Manic Panic Red Dye ?

[snowyx]

Hello everyone!

So I want to dye the ends of my hair a red semi permanent color, sort of like an ombre effect. I will only be dying 2-3 inches. Last year I did this with an ion purple dye diluted with white conditioner, and I LOVED it. My only problem now is that I don't know what kind of dye to use! It has to be from the brand manic panic, because that's the only one I can find here, in Europe. I would like the red to fade to a pink.

My ends are light blonde. Could anyone with experience please help me? If you have pictures that would be great to include too.

Thank you so much for your help in advance!!

[DreamSheep]

I have only experience with one brand, and that is Directions Pillarbox Red (I bought it in a local tattoo & piercing shop where they also sell CrazyColor and Stargazer, but it is just as easy to order online, such as from Amazon).

I adore it! It came out as a very true burgundy-ish red, and extremely bright despite my hair being blondette-brunette. Nearly two months on, the colour is pretty intense, but is fading out via pink.
I will be redying it with a slightly more orangey colour (I like warmer colours a bit more), so can't provide photos of the full fade-out, but I'm very pleased with the result and I've heard out the fade out is beautiful.

Here are some photos (there are more in my profile albums):
11th of March, when I first dyed it:


14th of April:

This was for a quarterly length project, but it shows how well the colour has stayed on, and a before and after colour if you will

This was a couple of days ago - notably faded yet still quite intense, particularly in sunlight:

[spidermom]

I have something similar with Manic Panic Crimson and it is fading to a more coppery-orange color, not pink.

[DreamSheep]

Had a quick online look, and the haircrazy website is really good for shopping by colour.
https://www.haircrazy.com/shop/colour-picker/neon-red/ has the neon reds, Poppy Red I know is quite pinkish as it fades

https://www.haircrazy.com/shop/colou...ink-toned-red/ These are bright pink-toned reds, so should fade out pink

https://www.haircrazy.com/shop/colou...ink-toned-red/ And darker pink-toned reds

"Deep, rich red colours with pink overtones. These colours are long-lasting and more likely to fade out to a pinkish shade than orange. On yellow-blonde bases, these shades will create a true red shade and pink tones will be less noticeable."

Haircrazy.com and beeunique.co.uk are good sources for buying both products, and they also have galleries where you can see the results on other people's hair (and I think there might be a specific gallery for people working with unbleached hair - though I don't think you'd have any problems with red on blonde )

[snowyx]

Thank you! Do you think that the pillarbox red you used is close to the manic panic pillarbox red? I wish I could order the exact dye you used from the website but I can't order from online

I read the reviews for different red colors by manic panic, but it seems like every red tone has mixed reviews. I have no idea what to do. I'm leaning towards the vampire red. I will strand test first, but I don't feel like waiting until the dye fades just so I can see what the fade out color is. This is harder than I thought it would be.

[DreamSheep]

I think Manic Panic Pillarbox Red is slightly different - Vampire Red from MP is probably a slightly darker version though, of the Directions Pillarbox Red, so you could maybe go for that one.

I don't know whereabouts in Europe you are, but here is a list of where they stock Directions in physical shops:
https://www.lariche.co.uk/distributors

That said, I don't think it is exhaustive - because my area isn't listed, but it is sold physically near where I live - so you might have some luck in a piercing or tattoo parlour.

[laceyfairy]

As I recall, vampire red over hot hot pink faded to a pink for a while. Now it's slightly orange, four years later.

[snowyx]

Thanks! Do you remember how much you left the dye on for? I am asking because last year when I did my purple, I left it on for 4 hours instead of the recommended 45 minutes, and after the purple faded it turned green. Maybe if I leave it on for less time it wont turn orange?

[spidermom]

My purple faded out to a gray shade.

[Upside Down]

Hm.. I used Directions Rose Red with these results.
It hasn't faded yet (only one wash but with touch ups since then, so...) but I am pretty sure it wil fade pink, as it is a very pinky purply red. I diluted with condish 1:1 and slept on it.

Where are you in Europe? I have heard from more than a few people who tried both MP and directions that the second are stronger and brighter.