Red and Blue Hair [How to Dye Red Hair Blue, Blue Hair Red, and Both]

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Can you dye your red hair blue? Yes, you can! In this article, I’ll talk about risks, things to keep in mind, and show you tips on how to dye red hair blue — whether you have natural red hair or dyed red hair, or going from red to blue, blue to red, or both.

You have to wait for it to fade entirely for dyed red hair before dyeing it blue. So if your hair still has some traces of red, wait for several weeks or more so that every trace of red disappears. Why? If you apply blue dye over red hair, you will get a purple shade instead of blue.

However, this only applies when you use a temporary or semi-permanent dye, which does not change the structure of your hair. Instead, these dyes deposit color on the hair’s surface. So the question is: did you dye your hair with a temporary or semi-permanent dye? If your answer is yes, then great!

Red and Blue Hair – Semi-Permanent vs. Permanent Dyes

Here, I’ll explain the step-by-step procedure of going from red to blue hair. Hair dyed red using permanent hair dye is another story altogether. You might wonder why? The reason is that permanent hair dye changes the hair’s structure, and the only way to get rid of it is with bleach.

I’ll also go over how to go from red to blue hair if you used permanent dye. However, in this case, it would be best to go to a hair salon because bleaching hair is a tricky process. Now that we’ve cleared that up let’s move on to another important point.

How to Remove Hair Dye Completely

1. Frequently Wash Your Hair

Wash your hair more often to remove red hair dye.

2. Use an Anti-dandruff Shampoo

Use an anti-dandruff shampoo if you decide to wash your hair more often. Are you wondering why? Anti-dandruff shampoos contain higher levels of sulfates, which corrode hair dye, causing it to fade faster.

Therefore, the red dye will soon disappear if you wash your hair daily (or even 2x a day) using an anti-dandruff shampoo.

3. Use a Clarifying Shampoo

But if you don’t want to do all that work, another effective option is to use a clarifying shampoo. This type of shampoo removes all the artificial pigments from your hair. Using clarifying shampoo is very easy.

Here’s how:

Begin by wetting your hair.
Apply the clarifying shampoo and allow it to sit for 15 minutes before washing off.
Rinse using warm water and check if the red color has disappeared.
Repeat this process up to two or three more times if you can still see some red dye.

Clarifying shampoo doesn’t damage your hair. You can apply a semi-permanent blue dye as soon as the red hair dye is gone.

How to Dye Red Hair Blue Using Temporary or Semi-Permanent Dye

As I mentioned earlier, it’s easy to go from red to blue hair if you use a temporary or semi-permanent dye as it fades with each shampoo. Exactly how long the color lasts usually depends on the brand of red hair dye you used.

Once this red hair dye completely fades, you’re ready to switch to blue — although it’s not quite as easy as it seems. Remember, you should not apply a blue hair dye if the color is still as vibrant as the day you dyed it.

This rule also applies even after waiting for the manufacturer’s recommended time the dye will last.

A red and blue mixture will produce a purple-violet color, nothing like the blue hair you want.

What Shade of Blue Should You Pick?

If you want to color your hair blue using a semi-permanent, long-lasting hair dye, the Punky Atlantic Blue Semi-Permanent Conditioning Hair Dye lasts 35 washes:

Click here to see it on Amazon.

Enriched with a Color-enhancing Vegan Keratin Complex

This hair dye is enriched with a color-enhancing vegan keratin complex, creating a brighter and more intense color-depositing application.

Darker Blue Dye Is Better in Covering the Base Tone

The darker blue dye you choose, the better when it comes to covering the base tone. Why does it matter?

Apply a Light Blue Dye to Eliminate Traces of Red Dye

As much as you’ve tried to remove the color, there may still be a few traces of the red dye in your hair. And removing red colors, even those that are semi-permanent ones, is a tenacious and challenging task.

You can apply a light blue dye, particularly if you have pale, faded pink hair. Pale pink will not affect the blue dye, even less so if you choose a darker shade of blue.

Pink and Black Hair [How to Dye and Makeup Tips]

How to Turn Permanently Dyed Red Hair to Blue

1. Apply Bleach At Least Two or Three Times

With permanent red hair color, you’ll have more difficulty dealing with it. Depending on the shade of red you currently have, it will take several bleach applications to remove the red hair dye.

