We Tried It: DIY Purple Hair
Who Tried It: Sarah Kinonen, Editorial Assistant
Why I Did It: I’m young, hip and if Ashley Tisdale can do it, why can’t I?
Level of Difficulty: 4. If I were doing this alone, I’d bump that number up to a 7. But with a little help from my friend, the process was super easy.
Courtesy Sarah Kinonen
A few weeks ago, I received a box of Manic Panic Semi-Permanent Hair Color in a variety of colors, and it got me thinking that 1. Halloween is right around the corner, and 2. I’ve never done anything bold with my hair. So I asked a few members on my team what they thought of my colorful plan and after a lot of positive reinforcement, I ran with it.
First, I decided on my hue: Purple Haze. Then, I gathered my supplies: the Manic Panic dye (duh), a brush, latex gloves, plastic wrap, a hair-dryer and a friend to help.
As the instructions indicate, it’s important to start with clean, dry hair, so I made sure to shampoo my hair earlier in the day. To apply the dye, we sectioned my strands (so the color wouldn’t blend together in the strands) and then carefully painted the purple on the bottom inch or so of my hair. Once the globs of dye were on, we brushed it through until it became frothy, then wrapped each section in plastic wrap for about 30 minutes.
To help the accelerate the process and make the color extra vibrant, I blow-dried each section (with the plastic wrap on) for two to three minutes. Finally I rinsed out the dye…and embraced my new violet hue!
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The Verdict: Before I began the coloring process, I was terrified. But when I realized the semi-permanent dye would only stick around for about 28 washes and that the dye was vegan and totally safe, it seemed like NBD. I love it. My friends and co-workers are loving it. And best of all, I’m totally embracing my inner punk rock girl.
Do you think you’d try colored semi-permanent dye at home? Have any DIY techniques to share? Tell us in the comments below!
