How to Dye Bleached Hair

Changing your hair color can be subtle or outrageous, simply covering gray strands or adding highlights, or going blue, purple, hot pink or a combination of colors. Bleaching your hair will strip it of natural color, leaving you with hair ready to take on new color. It can be a lengthy process that takes concentration, so choose a time when you are not overtired and you can focus on getting the results you are looking for.

Steps

Using Store-Bought Box Dye

1. Determine what color you want to dye your hair. After you have bleached your hair, you need to decide which color you want to have. The cuticle layers of your hair strands have been disrupted in the bleaching process, which allows hydrogen peroxide (a key ingredient in hair bleach) to penetrate the hair strand and strip out color. Depending on your hair's natural color and how long you left in the bleach, your hair now might be yellow, white or reddish.^[1] Your hair is now ready to take on color, and will often take color much more quickly and deeply than if you hadn't bleached your hair. You might choose to dye your hair a natural color, such as shades of brown, black, red or blond. You might also choose a color like cherry red, blue, purple, pink, and so on. For more natural color effects, stay within 1-3 shades within your own natural color.
   
   • Consider the base color of your hair after bleaching and the base color of the dye you are going to use. These might conflict and give you the wrong color. If your bleached hair is yellowish, and your dye has a blue base color, you might end up with greenish hair. Using a dye with a violet base color, however, will offset the yellow in your hair, giving you better results.^[2] To figure out your dye's base color, check the dye manufacturer's website for a "palette list" or similar, which categorizes colors into warm, neutral and cool shades. You can also buy different components of a hair dye kit at a beauty supply store. These products will indicate their base color on their package (i.e., blue, blue-violet, violet, violet-red, red, etc.).^[3] Paying attention to the color palette of hair dye will help reduce the risk of ending up with the wrong color in your hair.
   • Look at your hair in childhood photos. This will help you determine how your hair will react to certain colors. If your hair was a warmer color (honey blonde or similar), your hair will likely react with a warmer color now. Similarly, if your hair was a cooler color (ash blonde, brunette), your hair will likely have cooler undertones when you dye it now.^[4]
   • Be sure to consider your work environment when choosing a color; many workplaces consider bright, unnatural hair color to be unprofessional.
2. Determine how long you want your color to last. There are numerous types of store-bought dyes available, including permanent, semi-permanent, and color rinses. Each of these lasts a different length of time in your hair. These can be purchased at beauty supply stores, drug stores, grocery stores, and box stores like Target or Wal-Mart.
   
   • Permanent dyes are long-lasting and can produce very natural-looking colors. They can also produce very strong or dramatic colors. Because they are very strong, however, they can damage your hair, since they need to be left on your hair for a longer period of time when dyeing.
   • Demi-permanent dyes are a step down from permanent and typically last about 20-25 washes. These can dye your hair 1-2 shades darker and also can add striking highlights.
   • Semi-permanent dyes are temporary, are more natural-looking, and typically last about 10 shampoos. They do not need to be pre-mixed and can instead be used straight out of the box. These dyes fade progressively, particularly with exposure to air and shampooing. They typically do not contain ammonia or peroxide and are therefore better to use on fragile or already-damaged hair.
   • Temporary color dyes are useful for touch-ups and experimentation with different hair colors. These include rinses, mousses, sprays and hair color crayons. They typically coat the hair, rather than color the core of the hair strand. As a result, these types of dyes rinse out within 1-3 washes. ^{[5] [6]} You may experience an unwanted color in your hair after the temporary dye fades. For example, if you bleach your hair and use a temporary blue dye, you might get green hair after the blue fades.
3. Pre-condition your hair with a deep conditioner. Used a day or two before dyeing your bleached hair, a deep conditioner will help build up moisture in your hair, which was likely damaged in the bleaching process. There is a wide variety of types of deep conditioners, from less expensive ($5-$8) to more expensive ($30+) store-bought ones to more natural, DIY ones. There are recipes to make your own deep conditioner, which typically use foods as their base. Search online for “deep conditioner recipes” for suggestions using bananas, avocados, mayonnaise, yogurt, eggs, coconut oil, or other foods.^[7] This step will help minimize ending up with extremely dry and brittle hair after you dye it by increasing your hair’s moisture and elasticity. Ideally, you would have pre-conditioned your hair before bleaching it, but if not, you should still use a deep conditioner on your hair before you dye it again.^[8]
   
4. Use a protein filler. The protein filler will help fill in gaps in your hair so that color will go on more evenly, and they also will help add color back into your hair. Protein filler can also be added to the hair dye. To add protein filler directly to your hair, put a small amount in the palm of your hand and spread throughout your hair. You don't need to rinse this out before applying the dye. Alternately, add the protein filler to your hair dye by adding a very small amount (if you add too much, it will make the hair dye too runny and therefore really messy).
   
