Get ready to dip your ends into some serious style – dip dye hair has arrived!
This trendy technique, where you dunk just the bottom bits of your locks into a fun and vibrant color, is THE look right now.
Celebs like Rihanna and Kendall Jenner have embraced the dip dyed life, making waves on the red carpet with their freshly-colored ends. And it’s no wonder – dip dye hair lets you change up your look without a big commitment or damage.
You don’t have to spend half your paycheck and 12 hours at a salon getting your whole head drenched in color. Just add a pop of pizazz to the tips!
It’s an inexpensive way to give your tresses some flair. And if you decide the look’s not your vibe? No problem – just trim it off or let it fade away.
The beauty of dip dye is options – you can go subtle or make a bold statement to show off your inner fashionista. Ready to take the dip into this hot trend? Let’s go!
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Table of Contents
- What is Dip Dye Hair and Why Is It Trending?
- 8 Gorgeous Dip Dye Hair Styles You’ll Want to Try
- #1: Pastel pink dip dye
- #2: Sunrise dip dye
- #3: Mermaid dip dye
- #4: Galaxy dip dye
- #5 Rainbow dip dye
- #6: Unicorn Dip Dye
- #7: Jewel Tone Dip Dye
- #8: Ombre Dip Dye
- What’s the difference between dip dye and ombre?
- Do you have to bleach your hair to dip dye it?
- Is dip dyeing bad for your hair?
- Can I dip dye my hair at home?
- Watch and learn: How to dip dye your hair at home.
- What kind of hair dye should I use?
- How long does dip dye last?
- How do I care for dip dye hair?
- Parting words
What is Dip Dye Hair and Why Is It Trending?
Dip dye hair is when you take your hair and submerge only the ends into a brilliant hue that pops against the rest of your ‘do.
It’s like ombre’s edgy sister – instead of blended color that slowly fades from roots to tips, you’ve got contrast between the dark roots and POP of color on the ends!
This trend has blown up over the past few years thanks to bold beauties like Rihanna, Kylie Jenner, and Dua Lipa embracing the look. Nothing makes a statement on the red carpet like some freshly dip dyed ends in cotton candy pink or ocean blue.
Part of what makes this trend so hot right now is that it lets you change up your look without a big commitment. If you’ve been dying to go red but don’t want to be married to being a ginger, dip dye is for you! It’s like taking color for a test drive before going all-in.
Not to mention, it’s SO social media friendly. Those vibrant ends look amazing in photos and are guaranteed to get you some extra likes. Dip dye hair is made for turning heads IRL and on the ‘gram.
So whether you’re just looking to update your style or want to unveil your inner rockstar, this is the perfect trend to take for a dip.
Check out the latest trending dip dye looks over on our Pinterest board for ideas and inspiration.
8 Gorgeous Dip Dye Hair Styles You’ll Want to Try
Dip dye hair lets you get creative with vivid colors and ombre fades. Here are 8 on-trend dip dye styles to fuel your hair inspiration and imagination.
While dip dye hair can be done at home, achieving more complex ombre blends and color melts like these is best left to the pros. Here are some hot looks to show to your stylist.
#1: Pastel pink dip dye
This soft and romantic look is perfect for spring and summer. We love it best on blonde hair.
The pastel pink hue is flattering on all skin tones, and the dip dye effect adds a touch of edge.
#2: Sunrise dip dye
This vibrant look is inspired by the colors of a gorgeous sunrise. The orange, red, and yellow shades blend seamlessly together, creating a stunning blended ombre effect.
#3: Mermaid dip dye
This magical look is perfect for anyone with dark hair who wants to channel their inner mermaid.
The turquoise, blue, and green shades are reminiscent of the ocean, and the dip dye effect gives the hair a mermaid-like tail effect.
#4: Galaxy dip dye
This cosmic look is all about the sparkle. Purple, blue, and silver shades blend together like stars and planets, with the overall dip dye effect giving out-there, a celestial vibes.
#5 Rainbow dip dye
This cheerful look is perfect for anyone who wants to show off their pride.
The vibrant red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet shades really pop on a blonde hair base, creating a truly eye-catching look.
#6: Unicorn Dip Dye
This magical dip dye look is perfect for anyone wanting to channel mystical unicorn vibes. The soft pastel shades blend from pink, purple, blue and silver for an iridescent effect. Add some glitter for extra shimmer!
#7: Jewel Tone Dip Dye
Make a bold statement with rich jewel tones like emerald, ruby and sapphire. These deep hues look gorgeous tapped against dark hair. The striking color dimension is glamorous yet edgy.
#8: Ombre Dip Dye
This beautiful look blends multiple colors for a seamless ombre fade.
Start with a deeper shade like violet or cobalt at the mid-shaft, transitioning to lighter hues of lilac, mint or candy pink on the ends. The blended ombre effect is sophisticated yet playful.
What’s the difference between dip dye and ombre?
While they are both coloring techniques that uses two-tone shades in your hair, each have their own distinct characteristics.
Ombre hair is a gradual color transition that usually starts dark on top and gradually fades into light ends, while dip dye is blunt line of color at the ends. Ombre has a more natural look with a blend of complementary colors.
Do you have to bleach your hair to dip dye it?
Because this on-trend look works best with bright, vibrant colors, it is best to bleach your hair first to get the right base for the color.
If you have light hair – like ash blonde or platinum blonde, you might be able to get away with tinting your ends with hair dye. Opt for bold colors like black hair, blue and pillarbox red.
If you have dark hair – you will need to lighten your hair first with bleach. You can buy an off the shelf lightening kit and follow the instructions carefully.
“When it comes to getting that perfect dip dyed look, bleaching is a must if you’re starting with dark hair. As a professional stylist, I always recommend lightening your ends first to ensure the vivid colors POP against your roots. You simply won’t get the high-contrast look that dip dye is known for without pre-lightening.”