At the very least, you’ll need to bleach your hair twice or three times. But when it comes to removing light red or pink tones, one or two bleaching treatments are all you need.

Do not forget this when applying a semi-permanent blue hair dye. Also, take note that semi-permanent dyes will not cover permanent hair dyes. This is because semi-permanent dyes do not alter the structure of your hair as permanent dyes do.

Repeat the Process as Many Times as Needed

You can repeat this method as many times as needed, as long as you wait 15 days before bleaching your hair again. It’s important to remember that bleach is extremely damaging to hair fibers. You can use coconut oil and masks to restore your hair’s moisture and overall health.

2. Apply a Semi-permanent Blue Color

Once the red dye has been completely removed, a semi-permanent blue color can be applied — but not a permanent blue hair dye. Why not? For one thing, blue is a fantasy color, which explains why.

Most brands don’t produce permanent blue dyes, so blue shades are accessible only in semi-permanent dyes. Despite the availability of blue-toned hair dyes, it’s difficult to achieve the exact blue tone you desire while dyeing your hair in such shades.

Because of this, you’ll need to use a semi-permanent blue dye after removing the red color.

3. Use a Darker Blue Shade to Cover up Red Tones

Use a darker blue shade to cover up any red tones in your hair for best results. As with fading red dye, the first time you bleach your hair, an orange tone will appear, eventually fading to a coppery tone. Using a semi-permanent blue dye to cover it up will do the trick.

Again, can you dye your hair blue over fading red hair? Wait until the red from the hair completely fades before dyeing it blue. If you insist on dyeing it blue while it still has traces of red, you’ll have purple hair instead.

How Long to Leave Dye in Hair for Best Results?

How to Bleach Hair

For this, you must first bleach your hair. But how do you bleach your hair, and what do you need to get started?

First, you’ll need a 30-volume developer and bleaching powder if you want to bleach your red hair.
Once you have those products, it’s time to apply them to your hair.
Comb your hair to remove any tangles that could make the process more difficult.
Mix the developer (30 vol) and bleaching powder (10 vol) in a plastic container.
The end product must have a uniform and creamy consistency.
The highest concentration of hair dye should be in the ends and middle section of your hair, so begin applying the product there.
Next is to apply the product to your hair’s roots.
Allow it to sit for 20 minutes before rinsing.

How Long to Leave Bleach in Hair

How to Dye Blue Hair to Red

1. Bleaching

Your blue hair color must be faded if you want to color it red. A red hair dye cannot be directly applied because you will have violet or purple-colored hair. You will need hair bleaching if you have previously colored your hair using a permanent blue dye.

2. Check the Health of Your Hair

Check the health of your hair as well. If your hair is damaged or very dry, use intensive moisturizing treatments before applying a red hair dye.

After bleaching your hair, use flaxseed oil, shea butter, or repair masks. You will never achieve the best red color if you skip this step because your hair will be severely damaged.

3. Choose the Best Shade of Red

The next important tip is to select the right shade of red dye to perfectly complement your skin color. Whether you choose a semi-permanent or permanent hair dye — if your skin is pale, you should go for deep red dyes, and if your skin is tanned, the best shade of red for you would probably be the darkest one.

Can You Dye Your Hair When It’s Greasy

How to Dye Your Hair Both Blue and Red

If you’ve seen the film Suicide Squad, you will see one of the villains named Harley Quinn sporting bleached blonde hair with pinkish-red and blue ends.

The DC supervillain Harley Quinn is probably best known for her love affair with the crazy clown Joker. Her trademark look is her two-toned hair, which is popular among cosplayers.

This Harley Quinn hair is super easy to do yourself at home. Separate your hair into ponytails, make sure you have a straight line right down the back of your head, and dye one-half blue and one-half red.

Use a Quick, Instant Hair Dye Wax

If you’re into cosplay or planning to be Harly Quinn on Halloween, you can use a quick, instant hair dye wax like the FlareMore Red+Blue Instant Hair Dye Wax:

Click here to see it on Amazon.

Use a Blonde Cosplay Wig as an Alternative

The easiest way to get Harley Quinn’s hair is to use a blonde cosplay wig. It is likely the best idea to tie it into high pigtails and dye the ends using the temporary hair dye above.

Easily tuck your hair under the cap and put the wig on it. If you don’t want to wear the cosplay wig anymore, you don’t have to.