   • To help adjust the color of your hair, add protein filler. For example, if you want to dye your hair from bleached blonde to a warm brown color, you need to have all three primary colors (red, yellow, blue) going into your hair color. Your bleached blonde hair, for example, provides the yellow color. Use a red protein filler along with an ash-toned brown color, which has blue undertones. Together, these will result in the correct color.^[9]
5. Test for allergic reactions. This step seems time-consuming, especially when you want to get started on dyeing your hair. But it is an important step that will save you a serious skin rash (or worse) if you happen to be allergic to any of the dye’s ingredients. To do a patch allergy test, apply a dab of dye on a patch of skin behind your ear. Leave the dye on for 24-48 hours and check for any allergic reaction, such as a rash, itching or burning on that spot. If you do have an allergic reaction, however mild, you should try a different brand. Be sure to test the new brand for any allergic reactions as well.
   
6. Prevent stains. Chemical-based hair dyes can easily stain your skin and hands, so take care to cover yourself properly. Wear gloves and cover your clothes with an old towel. Apply a small amount of petroleum jelly along your hairline and neckline to prevent stains.^[10] Have a bottle of alcohol-based facial toner nearby to remove dye from your skin, countertops and floors.
   
7. Mix up the color. If you have purchased permanent dye, you will likely need to mix up the color with a developer in order to attain the correct color. Follow the instructions on the box to mix the color properly.
   
8. Do a strand test. Gather up a small hunk of hair from the nape of your neck. Brush the dye onto this strand, starting at the roots and working it towards the ends. Set your timer for the allotted time recommended by the box’s instructions (around 20 minutes). Rinse out or wipe off the dye and check the color against a white towel. This will enable you to check if you like the color before dousing your entire head in it. It will also help you gauge how much time to leave on the dye.^[11]
   
9. Apply the dye to your hair. Divide your hair into four sections. Pin back three of these sections while you apply color to the fourth section. Work the dye into your hair, starting at the roots and working towards the ends with your hands. When you’ve applied to all four sections, rub the dye all over your hair as though you were shampooing your hair. Be sure to read the instructions on the box for applying the dye to your hair.
   
10. Start your timer. Be sure to read the instructions on the box for timing recommendations. Typically, you will leave hair dye in for about 20 minutes or more, starting when you have put color in the last section of hair.
    
11. Rinse your hair and apply conditioner. Gently rinse your hair with warm water to rinse out the leftover dye. Rinse until the water runs clear. Use the packet of conditioner that came with the dye, rubbing it into your hair. Leave it in for the amount of time recommended by the box’s instructions and then rinse it out.
    
12. Towel dry your hair or let it dry naturally. Blow drying your hair will just dry out your hair even more and can severely damage your hair while it is in this fragile state.
    
13. Avoid washing your hair for 2-3 days. Water, soap and heat can lessen the dye’s hold on your hair and cause it to escape. Leaving your hair alone for three days will enable the dye to sink into the cuticles of your hair, which opened during the color process.^[12] If, after washing, the hair dye hasn't held, you can try to dye it again, but you will risk damaging it further. If you're finding that your bleached hair isn't holding color, you should probably visit a hairstylist to get it corrected professionally.
    
14. Take care of your hair. Your hair will be brittle and dry after this color treatment and will need deep conditioning to restore some moisture and elasticity. Use a deep conditioner (store-bought or natural) at least once a week, leaving it in your hair for 20-30 minutes and then rinsing it out. Results can be improved by heating up your hair with a hair dryer while the deep conditioner is in place. If you have made your own deep conditioner with food, check to make sure it hasn’t gone bad. If it’s been mixed up for longer than a few days (or a week if kept in the refrigerator), throw it away and mix up a new batch.
    
