What is the weirdest colour that you ever dyed your hair?

-- Kymm Zuckert (hedgehog@hedgehog.net), December 31, 2000

Answers

Pink. I'd tried for red and the "Rose Red" in the jar looked like blood, alright, but it was purply red the first day and, after most of it rinsed out during the first shampoo, it was hot pink. I looked like an Easter egg.

I thought people would be upset at work, but it turns out the shade of pink just made people insanely happy. They'd get big, goofy grins just looking upon my pink pate.

No fair asking this questions without pictures, so here's mine

-- Erica Jackson (erica@imericaonline.com), December 31, 2000.

I used to use temporary brush on or gel colors all the time. They were great for people like me who work in conservative environments as they wash right out. Turquoise was my favorite, though I'd also done red, purple and green at various times. Only longer term thing I did was in the days of cellophane colors. I got burgundy cellophane. Unfortunately, I did that right before having a color passport photo taken. It looked great, but got me grilled rather heavily by Aussie immigration officials.

-- Miriam Nadel (mhnadel@cinenet.net), December 31, 2000.

I dyed it a bright red--not Kool Aid but Anne of Green Gables on steroids. The first time my now spousal unit and I um er ah "knew" each other in the um er ah Biblical sense ... well, the first thing he said in the warm, post intimacy glow was, "Well, I see you're not a natural red head." Now *there's* a story for the grandchildren!

-- Marn Simmons (marn51@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000.

Hallowe'en 1982 I sprayed my hair bright blue. I was a big ol' mess. Go back to the Hallowe'en costume thread for the grisly details.

/Robert

-- Robert (rbdimmick@earthlink.net), December 31, 2000.

Purple is one of my favorite colors and I've always said if my hair ever all fell out I'd tattoo my head purple--my 15 yr old daughter gave me purple hair dye for Christmas and dared me, so I tried. We used the bleach on it first in a "frosted" pattern and that looks nice but the purple never took. My ordinary color is sorta dulldeadmouse medium brown. The only part that took the purple nicely and kept it was the front where it's really grey/white. Any tips on how to do better??

-- Karen (phgreen@uswest.net), January 01, 2001.

I've done blue and purple and fuschia, and my advice is: bleach. Bleach bleach bleach. That's all. And it always washes out of my hair way faster than they say, I run into people whose heads are on fire and they say "O yes, I did this in March, when did you do yours?" and I say "Thursday?" and they say "But it's so faded!"

It's a pleasant pale pink color now, with some purply bits. My stepmom said it was a "lovely antique color". Isn't that nice? Like beautiful ancient wallpaper.

-- Jessie (blue@avocation.org), January 01, 2001.

I did all sorts of colors in college -- bleached blond, black, bright red (which it is now...) and, for a brief but fun time, bright fuscia. I loved it. it lasted pretty well, too, though all my towels and pillowcases were stained, and the bathtub looked like I'd committed a grisly murder in it. I would love to dye my hair purple now, but my boss would have a fit. So would my mother, for that matter.

-- Mary Ellen (sarcasticah@yahoo.com), January 01, 2001.

Yep. How could I not? It's hard to resist such a thing. I dyed my hair redish pink last year and it dulled into an orange. I loved it. I plan on doing it again very soon.

Then. I added some violet to my dark hair and it made a nice combination. I thought so, anyways.

-- Jen (Winter@nyc.com), January 01, 2001.

the summer before i went to high school, i dyed my hair blue. when i went to school the first day, they met me at the door and told me that my hair color was a distraction and that i couldn't come back until it was gone. i was *so* *angry*.

So I went to a hairdresser to get the color out. She used a temporary color remover and somehow the color got a little faded but stained in. so i had green hair for almost a year. the admins gave me the awkward eye every time i passed.

-- Liz (culturejam1999@hotmail.com), January 01, 2001.

Well, I've been with my husband for 7 years, and he's never seen my actual hair color [which is very dark brown]. It's been light brown, black, red [not so good], and for the past year or so, lighter brown with varying color highlights. I think the next time I'm going for a very light brown. [I always have it done professionally; I've messed it up too many times].

-- Joy Rothke (jrothke@earthlink.net), January 02, 2001.

VERY odd that you should choose such a title for this thread, Kymm, because I put a purple rinse in my hair when I went to a Prince concert in 1988. It was supposed to come out in three shampoos, but persisted instead for several weeks, each day becoming greyer, so that I started looking stodgy instead of hip. If we're talking accidental colorings, I once used a red henna over a chemical blonde and ended up looking like I'd been assaulted with tangerines.

Hey, Erica, those conjoined twins you mentioned in your pink-hair entry are featured on an HBO special about twins. The smaller one wants to be a country-western singer. She was kind of a brat (but I'd be awfully bitter if I were two feet tall and stuck at the head to my twin, too), but her sister was really sharp and funny. The interviewer at one point was trying delicately to ask her about what would happen if one of them wanted to marry, and she asked the guy what exactly he was driving at, forcing him to say, "For example, if you were sexually active..." and she burst out, "Well, it's not as if I were a virgin NOW, you know!" and then started blushing and giggling.

