Rainbow hair is nothing new — we’ve gone from being shocked and awed by “unnatural” hair colors to being utterly astounded when someone admits to having virgin strands. And as the rainbow trend has progressed to sand art, oil slicks, and even glow-in-the-dark, we’ve lusted after quite a few of the new shades that have crossed our paths. With celebs like Kylie Jenner, Nicole Richie, and Ruby Rose paying the big bucks to test out new hair colors on the regular, it’s no wonder we constantly have the urge to dye our manes too. Luckily, Manic Panic makes it easy (take it from a pastel-hair pro) and you don’t have to dish out salon dollars every time you want to copy the latest trend — or, even get ahead of it. But as great as the colors are, the jars themselves are pretty misleading — it’s hard to tell what the colors will truly look like on actual hair, which sometimes causes unfortunate results.
So if you've been inspired by all the celebs sporting colorful dye jobs lately, ahead is all the Manic Panic info you need to get their looks for yourself.
Ruby Rose's Green Hue
First of all, keep in mind that all Manic Panic shades work best on pre-lightened hair. The darker hues will still make an impact on brunettes, but for the full effect, you’ll need to bleach your strands — and we recommend professional assistance here. Better safe than sorry!
To copy Ruby Rose’s sea-green, try Enchanted Forest mixed with a little bit of Pastel-izer. Mix in the Pastel-izer very slowly (a little goes a long way). Start by scooping out the amount of Enchanted Forest you’ll need to cover your entire head (this depends on your hair length and thickness) into a separate cup. Then, using the end of the mixing spoon, add a dash of Pastel-izer to see how the color changes. Slowly mix in more until you get to your desired shade. Just remember to always keep the two shades in separate containers, so you don't ruin your original ingredients if you go overboard.
Hilary Duff’s Pastel Pink
This hue is equal parts pink and Pastel-izer, so get your science-class measuring skills ready. Mix Fleurs du Mal Creamtone Hair Color with Pastel-izer to dilute the shade, and then distribute it through your hair. To channel Duff's dreamy look, leave the roots bare.
Kylie Jenner’s Turquoise Strands
Kylie hasn’t rocked turquoise hair in quite some time, but she recently mentioned on Instagram that it was her favorite hue — and that's saying a lot, given how many different wigs and extensions she's worn as of late. To get a look similar to Kylie’s, you’ll need to bleach out your ends. If you already have light hair, no bleaching needed! Just apply High Voltage Classic Cream in Mermaid wherever you want the color to be — it’s a perfect match!
Nicole Richie’s Candy Pink
Nicole Richie constantly makes us covet her new hair colors, and her cotton-candy-pink shade is no different. To get the look, use High Voltage Cotton Candy Pink. But since Manic Panic’s hue is a little on the bright side, tone it down with Pastel-izer until it’s just right. Keep in mind, though, that rainbow hues fade quickly, so starting off a touch brighter than your ideal shade isn’t a bad thing — after one shampoo wash, you'll have your perfect hue.
Rita Ora’s Peach-&-Purple Fade
Rita Ora is also not shy about playing with color, and we loved her peach-and-purple pastel fade. You can replicate this look with any color combo, but if you want her exact shades, use Manic Panic Creamtone in Dreamsicle on top, then fade it into High Voltage Electric Amethyst, and end with High Voltage Blue Moon. You should mix all three of these shades with Pastel-izer — Dreamsicle should have just a hint of color in it.
Leave the roots bare, and apply the peach tone first. Let that sit the longest, as it’s the lightest shade and will need to absorb for the longest time. Then, work your purple into your hair, fading it into blue at the very bottom. Don’t worry too much about how the color mixes when it washes out — once it has already absorbed into the hair shaft, it will set the way you want it to!
Vanessa Hudgens’ Face-Framing Red
For dark-haired ladies, Vanessa Hudgens’ face-framing red “highlights” are the perfect way to shake things up a bit. For this look, all you need is High Voltage Pillarbox Red, which will deliver a bright-scarlet hue to even the darkest of hair.
Debby Ryan’s Half-&-Half
When Debby Ryan dyed her strands half mint green and half pastel pink, we knew there were truly no limits to rainbow hair. To copy this showstopping look, you’ll need plenty of Pastel-izer (if you haven’t realized it by now, it’s a rainbow-hair staple). For one side of the head, use High Voltage Cotton Candy Pink, and for the other side, use High Voltage Siren’s Song. Both will need to be diluted by about half with Pastel-izer until you get the colors you desire. Then, you can simply part your hair down the center and apply the candy shades!
Demi Lovato’s Bold Blue
Demi Lovato is a steady fan of changing up her hair color, and she pulls it off well. This all-over aqua hue is easy to re-create with High Voltage Classic Cream in Atomic Turquoise.
Jourdan Dunn’s Purple Mane
While she may be the model who launched a thousand lobs when she famously debuted hers, she also inspired a whole lot of purple hair at Coachella last year. To copy her vibrant violet, all you need is Creamtone in Velvet Violet applied all over the head.
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