All I've ever wanted is dark blue hair...

[sabrinaclrke]

I need the color experts help!
Some background: I'm trying to grow my hair as long as it can, so I don't want to use any kind of chemicals on it.
I've been hennaing my hair for the past two years, and recently I've been using indigo. I first did 2 packets of indigo to one packet of henna, which resulted in a very dark auburn brown (as shown in my profile picture). Then, I did the two step henna then indigo to try to get blue-black hair, but it turned out a pretty dark brown. It did not turn my hair pitch-black as I expected, though... it still had red tints in it in bright light.
So I mixed blue manic panic with conditioner to tone out the red. So as of right now my hair is dark brown with most of the red toned out.
As everyone knows blue over red = ewwww mucky brown. (I've unfortunately experienced this while experimenting with blue manic panic over deep ginger colored henna hair)
But, I really want a deep blue color, hence why I indigoed my hair. Like a dark navy blue (blue-black) But I'm not sure if the blue will show up, so I'm asking for some expertise advice.

I bought three different kinds of blue deposit only dye.
Manic Panic Atomic Turquoise Amplified (I wanted Midnight Blue but it was sold out :( )
Adore Creative Image Indigo Blue *not sure if it has chemicals in it??*
Punky Atlantic Blue

I'm going to clarifying my hair before I try any of them, but does anyone have any tips or tricks to get hair bluer?

I was thinking of using color oops, but won't that just make the red from the henna come out?

Also, if anyone has any recommendations to which blue deposit only dye works best on brown hair I would greatly appreciate it~!

I might be willing to try a gentle chemical dye to achieve this (but not sure how that would react with indigo), if anyone knows a good dye for navy blue hair, or something of that sort.

Anyway, sorry for ranting, and any advice would be great! Thanks so much everyone! And please don't tell me it's hopeless, my little heart might break! :p

PS: My natural color is a medium brown with gold highlights, so if I just had the patience to grow out my natural color a dark blue would go over it so beautifully, but I am unfortunately cursed with impatience :(

[Firefox7275]

How porous is your hair? Why are you using blue only dyes when you want a dark blue-black colour? Have you considered a blue-black semi or blue mixed with blue-black? You have an uphill struggle to get a cool colour (blue black) when you are currently dyed a warm colour (henna auburn). Run strand tests on shed plug hole hair rather than apply any more permanent colours to your head.

Colour removers are formulated to remove permanent chemical dyes from the hair by chemically 'shrinking' the colour molecules. They *may* work on semis or henna due to the alkalinity raising the cuticle or weakening the bonds but results are unpredictable.

[spidermom]

The most long-lasting deposit-only color I've tried is the Punky brand.

From what I've read on LHC, it isn't possible to get blue-black with henna and indigo. For most (but not all), the red of henna will always show through.

[red-again]

What you need is special effects blue velvet. The others you have chosen would need a very light base to have a good effect.I used it a couple of years ago to blend bleached then henna and indigoed hair that wasn't dark enough. It was a right pain to wash out, after a few washes it didn't leak anywhere and it turned my hair blue blac? Like a crow.
i have also used adore dyes in the past and they are great. I used the reds tho so nt sure on the strength of the blues.
have a. Look on the uk site www.beeunique.co.uk to see their gallery as to end results.

oh, and this time your impatience may be the best thing - I think your base (natural) is too dark to get a good true blue black. I reckon henna and indigo plus a deposit dye may give you the result you are looking for

[red-again]

What you need is special effects blue velvet. I used it a couple of years ago to blend bleached then henna and indigoed hair that wasn't dark enough. It was a right pain to wash out, after a few washes it didn't leak anywhere and it turned my hair blue blac? Like a crow.

[sabrinaclrke]

Thanks everyone! Since the dyes I'm using aren't permanent I'm not afraid to experiment on myself, but thanks for the advice!

And I've been using blue dyes because I can't find any deposit only blue-black dyes. But I do have manic panic raven which I have mixed with blue manic panic before, but I used it on my hair when it was ginger red, which obviously just turned black because of the red.

Tomorrow I'm going to try with a mixture of vegetable (dark blue) dyes, and I'll post the results if anyone is interested!

Impatiently waiting for my punky dye to be delivered, thanks for letting me know they last the longest, Spidermom!

