Making Pastel Hair Dyes

You can save lots of money mixing up your own shades of colour instead of buying multiple colours when you want to do your own ombre hair. Due to the pandemic, I've been finding ways to save money, but still have things like fun hair colours and styles. Follow along to find out how to get this thrifty yet beautiful mermaid-inspired ombre hair by making pastels.

Craft: Making Pastel Hair Dyes

attosa
Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts

September 5, 2020

Making Pastel Hair Dyes - mermaid ombré hair color You can save lots of money mixing up your own shades of colour instead of buying multiple colours when you want to do your own ombre hair. Due to the pandemic, I've been finding ways to save money, but still have things like fun hair colours and styles. Follow along to find out how to get this thrifty yet beautiful mermaid-inspired ombre hair by making pastels. Application instructions included! :)

I bleached my hair blond before doing this. You can do this on darker shades of hair, it just won't be as vibrant. Make sure you use white creamy conditioner as opposed to clear ones.

Total Time: 1 hour

Supplies:

1 or 2 base hair colours (I used blue and purple)
white hair conditioner (any cheap one will do)
mixing bowl
hair dye brush
gloves

Steps:

To make the pastel dye, place a good sized amount of the conditioner in your bowl and a tiny squirt of the base colour. Mix very well.

Making Pastel Hair Dyes - conditioner and base dye in bowl

Starting from your roots, apply the pastel dye and work your way a third way down your hair.

Making Pastel Hair Dyes - apply starting from roots and working 1/3 of the way down the length of your hair

Now make another batch of pastel dye the same way, but at a bit more of the colour dye. This will be the darker pastel to go in the middle third of your hair.

Making Pastel Hair Dyes - new batch of dye with more color added for the middle third

Apply this colour right below the lighter pastel, then used your gloved fingers to rub the light and medium pastel together to make a transitional colour.

Making Pastel Hair Dyes - apply just below the first color and then with gloved hands create the transition

Now make your darkest colour by using a half and half mix of conditioner to dye, or darker, whatever you desire.

Making Pastel Hair Dyes - darkest color made with at least 50% dye to conditioner

Apply this to the end third of your hair, making sure to get the tips of your hair saturated.

Making Pastel Hair Dyes - apply to last third and saturate the ends

If you are using a second colour like I did with the blue, continue using the same method of adding conditioner to the dye. I used a paintbrush to just add hints of the blue here and there. All hair types are different, so how long you let the colour sit depends. I let mine sit in my thick hair for 40 minutes before rinsing until water ran clear.

Making Pastel Hair Dyes - adding a bit of a 4th color, blue, allow to set for 40 minutes or so

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Comments

attosa
Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts

September 8, 20201 found this helpful

I forgot to mention that I also like to do this in the reverse fashion: darker colours at the roots and lightest at the tips... so just reverse the conditioner addition as you go down :)

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Pghgirl40
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 196 Feedbacks

September 11, 20200 found this helpful

People keep telling me I should color my gray "skunk stripe" purple! I wish I had the courage!! It looks great on you!! So fun! Your posts are always so fun!

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15mhhm15
Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,298 Posts

September 12, 20200 found this helpful

I love the outcome! Your hair is color is beautiful. :)

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attosa
Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts

September 13, 20200 found this helpful

Awww thank you so much! It does lift my spirits in these weird times :)

Reply Was this helpful? Yes