15. Retouch the dye every 6-8 weeks. If you like the color effect you’ve achieved with this dye job, you may want to continue with this color. Even if you choose permanent dye, it will start to fade and grow out of your hair within 6-8 weeks. You do not need to completely re-dye your hair, however. Just focus on dyeing your roots, applying dye at the base of your scalp and combing it through the rest of your hair just before you’ve reached the time limit to have the dye in your hair.^[13]
    

Using Food Coloring or Similar Foods as Dyes

1. Determine what color you want to dye your hair. After you have bleached your hair, you need to decide which color you want to have. The cuticle layers of your hair strands have been disrupted in the bleaching process, which allows hydrogen peroxide (a key ingredient in hair bleach) to penetrate the hair strand and strip out color. Depending on your hair's natural color and how long you left in the bleach, your hair now might be yellow, white or reddish.^[14] Food coloring typically comes in four colors (red, yellow, green and blue), each of which can be mixed with another to achieve a spectrum of color choices. Red and green make brown, for example, while yellow and red make orange, and blue and red make purple.
   
   • Take into consideration the color of your bleached hair. This will act as an additional color in your overall color mixture.
2. Mix up your color. Mix drops of food coloring with shampoo in an empty shampoo bottle. Add 6 drops of coloring to every ounce of shampoo. Mix up enough shampoo to cover the amount of hair you want to color. Tightly seal the bottle and shake until the contents are completely mixed. Add 1 tablespoon of water and reseal the bottle. Shake for another 2 minutes. Your color is now ready to use.^[15]
   
3. Do a strand test. Gather up a small hunk of hair from the nape of your neck. Brush the dye onto this strand, starting at the roots and working it towards the ends. Set your timer for 20 minutes and check the color. Add more time if it seems like the color is not quite where you’d like it to be. Rinse out or wipe off the dye and check the color against a white towel. This will enable you to check if you like the color before dousing your entire head in it. It will also help you gauge how much time to leave on the dye.
   
4. Apply the dye to your hair. Divide your hair into four sections. Pin back three of these sections while you apply color to the fourth section. Work the dye into your hair, starting at the roots and working towards the ends with your hands. When you’ve applied to all four sections, rub the dye all over your hair as though you were shampooing your hair.
   
5. Cover your hair and start your timer. Cover your hair with an old shower cap and leave this dye on your hair for anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on how dark you’d like it to be. Start your timer when you have put color in the last section of hair.
   
6. Rinse your hair. Gently rinse your hair with warm water to rinse out the leftover dye. Rinse until the water runs clear.
   
7. Dry your hair. Use a towel or blow dryer to dry your hair. Alternatively, you can let it dry naturally. Because you haven’t used chemical-based color to dye your hair, your hair won’t be as dry and brittle and can therefore handle blow drying immediately after dyeing it.
   
8. Avoid washing your hair for 2-3 days. Water, soap and heat can lessen the dye’s hold on your hair and cause it to escape. Leaving your hair alone for three days will enable the dye to sink into the cuticles of your hair.^[16] You may experience an unwanted color in your hair after the color fades. For example, if you bleach your hair and then dye it bright red, you might get orange hair after the red fades.
   

Using Kool-Aid as a Dye

1. Dip-dye your hair with Kool-Aid. Dip-dyeing is a process whereby you dip the ends of your hair into your dye mixture. This is easier than dyeing your entire head with Kool-Aid, which is harder to control than regular hair dye (because it is a liquid instead of a cream). It can get messy quickly and easily stain your skin.
   
2. Choose and mix up your Kool-Aid color. Choose an unsweetened flavor of Kool-Aid that will give you your desired color. Tropical punch will give you a brighter red, Cherry gives a deeper red, and Black Cherry mixed with Strawberry achieves a bright red.^[17] Take into consideration the color of your bleached hair. This will act as an additional color in your overall color mixture. Fill a bowl with 1 cup warm or hot water. Mix in 3 packages of Kool-Aid crystals, along with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and stir, making sure all the crystals fully dissolve.^[18]
   
3. Do a strand test. Gather up a small hunk of hair from the nape of your neck. Dip a strand of hair into the Kool-Aid dye. Set your timer for 20 minutes and check the color. Add more time if it seems like the color is not quite where you’d like it to be. Rinse out or wipe off the dye and check the color against a white towel. This will enable you to check if you like the color before dousing your entire head in it. It will also help you gauge how much time to leave your hair in the Kool-Aid mixture.
   
