For an attention-grabbing style there is nothing quite like Dark Orange Hair Dye! Once upon a time bright orange hair only existed as a result of bleaching gone wrong, but over the past decade or so, pop-culture has seen more and more people deliberately taking the tangerine plunge. Believe it or not, the hair colour orange is not a difficult shade to pull off. If it’s time for a change but you’re wondering if a colour as out-there as orange could suit you, we’re here to tell you that yes, it can! Whatever your skin-tone, natural hair colour or personal style, there’s a way to make orange hair work.

Choosing Orange Hair Colour Shades

When it comes to orange hair, our minds automatically conjure up the brightest of shades. While bright orange hair is undeniably stunning, it is not your only option when buying into this trend. Orange hair colour shades essentially fall into three categories: dark, bright or light. You can use your natural colouring and personal style to determine which shade is right for you!

Dark orange hair colour was a seriously, smoking-hot trend of 2017 and that particular fire isn’t showing any signs of cooling down! The smoldering, copper-brown tones of dark orange hair suit most skin-tones, making this shade a safe bet if you’re unsure about vibrant colours or worried about changing your colour dramatically. If you’ve got dark blue eyes, dark orange hair colour could well be your shade. As dark orange and dark blue sit on opposite sides of the colour spectrum they are considered complementary, which means dark copper locks will make your blue eyes pop like no other shade can!

Brown orange hair dye typically has red undertones. While it is usually quite a dark colour, it can also come in lighter brown shades with just the faintest zesty hue. This wonderfully complimentary shade will suit most people and can be a good option for those with naturally darker hair as they won’t have to lighten their natural colour too drastically. If you want a delicate shade of orange to add a subtle and sophisticated warmth to your colour, brown orange hair dye is the best choice.

Now, let’s talk about bright orange hair colour shades! Pale-skinned and cool-toned people often make the mistake of thinking they cannot pull off the most vibrant shades of sunshine orange. In fact, precisely the opposite is true! Extremely vibrant orange hair looks best against the porcelain pallet of pale skin and sets off bright blue or bright green eyes magnificently. Think Paramore’s Hayley Williams!

Unfortunately, with great colour comes great responsibility. Consider your immense good fortune at being able to wear bright orange hair balanced out with the work it can take to keep it vibrant. Just remember, you can prolong the life of truly radioactive orange hair colour shades by washing in cool water with a colour-preservation shampoo.

It’s got to be orange hair dye for dark hair!

If you’re a hair colour addict with naturally dark hair, you’re probably well-acquainted with the challenge of achieving the desired shade when you dye your locks. The truth is, dark-haired people usually have their work cut out for them when it comes to making the colour on the box a reality. Though if you’re considering orange hair dye for dark hair, things just got a whole lot easier for you!

Medium to dark brown hair has orange undertones, which is why these shades are so quick to turn fluorescent orange if you so much as show them a bleach packet. However, if the colour you intend to dye your hair with also has copper or orange undertones, it doesn’t matter if your freshly lightened hair is looking a little brassy. Whether you’re going for a bright or dark orange hair colour, you’ll find you need to apply far less bleach than you would do prior to dyeing your hair any other lighter shade.

Want to know how to dye black hair orange?

If you’ve got naturally black hair you’ve probably been thinking that the hair colour orange is off limits. But we’re pleased to tell you that it’s possible even for very vibrant shades! Here’s how to dye black hair orange:

Step One

You are going to have to lighten your hair, but with any luck, one treatment should be enough! An at-home bleaching treatment like Dye My Hair’s 30 Volume Bleach Kit will work just fine, as you do not need to eliminate all the copper tones from your hair. Remember to adjust your treatment time based on your desired shade and create a more even finish by covering your hair in cling film to trap heat. For this same reason, it’s a good idea to keep the room-temperature quite high as you’re waiting for the bleach to develop.

Step Two

If you’ve chosen a very pale or bright orange hair dye semi-permanent product, you’ll have to take your hair down to a blonde or yellow colour, which may mean you bleaching it twice. If this happens, try and leave a week or two between treatments for your hair to recover!

If you haven’t chosen your orange hair dye semi-permanent colour yet, here are some of our favourites:

• Crazy Colour Semi Permanent Hair Dye in Orange or Tangerine. A medium-orange dye with red and brown undertones.
• Manic Panic High Voltage Classic Cream Formula in Psychedelic Sunset. A strikingly vibrant shade. We’re talking sunglasses all round!
• Paintglow Rebellious Colours Semi-Permanent Hair Dye in Orange Thunder. A smoldering dark orange hair colour with rich brown undertones.

Step Three

Once you’ve finished dyeing your hair, if the resulting colour is too vibrantly orange for your liking – don’t panic! You can easily cool it off with a blue or purple toning shampoo treatment. Then comes the aftercare! Try to avoid washing your hair for a good few days after you’ve coloured it so that the fresh dye can settle. Last but definitely not least: always use colour preservation products on your hair. That means shampoo, conditioner and styling products. These aftercare tips apply even if you haven’t had to lighten your hair first.

That’s it from us, now it’s down to you to chase your tangerine dreams!