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Anyone can easily look good with blonde or brunette hair, but there’s something inspiring about people who have the guts to sport more vibrant, unique, and vivid hair colors— purple, green, orange, pink, and many more!
If you’re all about expressing yourself, these unnatural shades are truly your best bet! While these hair colors will make you stand out, you should also know that having such hair color comes with a few downsides.
One of which is longevity because bright hair colors are prone to fading. In just a few weeks, your once vibrant blue hair color will already look dull and lifeless.
Of course, your hair care routine has something to do with this, but the type of hair dye you use plays a more significant role in your hair color’s longevity.
With that in mind, you should first learn how to choose a hair color, and then pick a long-lasting hair dye. To make your quest easier we’ve compiled a list here.
Most manufacturers have claims on how long the dye’s color will last, but of course, not all lives up to their promise.
Best Long-Lasting Hair Dyes for Unnatural Color Shades
To help you end your hunt for long-lasting hair dyes that will allow you to show off your style for longer, we’ve compiled all of the longest-lasting dyes for unnatural colors below.
1. Pravana Chromasilk Vivids Original – Least Messy Hair Color
The Pravana Chromasilk Vivids Vibrant Color is widely used by professional hairstylists worldwide because of its long-lasting results. When you use this dye, the resulting hair color can last for 6 to 8 weeks.
Aside from imparting deep and highly pigmented color on the hair, the dye is also smudge- and bleed-proof, so it’s not messy to use.
The dye comes in bright and vibrant shades like magenta, pink, purple, green, blue, wild orchid, violet, red, orange, and yellow.
PRAVANA color products are for licensed professionals and are officially sold in their online store and some selected professional beauty supply stores.
However, you will also find products like Pravana Chromasilk Vivids Long Lasting Vibrant Hair Color in Amazon and according to the reviews the product is good and works better than many box brands.
Pros:
- This doesn’t bleed as much as the other dyes.
- It doesn’t produce a stinging sensation.
- No developer needed.
- Intermixable with any VIVIDS shade for an array of color creations.
Cons:
- One common issue with Pravana is that the color shown on the box and the actual result often mismatch. The both green and violet hair color dyes are more bluish than green or violet.
- The dye is difficult to remove.
2. Punky Semi Permanent Conditioning Hair Color – Best Conditioning Hair Dye
The Punky Hair Color is different from the other dyes because it doesn’t just color your hair—it conditions it as well!
This vegan formulation is considered to be one of the gentle hair color brands on the market because it doesn’t need peroxide and contains sulfates and harmful chemicals. With this, you’ll end up with bright, healthy, and soft hair.
That’s not all. This dye is long-lasting and can withstand fade for up to 25 washes.
Pros:
- The dye is available in 23 different colors.
- It comes in a handy leak-free tub that is perfect for traveling.
- This is also formulated to boost hair shine.
- You can mix different shades to get the color that you want.
- It can be used on both black and bleached hair.
Cons:
- This bleeds for weeks.
- Some people complained about inaccurate color descriptions.
3. Arctic Fox Vegan and Cruelty-Free Semi-Permanent Hair Color Dye – Most Versatile Hair Color
If you want to stand out, the Arctic Fox Hair Color Dye may just be the best hair dye for you.
This hair dye comes in 23 rainbow color options. That’s not all! You can even mix and match different colors to achieve unique shades!
Another great thing is this dye fades into the same color spectrum so that you can avoid the awkward hair shades in between touch-ups.
Pros:
- The formulation is vegan and cruelty-free.
- The company donates 15% of its profits to organizations that prevent animal abuse.
- It lasts for 4 to 8 weeks.
- This works well on black, bleached, or gray hair.
- It has a fantastic scent.
Cons:
- The stains are difficult to remove.
- It’s not as pigmented and vivid as other hair colors.
4. Revlon Colorsilk Hair Dye with Keratin – Best for High Definition Color
Revlon is known to be one of the industry’s leading companies because of their advanced technologies and developments, and this product is one good example of it. Featuring Revlon’s 3D Color Gel Technology, you can achieve more natural-looking and multi-tonal hair color.
The formulation is infused with silk amino acids and keratin, which deeply nourishes the hair, leaving it shinier, smoother, and healthier.
Pros:
- The hair dye delivers long-lasting shades with 100% gray coverage.
- This is the perfect solution for graying hair.
- It doesn’t contain ammonia, so it’s gentle on the hair.
- The liquid gel consistency of the dye minimizes mess.
- You can choose from up to 50 colors.
Cons:
- The color options are more on the neutral side.
- It has a strong chemical smell.
5. L’Oreal Paris Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Hair Color – Most Innovative Hair Color
L’Oreal is taking unusual hair color to a whole new level with this shimmering hair color. Claiming to be a multi-faceted and multi-tonal hair color, the L’Oreal Feria will give you not just bright but also shimmering and edgy colors.
The dye comes in over 30+ shimmering shades that will allow you to show off your personality in the most colorful way possible. The hair color contains three times more highlights in different shades to achieve that eye-catching prismatic color.
Pros:
- You can choose from bold and fashion-inspired hues.
- The hair color also conditions and seals hair strands.
