Blue Hair Dye: How To Apply It Rightly?

Blue hair dye looks amazing. I remember the exact moment when I decided to dye my hair blue. It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t practical. But it felt right.

It was mid-quarantine when I was sitting on my balcony and scrolling through Instagram. My eyes saw a photo of a girl with pastel blue curls. My brain suddenly ordered my hand to stop there. She looked like a doll from a painting, maybe because of her asian features and K-makeup. 

Right at that moment, something in me just clicked: I needed that shade. Not wanted but needed. After three days, I saw myself looking in a mirror with a box of semi-permanent blue hair dye in one hand and gloves in the other. That’s how this journey began.

Do You Know Blue Hair Dye Has Different Types

I picked one color because I did not know its types. It was similar to the one the picture lady had. But here for you, I have added the type’s details because now I have enough knowledge about it. (Of course, I am an experienced person now.) So, there’s:

• Temporary dye easily comes off after washing hair. One or two showers are enough to wash it out completely. I tried this once just to test how I’d feel. Spoiler: I loved it.
• Semi-permanent was the one I ended up sticking with for the longest time. It faded within a few weeks, but so beautifully without damaging my hair too much.
• I also tried the third type, known as permanent dye, or, as I like to say, full-on commitment blue hair dye. It was a tough decision to pick it as all my head was gonna be blue. It lasted longer, but didn’t dry the hair out more.

If you’re new to this, trust me: start with semi-permanent. It’s like dating your hair color before marrying it.

My DIY Attempt

Yes, I Tried Making Blue Hair Dye at Home

Electric blue hair dye from the bottle was good. But my inner self had some adventurous demands. Making my own natural blue dye. 

The short version? It was fun. The long version? My kitchen smelled like blueberries for three days.

I mashed up some butterfly pea flowers and brewed a strong tea. After cooling it, I soaked a few strands of bleached hair in it. It gave me this faint steel blue shade, which was similar to a foggy sky at dawn. It looked very pretty. 

I’ve also tried mixing blue food coloring into conditioner for a soft tint. But don’t use white towels for drying your hair. Otherwise, your blue hair dye will become blue towel dye. 

I Failed a Few Times While Picking My Perfect Blue Shade

The experiment was full of interesting events and messy happenings. My first shade was electric blue. It looked good, especially in photos, but after some time, it started fading into highlighter turquoise. It disheartened me because I wasn’t ready for it.

Then, I picked navy blue. It felt rich and mature, and I really adored it. I also dabbled with pastel blue (after a lot of bleach), which was soft and whimsical, but faded really fast.

I tried to get teal color, which means a hue somewhere between sea foam and storm. I loved it because my childhood doll had the same color hair. I was amazed to learn that it worked great with my skin tone when I saw myself in the mirror.

Know My Routine To Say Goodbye To Mess

It’s not just blue hair dye, but any color. You have to deal with a lot of mess during the hair dyeing process. 

I stained everything at my first experience. My neck, my ears, the bathroom sink, the cat’s tail (don’t ask). It was an uncontrollable mess, and I decided not to go out because I looked like a Smurf. 

For a few days, I thought of skipping the idea of dyeing my hair again, but I had no control over my hands and mind. This helped me a lot, as experimenting makes me a perfect person. I figured out a simple routine to save myself from the mess and being a Smurf. 

• Apply vaseline around the hairline to save your face from unwanted blue design. 
• Use only old towels, and never use white ones.
• Don’t rush and work in sections. Apply blue hair dye color evenly from roots to ends.
• Rinse your hair with Cool water, as hot water will snatch the newly applied color out of your hair.
• Don’t shampoo for 48 hours, as your dye needs time to settle properly.

I believe dyeing hair is also an art and requires some preparation and a lot of patience for good results.

How Long My Blue Hair Lasted

The life of dye depends upon the dye type and your maintenance routine. Here is a quick review. 

Was it Go From Blue to Green? Seriously?

Yes, that’s true, and nobody warned me that blue dye fades into green. After a few weeks, I felt that my hair had changed its color, but I ignored it. One day, I found minty strands in my blue-dyed hair. At first, I panicked. Then I kind of liked it, maybe because I got compliments. 

The darker blues sometimes faded to a sort of smoky grey with hints of denim. This faded behavior led me to try another dye over my blue hair. 

But What Happened When I Tried Dyeing Over My Blue Hair

Blue is stubborn and difficult to cover, but going darker truly helps, like black with blue undertones. You use orange-based color correctors to neutralize the blue before switching shades. I once got dreamy periwinkle after layering lavender over my faded blue.

How To Maintain My Blue Hair Dye

Maintaining blue hair is a full-time job. Some tips from my hair care routine are:

• I washed my hair once or twice a week, using cold water.
• I switched to sulfate-free shampoo, which helped the color last.
• Blue dye sometimes dries, so hair masks help keep things working smoothly
• Keep refreshing the color with blue conditioner or diluted dye
• Always wore a hat under the sun, as sunlight makes the blue hue fade fast

Blue Hair Dye Side Effects

• Dry scalp, especially after bleaching
• Stained hands even days after dyeing.
• Dye make your pillowcases blue
• May cause a mild allergic reaction, so always do a patch test

Is Blue Hair for Everyone?

Honestly? No. As much as I loved it, it’s not for every situation. The reasons are valid.

Conclusion 

Blue hair dye looks great on people, and today’s generation loves such bold ideas. I dyed my hair blue because I tried something new. Have you ever taken such bold steps?