Punk hair colors are like regular hair dye products on steroids. Instead of naturally occurring human hair colors, punk hair colors are vivid shades you’ve never seen on a newborn baby. We’re talking fire-engine red, royal purple, grass green and the like. Young people just love this new way to experiment. In a world of sameness, punk hair color makes a very bold statement indeed.
Before rushing out to buy your desired punk hair color, there are a few facts you need to know for a successful color job. Preparation is everything when you’re considering a radical change.
One way to get a handle on the look you want: using a photo, try out your proposed look on paper or create a digitized make over. This helps avoid a disaster because skin color was not taken into account.
All hair dye is absorbed through the shaft of the hair. Your hair must be clean. Don’t use conditioner before coloring, for maximum absorption.
Unless you have a natural pale blond color, you’ll need to lighten your hair by bleaching if your color choice is electric pink or dayglo green. Carefully consider the effects severe bleaching may produce. If your hair is damaged from previous bleaching or perming, further bleaching can cause hair to break or even fall out in patches. Remember too that bleaching will bring the inevitable roots a few weeks down the road. You may want to consult a hair professional before making a final decision.
If you decide to bleach, know that the pigments of the dye are mixing with the color of your hair, much like mixing paint. If your punk hair color choice is bright red, and you’ve bleached your natural hair to a pale yellow, the result may be more orange than red.
Punk hair colors come as rinses (temporary) and dyes (permanent). If your doing a punk hair color for the first time, it’s probably safest to go with a temporary dye for your initial foray. If you dislike the result, you can hasten its demise with clarifying shampoos and conditioners. Rinsing in hot water also helps.
If you’re not into bleaching, or in the case of younger kids, are forbidden by not so hip parents, there are other ways to make a very bold and classy statement. Punk hair color, applied to unbleached hair, produces a more subtle effect, but still unnatural enough to be noticed as cool.
Dark or medium brown colored natural hair dyed in a purple punk hair color results in an effect similar to henna, with individual hairs absorbing the color according to its natural shade. In other words, if you’ve got brown hair with warm highlights, your natural highlights are retained, but with a purple cast.
A few last words: follow all instructions in the kit carefully. If possible, use a stainless steel sink for the job. Punk hair color can be difficult to remove from old fiberglass tubs. Products are available to remove stains from skin. Thank goodness!