Here’s a fun one. Blue hair. It’s a surprisingly popular choice among men and not just for festive occasions.
Why?
Because it’s fun, attention-grabbing, and always makes a statement.
Let’s cut right to the chase. Here’s what you need to know.
Men need to know how to dye their hair blue and what styles go great with blue hair. I’ll be running through this in the simplest, yet most effective way possible.
Afterward, I’ll run through some frequently asked questions on blue hair that are often asked but rarely answered properly online.
Let’s get to it.
Great Blue Hairstyle Ideas For Men
It’s always nice to start off with the pictures and descriptions. They’re great for giving you quick bursts of inspiration before getting down to the how-to sections.
Here are some fantastic style options you could potentially rock for yourself.
If you aren’t into them, don’t worry. Just scroll down to the dyeing tutorial to quickly learn how you can color your hair blue. Your style choice can come later.
1. Tall Blue Quiff
This is a pretty extreme example of just how far you can take a quiff.
Quiffs are great because they add vertical height to your face by giving you some extra length above the forehead.
As you’d expect, this is great for men with rounder or shorter faces.
Don’t feel as though you need to go this tall with your quiff to stand out. Even small quiffs can elongate the face in a subtle way.
Coloring it blue would make any quiff style stand out even more.
2. Heavy Blue Curls With Tapered Sides
Curls can be difficult to manage. In fact, curl maintenance would be a whole different article itself.
But when they’re properly tamed the potential style options are very, very wide indeed.
Here’s a great example of neat, yet textured and full curls on top with nicely tapered sides.
It’s not quite an undercut, as the transition from the short sides to the long top isn’t quite as sudden or as sharp as that.
But trimming and tapering the sides short with medium-length blue curls on top looks tidy and sophisticated, but fun at the same time.
3. Short And Choppy Blue
Short and choppy regular men’s haircuts shouldn’t be underestimated.
When you’ve dyed your hair blue, sometimes you don’t want the style to be over the top or even attention-grabbing.
The color draws enough attention already.
You may want something more understated and subtle.
This is where a straightforward, short, regular haircut with a slightly choppy fringe may come in handy.
4. Long Blue Buzz Cut
Whenever people think of buzz cuts, they immediately conjure up images of ultra-short, military-style #1 and #2 grades.
Buzz cuts are simply short hairstyles that rely on the use of a clipper. They’re short, they’re evenly trimmed all the way around, and they’re simple.
They don’t need to be extremely short to be considered a buzz cut. You can have buzz cuts that are longer (eg. #6, #7, or #8) but can still easily be trimmed using just a pair of clippers.
Here’s a good example of a blue and long buzz cut that’s very easy to DIY. It isn’t as short as a typical buzz cut, but it still has that clean-cut aesthetic.
It’s a great option for men dyeing their hair blue who want a simple hairstyle that’s easy to trim themselves.
5. Long And Natural Blue Curls
Once again, curls may not be easy to manage, but boy do they give you options.
Long, full, and natural curls look fantastic when tamed and kept tidy.
The bright blue shade makes the gently tousled forelock and the wavy hair on top look so much more textured.
Definitely one to consider if you’ve got natural curls and can cope with the maintenance.
Which Blue Hair Dye Should A Man Use?
The blue hair dye you use depends on your goal. You’ve got a choice between temporary and semi-permanent blue hair dyes.
Here’s what you need to know.
Temporary Blue Hair Dyes
Temporary dyes are exactly what they say on the tin – temporary. They’re short-lived and generally easy to wash out.
They usually work as any paint job would. It’s simply a coating of blue color that comes off just as easily as it goes on.
The benefit of this is that you don’t have to commit to the blue color. If you want it for one-night-only, you can simply apply it a couple of hours before the event and wash it out when you get home.
Simple.
But if you’re looking for something more permanent, this won’t be ideal.
An example of a temporary blue hair dye would be Mofajang’s Blue Hair Color Wax. Click the image to check it out on
It’s simple to apply and washes out easily.
Semi-Permanent Blue Hair Dye
These vary a lot in terms of how they’ll last. Always check the product description or instructions to get an idea of how long you can expect it to last.
Semi-permanent blue dyes can last for several weeks, while permanent blue dyes can last anywhere from several weeks to a couple of months.
Although it’s more uncommon (but not rare) to want semi-permanent or permanent blue hair, there are plenty of men who rock it and rock it well.
They usually work in similar ways. They might come with a tube of developer and a tube of base color that require mixing before applying.
Or, they’ll come ready to apply right out of the box.
It’s important to check whether chemicals such as ammonia, peroxide, or PPD are used in the dye you choose.
Although these are commonly used to make the blue dye long-lasting, they can be quite harsh.
Although there are some good products out there, a patch test is always necessary to make sure you don’t react to any of them. I’ll talk more about this shortly.
Arctic Fox an example of a semi-permanent blue hair dye. Click the image below to take a look on
It has the benefit of lasting around 4-8 weeks (although this will vary a lot between men). It’s also vegan and doesn’t contain any ammonia, PPD, or peroxide.
It also doesn’t need to be mixed – this is very convenient and beginner-friendly.
How To Dye Men’s Hair Blue In 6 Steps
Here’s a simple step-by-step routine you can follow to dye your hair blue. It’s going to assume you’re using a semi-permanent dye that doesn’t need to be mixed like Arctic Fox (
As always, be sure to read the instructions of the specific product you’re buying. It’ll give you specific instructions such as how long to leave the dye in your hair.
This routine will give you the general gist of what you need to do for great results.
Important – All hair dyeing results will look better on pre-lightened hair. More specifically, on dark blonde hair or lighter. Darker hair is harder to dye due to color mixing and those bright blue hues not showing up as prominently.