And I've heard great things about blue velvet, and once I have more money I'll defiantly buy it!


PS: My hair isn't auburn anymore, it's a dark brown since I successfully toned out the red using a method I learned from someone here. :o

[GoddesJourney]

Hahaha. I thought I was the only one!!! My boyfriend when I was 18-22 used to make fun of me for wishing I could just grow my hair and indigo color. I would have it classic to knee length if it could. I would only ever micro trim. Anyway, I second the special effects blue velvet. I've used it before since the store I worked at at 16 used to sell it and the punky color. That stuff is pretty good but the special effects had better colors. You may have to layer it on a couple of times since you've already filled your hair with henna. I wouldn't suggest mixing in any chemical dyes though. Deposit only is fine on your hair. Really drench it and let it sit for awhile while you do something else. Use an old towel because it will get all over your towel every time you get your hair wet until it is completely gone. Same applies to a light colored shirt on a rainy day. Ask me how I know… :D

[sabrinaclrke]

Haha! I know I tried rockabilly blue and it stained everything!

[alexis917]

I experimented with Manic Panic Infra-Red months ago and loved it over my naturally quite dark brown hair. It was surprisingly bright!
That said, I hated looking like a serial killer used my shower. My romance with hair dyes, deposit only or not .....has seemingly died.
ETA: I kept it as my profile picture ;)

[sabrinaclrke]

hah! Well it is a lovely color! But I know what you mean about the shower, it can be a pain in the butt!

[alexis917]

hah! Well it is a lovely color! But I know what you mean about the shower, it can be a pain in the butt!

Mr. Clean's Magic Erasers were my saving grace! (Thank you, too!)

[Andrasta]

I also love a good blue black. I used a boxed dye for mine as the semi's for me were just too much upkeep. I use garnier nutrisse in their blue black or nice and easy. It doesn't budge in the shower or fade, always looks nice and glossy!

[sabrinaclrke]

hah, love those magic erasers :p!

I've been considering hair dye, but i just got my hair back to good condition! Over use of sun-in sort of fried it in the summer :(

I was at the jersey shore for a week and I used sun in every single day.....7 days straight. Luckily I did CO as soon as it dried, so it didn't fry my hair that much... but still so much over used! I went crazy so I could get a deep ginger color, and now I want darker hair again ! Must make up my mind!!

[heartgoesboom]

hmmm I have dark hair. I remember someone in this forum using manic panic or something like that over their black hair to have a nice blue black! I'm so tempted lol

[Áine]

I suspect Manic Panic may not be sufficient for your needs.

The dye you need is from the Pravana brand, which is a higher caliber of unconventional hair color product. Using Pravana Blue from their vivids line would get you to a navy color, probably. Or you could use their Midnight Blue which is a solid black with strong blue undertones... that might accomplish your goal in one fell swoop. It doesn't run a lot of colored water in the shower, and its lasting power is one of the very best for rainbow colors. Your roots would need to be dyed, but the length of your hair should only need a touch up every couple months if you're not a heavy shampooer.

If you're in the USA, you'd need to buy it on Amazon or Ebay since the products sold in retail establishments only sell to licensed professionals. I've bought it online for myself and used it at home with good results. If you have extra unused formula, it can be frozen for future used.

[sabrinaclrke]

thanks! Just ordered the pravana, heard great things about it!

[Firefox7275]

I don't use blue-black but a pink-red that hair dye forums told me was notorious for being transferry and bleeding. I have had little trouble with this save after the first ever application of four hours: now I do two hours on the roots and just a swift refresh on the lengths. Roots bleed for a few washes, sweating is an issue up to the first wash only, no transferring onto pillowcases nor trouble in the rain. I suspect that is partly down to my leave in conditioner and coconut oil treatments 'sealing' in the dye molecules.

Don't find the shower difficult to clean either: rinses easily off tiles, spray bleach left to soak on the grout lines.

[sabrinaclrke]

For anyone who is interested, my hair came out great!
It's a natural looking subtle blue black, such as an Asian person or a Guatemalan person would have (the only two Guatemalan people I've met had this color naturally, male and female! It was very stunning).
Sorry no pics! But you get my point :D

PS: Used adore indigo blue, left on for 3 hours under saran wrap and two warm winter hats.

[Firefox7275]

That is great news.