unicorn hair

Achieving the Magical Unicorn Hair Color (The Ultimate Go-To Guide)

The Unicorn Color Trend

Often, we want to try something different with our hair. Color causes a significant discrepancy with many women for many reasons. They want to try color but may be afraid of the outcome. The time is now 2018; nobody should be afraid to try new things anymore. For natural blonds, achieving a color can be a bit easier than a woman who would have to bleach their hair before dying. The darker the base shade of the hair the more time it may take to inquire your desired color. Another scare may be over processing your natural hair with chemicals. Change has FINALLY COME! The new Unicorn hair craze has many people wondering if they can achieve such a magical look.

What is the Unicorn Hair Color?

Unicorn color is a dazzling new feel on rainbow hair. An array of pastel colors to choose from you may not know where to start. Every time I see a reference to Unicorn color, they use pastel pinks, purples, and blues. I have seen a few with sprinkles of lime greens and yellows. It honestly doesn't matter what colors you use, just keep it light and fluffy. Don't be confused with thinking Unicorn hair color is the same as ombre, they are one in the same but can be different. This look is yours, and it's your purgative. Here's your Go-To-Guide for achieving that dazzling unicorn hair color you so desire.

Tools You Will Need:

  • Bleach
  • 30/40 Developer depending on how high you need to lift your hair (for darker hair shades I would suggest a 40.)
  • Colors
  • Color brush for each color chosen
  • Foil Strips
  • Shampoo/Conditioner
  • Bowls
  • Hair Extensions
For best hair color results we recommend using Raw hair extensions like the Vietnamese Straight, Vietnamese Wavy, Indian Wavy or Indian Curly.

Step 1: Bleaching

If you're a natural blonde, you may be able to skip this step. Whether you're coloring your hair extensions or natural hair you can follow these steps to achieve the same results. Take your 30 or 40 developers and mix it with the bleach. Stated previously, use the best developer for you! If your hair is a rich brown, try a 30 developer and darker shades such as 1b, or 1 should use a 40 developer for a higher lift. You will not need the foils wraps for this step as you will be applying the bleach to your whole head or all your bundles. From root to tips you will use the bleach and apply it thoroughly through the scalp. Don't rush but try to implement it in a timely fashion because once the product hits the hair, it begins to lift instantly. Let the bleach sit for about 20 mins, check your hair and see if it has reached the desired lightness in a color you want. If not, let it sit and check on it often. If you are starting with a natural 1B hair color this could be a multi-step process. Once lift meets the eye, wash bleach out thoroughly. Be sure to use lukewarm or cold water from this point forward. The best option at this point is the let your bundles or your natural hair air dry. For people with busier schedules than others, blow drying your hair on cool should suffice. Bleach can be very damaging; you want to do your best not to add heat before coloring.

Step 2: Thinking about the End Results

At this point examine your hair. Determine where you want specific colors and think about the outcome. Dividing your hair into sections may make it easier for you. For example, if your using colors, pastel blue, pink and purple. Try dividing the hair into nine parts. Color coordinate subsections of the hair. Once you have finished brainstorming, you can start mixing.

Step 3: Choosing your Colors and Mixing Properly

Here comes the fun part! It's time to create magic ladies and gentleman. No matter what rainbow colors you choose it's all about the shade. A tip for creating an airy dreaming look, start 2" inches down from your root and dye the bleached hair gray with a silver tint. To create the pastels, you have to dilute the color with conditioner. I am a fan of ombre. You can either use the same method you use for regular ombre by fading one color to the next from the root to tip all over the head, or you can do strand by strand; fading a darker pink into a lighter pink and the next strand a darker purple into a light purple and so forth. I would recommend the regular ombre method for beginners because the application process isn't as strategic. For example, the regular practice of ombre would require the 3 to 4 colors chosen. Mix color and conditioner to your likeness. For the strand by strand method, take one color and create two shades of it, light pink, dark pink, light purple, darker purple and continue the process.

Step 4: Application

I will discuss both methods of application, regular ombre for beginners and the strand by strand method for people who dare to go bold.

Ombre for Beginners:

  1. Part your hair into nine sections, 3 section vertically and horizontally
  2. Work with one section of the hair and a time.
  3. Start with your roots and apply the first color the desired stopping point
  4. Repeat this step with every part of the hair.
  5. Once all your roots are covered, keep in mind you dyed the rest of your hair grayish silver.
  6. As you add your next color, remember it is ok to skip over a small amount of your hair from this point on as it will give you a metallic, glitzy feel to your pastel colored hair.
  7. Go back to your first section and apply the next color starting from 1/3 of the last color down to desired stopping point.
  8. Repeat this step with all other sections.
  9. Apply the final color starting 1/3 from the last color down to the ends.
  10. Put the foil wrap on the end color.
  11. Be sure not to fold hair in foil. You want to be sure the ending hair color doesn't bleed into the previous colors.