-- Kim Rollins (kimrollins@yahoo.com), January 03, 2001.

Those twins are also featured in a documentary called "Face to Face" which aired on A&E last spring. I recommend it; it features clips of people on the street talking about their body flaws and other topics, interspersed with footage of the twins. Their original names were Lori and Dori Schappell, but the country music one changed her name to Reba. At the end of the documentary they are shooting a video while Reba sings a Reba McIntyre song. There is also an exchange between the twins and a gawker, who rushes up to them and snaps a picture. The twin who walks says something like, "You can't take my picture without asking. You can take hers (points to sister) because she's in show business, but you can't take mine!"

That has nothing to do with hair, but once I wanted some reddish highlights in my dark brown hair and came away from the stylist with Morticia Addams black that did not even begin to fade for a couple of weeks. My friends said that it didn't look "that bad", but after my hair resumed a somewhat normal shade, they teased me mercilessly and hummed the theme to "The Addams Family" when I passed by in the hall.

-- Gina (piehumble@yahoo.com), January 03, 2001.

I was blue for a day with one of those brush in colors. Flew across the country with it like that - I'm sure the airline people loved cleaning off the headrest covers after I got off! I'm still trying to obtain the perfect shade of blood/crayon red. I can get lovely shades of very natural looking red (many people who've met me in the past 5 years are convinced I'm a natural red-head), but nothing close to what I'd really like. Even when I do get close, it fades w/in a few days. *sigh* If I did'nt swim regularly, now, I'd probably do something less permanent, but I think the Y could kick me out forever if I dyed their pool purple!

-- S.Skirmishes (solitaryskirmishes@hotmail.com), January 05, 2001.

two years ago i dyed my hair red.

i haven't cut it since.

now its half-and-half.

-- nicole (nicolemrw@go.com), January 06, 2001.

I'm too vain to bleach, so when I dyed my hair purple last year it just turned my hair into blue-black instead of its usual reddish-black (I don't regret the experience, though - the sensation of massaging my scalp with plum-colored mud was fantastic). Since then, I've used lavendar "hair mascara" on occasion, and once mixed a batch of eyeshadow and hairspray to see if I could produce a brighter (and cheaper) result, but I'll have to keep look

-- Peg Duthie (nashchick@ivillage.com), January 06, 2001.

Among the more "natural" colors I've had: blonde, dark blonde with white blonde strip in the front, strawberry blonde, varying shades of auburn (copper to dark), dark purply red-auburn, light brown, auburn w/ blond highlights/streaks (well, that wasn't very natural), and basic lightbrowndarkblondemultimixed which is where I am now.

Unnatural colors include: turquoise blue, hot pink

The blue wasn't fab + faded out greenish, but the hot pink was GREAT. It was SO BRIGHT, and it faded out various shades of rose. It was gorgeous.

Now I am trying to resist the urge to put pale pink "highlights" throughout my hair. It just seems so fun + subtly subversive, I don't know if I can hold out much longer.

-- Juliet (copperblu@hotmail.com), January 09, 2001.

I've bleached and dyed my hair for a long time. Currently it's black on top, and blue/purple/red underneath. My usual dye job consists of black with Superman/Veronica blue "reflections".

My suggestion for long lasting unnatural colouring?: Bleach. And then, when you put your dye on (I insist on Special Effects, it lasts forever! Get it for cheap at The Cornerstone (www.goodgoth.com) or for spendy at Hot Topic) cover your hair with saran wrap or plastic bag or shower cap and blow dry the fuck out of it.

And then wrap your head in a towel and go to bed. The heat helps set the colour, the heat from you head will also help. Leave it in as long as possible without letting it dry out. When you rinse, be gentle and use a vinegar-water solution to help set the colour and keep it from bleeding. Condition, but DON'T shampoo!

Wash your hair as little as possible and the colour will last.

Yay for purple hair!

-- Dulcie (dulcie@ecn.ab.ca), January 11, 2001.

I have dyed my hair colors of the rainbow. Im now 13. I started dying my hair when I was 11. I know thats awful young. People who dont like me tell me that my hair is going to fall out because I dye it so many times. They could be right. But oh well. Im young and stupid. I feel bad when I bleach my hair because its so bad for it. But that is the only way to get those beautiful shades of the rainbow. Im doing Atomic Turquoise next. And Im excited. It will be loads of fun. I love the first day of going to school with your hair colored and people stare at you. Its great stuff. I do it to get a reaction out of people. And living in a small town does that. Im never gonna move to new york city because it would make me jelous. Its hard to have different clothes and hair living there.

-- Kelsey (kelso_77@hotmail.com), February 27, 2001.