4. Dip in your hair. Put your hair in a ponytail and dip the entire ponytail into the Kool-Aid. You will need to stay stationary for approximately 30 minutes for the Kool-Aid to soak into your hair, so be prepared with a book or movie to keep you busy while you’re waiting. Set your timer to help you keep track of the time.
   
5. Rinse your hair. Gently rinse your hair with warm water until the water runs clear.
   
6. Dry your hair. Use a towel or blow dryer to dry your hair. Alternatively, you can let it dry naturally. Because you haven’t used chemical-based color to dye your hair, your hair won’t be as dry and brittle and can therefore handle blow drying immediately after dyeing it.
   
7. Avoid washing your hair for 2-3 days. Water, soap and heat can lessen the dye’s hold on your hair and cause it to escape. Leaving your hair alone for three days will enable the dye to sink into the cuticles of your hair.^[19] You may experience an unwanted color in your hair after the color fades. For example, if you bleach your hair and then dye it bright red, you might get orange hair after the red fades.
   

Using Coffee as a Dye

1. Mix up your color. A dye made from coffee will give you a rich, chocolate brown color. Make a pot of really strong, dark coffee and let it cool down. Mix 1 cup of brewed coffee with 2 cups of leave-in conditioner in an empty shampoo bottle. Add 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds and stir.^[20]
   
2. Apply the dye to your hair. Divide your hair into four sections. Pin back three of these sections while you apply color to the fourth section. Work the dye into your hair, starting at the roots and working towards the ends with your hands. When you’ve applied to all four sections, rub the dye all over your hair as though you were shampooing your hair.
   
3. Cover your hair and start your timer. Cover your hair with an old shower cap and leave this dye on your hair for about an hour. Start your timer when you have put color in the last section of hair.
   
4. Rinse your hair. Gently rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar, which will help seal the coffee color onto your hair. Then rinse with cool water until the water runs clear.
   
5. Dry your hair. Use a towel or blow dryer to dry your hair. Alternatively, you can let it dry naturally. Because you haven’t used chemical-based color to dye your hair, your hair won’t be as dry and brittle and can therefore handle blow drying immediately after dyeing it.
   
6. Avoid washing your hair for 2-3 days. Water, soap and heat can lessen the dye’s hold on your hair and cause it to escape. Leaving your hair alone for three days will enable the dye to sink into the cuticles of your hair.^[21]
   

Using Herb- or Plant-based Dyes

1. Determine what color you want to dye your hair. After you have bleached your hair, you need to decide which color you want to have. The cuticle layers of your hair strands have been disrupted in the bleaching process, which allows hydrogen peroxide (a key ingredient in hair bleach) to penetrate the hair strand and strip out color. Depending on your hair's natural color and how long you left in the bleach, your hair now might be yellow, white or reddish.^[22] Dyes made from herbs and plants can give you natural-looking color without the risk of using harsh chemicals. Teas, henna and other herbs are useful and effective for dyeing hair. Tea can give you a range of color, from brown or black to blond or red. Use black tea to get dark colors, chamomile to enhance blond colors, and red or rooibos tea to get red colors. Henna will produce dark, rich colors and can be purchased at natural foods stores or herb supply stores. It can help make your hair feel thicker because it covers each strand of hair individually.^[23] Take into consideration the color of your bleached hair. This will act as an additional color in your overall color mixture.
   
2. Mix up your color. Use recipes listed here or search online for additional recipes to get the proportions correct for mixing up colors that will dye your hair the desired color.
   
   • Use henna powder. Mix henna powder with chamomile or another lighter herb to scale back the color that it will give your hair.^[24] Mix two parts henna powder with one part powdered chamomile into a nonmetal bowl. Add boiling water to make a thick paste. Then, stir in one tablespoon of vinegar and allow the mixture to cool.^[25]
   • Use teabags or loose leaf tea. Put 3-5 teabags (or the loose leaf equivalent) in 2 cups of water. Boil for 3-5 minutes and let it cool down. Put tea liquid in an empty applicator bottle.
   • Use black walnut powder. To achieve very dark brown hair, mix ¼ cup black walnut powder in 3 cups of water overnight. Use this as a rinse on a daily basis to maintain a dark, rich color.^[26]
   • Search online for other mixtures. Search for “natural hair color recipes” to locate recipes that use other herbs such as marigold petals, calendula flowers, rosemary leaves, and so on.
3. Do a strand test. Gather up a small hunk of hair from the nape of your neck. Brush the dye onto this strand, starting at the roots and working it towards the ends. Set your timer for 20 minutes and check the color. Add more time if it seems like the color is not quite where you’d like it to be. Rinse out or wipe off the dye and check the color against a white towel. This will enable you to check if you like the color before dousing your entire head in it. It will also help you gauge how much time to leave on the dye.
   