- It doesn’t produce a brassy look.
- The cream consistency facilitates easy application.
Cons:
- The color doesn’t come out as expected.
- This is also not as long-lasting as the other dyes in the list.
6. Splat Complete Hair Color Kit – Best for All Hair Colors
Do you have brown, black, or blonde hair? Regardless of your original hair color, the Splat Complete Hair Color Kit can help you get the hair you want!
The great thing about this hair dye is it already comes with everything you need for the hair coloring process. The kit already includes bleach, color, and hydrogen peroxide so you can achieve the hair color you need.
Pros:
- There are 20 color options available.
- The color can last for up to 30 washes.
- It contains Baobab seed oil, which nourishes hair follicles.
- The dye also has Quinoa seed extracts, which fortifies the hair.
Cons:
- This contains parabens.
- With its liquid consistency, the hair dye is a bit messy to apply.
7. Ion Color Brilliance Semi-Permanent Hair Color – Best for Bleached Hair
Ion Color Brilliance Brights give you bold and vivid hair colors in just 20 to 40 minutes. Ion’s Bright range provide intense result, especially on bleached or colored hair. This semi-permanent hair colors last for 8-10 weeks, even longer on pre-lightened or bleached hair!
Ion offer some unique unnatural bright hair colors like titanium, azure, aqua, neon bright, etc. Some reviews suggest that the color stays vivid for over four months with minimal fading, even after regular washing and daily showers.
Pros:
- Offers 20+ bright unnatural shades.
- This creates the most vivid hair color.
- The coloring process is fast and easy.
Cons:
- Multiple users experienced the color not being pigmented enough and not retaining on their hair even after following instructions.
- Ion hair color doesn’t deliver satisfactory results on natural dark ash blonde hair without the use of bleach
8. Manic Panic Amplified Semi Permanent Hair Color – Best for Brighter Color
Manic Panic’s Amplified Semi-Permanent Hair Color line offers 30 vibrant shades. While Manic Panic is great for bold, unnatural colors, the Classic High Voltage Hair Color Cream tends to fade quickly.
According to Manic Panic’s website, the Amplified series contains 30% more pigmentation than the High Voltage Semi Permanent Hair Color. Customer reviews suggest that the Amplified range with its higher pigment concentration, provides brighter results and also lasts a little longer.
These dyes are free of harsh chemicals but prone to staining. For the most vivid results with Manic Panic dye, particularly with neons, UVs, and pastels, pre-lightening hair to at least a level 7+ blonde is recommended.
Pros
- 30 diverse shades for different style preferences.
- The color lasts more than 6 weeks.
- Safer due to its chemical-free composition.
Cons
- Some users have experienced extended periods of color bleeding.
- The Amplified line may cause more hair damage.
The Verdict
If there’s one thing more difficult than choosing the right long-lasting hair dye for unnatural colors, it’s finding the right shade for your hair. Fortunately, most of these hair dyes come in a wide range of shades.
When it comes to longevity and versatility, we have an eye on only one hair color, and that’s no other than the Arctic Fox Vegan and Cruelty-Free Semi-Permanent Hair Color Dye. We chose this hair dye because of how versatile it is.
While it doesn’t have the widest color selection, it allows you to mix and match colors. The availability of the diluter even will enable you to turn the color selection into lighter shades or their pastel version, which is a big plus!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about long-lasting hair dyes for unnatural hair colors.
The amount of time hair dye stays in your hair depends on the type of dye you use. If you dye your hair with permanent dye, the color will stay in your forever, or until it grows out and you cut it off.
On the other hand, semi-permanent hair dye will gradually be stripped down when you wash your hair. If you use shampoo every single day, your semi-permanent hair dye may only last a month. However, if you shampoo less often, the dye could last for a few months.
No, permanent hair dye does not last forever. Unlike semi-permanent hair dye, permanent hair dye penetrates through the outermost layer of the hair strand. Therefore, no matter how much you shampoo your hair, the pigment from the hair dye will still stay absorbed in your hair.
The only way to fully get rid of a permanent dye job is to wait for it to grow out and then cut the dyed hair off. You can dye your hair a different color, but you will want to consult your hair colorist to ensure that this won’t damage your hair.
There isn’t a significant difference in how long salon hair dye lasts when compared to box dye. However, salon hair dye is far better for your hair health, as a professional colorist mixes the dye for your hair type.
Permanent hair dyes last the longest. As previously mentioned, permanent hair dye penetrates through the hair shaft, causing the color to be permanently absorbed into your hair. Semi-permanent dyes will be stripped away over time by shampoo.
Yes, you can prevent your hair dye from fading by taking special care of your hair. Avoid overexposure to sunlight and protect your hair if you swim in a pool with chlorine. Look for hair products designed for dyed hair, and be conservative with how often you use shampoo.
The hair dye color that fades the fastest is any bright red shade. Red hair dye molecules are larger than molecules in other color dyes, making it more difficult for your hair to absorb 100% of the color.
For a long-lasting hair dye color, consider dark brown or black. Unlike red dye, dark brown and black dye is composed of small molecules that are easily absorbed by your hair shaft, causing the hair color to last a long time, even after multiple washes.
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