Having blue hair is not for the faint of heart. It’s a cool color in every sense, as it’s a major head-turner no matter where you go.
But now that you’re done with your blue hair era, you’re ready to move on to the next color.
So how do you cover up blue hair dye?
Since it’s one of the most persistent colors to remove, it’ll be easier to apply another color over it than strip it out. Then, at least, you’ll have way more fun in the process.
So the question is, which color should you pick to dye over blue hair?
How to cover up blue hair dye
Having blue hair is fun, but sometimes you want to cover it up for several reasons.
Maybe you have an important interview coming up, or you just got an exciting new job. Or perhaps you’re just itching to change your hair color.
Whatever the case, what steps should you take to cover up the blue?
Go dark
If you want to bury the traces of blue pigments, there’s no better way than to go darker. So you can opt for a rich brown hair dye if you want it to look more natural.
But if you can’t decide which shade of brown is best, we’ll break it down below, so make sure to read on.
If you’re brave enough, you can even go for a nice black hue. It’s the darkest pigment you can go to, so surely it’ll cover up any color.
The blue in your hair will also be a good base for a stunning blue-black tint, so opt for a cooler shade of black if you want to emphasize that. But if you’re going to keep things neutral, go for a black dye with a warm undertone.
Although, keep in mind that black and dark brown hair dye will be difficult to strip out. So grab a permanent dye only if you want to commit to this color.
Otherwise, go for a semi-permanent one if you see yourself changing your hair color after several months.
Play with colors
The most exciting part of dyeing your own hair is that you get to experiment with different colors.
So if you want to change your hair color, referring to the color wheel will guide you on which color to use.
Since you have blue hair, it’s recommended to stick to colors close to blue to make the transition easier. So violet, turquoise, or green shades will work great since they have a blue base.
If you’re up for a challenge, you can even section your hair to include all 3 colors to create mermaid-inspired hair!
But what would happen if you use the opposite color of blue?
What color cancels out blue hair?
The best way to cancel out fantasy hair colors is by using color theory, where you use the opposite color of the shade you want to neutralize.
So if you look at a color wheel, the opposite of blue is orange. So putting orange dye over blue hair can neutralize it.
But the trick is to match the intensity of orange dye to the shade of blue in your hair. So if the dye has faded to a light blue, it’s best to use a light or pastel orange over it.
Because if you use an orange dye that’s darker than the blue in your hair, the color will have a warmer tint instead of a neutral tone.
What color can you dye over blue-green hair?
No matter what shade of blue you have on your hair, it will eventually fade into a blue-green color since blue dye has a green undertone. So if you’re not a fan of the color, you can neutralize it or find another shade to cover it.
So what color cancels out blue-green hair?
If you look at a color wheel, the shade opposite blue and green would be orange and red. So you’ll need to mix equal parts copper and red hair dye to cancel the color out.
But if you want another fantasy hair color, you’ll need to stick to cool-toned colors to cover up blue and green.
So if you apply a reddish-purple dye, it will transform your hair into a cool-toned magenta.
But if you only want a subtle change, you can lean into the green and apply an emerald green hair dye to cover up the blue.
Can I put red dye over blue hair?
Intense red hair color can look good on anyone. So if you’re tempted to change your hair from blue to red, it will take more than simply applying red hair dye.
If you recall your primary and secondary colors, mixing red and blue will create purple. So if your hair is still a bright blue, applying red dye over it will result in a cool-toned purple.
But if that’s not the color you want to get, you’ll have to wait until the blue fades out before you can add other pigments.
But if waiting is not your strongest suit, you can also apply a color remover or do a bleach bath where you’ll dilute bleach with shampoo to lift the color out of your hair.
Although, if your hair is severely damaged, it’s best to stay away from bleach to avoid damaging it further.
After stripping your hair, you can then apply red dye over faded blue hair. The traces of blue in your hair will mute down the red, resulting in a rich maroon hue.
But if you want a really bright red, you’ll have to mix orange with the red hair dye.
As mentioned above, orange cancels out the blue so that the red will become more visible. But if you want to make sure you get an even application, you can apply the orange hair dye first to neutralize the blue. Then wait for several days later to apply the red hair dye.
How to change hair color from blue to purple
It’s easy to assume that going from blue to purple will be easy since purple has a blue base.
But some experience directly applying purple dye over their blue hair, only for it to fade back into blue after a few days.
A quick remedy for that would be mixing a warm-toned pink into your purple hair dye. Since the warm base will help neutralize the blue pigments, making the purple color stick to your hair. So using a hot pink hair dye will work great for this trick.
As previously mentioned, you can also apply a red hair dye over your blue hair to create a purple tint. Just make sure to match the intensity of both colors to make this method work.
Lastly, a riskier method would be using a color remover or a bleach bath to strip as much of the blue pigments out as possible. Granted, there will still be blue and green stains leftover. But this will create a cleaner slate to apply the purple dye over.
But quick disclaimer, only do this if the other methods won’t work on your hair. Also, make sure your hair is healthy enough to handle bleach.
Can I put brown dye over blue hair?
It’s been fun having blue hair, but now you want to go back to a natural brown shade.
So if you’re wondering if you can put brown dye over blue hair, the answer is yes. But you’ll need to neutralize the blue if you want to get to a rich, warm brown. Otherwise, the brown will look ashy and dull.
So the same rule applies; mixing an orange or copper shade with brown hair dye will cover up the blue.
When picking out which shade of brown to get, you’ll also have to consider how intense or light the blue is currently on your hair since you’ll need to match them.
A blue tint might show up on your hair if you get a brown shade that’s too light. In contrast, it can also appear black if the brown shade’s too dark.
So if your hair is an intense dark blue, it’s recommended to pick a level 4 dark brown shade. Get a level 5 medium brown dye if it’s not as saturated. While if it has faded into a light blue, you’ll need a level 3 light brown hue.
CHECK OUT: What Color Cancels Out Blue Hair?
Final thoughts
Blue is one of the hardest hair dye colors to str\ip out of your hair. So if you don’t want to use bleach to get rid of the color, you’ll need to get creative by covering it up with another color.
You’ll have to be familiar with color theory if you like to experiment with different hair colors. Whether you want to transition to another fantasy color or go back to a natural shade, the color wheel will guide you on which dye to pick.
But if you’re still unsure, you can always consult a trusted hairstylist to help you with your hair.