It’s a brilliant way to have fun for a few hours and, at the same time, save your hair from all the color, straightening, and heavy styling.

Make Two High Pigtails with the Extensions

And if you’ve got blonde hair, but they’re too short, why not go for hair extensions? You can make two high pigtails with the extensions and dye the tips of the extensions.

How to Dye Pink Hair to Orange

Frequently Asked Questions – Red and Blue Hair

How Do You Dye Red Hair Blue?

Wait for your red hair to fade completely before dyeing it blue. If you can still see some traces of red, wait for several more weeks or use anti-dandruff shampoo daily so that every hint of red disappears. If you apply blue dye over red hair, you’ll get a purple shade instead of blue.

Is Dyeing Red Hair Blue Without Bleach Possible?

Using a semi-permanent dye, you can color your hair blue without bleaching it. Going from red hair to blue hair without bleaching — is a process that can take some time. You can wait until the red fades as you wash it or remove it by regularly using a clarifying shampoo or anti-dandruff shampoo for several weeks.

Can You Dye Your Hair from Blue to Red?

You cannot apply red dye directly because you will end up with purple or violet hair, so if you have blue hair and want to color it red, you have to wait until the blue color fades. And if you previously colored your hair using a permanent blue dye, you’ll most likely have to get bleached.

How Do You Get Blue Hair Dye Out of Your Hair Without Bleach?

Remove blue dye from your hair without bleach by mixing 1,000 mg of vitamin C powder into a small bowl of anti-dandruff shampoo. Next, wet your hair using warm water and shampoo your hair with the mixture.

Red and Blue Hair Dye Mixed – What Color Do You Get?

Purple is produced when you mix red and blue hair dyes. Both red and blue are primary colors, so the mixture created from this combination will be a darker shade of purple.

Conclusion – Dyeing Red Hair Blue, Blue Hair Red, or Both

Going from red to blue is easy if you’ve dyed your hair using a semi-permanent dye. That being said, hair dyed using permanent dye is another story altogether. It also depends on how dark your hair is. You will have to bleach your hair a few more times before dye it again.

Always remember to moisturize your hair with masks, coconut oil, argan oil, or silk extracts to make it soft and shiny once again.

If you dyed your hair with a semi-permanent dye, you could color your hair blue without bleaching it. But if you dyed your hair with a permanent dye, you’re going to have to bleach your hair.

If you don’t want to undergo hair bleaching, you should wait until the red dye fades completely from your hair; or speed up removing the red dye from your hair by frequently using anti-dandruff shampoo.

The first option is for people with patience since semi-permanent dye fades with each wash. So, depending on which brand of hair color you’ve used and how often you wash your hair, it can last up to 30 washes.

However, your hair will have some red streaks once your red color has faded. They are easy to get rid of, though. And that color is key because it will be the base of your blue hair.

If you choose a light blue color and still have some red in your hair, you’ll end up with a purple color that doesn’t look anything like the blue you were going for. But, if you’re not a patient person and want to have blue hair sooner, you’ll need to remove the red.

And that process can take a week. Once you’ve gotten rid of all of the red left in your hair, you can only use the blue dye.

At this point, the most important step is choosing the right blue color. There are two reasons why:

If you choose a very light blue color and use it on your hair with any red left in it, it will be light purple since blue combined with red equals purple.
If you choose a very dark blue color, then the color might not be so noticeable, and your hair will look black.

It would be best to fade out as red as possible, whether by less harsh or harsher methods like a bleach bath or full bleach.

Transforming blue to red hair is not impossible. But it can be a challenge for those who are willing to follow a step-by-step method to change their hair color without losing hair health.

You’ll likely undergo a hair bleaching process if you previously colored your hair with a permanent blue dye. You can’t apply red dye directly because it will only result in purple or violet hair.

When it comes to hair coloring, choosing just one shade may be difficult. But with two hair colors, you don’t have to! For red and blue hair colors, like those seen on Harly Quinn, hair colors remove the “or” in-between, letting you experiment with red and blue.

If you don’t want further hair damage due to bleaching but want a fun new look, you can dye a blonde wig using red and blue hair dyes instead.

So, watch your hair, don’t miss any of these steps, and you’ll be able to color your hair as amazingly red, blue, or both as you dream.