4. Apply the dye to your hair. Divide your hair into four sections. Pin back three of these sections while you apply color to the fourth section. Work the dye into your hair, starting at the roots and working towards the ends with your hands. When you’ve applied to all four sections, rub the dye all over your hair as though you were shampooing your hair.
   
5. Cover your hair and start your timer. Cover your hair with an old shower cap and leave this dye on your hair for anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the herb or plant and how dark you’d like your hair to be. Start your timer when you have put color in the last section of hair.
   
6. Rinse your hair. Gently rinse your hair with warm water to rinse out the leftover dye. Rinse until the water runs clear.
   
7. Dry your hair. Use a towel or blow dryer to dry your hair. Alternatively, you can let it dry naturally. Because you haven’t used chemical-based color to dye your hair, your hair won’t be as dry and brittle and can therefore handle blow drying immediately after dyeing it.
   
8. Avoid washing your hair for 2-3 days. Water, soap and heat can lessen the dye’s hold on your hair and cause it to escape. Leaving your hair alone for three days will enable the dye to sink into the cuticles of your hair.^[27]
   

Visiting a Hairdresser

1. Determine what color you want to dye your hair. After you have bleached your hair, you need to decide which color you want to have. The cuticle layers of your hair strands have been disrupted in the bleaching process, which allows hydrogen peroxide (a key ingredient in hair bleach) to penetrate the hair strand and strip out color. Depending on your hair's natural color and how long you left in the bleach, your hair now might be yellow, white or reddish.^[28] You can choose a natural color, such as shades of brown, black, red or blond. You might also choose a color like cherry red, blue, purple, pink, and so on. Be sure to consider your work environment when choosing a color; many workplaces consider bright, unnatural hair color to be unprofessional. For more natural color effects, stay within 1-3 shades within your own natural color.
   
   • Look at your hair in childhood photos. This will help you determine how your hair will react to certain colors. If your hair was a warmer color (honey blonde or similar), your hair will likely react with a warmer color now. Similarly, if your hair was a cooler color (ash blonde, brunette), your hair will likely have cooler undertones when you dye it now.^[29]
2. Bring in a picture. Find a picture of the color you’re looking for in a magazine and bring it with you. This will help you convey your vision to your hairdresser.
   
3. Ask your hairdresser’s opinion. They are experts in how to mix colors, how to integrate highlights and lowlights, and how to achieve the best color. They are trained in the chemistry of these hair dyes and understand how they work together.
   
4. Inform your hairdresser if you have sensitivities to hair color or other chemicals. Your hairdresser may want to administer an allergy test and have you reschedule your appointment for another day. Alternatively, they may have suggestions for milder hair dyes that would be suitable for you.
   
5. Consider getting your hair dyed at a beauty school. Dyeing your hair can be costly at a hair salon, typically starting at $100 and going up from there. Beauty schools are training grounds for hairdressers and offer inexpensive rates for haircuts and hair treatments. Students in training are overseen by skilled professionals who give advice and fix any errors before they are damaging.
   
6. Make your next appointment. In order to keep your hair color vibrant, visit your hairdresser for a touch-up every 6-8 weeks.
   

Warnings

• Some doctors recommend that pregnant and nursing women avoid using chemical hair dyes. Small amounts of chemicals are absorbed into the skin, which can potentially pass along to the fetus or into breast milk. The amount of chemicals are small enough, however, that the risk of passing on from mother to baby is low. If you are concerned about this, you can check with your doctor or use natural hair dyes instead.^[30]
• Some chemical hair dyes have been linked to cancer. Hair dyes that were formulated before the 1970s were found to be linked to cancer, so some ingredients were changed. But hair dyes today continue to use some chemicals that potentially contain carcinogenic ingredients. Studies that directly link hair dyes with cancer are conflicting. Consult your doctor if you are concerned, or use natural hair dyes instead.^[31]
• Do not attempt to dye your eyelashes or eyebrows with chemical-based box dyes. Dyes can easily get into your eyes and cause severe irritation or even blindness. You should consult your hairdresser or an esthetician to complete this procedure properly and safely.^[32]

Sources and Citations

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