How to get AWESOME bright colored hair!

Before... See how dark it was, and it actually had a little dark red in it also

After.. With a little extra effort you can get the same results

Believe it or not, looking like a hot pink flamingo and a electric blue parrot is harder than it looks.  Sure, Manic Panic, and other companies sell plenty of semi-permanent dyes that show these beautiful bright colors on the label... but does it usually work like the label... NO!  

I've been playing around dying my hair crazy colors since I was in high school, and I've learned some tricks over the years that will really make the difference between looking bright and beautiful, or faded and funky.  

So, here is the deal.  First off, most of the colored dyes are all semi-permanent, meaning, they are meant to wash out and fade with time.  Luckily, Manic Panic now sells an "Amplified" version of their dyes that they say lasts 30% longer than the original.. score!   http://www.manicpanic.com/amplifiedhaircolor.html

Next, you've got to bite the bullet and first get as much color out of your hair as possible.  Even if you're natural blond, you will not get the results you really want unless you bleach your hair.  Yes, bleaching can be bad, but you've got to sacrifice a little in order to gain a truly great looking wild color.  Manic Panic sells bleaching kits, but unless you're only planning on doing a few streaks, you shouldn't get it, doing your whole head would be super expensive.  Instead, go to Sally's and get powdered lightener http://www.sallybeauty.com/powder-lightener/SLNCAR12,default,pd.html?cgid=Hair05-04 and 30 or 20 volume developer... If you're going from really dark, 30 volume will do the trick... 40 will just fry your hair more and it's unnecessary.   For my length hair we needed 4 of the bleach packets, but they also sell tubs of it if you plan on keeping the style for a long time and will need to keep touching up the roots.  The directions are easy, just mix, apply, and let sit... Start checking and when you think it's done rinse a little bit out of one strand.. you really are looking for a white to very light blond.. If you're trying for a pale color, like baby blue or cotton candy pink you MUST get your hair white.. for brighter colors a little gold is still ok.  When it's ready rinse and towel dry.  

 Now for the fun part the dye.  In my case we started with 4 different colors.  First we mixed Manic Panic Cotton Candy Pink and Hot Hot Pink.  Using foils, we started by sectioning off the front and dying with the mixed pink color.  Next we went to the purple/blues and dyed the rest of my head using the Manic Panic color Ultra violet mixed with Purple Haze.  We let this sit on my hair over an hour, probably closer to 2, then rinsed.  The pink was brilliant, but the Ultra violet/Purple Haze mix was dull and not fully covered..

So here is the trick... do it again!  This time we divided my hair into two layers, top half and bottom half.  The entire top half was dyed using the Pink mixture.. yes, over the purple too.  This was done to brighten the front pinks and cause the Ultra Violet/Purple Haze to turn into a fantastic bright purple.   Finally we redyed the bottom half using the Ultra Violet/Purple Haze mix.  We let this sit for about an hour, and rinsed... and VOILA!! BRIGHT BEAUTIFUL LASTING COLOR!   By layering the colors and mixing colors we were able to reach an awesome bright color that will last far longer than if you only use one application.

The result is great!  You almost get 4 different colors, because the pink over the ultra violet creates these awesome highlights.  

So, if you're thinking of coloring your hair please take your time to put in the extra effort.  Believe me the results will be fantastic!  Don't be afraid to mix colors... Use Manic Panic Amplified, not the regular formula... Dye your hair twice!  Then in order to keep the color looking bright, wash your hair as little as possible and use a great conditioner to keep it soft and shiny.  

Hot Topic carries the Manic Panic Amplified or else you can order it online.  Sally's Beauty only carries the regular formula in their stores, but you can order Amplified from their online store.  

Have Fun!