30 Years of Dyeing My Hair Ridiculous Colours (and Why I Keep Mixing Them Anyway)

I’ve been dyeing my hair silly colours for about 30 years, which sounds faintly alarming when I say it out loud, but it’s also just… normal for me at this point. I’m not especially organised about it (mixing dyes “a bit randomly” is definitely a pattern), which means it turns out different every time. I could probably stop doing that, but I’ve learned I won’t, so I’m leaning in.

This is a little round-up of the shades I keep coming back to, the ones I think are genuinely worth the hype, and the tricks I use to make the fade part of the fun rather than a slow descent into “why does my hair look swampy?”.

My forever favourite: Vampire Red 🩸

If I had to pick one colour I’d happily wear forever, it would be Manic Panic Vampire Red. It’s a proper blood red - rich, strong, dramatic - and the thing I love most about it is that it actually brightens as it fades, rather than going sad and washed out.

I dyed my hair Vampire Red for about ten years straight. I only stopped because life changed: when I had small children, the upkeep started to feel like a bit much. Red can fade to a strange mix of orange and pink, and keeping it looking lush takes commitment.

…and then Love Colour conditioners happened

Manic Panic’s colour-depositing conditioners completely changed the game for me. Being able to maintain and refresh red in the shower - without doing a full dye every time - is what pulled me right back to my old favourite.

So yes. Vampire Red is back. And honestly, I’m delighted.

Browse: Manic Panic hair dye • Red hair dye • Manic Panic reds

Manic Panic Vampire Red mixed with Directions Tulip

Manic Panic Vampire Red darkened with a small amount of Directions Alpine Green

My extremely lazy root-covering confession

Here’s my real-world tip: for roots, I often just use cheap spray-on bright colour - the kind meant for costumes, parties, Halloween, all that. Is it fancy? No. Does it work when you’ve left it far too long between proper dyes? Absolutely yes.

It’s especially useful with reds, because it blends surprisingly well and buys you time until you can be bothered to do things properly again. No shame. Just practicality.

Blue hair: Manic Panic or nothing 💙

Blue is one of those colours that looks simple and is absolutely not. It can go green, it can go dull, it can go swampy if your base tone isn’t right and it’s not one I’d recommend for first-time experimenters. My tip is go for a dye that looks more purple than you want it in the pot, those tones will cancel out with any yellow tones left in your bleached hair.

This is why Manic Panic is my go-to for blue. My favourite is After Midnight - deep, rich, and it feels extra fabulous in that slightly dramatic, “yes I meant this” way.

My blue fade trick (so it doesn’t go green)

As it fades, I use the purple Love Color colour-depositing conditioner to gently knock out green tones and nudge it towards a more purple-leaning shade. That way, I actually enjoy the fade instead of resenting it.

Browse: Blue hair dye • Manic Panic blues • Purple hair dye

Purple: the most forgiving colour in existence 💜

If someone asked me what colour to start with if they’re nervous, I’d say purple every time. It’s bold but forgiving, it fades nicely, and it doesn’t tend to do anything weird and murky like some cooler shades can.

My usual purple base is a mix of Manic Panic’s purple and pinky-purple shades (I’m rarely faithful to just one pot), and I love how it shifts as it fades.

Directions Plum (a cult favourite for a reason)

And then there’s Directions Plum. It’s a firm favourite amongst aficionados for a reason: it’s deep, rich, and properly gorgeous.

I actually have clip-in streaks dyed with Plum that I reuse constantly. They look incredible mixed into both purple hair and blue hair - instant extra depth and drama with minimal effort.

Browse: Purple hair dye • Directions hair dye • Directions purples

Green is not for beginners - but when it’s done well, it’s absolutely spectacular. It’s one of those colours that instantly reads “alternative” in the best way.

My favourite green experiences have been with Directions by La Riche, especially Alpine Green.

One of my favourite looks was using Alpine Green underneath and Directions Dark Tulip on top. Where the colours met in the middle, they made this accidental purple-ish blend that I loved. The pots were near each other on the shelves on the way to my office and after about a year of enjoying their combination, I decided to apply it to my hair… but I’ll be honest: split dyeing is a lot of effort. These days I often prefer one colour at a time.

Browse: Green hair dye • Directions greens • Directions Dark Tulip

Why I keep mixing colours (even though it’s chaotic)

I mix dyes because I just have weird compulsion too, I have no proper explanation. And after three decades of doing this, I’ve learned to be at peace with that. It comes out different every time but at least it keeps things interesting.

Also, fading doesn’t have to be the enemy. With the right shades (and the right conditioners), it can be part of the fun - like your hair is slowly remixing itself between dye days.

Final thoughts (from someone who’s ruined a lot of towels)

• If you’re nervous, start with something forgiving like purple hair dye or pink hair dye.
• If you want blue, commit to doing it properly - there are some hopefully helpful tips on our blue hair dye page.
• If you’re tempted to mix colours… welcome. You’re in good company.

If you want to browse everything in one place, head to our vibrant semi-permanent hair dye collection - and if you ever want help choosing a shade (or planning a controlled experiment), drop us a message.