Red, bright stop sign red. But it faded to pink, and then I bleached it, and now it looks like cotton candy! I went and got more red hair dye, and I'm gonna go back to red again today.

-- Ted (tallted@hotmail.com), September 07, 2001.

i just dyed my hair blue, after bleching it, how longs does the bleach last? does it have to grow out?

-- Katie (PeachPunk182@aol.com), November 22, 2001.

Ive been dying my hair since i was 12... im now 19 , i used have long blond flawless hair... but trust me folks...think if what you have now naturally you really want to give up for something flashy that may fry your hair in the end. I wont say hairdying isnt fun, and VERY addictive...Im just saying...be sure you want to be stuck with fading booger green hair in 4 months, that absolutey wont go away unless you constant trim at the ends. I do believe ive suffered through every color manic panic and punky colour put out on the market. And quite a variety of natural shades as well. temporary (spray on/ brush on) dye just isnt the same! Have fun, but at your own risk. :-Þ

-- Vengence (hooha@poop.com), March 16, 2002.

When I was much younger, I used to bleach the hell out of my hair and color it blue, pink, red, and once, old-lady grey/purple using the Manic Panic line. That was when I was 13-18 (I'm now 33). It was great fun getting a reaction from people as back then NOBODY colored their hair like THAT! Just absolutely shocking, I guess. Very punk rock (yes, I did the punk thing, then the goth thing). Many times I was told my hair would fall out if I kept bleaching it like that, and guess what...it never did. Big surprise.

Now that I'm older, I don't really dye my hair anymore (it was bright red for a couple of years, but not that beautiful, bright crayon red, just the more "normal" red). Kind of sad, really. But you do sacrifice healthy hair for the really bright colors. I just don't have the time to deal with it anymore.

-- Marni Lewis (marni@meows.com), August 11, 2002.

I am now 16 and this is the FIRST time I have actually planned out getting my hair dyed. I plan on going aquamarine/ turquoise (anime- style baby!) I originally wanted to do solid, thick lavender streaks, but for some odd reason, I decided to wait it out and now I've changed my mind to solid light to medium blue-green. It'll be ok if it fades, that's why they make natural colors, right? I have decided to do it completely, solid turquoise, not just the ends or bangs or streaks only but the WHOLE thing! (raise your hand if you like it that way) Yeah, I'm still deciding on a brand to use. Any suggestions? My hair is light brown with blond highlight. I'm so excited! ^.^ Please respond.

-- Priscilla (BrunetBaby1979@yahoo.com), May 28, 2003.

My hair has been every color except blonde. For all of you that have never dyed their hair before, I warn you. If you do it enough, like me, your hair will die. My hair has died. I have deep conditioned and done everything I can to make my hair stop being dry, frizzy, and disgusting. It's like hay and I hate it. Hair dye is only fun for as long as the molecules last. After it fades, you reget it all.

-- JyNx (r0cK_iS_d3aD@msn.com), October 19, 2003.

I died my hair blue once for the summer. I wanted to kepp it like that for school but my gay school said no. DaRn!! My exboyfriend said that he loved it becasue it made me look like an anime character ^_^ i was like yo' muta fuker WeEeEe lol. But yea this summer im going to die it again but im going to keep up with it.. And its going to be either pink or prpl. Im not sure yet. but im going to BlEaCh BlEaCh and BlEaCh the hell outta' ma hair. ShIiIiIt...

-- Mikki (xloserxchicx@netscape.net), November 14, 2003.

ok, i dont have a cool color story, but i wanna get one thin light pink highlight toward the front of my hair- any tips or advice on this??? ive never used bleach on my hair & ive never dyed my hair a crazy color but im dying to do this! if anyone can give me any info or tell me where i can get some good light pink dye or what i should do lemme know!!! thank you! all emails welcome & needed! hehe alex =)

-- Alexandra Becker (Trippp17@aol.com), April 06, 2004.

i just dyed my hair blue, i really like it alot, but feel that it is too dark!! i wanted it a bit softer, so does anyone know of a way to get it that way? thanks for your help!!

-- theresa (hnginwithcc@aol.com), May 09, 2004.

my hair has been just about every color there is. it is orignaly brown i dyed it a dark purple then black later i streaked my hair bleaching 3 sectons and dying it a fucking bright red it faded into an orange/pink then i dyed it blood red from that i went all black once again and bleached the tips and dyed then a dark blue which faded green to yellow. just about every color right ? im goen back to my red streaks this fall b/c i miss em....any tips on keeping the color plex!! e-mail me b/c i have done all this ^^ in one year..im 13...t/y

-- Mariah Moses (bluecarwash@aol.com), June 29, 2004.

I've had every color you can imagine... Right now its black underneath and im bleaching it on top. My favorite is hot pink. But I've had..

Light/Dark Blue Lime Green Fushia Black Red Orange Yellow Turquoise Various shades of purple

I still always go back to the pink.

How bout that?

-- Krystal Wright (misspixious@yahoo.com), February 27, 2005.