So, if you want the best results, you’ll need to pre-lighten your hair. I won’t be running through this in the tutorial and it’s best to ask a stylist to do this for you the first couple of times if you feel that it’s necessary.
1. Perform A Patch Test
As always, perform a patch test by applying a small amount of the hair dye to the back of your elbow (or somewhere else that’s easy to hide).
Review the area in 24 hours. If there’s any soreness or inflammation, don’t use the product on your hair.
There’s a good chance you’ve had a reaction to it. Use a different product (after doing another patch test).
2. Perform A Strand Test
This is easier when you’ve got longer hair. What it refers to is cutting off a small amount of your hair (around ½ inch) and applying the dye to it to see what the result will look like.
It’s better on longer hair because you can trim off hair without it being too noticeable!
But if you think it’s possible, it’s definitely worth doing this before applying it to your head.
If you don’t like the color you end up with on the strand test, don’t apply it to your head.
It isn’t essential, but it’s definitely wise. Remember, most semi-permanent dyes will last at least several weeks.
It isn’t the end of the world if you aren’t a huge fan of the results, as it will eventually fade. But it isn’t ideal.
3. Wash Your Hair
If you’re happy with the results of the patch test and the strand test, it’s time to get to work on dyeing your hair blue.
It’s always easier and more effective to dye clean, washed hair.
Use a gentle shampoo to wash your hair but avoid conditioner. Greasy, clumped up, oily hair won’t absorb the dye as well as clean and dry (or damp) hair will.
Dry off and get ready to apply the dye.
4. Apply The Blue Hair Dye
This is the part where the specific hair dye you’ve chosen is important. Read the instructions.
If it comes with a base color and developer that need mixing, do this at this point after putting on some latex gloves.
If it requires mixing, the product will usually come with a tray for mixing in. It will also usually come with a small brush you can use for mixing the dye and also applying it to your hair.
If you use the brush for mixing, use the handle end and not the bristle end. Mixing with the brush bristles will wear them out and make them less effective when you’re applying the dye to your hair.
But if you’re using a product like Arctic Fox (
It’s ready to apply straight away.
So, with your gloves still on, start applying the dye to your hair using the applicator brush.
Get a nice, even coating before working it into your roots using your (gloved) fingertips.
5. Let It Sit
Once you’re happy you’ve got an even coating, it’s time to play the waiting game.
The dye needs some time to set before you can confidently wash it out. The amount of time you leave it depends on the specific product you use.
Arctic Fox, for instance, usually advises it’s left in your hair for 40 minutes before washing it out.
If you’ve got particularly long hair you can leave it in a shower cap while you wait. Even if you’ve got shorter hair you might just find this more convenient and less messy.
Just be sure it doesn’t remove any of the dye.
6. Rinse It Out
Once you’ve left it in for the recommended amount of time, rinse it out with cold or lukewarm water until the water runs pretty clear.
At this point, you’re done. Step back and admire your work.
How To Make Blue Hair Dye Last Longer
This is less important for temporary dyes which will wash out pretty easily no matter what you do.
But for semi-permanent products, there are some tips you could follow to keep that hair blue just a little bit longer.
- Add some blue dye to your sulfate-free conditioner when you wash your hair. Just a little. This should brighten up those blue hues each time you wash and slow down the fading.
- Avoid heat styling if possible. Straighteners will definitely cause the color to fade quicker. If you use a blow dryer, use it on low heat settings whenever possible.
- Use cold water and sulfate-free shampoo for washing. It’s no secret that the more you wash the quicker that blue color will fade. But these tips should slow things down a tad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that men commonly ask about dyeing their hair blue.
What Does Blue Hair Fade Into?
Any blue hair dye will eventually fade. As it does, it will look different to the way it did when you first dyed it.
You may simply notice those blue hues looking lighter and duller.
However, it’s well-known that blue hair dye often fades into a light green color. This may not be ideal and is something to bear in mind.
Touching up the blue by mixing a bit of blue dye into your conditioner whenever you wash the hair is one way to slow this down.
Of course, your base color (original hair color) will be important here. Dyeing darker hair will cause it to look more obvious and different as it fades.
Dyeing pre-lightened hair will allow those blue hues to shine for longer, even as it fades.
Can You Dye Hair Blue Without Bleaching First?
You can dye your hair blue without bleaching it first and the blue hues will still shine through. However, they won’t be as bright or as prominent as they would be with pre-lightened hair.
Dyeing darker hair blue can also give you unexpected results due to the blue dye mixing with your original base color. This makes doing a strand test beforehand even more important.
How Long Does Blue Hair Dye Last?
Temporary blue hair dyes such as color wax should only be expected to last up to a few days at a maximum. Semi-permanent hair dye can last up to several weeks or even a couple of months.
It’s always a good idea to check the description of the specific blue dye product you’re buying to see how long you can expect it to last.
What Can You Wear With Blue Hair?
Blue hair works well with subtle splashes of blue elsewhere in your outfit. A blue tie, blue cufflinks, or a blue Oxford shirt are good options for semi-formal outfits.
Dyeing your beard blue would be a good idea if you’re looking to match your head and your facial hair. In fact, it can look a little jarring when the two don’t match.
Conclusion
There you have it. Hopefully, everything a man could possibly want to know about dyeing his hair blue.
As you’ve now seen, blue hair can really make a statement.
Whether you’re looking to stand out for a specific event, or you’re looking for something a little more permanent, you’ve got options.
Enjoy. Have fun with it.
Ready Sleek founder. Obsessed with casual style and the minimalist approach to building a highly functional wardrobe. Also a fan of classic, vintage hairstyles.
