The Colour Purple: A New Shade and a New Routine

So you're probably all aware that my hair is now purple, and it has been for the last two and a bit months now. However, I'm sure if you've dyed your hair a crazy colour, you know that a lot of experimenting is needed before you're at the colour you had in your head. 

The purple I've had up until now was lovely and vibrant. I used Directions Plum. But it had blue undertones, which meant in just two washes the purple was taken over by a teal/aqua shade, with hints of pink and purple. It actually looked quite iridescent for a while which was cool. I rocked the My Little Pony look for as long as I could, but the more it faded (and it did, rapidly) the less appealing it looked. 

I was at a bit of a loss for a while, until I seeked the help of  Hair Crazy. The girls on the forum here are experts at dying hair every colour under the sun, and told me I needed to tone down the blue with something warmer. Something pinky-red. It kinda makes sense really. 

I knew exactly what shade to use, as I'd used it before on top of a red a few years ago, and pinky-red it most certainly is. Or Cerise, if you're going by it's proper name. 

When I decided I wanted to go purple, the shade I had in mind was exactly the same as 'The Purple One' in a box of Quality Street, and after this little experiment I'm so pleased to say...I'M THE PURPLE ONE!

I've put this little how-to together to show you just how easy it is to mix Direction dyes to achieve the shade you want. 
(Excuse the not so great process pics - it's very hard to dye your hair and take pictures at the same time).

 What you need: 
- The Directions dyes you plan on mixing together. It's a good idea to do a strand test first to make sure it's the colour you want.
- A good quality conditioner / hair mask 
 - A tint bowl
- A tint brush
- A spoon
-Hair bands
-Hair clips
-Rubber gloves.  
- Hairdressing cloak / bin bag / old t-shirt 

 Using a spoon, put half of each tub into the tint bowl. 

 Add a similar quantity of conditioner. Directions dye grabs onto anything, so I wouldnt recommend using it in it's undiluted form. It's very hard to get off skin and surfaces. Conditioner not only dilutes it, but nourishes your hair through the dyeing process. This is a must especially if your hair has been bleached beforehand. 

 Mix thoroughly, making sure there are no lumps of conditioner. 

Make sure your hair is parted how you would usually where it. 

 

Section your hair by following up behind your ear. Clip up the front piece, and the hair on the other side, so you have just one back half remaining. 

From that back half, take a strand and pin up the rest. Wearing the rubber gloves, paint on the tint until the strand is coated. Work your way up the back section, remembering to get your roots in between strands. When you get to the top, make sure you get your parting and your hairline. Then move on to the front section. Repeat on the other side. 

 When you'v coated all the hair, give the ends a good massage to make sure they're fully coated. Tie your hair into a bun and tie a plastic bag over the top (not my best look I know). This helps keep the heat in and speeds up the process. I left it on for about an hour. If like me you get in a bit of a mess with the dye, a bathroom cleaning spray will get it off bathroom surfaces, and for your skin, surgical spirit or an alcohol based hand gel works wonders. 

Related Posts: The Best Dry Shampoo, Hair Dyes and Make-Up for Your Skin Tone, Dyeing Over Ombre Dip-Dye