Are you thinking of going from gorgeous red hair to electric blue hair and you want to do it in the most efficient and affordable way possible?
If so, you may be wondering, can you dye blue over red hair? Unfortunately, the answer isn’t as simple as you think, but we’ve got all the details you need below, so read on!
Can I dye blue on red hair?
Yes, you can dye blue on red hair. However, you should consider two things before doing this – the current condition of your hair and the type of dye you used to dye your hair red.
Two factors to consider before dyeing red hair blue
Current hair condition
Before you dye your red hair blue, make sure the red hair color has completely faded.
If your hair still has a few traces of red dye, wait a few more weeks for the red dye to fade completely 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 hue instead of just plain blue.
The type of paint used
What kind of red paint did you use? Is it a permanent or semi-permanent color? This is an important question because these two types of colors affect the integrity and structure of your hair differently.
Semi-permanent colors only deposit pigments on the surface of your hair, so the red pigments can wash out easily. Because of this, all you have to do is let the color fade and then you can already dye your hair blue.
On the other hand, permanent colors change the structure of your hair. As a result, you should bleach your red hair to get rid of the pigments before dyeing your hair blue.
Can I apply permanent blue dye to red hair?
No, that’s because most blue shades are only available as a semi-permanent color.
And while there are regular blue colors available – blue black or blue brown – these may not be the kind of blue you want.
How to remove red hair dye
If you are waiting for your semi-permanent hair color to fade, it will take some time. This is especially true with permanent hair color.
Luckily, there are things you can do to make red hair color fade faster. Here they are:
Step 1: Wash your hair more often.
The red pigments of a semi-permanent color can be washed off when showering. However, try washing your hair more often to speed up the fading process.
Step 2: Apply anti-dandruff shampoo or clarifying shampoo.
Anti-dandruff shampoo contains high amounts of sulfates. These substances are aggressive detergents and surfactants that can strip your hair color.
On the other hand, clarifying shampoos are designed to remove excess residue or build-up from your scalp and hair. Although they are meant to be cleansers, this shampoo is also strong enough to fade hair colors.
Pro tip: Note that these shampoos are not intended for regular use as they can 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 whitening kit or whitening services at a hair salon. We highly recommend the latter, so you have a higher chance of keeping your hair healthy.
Step 4: Use a hair color removal kit.
good news! There is a gentler way to remove hair color permanently, not other than using a hair color removal kit.
This is because hair color removers penetrate the hair shaft, targeting and dissolving the artificial color pigments without affecting the hair’s natural pigments like bleach.
Common questions
The number of bleaching sessions you will need to eliminate red hair will depend on the shade of red you currently have.
Getting rid of deep, dark reds will take about 2 to 3 bleaching sessions, while light to pink reds will already fade after 1 to 2 sessions.
When choosing a shade of blue, check how much red hair color has faded.
If there are still some traces of red pigments, darker shades are much more effective in covering your base shade. But if your hair already has a pale pink hue, you can go for lighter shades.
So, can you dye blue over red hair?
Based on our shared information, it is possible to dye blue on red hair. However, if you are using a semi-permanent color, you must wait for the red pigments to fade. On the other hand, you will need to bleach your hair first if you are using a permanent color.
If you don’t, your hair will turn purple instead of the blue you want.