How I dye my hair pink is something I 100% get the most questions about either online or in person… I even had a bus driver ask me about it once! So these are my best tips from a couple of years of dying my hair pink.

Bleach first. I didn’t want to bleach my hair when I first decided I wanted it pink and I tried a number of different ways to dye it, but none of them have been as amazing as bleaching it first.

It seems super scary to bleach your hair, but once you’ve done it a few times it will feel totally normal to you. You can get bleach kits that are fairly kind to hair these days and my hair dying method adds tonnes of moisture and conditioner straight back into your hair. More on that later!

I use Superdrug’s Pick & Mix Colour Bleach Blonde which, for an added bonus, is also cruelty free. I’ve previously used the Manic Panic bleach kit, but it made my hair much more dry and it was a lot more expensive. I use this on clean or unclean, dry hair.

Once you’ve bleached your hair, do not condition it! Not even with the conditioner that comes in the pack. You want your hair to be super thirsty! Leave your hair to dry.

To get my favourite shade of pink I use Manic Panic Hot Hot Pink which comes in a resealable tub (money saving bonus!). A tub will last me 2-3 applications. I then mix my desired amount with one tube of Superdrug’s Pick & Mix Chalk Finish. This is where that extra hair conditioning comes in!

I mix them together in the dish that comes with the bleach kit, which I wash out and keep for the pink part. It might take you a couple of trys to get your perfect pink and sometimes I mix it up to make it more pastel or more vibrant.

Apply to your dry hair generously. Your dry hair will soak up that lovely conditioner and the pink dye that is mixed in with it will stick to your hair with enthusiasm. Leave for one hour. For best results, use a hair cap to keep your hair all cosy and warm by trapping the heat coming from your head. Again I use the hair cap that comes from the bleach kit for this – I don’t use it while bleaching.

Rinse out in the shower or over a sink. You don’t need to use shampoo or conditioner until you next wash your hair.

To keep your hair as pink as possible for as long as possible:

• Wash as little as you can. I’m talking like once a week. Dry shampoo is your friend.
• When you do wash your hair, wash it in very cool water and be careful what shampoo you use. The best shampoo I’ve found is Amika Color pHerfection Shampoo, but I can’t buy it anywhere! Wahhh! I’m on the hunt for the best alternative! Most shampoos (even the ones for coloured hair) strip your colour. You’ll notice it running pink when you rinse.
• Avoid getting your hair wet. Wear a shower cap in between washes in the shower. If you swim, use a swimming cap.
• Do not wash your hair in the bath! Too much time in the water will strip more colour than a quick shower!

So that’s what I’ve learned so far! My pink can last any time between 3 and 6 weeks before it starts to fade, but even when it does you get a fun pastel pinky peach colour too. When you want to top it up without bleaching: wash your hair first, but don’t use conditioner! Remember, your hair needs to be thirsty! Then apply to clean, dry hair.

If you’ve got any extra tips, please do let me know! The search for the perfect pink hair continues!