Talk to me about pink hair....

[TheHodgeoftheHedge]

I have had an itch for ages to have pink hair. Just because it's fun.
I currently have mousey brown/dark blonde hair with copious blonde highlights. Should I go and get this done professionally or shall I try out some semi-perm home options?
What are the pitfalls? Will it wreck my hair? Will I have to do it every week to maintain it and do i need to get my hair bleached to within and inch of its life to do it properly on the first place?

Any help and suggestions gratefully received! Thanks in advance

I'm blonde in this moment, but sometimes just for fun, I add some color to my blonde hair (pink, green, sometimes blue). I've tried a lot of different hair dye and honestly, my favorites are these which I can wash through two or three hair washes.

My opinion for you, is that for the first time you have to try some professional treatment because of very dark hair tone witch you got right now. If you try something by yourself, you may be disappointed or you can damage quality of your hair.

It's pink and hairy. ...

Pinks in your hair will fade VERY quickly. I would go and get it done professionally the first time and then just buy the live box dyes and top it up at home as and when needed.

It depends what shade of pink....

Your hair sounds a similar colour to mine which is a pink/purple mix and very bright/vibrant. I don't need to pre-lighten at all. I have it done professionally every 10-12 weeks and in between I "top up" with Crazy Colour - I mix hot purple with cyclamen.

I personally don't like the swarzkopf live colours because they have lightners on them and dry my hair out.

If you're talking a lighter shade of pink you absolutely will need to pre-lighten though.

Thanks guys. I was thinking candy floss pink?

It also completely different in different light.... as these photos show!!

Loving it @FrangipaniBlue !

Yep then you need to pre-lighten

Pinks in your hair will fade VERY quickly .... ah that might be a good thing

It always seems a bit Sinead from Coronation Street to me .

I started out "not wanting it too bright, just a dark brown with a hint of purple when the light catches it"

How my hairdressers laughs about this now

My grandma has candy floss
Pink hair! It looks fab but she does have to have it prelightened and it does come out darker to start with so needs a few washes and it does wash out in the end!

I have pink hair (amongst other colours). I bleach it myself with Jerome Russell bleach and use directions colours. Light pink will fade very quickly, but the colours are quick and easy enough to top up. I use rose red, which is a lovely dark to bright pink, which fades to a nice candyfloss colour. To keep it bright I dye it every couple of weeks with the colour, but I can leave it longer if I want it faded and pale. It's definitely doable at home, but might be worth getting done professionally first time round

Thanks so much guys. When you dye it at home, do you have a full selection of towels that have been destroyed with dye? :)

After years of wanting to I had my very dark hair dyed purple (balayage, so my roots are still dark). Took five hours as it all had to be bleached first.

Anyway it looked AMAZING but seriously it fades so fast, it's SO much upkeep. I have to dye it every week. I've got so fed up with it that I'm having it dyed back to my natural colour in a couple of weeks.

So only do it if you're prepared for the upkeep.

I would not do it at home no matter how many people tell you you can. Get a professional to do it.

I am in the hairdresser's chair right now getting my brown hair done in a 'rose gold balayage'. I'm at the pre-lightening stage ie painted on bleach. Then the rose gold wash goes over it. I've not had my hair dyed for about ten years so this is a bit nerve wracking! Would you like live updates?

Ooooh I love bright colours!
Candy floss pink will mean you'll need to bleach your hair to a white blonde or as close to as possible beforehand.
Be warned, always dry your hair with a white towel after so you can bleach it. Pink dye will run like hell on your towels!!!
Personally when I go pink or red I do at home but I'm fairly confident, if you're not I'd go to a salon for the bleaching, give your hair a week to recover and put a permanent pink dye on (colour XXL is a good dye). Then just top up with a vegetable based dye such as manic panic - it's actually quite good for your hair and will keep it vibrant (but dyeing it with manic panic first will mean it runs v quickly, great for a conditioning top up though!).
I'm red at the moment, I did a permanent dye (on bleached hair, it was a very very light yellow blonde) then just sit with manic panic pillarbox red on it for 30 mins or so every 1-3 weeks. I use a similar method (just different colours obvs!) when pink.
Also, washing your hair with cold water prevents fading.

Unsure yes please! Am thinking of rose gold myself so interested to see how you like it.

Ok so I've got the rose gold colour over the bleached bits. I think it looks quite nice, a sort of dusky pink. Then it gets a second bonding treatment, cut and style. I'll post pictures when it's done. Should have taken a before picture!

Bit dismayed at the thought of the upkeep, the hairdresser sells a toning conditioner so I may buy that to try to maintain it a bit. Unfortunately I have quite greasy hair and flaky scalp so tend to use shampoos that will probably fade the colour in about five minutes! Never mind. I'm on my second cocktail

I’ve got dark brown hair with blonde highlights underneath
I dye my hair with a rose gold Olia dye from boots every 6 weeks or so and it gives the dark bits a nice flow and turns the blonde bits pale pink.
I also have a pink shampoo from my hairdresser I use a couple of times a week.
I’m 46 and have. Professional job and am not “ quirky’ at all so it’s a good nod towards having pink hair for me

Nice glow I mean

Oooh yes please @Unsureneighbour ! With pics ;)

@Hoppinggreen that sounds exactly like my plan!

You aren't bridesmaid in the next week, are you?

Lmfao @TheMonkeyMummy
That thread did cross my mind as I posted...

Ok will namechange after this as it is a little outing! Here is the finished product. I'm a bit unsure. I thought the colour would start lower down and be more of a contrast against a long dark root but I guess that will happen as it grows. Now the hair has been bleached I could choose a different tone once the rose gold has washed out.

A close up of the pinky colour in a brighter light