When it comes to semi-permanent hair colors, Manic Panic and Splat are the go-to brands for fun and vibrant hair dyes.
Whether you’re looking for a bright neon or a rich jewel-toned hair color, they have a variety of shades to choose from.
But when it comes down to quality, which is better: Manic Panic or Splat?
This article will list down the good and the bad between each hair dye brand to see which one will come out on top, so come along to find out more.
What is Manic Panic hair color?
Some consider Manic Panic as the brand that started the rise of bright hair colors in the 70s.
They’re known for their vegan and cruelty-free semi-permanent hair colors, so it’s no wonder when they have over 40 Classic High Voltage shades to choose from.
They also have 32 hues in their Amplified collection, where you’ll get even more pigmented hair colors that will last longer.
You can also pick between 5 shades from their Creamtones collection if you’re in the mood for a soft pastel vibe.
But if you’re looking for something non-lasting, Manic Panic also has temporary hair dyes in spray-on or gel form that will only last for 1 wash.
What is Splat hair color?
Splat makes temporary, semi-permanent, and permanent hair colors that are vegan and cruelty-free for anyone that likes to experiment with colorful dyes.
If you want to see a bold result, you can pick between 19 shades of their Original Complete Kit that already includes bleach. But if you’re wary of pre-lightening your hair, Splat also has a Midnight collection that offers 12 vibrant hues for light brown hair.
If you’re looking for a two-toned look, you can browse through 5 options from their Ombre collection or 4 colors from their Melts collection.
If you’re ready for a commitment, you can also try any of the 5 shades from their Double Lift Permanent Hair Color line.
But if you’re more of a hair color chameleon, you can take your pick between their temporary hair dyes. Their 1 wash collection has 8 shades to choose from, while their 10 wash collection has 7 color choices.
Can you mix Splat and Manic Panic?
Have you ever experienced seeing 2 hair dye colors that would turn into your perfect shade if you combine them — the only catch is that they’re from 2 different brands?
Since it would be so tempting to blend the 2 colors together, can you mix Splat and Manic Panic hair colors?
As long as you’re using both their semi-permanent dyes, then it’s safe to mix Splat and Manic Panic hair colors.
If you want, you can even combine more than 1 complementing shade from each brand to create a multidimensional color that’s unique to your hair. If you’re feeling creative, you can even section your hair to create an ombre gradient that’ll be the envy of many.
Splat hair dye vs Manic Panic hair dye
Now comes the most awaited part. The 2 brands both have a lot to offer when it comes to color options, but is Manic Panic or Splat better in terms of quality?
Color payoff
Manic Panic hair colors have a thinner consistency than other conditioner-based dyes, but they’re still easy to spread around your hair to get an even application.
Since their dyes mainly consist of conditioner, you can let them soak on your hair for hours to get a deeper color result without worrying about damage.
Their colors will appear more vibrant on blonde or pre-lightened hair but will still give a subtle tint on unbleached dark hair.
Also, some shades tend to bleed, so you’ll have to be careful if you want to do multiple colors at once.
In comparison, Splat hair colors are runnier, so the application process will tend to turn messy if you’re not careful.
Their colors will appear brighter compared to Manic Panic and give a faint tint to unbleached hair. But the downside is that rinsing off Splat takes longer for the water to clear, so be ready to stay in the shower for a while.
Your hair won’t also feel as soft as when you use Manic Panic since Splat doesn’t contain as much conditioner, so the colors will appear more vibrant.
But their formula is also non-damaging, so it’s safe to let the dye sit on your hair for several hours without causing any damage.
Longevity
How long each brand and color will last on your hair can depend on various factors, including your hair condition, color, and aftercare, so you might have a different experience compared to other users.
Manic Panic Classic High Voltage colors can last for 6 weeks, their Amplified hues for 8 weeks, and their Creamtones shades for only 2-3 weeks.
But on blonde or pre-lightened hair, Manic Panic hues can last for about 23 washes while some have their pigmented shades fade out after 9-10 washes on unbleached hair.
Splat promises their semi-permanent hair colors to last for 4-6 weeks.
So on blonde or pre-lightened hair, Splat can last for 20-25 washes. But on unbleached hair, their colors can last for 5-15 washes, depending on the hue.
Manic Panic vs Splat pink
An indication of a good hair dye brand is how well they could pull off their pink hair colors.
Manic Panic hair colors have several pink dyes in their Classic High Voltage collection, including Cotton Candy Pink, Hot Hot Pink, Cleo Rose, Electric Pink Pussycat, and Pretty Flamingo.
On light hair, their pink shades will become very vibrant, but some experience having them fade out quickly, while others have them for up to 8 weeks.
While Splat hair colors only have one pink dye in their Original Complete Kit collection, which is their Pink Fetish.
The color barely fades out on blonde or bleached hair even after several months of application. But some have difficulty removing the color, even after using color removers or bleach on their hair.
So Pink Fetish is great if you want to maintain pink hair for a long time, but skip it if you’re going to change your hair color often.
Is Manic Panic better than Splat?
Both hair dye brands have excellent color payoffs, but which dye is better will depend on what goal you have in mind.
Splat hair colors will do an excellent job if you’re looking for longer-lasting vibrant shades. Plus, their kits are more affordable as it already includes bleach and a 3 oz bottle of hair dye for almost half the price of a 4 oz tub of Manic Panic.
But if you base it on application, Manic Panic colors may not last as long as Splat, but they have a more extensive color selection with a creamy and moisturizing formula.
Both hair dyes will stain your skin, clothes, and bathroom, but Manic Panic stains will be easier to wipe off compared to Splat stains.
So in terms of hair dyeing experience, you’ll have a better time applying Manic Panic dyes than with Splat hair colors.
What hair dye is better than Manic Panic?
Since Manic Panic dyes have been around since the 70s, several hair dye brands have also developed semi-permanent formulas that tend to perform better than them. So here are a couple of them:
Arctic Fox
Arctic Fox specializes in vegan and cruelty-free semi-permanent hair colors. Compared to Manic Panic, they only have 22 fantasy shades to choose from, but their colors tend to appear brighter.
Their formulas also have a thicker consistency, where they tend to last longer since they bleed less. The greatest thing about their dyes is that they won’t stain your bathroom, so you won’t have to deal with cleaning up after.
CHECK OUT: Manic Panic vs Arctic Fox
Pravana
Pravana is a professional-grade hair color company that offers demi-permanent, semi-permanent, and permanent dyes.
For their semi-permanent colors, they have 22 colors in their ChromaSilk Vivids collection, 5 shades in their Vivids Neons, another 5 options in their Vivids Pastels, and 6 hues in their Vivids XL collection.
You won’t need to apply a lot of dye to your hair since their colors are highly pigmented, plus they won’t bleed into each other, so you can be as creative as you like.
Lastly, their dyes last longer than Manic Panic, so their payoff is really worth their price.
The final verdict
In general, Manic Panic hair colors are superior in terms of application, even though their colors won’t appear as bright or last as long as Splat shades do.
But they compensate by having their formulas moisturizing so your hair will feel softer than before you applied their hair colors.
But if you’re looking for shockingly bright hues that are easily accessible, then Splat hair colors may work better for you.