The inspiration:
Image credit: Buzzfeed's "How to Be a Pastel Goth"
The result:
Does anyone else have the color bug? I've been dyeing my hair since seventh grade. Perhaps you think that's too early, but after a disastrous stint with a bottle of sun-in, I needed color correction. The process was so fun I never stopped!
In the last 13 years I've tinted my hair every shade of brown and red I could find, including a phase during high school where I tried my damnedest to achieve Stacey Farber (Degrassi's Ellie Nash)'s light auburn hue... usually to mixed results. My mom even let me add hot pink streaks prior to my first day of eighth grade--a small change that made me feel like a complete badass walking into school despite the ire of several room mothers. I was emboldened with the knowledge that I could control my look, and therefore, my happiness about myself. That feeling is probably one of the reasons I've always chosen to go the DIY route with my hair care and styling.
Recently I took a window of opportunity in which I didn't have to go to the office for two weeks to finally go back to the rainbow (and take advantage of the ombre trend). Matching my blog layout is unintentional, but I can't get enough of pink and purple together lately. I feel like a human princess who gets to visit Lisa Frank world. The fade-out on the pink is so expressive, and I'm finding that 'Ohh, pretty!' feeling I get every time I see my strands in the mirror is oozing into the rest of my outlook on the world. It's been a happy time, friends. The only sad part: watching that stream of magenta water swirl down the drain. Luckily, that's what touch-ups are for!
In the last 13 years I've tinted my hair every shade of brown and red I could find, including a phase during high school where I tried my damnedest to achieve Stacey Farber (Degrassi's Ellie Nash)'s light auburn hue... usually to mixed results. My mom even let me add hot pink streaks prior to my first day of eighth grade--a small change that made me feel like a complete badass walking into school despite the ire of several room mothers. I was emboldened with the knowledge that I could control my look, and therefore, my happiness about myself. That feeling is probably one of the reasons I've always chosen to go the DIY route with my hair care and styling.
Recently I took a window of opportunity in which I didn't have to go to the office for two weeks to finally go back to the rainbow (and take advantage of the ombre trend). Matching my blog layout is unintentional, but I can't get enough of pink and purple together lately. I feel like a human princess who gets to visit Lisa Frank world. The fade-out on the pink is so expressive, and I'm finding that 'Ohh, pretty!' feeling I get every time I see my strands in the mirror is oozing into the rest of my outlook on the world. It's been a happy time, friends. The only sad part: watching that stream of magenta water swirl down the drain. Luckily, that's what touch-ups are for!
What a difference lighting makes: natural v. incandescent light
Here are my tips for at-home dyeing with rainbow colors:
- Patch tests are a must! Don't fall victim to an allergic reaction. It'll also give you an idea of whether you need to do additional lightening on your hair before you put on the color, or if two applications are required to achieve the result you want. Keep in mind that if you're using products from different companies, one may wash out faster than the other. (I'm finding the Manic Panic has a bit more staying power on my hair, which made me feel justified in putting the purple on the top.)
- Start small. Don't try a full-head application at home until you know how the color works on your hair. If it's your first time trying an ombre look, go slow. You can always add more of the lighter color, or blend multiple shades together on a second application. Much like haircuts: it's better to go slowly and not fuck up than lose the whole look.
- In a pinch, a toothbrush or small makeup brush can help you achieve strategic streaks or highlights. I used a cheap tapered blending brush from Target, and found it was easier to maneuver than the highlighting combs available in most at-home dye kits.
- For the love of god, wear gloves during application and rinsing. With your run of the mill shades I skip the gloves on the latter step. My pink fingers, palms and forearms should serve as a warning to the rest of you.
- Protect your skin with a layer of petroleum jelly along your hairline and neck. If you're like me and end up with colored blotches on your arms and face anyway, rub off with makeup remover or astringent (if still fresh), or soak in hot water (if it's more set in).
- If you want the color to look as authentic as the sample, go blonde or go bleach. (Color Jamz offers a pre-lightening package that strikes a balance between the two, and doesn't fry your strands.) And if you're pre-lightening, condition liberally! Semi-permanent dyes aren't usually as abrasive as at-home permanent colors, but you have to keep your hair healthy for future dye jobs.
- That said, be sure to enjoy the fade-out! The color will wash out and develop on your hair in its very own peculiar way, and you should be proud of it! After a few washes the pink in my hair faded to a striking cotton candy hue, and that can only be achieved after you've lived in the color for a few days. Take as many pictures as you can. You'll thank yourself later.
Pastel tint to the pink dye five days after application
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