How to Choose an Unnatural Color to Dye Your Hair

Co-authored by Patrick Evan and Amber Crain

Last Updated: March 5, 2023 References Approved

Unnatural hair colors are a fun way to change up your look and show off your unique personality! If you're thinking about dyeing your hair an unconventional color, you may feel overwhelmed by all of the options available. Factor in the cost of upkeep and your hair's current condition, then select a shade you love that flatters your skin and eyes and works for your lifestyle.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Picking a Fun and Flattering Color

1
Choose a flattering shade of your favorite color. If your favorite color is blue, dye your hair a unique shade of blue that stands out to you and complements your skin tone. If you wear the same color of clothing on most days and you want to try out a monochromatic look, dye your hair to match your clothes.
- For example, if you wear lots of green, choose a shade of green to complement your wardrobe.
2
Go with a color that reflects your unique personality. If you are loud and bold, you could go with an eye-catching color such as red, orange, aqua, yellow, or neon green. If you are creative and artistic, you might try green, orange, blue, purple, or even a rainbow look. If you prefer something more understated, try a muted color like light pink, dark blue, or royal purple.

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3
Dye your hair a bright, fun color for the summer. Summer is the brightest season and many people tend to go for warm colors like orange, red, and yellow. However, cooler shades of blue and green can also work great for summer!^{[1]
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Research source} If you're a student, summer may be a great time to experiment with bold color. Consider fun, summery colors like:
- Red
- Pink
- Bright blue
- Magenta
- Bright green
4
Dye your hair a cheerful or pastel color in the spring. If spring is in the air, you might want to follow suit with a unique hair color to celebrate the end of winter. Spring colors are typically bright, natural colors or pastel colors, similar to an Easter palette. You might consider colors like:
- Coral
- Turquoise
- Peach
- Cobalt Blue
- Lavender
5
Choose a hair color that looks flattering with your eye color. If you want your hair and eye colors to play off one another, consider matching your eye color closely or choosing a complementary color on the color wheel to create a striking contrast. For example, if you have blue eyes, you could try a matching shade of blue, or go with a complementary color, like yellow or orange, to create contrast.
- If you have green eyes, try a matching shade of green for hair color. If you want to create contrast with a complementary hair color, consider red or purple.^{[2]
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- Brown is neutral, so it's harder to create contrast if you have brown eyes. Brown eyes usually have warm, yellowish undertones, so consider dyeing your hair a pale blue or violet shade to create contrast.
- If you have hazel eyes, think about shades of red, pink, or purple to create contrast.
6
Go with an appropriate color for your daily lifestyle. Not all hair colors are appropriate for work and school. Keep in mind that unconventional hair colors will make you stand out in a crowd and stick around for quite a while, so think carefully about whether your color is appropriate for all situations before you take the plunge!
- Colors that are found in natural hair, like red, black, and blonde, are generally appropriate for most situations.
- Dramatic colors, like hot pink, may not be appropriate if you work in a highly professional setting or if your school has strict rules about appearance. With certain creative jobs, an unconventional hair color may not be a concern.
7
Keep your skin tone in mind as you weigh your options. Contrast can be just as flattering as harmony! Matching your hair dye color to your skin's undertones is the easiest way to go, but you can also do the opposite and get great results.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Patrick Evan
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 17 January 2020.} If you decide to go this route, be sure to hold up swatches of the color next to your face to make sure the contrast is complementary.
- For example, if you have red undertones, go with a cooler color, like an icy blue or soft green.
- Don't forget—you can always test-drive a hair color with a hair color app to make sure you like the way it looks before making a commitment!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Factoring in Logistics and Upkeep

1
Experiment with bold colors using an app to see how they look first. There are many apps out there that allow you to upload a photo of yourself and play around with different hair colors. If you need inspiration or want to confirm that a color is right for you, search the app store for a free hair color app you can use.^{[4]
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- Try search terms like "hair color change" or "virtual hair color salon" to locate an app.
2
Be ready to bleach your hair before adding the fun color on top. If your hair is naturally light blonde, you may be able to achieve a bright or unnatural color without bleaching first. For most people, however, bleaching is necessary if you want to rock a vibrant, unconventional hair color. If you try to dye dark hair with a bright dye, the color won't show up.^{[5]
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- Bleach is pretty strong stuff, so make sure your hair is healthy and in good shape before applying bleach.
- Be sure to follow the package instructions carefully if you decide to bleach at home for the best results! If you've never bleached your hair before and you're nervous about it, consider going to a salon.
- If you have dark hair and you really don't want to bleach your hair, you may have some luck using tinted conditioners like Overtone.
3
Get a permanent hair dye for the longest-lasting color. Permanent hair dye lasts 4-6 weeks, so it's definitely the way to go if you're certain about the hair color you want. You may need to touch up your roots a couple of times during that time frame to keep your color looking its best.^{[6]
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- Keep in mind that bright colors fade quickly. You may want to think about whether you can live with the faded version of your chosen color before you dye your hair. For example, your bright purple hair color will start fading to reddish pink or lavender after a few weeks.^{[7]
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- Red hair is one of the most difficult colors to maintain because it tends to fade very fast. Red hair usually requires a touch up every 2 to 4 weeks.^{[8]
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4
Use semi-permanent dye to experiment without commitment. Being stuck with an unnatural hair color for 4-6 weeks might sound a bit scary! Go with a semi-permanent dye if you want more flexibility to experiment with bold color. The color will last for 3 weeks, fading a little more each time you shampoo your hair.^{[9]
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- Most unnatural hair colors dyes on the market are semi-permanent.
5
Expect to alter your daily hair care approach to maintain vibrancy. To keep your hair color looking bright and fresh, you'll need to change up some of your habits. For example, the sun will fade hair color, so if you spend time outdoors every day, you may want to cover your hair or reconsider the color. Limiting how often you shampoo to once or twice weekly and washing your hair with cold water can also help preserve the color.^{[10]
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- If you play sports or sweat a lot, you probably need to shampoo your hair every day. A bright hair color may not be a good idea.
- If cold showers sound unpleasant to you, you might want to avoid unconventional hair color.
6
Keep the cost of upkeep in mind when you choose a color. Bleach, hair dye, and frequent touch-ups can be tough on your wallet! If you're planning to have your hair colored by a professional stylist rather than dyeing it yourself, the cost will be even higher. Spend some time considering whether you're willing to invest in the cost of your look.
- If you're low on funds, think about dyeing your hair a more natural color, which will be easier and cheaper to maintain.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I convince my parents to let me dye my hair?

Community Answer

You could ask them to try a more natural semi-permanent hair color over a holiday (if you're still in school). This way they will get used to seeing you with a different hair color and may change their mind over time.
Question

What if you have grey eyes?

Community Answer

If you have grey eyes, I recommend dying your hair a bright color so your eyes will pop. Blue could be nice. Brown could also be nice if you wanted a natural color.
Question

Can I dye my hair light pink with toned skin?

Community Answer

Yes. Pink is usually a fun bet. It looks great against darker skin tones, and it makes most peopleos eyes pop.