You’ve dyed your hair blue and have been loving it, but it’s time for a change! You may be considering red, or you’ve always wanted to be a fiery redhead and think it may be your next move.
Before you go ahead and put red hair dye over blue hair, we have a lot to go over! Unfortunately, putting red dye over blue won’t make you a redhead overnight.
Here we’ll talk about what happens when you put red hair dye over blue and what steps you can take to become a redhead after blue hair if that’s still your goal!
Key Things to Remember
- Putting red hair dye directly over blue hair will turn your hair purple.
- You can easily dye your blue hair purple at home by using red direct hair dye and following our simple steps.
- If red hair is what you desire, it’s going to take some bleach and elbow grease. Go see your favorite hair stylist for your transformation from blue to red.
- Purple and red hair need extra love because red is the quickest hair color to fade. Use color-safe products to wash and style!
Can I Put Red Hair Dye Over Blue Hair?
Yes, you can put red hair dye over blue hair, but instead of turning red, your hair will turn purple due to the color mixing. If you want red hair instead, you’ll need to bleach the blue out of your hair first, which is a task best left to a professional stylist. This process will require patience and careful maintenance to keep your hair healthy.
However, if a purple hue appeals to you, simply follow the provided steps using a red direct dye over your blue hair.
What Happens When You Put Red Hair Dye Over Blue Hair?
To answer this question, all we have to do is go back to color theory basics. When we mix blue and red together, what color do we get?
We get purple, of course! This stays true with hair dye, if you put red hair dye over blue hair, you’ll end up with purple hair.
We love purple hair and if this color sounds like the perfect next hair color for you, your hair color journey will be fairly easy!
How to Turn Your Blue Hair Purple with Red Hair Dye
Step #1: Choose the Red Dye
Choose a red direct dye such as OVertone or Arctic Fox. There are a lot of different red shades out there. Choosing a deeper red will give you a deeper purple, choosing a vibrant red will give you a more vibrant purple.
Step #2: Do a strand test!
This is important to do before you commit to putting the red all over. Take a strand of hair somewhere inconspicuous. Put the red over the strand of blue hair and place it in a foil or plastic wrap. Wait for recommended processing time and rinse. Make sure you love the purple that you see on the strand before starting step 3.
Step #3: Apply the dye
Section the hair into four quadrants to keep things nice and neat. Using gloved hands, work section by section by applying the red dye. Use your fingers to emulsify the dye into the hair to ensure that all blue hair is covered and fully saturated.
Step #4: Cover Hair with Shower Cap
Place the shower cap over the hair and let the red dye sit for the recommended processing time. Usually about 20-30 minutes.
Step #5: Rinse Out
Time to rinse! Be sure to rinse red out of hair thoroughly and use a color-protecting shampoo and conditioner. Red is one of the quickest colors to leave the hair so using products for color will help the red to stay in the hair and keep your purple vibrant and fresh.
Step #6: Blow Dry
Blow dry and see your formal blue hair now a gorgeous purple! Enjoy!
What Should I Do if I Still Want Red Hair While My Hair Is Blue?
Although going from blue to purple hair is easier, going from blue hair to red hair is not impossible. However, it will require more work and call for an experienced hair stylist to get you there!
The reason this process is harder is that going from blue to red hair will require bleach and lots of patience. You have to lift the blue out of the hair before the red can be applied, the only way to lift the blue out is to bleach it.
Bleach can be harsh on hair and cause damage when not used properly, which is why leaving this to a professional is so important!
The first thing you’ll want to do before booking your appointment with a stylist is to let the blue fade out of your hair as much as possible. You can speed up this process by replacing your usual shampoo with a clarifying shampoo.
Fading out that blue color will cut down on the time the bleach will need to sit on your hair, keeping it healthier!
What to Expect in The Salon?
- After you and your stylist decide on the perfect shade of red for you, your stylist will perform a test strand to make sure that your hair is healthy enough to be bleached. Your stylist will put the bleach on a small strand of hair; when the hair is done processing, your stylist will check for breakage. If the hair is still healthy, you’re good to go!
- Bleach will be applied to all of your blue hair and watched carefully. It can take up to an hour for the blue to completely lift out of the hair. Your stylist will check on you many times to make sure the blue is coming out and that your hair remains healthy!
- Once the blue hair color is completely lifted out of your hair, your stylist will rinse it out and shampoo and condition it. They may even use a reparative hair mask at this step to keep the integrity of your hair.
- Your stylist will blow dry your hair. Your hair may be an interesting color at this point (think yellow!) but not to fear, you’re not done yet!
- The red hair dye will be applied over the now bleached hair. It will process for 20-30 minutes and then be rinsed out of the hair and shampooed and conditioned once again!
- Your hair will be blow-dried and styled, and YOU will be a gorgeous redhead! Your stylist will send you home with products that will keep your red vibrant and prevent fading.
Pro Tip: Keep in mind that although your hair is now red, it was just bleached. Bleached hair needs to be treated delicately, make sure you’re using products that will add keratin back into the hair and that will give heat protection!
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