Enza Piazza, Professional Hairstylist & Colorist
Is dip dyeing bad for your hair?
If you need to bleach your hair first, then yes, dip dyeing your hair will be damaging.
Unfortunately, the ends of your hair are most prone to split ends, dryness and damage.
The best way to look after your hair is to give it lots of TLC before, during and after the process.
In the run-up to bleaching or dyeing your hair, make sure you use plenty of deep conditioning treatments to lock in moisture and keep your hair supple.
If your ends are looking tatty, get them trimmed AFTER you color your hair. (You’ll need to take this into account and paint a longer strip to allow for it to be cut).
This will get rid of any dead ends and keep your style looking fresh.
Can I dip dye my hair at home?
Yes, you can dye your hair at home!
But if you’re unsure about bleaching your hair or you want anything more than one solid color, it’s best to go to a salon and have them do it for you.
The pros are able to mix hair colors that exactly match to your base color and skin tone.
If that sounds like too much of a hassle then you can DIY the job!
Getting this look is actually really easy and doesn’t require much work at all. All you need is some bleach, developer, hair dye, gloves, bowl and brush (or tinting applicator).
If done correctly, the color will last up to 6 weeks before fading away gradually over time.
It’s a great way to test out colors before you commit to the full head of dye.
It’s an easy way for anyone at any skill level to get edgy colorful streaks or ends.
So now that you know how easy it is to do yourself at home without any professional help needed – just follow these simple steps below…and enjoy!
Getting it right at home is easy. Just follow our step by step guide for the best results!
Step 1: Get prepared
It’s easiest to wear your hair down for this. So you’ll need to protect your clothes with a hairdressers cape or old t-shirt.
You’ll also need:
- Your chosen hair bleach kit
- Your hair dye color
- A hair dyeing bowl
- A tinting brush
Step 2: Bleach your hair tips
First, you need to bleach your hair at the end to make the best possible base for the hair color.
Follow the instructions where you can use our guide to DIY hair bleaching here.
Remember you are only bleaching the bit at the bottom tips of your head you will be dying.
We’d recommend to bleach around three or four inches but you really can dye as much or as little as you want!
Follow the directions on the hair bleach kit for how long to leave the bleach in your hair before rinsing. Check on it as you go to make it’s developing at the right rate.
Once you rinse it all out, do not apply conditioner as it may form a barrier between your hair and the color.
Don’t worry if your hair is looking warm or has orange tones. The hair dye will cancel those out.
Now you’re ready to apply the color mixture!
Step 3. Mix up your hair dye
Make up your hair dye according to instructions on your box. Do this into the bowl and mix it with your tinting brush.
Step 4. Apply the hair dye
Saturate your bleached ends with the formula. Make sure it covers everywhere you have bleached.
Some guides will tell you to dip your hair into the bowl. We find it’s more accurate to use the tinting brush to really saturate the ends.
If you need to, use your hands (which should be covered with gloves!) to really work the color and developer in.
Once all the ends have been thoroughly saturated. Leave the hair dye on for as long as the package instructions – up to 45 minutes.
You can check it as you go to make sure it’s developing the right amount.
Step 5: Rinse out the dye
Rinse the color out until the water runs clear so you know all the ingredients have been removed thoroughly.
Moisturize your hair with a good color-safe conditioner. Don’t use shampoo at this point it may rinse some of it out.
Step 6: Style and admire!
Style your hair and admire! Make sure you use a good heat protectant spray before using any hot tools.
Congrats! You have gorgeous looking hair!
Watch and learn: How to dip dye your hair at home.
Here’s a great video tutorial that shows you how to easily dip dye your own hair at home, step by step.
What kind of hair dye should I use?
If you’re going for a bold pop of color, we’d recommend using semi-permanent dyes as they tend to last longer than temporary ones.
It’ll mean more time commitment from you, but it’ll be worth it!
We’d recommend something brighter rather than pastel shades because of how quickly they wash out – no one wants stylish wannabe hair if it’s faded by the end of the week!
Check out The best at-home hair dye you should use for some great guidance.
How long does dip dye last?
The thing with using vivid colors is they just don’t last as long as ‘regular’ color.
Why? Because vivid colors have larger color molecules that sit on top of your hair to stain it.
It makes them really easy to remove which is awesome but not so awesome if washes after one week!
Because of this, and because your hair ends are more prone to damage, you may find yourself changing up your dip dyed ends more than any other style.
When done by a professional at a salon, the color can stay in between 4-12 weeks depending on how fast your hair grows.
If done at home, you’ll get about 2 weeks or so of vibrant color before it starts to fade and wash out and you’ll be able to re-dye within the week to avoid looking washed out.
By hey, we say that’s half the fun!
How do I care for dip dye hair?
Keeping up with the touch ups will keep your locks looking good but remember that this style needs a lot of care too.
- Make sure you apply some nourishing serum after washing so strands don’t get dry and brittle from all the dyeing!
- To stop your color from fading fast, use color-safe shampoos and conditioners and avoid washing your hair too often.
- Color-treated hair goes through a lot of chemical processing so it’s good to cut down on how much heat you put on it too!
- Always use a good heat protecting spray to keep your hair soft and supple.
With these tips in mind, you’ll be on your way to having color-popping hair in no time!
Parting words
If you’re looking for a new hairstyle to try out, why not consider this one. It’s perfect for giving your hair some much-needed flair!
With that said, it is important to remember that there are many factors that can affect how long the color lasts so be sure to consult with your stylist before making any decisions.
We hope we’ve given you some insight into what makes this style so trendy and why it works well on everyone no matter their personality or personal style. Now go get those tips dyed today!