Repeat

  • Let color sit for recommended time setting on the bottle.
  • Remove foil wraps.
  • Rinse color thoroughly.
  • Shampoo and rinse.

DEEP CONDITION

The main reason why people don't like to try color is being afraid of possible damage. Honestly its just poor hair management. You can have beautiful, healthy hair color but you have got to keep it conditioned once a week primarily working with your natural hair state. For people coloring their bundles, I would do all steps as follow but after your deep condition, do one more wash to remove the extra weight from your bundles. Once your hair is conditioned and rinsed thoroughly, I would again suggest air drying. If you must use heat, invest in some heat protectant before blowdrying straight and flat ironing your hair.

Strand by Strand Method

First steps:
  1. Part a section of hair in the front horizontally from ear to ear about a half of inch in width.
  2. The remainder of your hair part into nine sections, 3 section vertically and horizontally.
  3. Work with one section of the hair at a time, start with one of the nine sections; we can save the front for last.
  4. Take your first section and divide it into nine more sections we will consider strands.
  5. As previously discussed this ombre color will be a bit more advanced. Instead of having one pink one blue one purple color, you can have two or three of each. For example, let's use three shades of pink for the first strand. Don't forget you can purchase one hot pink hair dye from your local beauty supply store and use conditioner to dilute the shades. You created a light, medium and dark pink tone.
  6. The first strand, start with your brightest pink from the root down to a 3rd of the strand.
  7. Find two more strands not directly next to that one and repeat the same step.

Continue to Color

  1. Go on to your darkest shade of purple and find three strands not directly next to each other and start again from the root down to a third of the strand, same goes for the blue color.
  2. Move forward with the next section of hair. Again divide into nine strands and repeat the same process throughout the hair with the darkest shades of your purple pink and blue.
  3. Once all your roots are covered, keep in mind you dyed the rest of your hair grayish silver. As you add your next color, remember it is ok to skip over a small amount of your hair from this point on as it will give you a metallic, glitzy feel to your pastel colored hair.
  4. When the whole head is done, move on back to your first section. Take your medium pink color and start from where your darker pink ended and covered another third of the hair. Do the same with purple and blue all over your nine sections.
  5. Repeat this step with the lightest shades starting back with the first strand. Once one strand is completed, use your foil strips. Be sure not to fold hair in foil.
  6. You want to be sure the ending hair color doesn't bleed into the previous colors.

Final Steps

Choose one of your favorite colors out of all your dyes and completed an ombre look. One of the colors, either pink, blue or purple. If it's pink, start from the roots with the darkest shade, then medium then light.
  1. Apply foil wrap.
  2. Let color sit for recommended time setting on the bottle.
  3. Remove foil wraps.
  4. Rinse color thoroughly.
  5. Shampoo and rinse.

Deep Condition

The main reason why people don't like to try color is that of the damage it causes. Honestly its just poor hair management. You can have beautiful, healthy hair color but you have got to keep it conditioned once a week especially working with your natural hair state. For people coloring their bundles, I would do all steps as follow but after your deep condition, do one more wash to remove the extra weight from your bundles. Once your hair is conditioned and rinsed thoroughly, I would again suggest air drying. If you must use heat, invest in some heat protectant before blowdrying straight and flat ironing your hair.

Step 5: Caring For Your Color

Shining a light on the importance of maintaining healthy color treated hair is mandatory in this guide. From previous experience myself, I have damaged my hair with bleach and color in the past. I was misinformed and didn't take the time to research how to care for my color. There are many great products out there that have dedicated themselves to helping you maintain colorful, healthy hair. Your shampoo products should contain safe color formulas that prevent color stripping from the hair. We all enjoy hair color in the summertime but be mindful that sunlight and chlorine water can damage your hair with color. Try to condition your hair as much as possible with color because conditioner is your best friend.

Step 6: Letting Go

The day may come where your magical journey has ended, and you're ready to let go of the rainbow ride. The best suggestion I have is to go to your hairstylist and let them help with reversing your hair color the healthiest way possible. Trying to shift your hair color at home may result in unexpected gross color outcomes and or damaged hair. If you must do it yourself, try to wait as long as possible. Let your Unicorn color fade on its own for a while. When you felt it has faded enough, try reversing your color with its opposite on the color wheel. Make sure you research before retaining your previous color. It's essential to gain an understanding of the color wheel and the balance of hues to efficiently get the reverse results you want. Ok, guys, I think I have successfully given you your Unicorn wings to fly high in the color rainbow. Now be great as the Ultimate Unicorn!
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