There’s a whole spectrum of colors you can dye your hair, which means there’s a whole spectrum of opportunities for you to be able to stand out amongst the rest!
When you’re picking out your next hair color at the beauty supply store, you’ll have your options of the standard technicolor shades, blues, reds, and pinks — but what about colors you can make on your own?
If you haven’t yet tried mixing hair dyes yet, you’re totally missing out! It’s something that salon professionals do on a daily basis to give their clients the exact shade that they’re looking for, but it’s totally doable for your at-home touch-ups as well!
This goes for unnatural shades, too — like mixing together blue and red hair dyes!
But what color will you get with a blue and red hair dye mixed? You’ll get a shade of purple if you mix red and blue hair dyes together, but the type of purple is entirely up to what kind of dye you use, and the ratio of blue to red dye you blend together.
In this article, we’ll break down what to expect when concocting your perfect purple potion, and how to go about it to achieve the best possible results! Let’s break it down.
Mixing Hair Dyes Together
Before we get into the specifics, let’s go over the logistics of mixing your own hair dyes. It can be fairly intimidating, especially if the only experience you have with creating a custom color is watching your stylist whip one up for you during an appointment! We’ll break it down so you know exactly what to expect.
Mixing a custom color is always possible, but whether or not it’s a good idea is the right question to ask! Though you can definitely mix together any two dyes and create a brand new shade, the truth is that certain colors will work better together than others.
For example, blending contrasting shades (on opposite sides of the spectrum) like platinum blonde and black probably won’t leave you with a very interesting color, but colors like blue and red will leave you with an entirely new result!
Making your own personalized color is great if the shade you’re looking for isn’t available on the market, if you’re trying to shade match for a root touch-up, or if you’re just a fan of mixing your own colors.
Is Mixing Colors Safe For Your Hair?
Mixing hair colors is safe for your hair as long as you go about it correctly, so there are definitely some points you need to keep in mind when you’re blending your perfect shade.
Here are some tips you’ll want to consider:
- Never use a metal bowl to mix your shade! Metal containers aren’t ideal for hair dyes in general, even if you’re using a singular shade. This is because the metal can oxidize the chemicals in the dye, compromising the color.
- Don’t mix brands! If you’re a big fan of a shade of red from one brand, and a shade of blue from another, you’re gonna have to make a choice on which one you like more! Mixing colors from different brands can leave you with unsavory results due to the different pigments used by each one.
- Don’t mix textures! Though you may be using multiple shades from one brand, you want to ensure that the dyes you’re using are the same texture (gel, cream, etc.). This will ensure a harmonious blending process!
What Color Do Red And Blue Hair Dye Make?
Now, let’s break down the technicalities behind blending together a red and blue hair dye! It may seem like a simple process, and it really is, but there are so many different shades you could be left with that it’s important to have this information in your back pocket!
Making A Light Shade Of Purple
Since red is the primary base of the purple color, the final shade of purple you’re left with relies entirely on that color. A bright and bold shade of red will leave you with a bright and bold color, whereas a softer shade of pink will leave you with something lighter!
A rose-color shade can be turned into a violet shade with just a touch of blue pigment, and adjusted to your liking much more easily than a deeply pigmented shade.
Another thing that you can do, if you have access to it, is to mix a true white hair dye into your red and blue mixture. This may not be super accessible, especially since you’d have to whip up an entirely new batch of dye to adjust your color, but it’s a foolproof way to customize your purple shade even further.
The main thing to be mindful of is the undertone of the red dye you use. If there are blue tones, those shades will mix with your blue dye, leaving you with a darker, warmer color instead of something near violet.
Making A Dark Shade Of Purple
Adversely, you can make a darker shade of purple by using a deeper, richer shade of blue in comparison to the red dye you use! For example, a royal blue, or a shade leaning towards indigo will grant you a dark purple rather than something pinky.
If you’re left with too light of a purple shade, even if you’re using a deeper blue tone, go ahead and mix more blue in your bowl (sparingly) until you’re left with your ideal color. This is also a great way to correct your color if you accidentally grabbed a lighter red shade.
Though it may be risky, using a black dye is also a quick, easy way to quickly darken the shade of purple you have. However, it may be in your best interest to skip over this option if you can.
Black hair dye is deeply pigmented, and if you accidentally use too much of it (even a quick drop can be too much!), it’ll be impossible to lighten it back up.
Making Magenta
Looking for a Barbie-toned purple, or more of a magenta shade? Mix a blue and red light shade — those that are technicolor and look super bright on their own.
Finding a red that leans towards pink is the key to being left with a true magenta tone. A hot red with a cooler undertone would be ideal, and blending it jointly with a blue shade that has existing pink or flesh-colored undertones will get you your ideal shade.
How To Keep Your Purple Shade Looking Bright
When you’re picking out what shades you’re going to mix together, make sure to find a true blue and red to blend together. This means that there are the fewest amounts of yellow pigment in either dye — yellow dyes can seriously compromise the final product of your shades.
Yellow is a complementary shade to purple, which means that when you blend your blue and reds (even if there’s just a little bit of a yellow hue in the mix), it’ll leave your final shade looking muddy or brown — this clearly isn’t ideal if you want a bright purple shade!
Using Red And Blue Dyes To Adjust A Purple Dye
If you already have a purple hair dye on hand and you’re just looking to tweak it a little bit, you can mix some red or blue tones to adjust it to your liking.
Mixing a deep or bright red color into your purple dye will leave you with a color that leans more towards maroon rather than a burgundy tone. On the other hand, if you mix a blue into your purple dyes, you’ll be left with a cool-toned purple (perfect if you’re looking for a galaxy-toned hue!).
Mixing Your Dyes With Developer
Developer acts like a lightening agent for your natural shade of hair, which means it’s also responsible for how the final shade of your mixed dyes turns out!
A higher volume developer will directly lighten the shade of purple you have (like 30v or 40v), whereas a lower one will leave you with a color more true to the one you mixed in the bowl.
Make sure that your hair is pre-lightened prior to dying your hair to your new purple shade. A medium-brown to blonde will take color well, whereas a dark-brown to black natural shade will need to be bleached before you apply your color.
Make sure to use the same brand and texture of hair developer as your dyes. Using L’Oreal cream pigments? Use a L’Oreal cream developer, etc.
Conclusion
Mixing a blue and red hair dye can leave you with a completely custom purple shade of hair dye that’s entirely unique to you! However, no two dyes are the same. For a lighter shade of purple, go for a pink- or cool-toned red dye, and for something a little richer, opt for a deep blue shade!
Personalizing your hair dyes through custom color mixing is a fun way to vamp up your coloring experience, and when done right, will be something you’ll look forward to every touch-up!
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