjoy being a redhead with a twist. Maintain an ‘unnatural’ appeal with a light orange base and chunky scarlet red ribbons.
Limit the streaks on the front of a flipped lob with face-covering emo bangs for a rock star vibe.
2. Baby Blue Bob
Although all shades of blue look stunning, a baby blue tinge is ideal to achieve a striking yet soft look when rocking an unnatural hair color.
This shade suits all skin tones and will look gorgeous on a bob.
3. Voodoo Green Pixie
A funky green pixie is sure to drop some jaws. Consider getting a voodoo green hair shade that lies on the borderline of light and dark tones of green.
Spice up your monochromatic look with hints of pastel green in between.
4. Sexy Sangria
Sangria is a medium burgundy shade with a subtle touch of purple. Women who do not want to linger too far away from natural-looking shades can give this unnatural shade a try without worry.
Add further dimension with babylights, and you won’t regret it.
5. Pastel Pink Shag
The pink hair trend is still going strong. You can go super bold with a hot raspberry tinge or opt for a dreamy pastel pink instead.
This curly pink shag with light coral bangs won’t disappoint if you want a complete hair transformation.
6. Platinum Blonde Curls
Platinum blonde lacks any warmth and makes an ideal unnatural hair color for those who love to wear icy tresses.
Bleaching is mandatory to strip the natural hair of color as much as possible. Try the look with dark shadow roots too.
7. Yellow Afro Hair
Yellow blonde tresses might not be very preferable but bright yellow ones surely are if you want to pop eyes along the way.
Here’s an idea to turn your afro mane into a one-of-a-kind hairstyle. Don’t forget the brows!
8. Peachy Coral
Want more of an anime girl-inspired look? Coral tresses will be your best shot. This nuance is a mix of pink and orange with peachy undertones.
Flaunt your new hair color with bouncy curls and some barely-there highlights.
9. Violet French Bob
Make a style statement with a violet mane. Though this cool bluish-purple hue demands lots of maintenance, it is perfect for ladies who wish for an ultra-modern look.
Throw in some blue to turn yourself into a real-life mermaid.
10. Rose Gold Locks
Rose gold is a must-try unnatural hair color if you want to wear pink with a mature feel. It features gold and copper with subtle hints of dusty pink. Consider getting a balayage with ribbons of peach blonde in between.
11. Silver Gray Beach Waves
Metallic hair shades are not dying anytime soon. Hold on to your grays with a silvery gray tinge that’ll add a flawless gloss to the hair making it appear healthy.
Finish off with a fresh haircut and beach waves.
12. Lavender Hime Cut
Lavender tresses are too good to be true. Try the light pastel purple nuance on a silver base coupled with a short hime cut to look like an E-girl in no time.
A proper hair care routine will prevent the color from fading out too soon.
13. Light Ash Brown
While all shades of brown hair appear pretty natural, its unnatural ashy tones are sure to turn around some heads.
The trick lies in incorporating fine streaks of gray, silver, or ash blonde in a way that they blend in seamlessly with the remaining dark hair.
14. Mahogany Lob
Mahogany is a rich nuance lying in between the red and brown color spectrum. It can be vibrant or sophisticated, depending on the tone you go for. Grab two close-lying shades to create an ombre look that won’t be ignored for sure.
15. Cotton Candy Hair
Take part in the cotton candy hair trend and you’ll definitely love it. Ask for stripes of pastel pink and purple on a dove gray base. You can always go as bright or as light as you want.
16. Strawberry Blonde Layers
Add some red to your blonde hair dye to end up with a beautiful strawberry blonde tinge that you might not see every day. This shade flatters all skin tones and adds a sun-kissed effect to the face. Simply gorgeous!
17. Sea Foam Green
Set step into the world of unnatural hair colors with a refreshing sea foam green shade. Dye the tresses from root to tip with platinum highlights for a high-shine finish and show them off with a curly half-up ponytail.
What Unnatural Hair Color Stays the Longest?
The right hair color should last four to eight weeks before it needs a touch-up, but picking the right one will depend on a few different factors. Your natural hair color will play a big role in how long your color lasts.
For example, if you’re a natural blonde and dye your hair purple, the purple will stay longer because it was being applied to a light shade. If you’re a natural brunette and decide to go hot pink, your dark roots will show through light-colored dye faster.
The darker the shade of dye, the longer it’ll last. Dark purple, green, and blue will all have more longevity than pastel versions of these colors. Many also agree that bright red will typically last longer than other colors, making it a popular choice. That is especially true if you start with blonde or bleached hair.
The way you care for your hair has an impact on how long the dye lasts, too. If you use color-protectant shampoo and conditioner and avoid washing your hair frequently, the unnatural hair color will stay longer. To help your dye last, avoid using heat styling tools and only use color-friendly shower products.
If you’re having trouble making the dye last longer than a few weeks, you might need to troubleshoot. Remember to use a shampoo without sulfates specifically for color-treated hair, and don’t wash it more than you need to.
It’s also worth checking for damage. Damaged strands won’t be able to lock in color the way healthy hair does, so make sure to give your hair a break between treatments. Moisture is key.
So, What Unnatural Hair Color Is Best For You?
The best way to select an unnatural hair color is to consider all the elements above. Your unique skin tone, eye color, and natural hair all play a role in deciding the best hair color for you.
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Take your time, and always test a small swatch of hair that’s easy to hide before going all-out.