For my 15th birthday, I got purple highlights in my hair (they were truly highlights-placement wise), so I had thin highlights bleached out, with a purple dye on it, I hated the dye that my stylist used, and will probably not be going back to the same hairdresser for additional reasons, but that's one of them.
I decided to use Manic Panic UltraViolet and Fuschia Shock the first time. Then I also added After Midnight Blue, and now I also have Red Passion, Vampire Red, and a mixture of a few of those colours with Cotton Candy Pink. My orange hair is the only non-Manic Panic, I use the Shine Moist Henna Wax Colour Treatment in H701-12 (Orange Red). I also used it mixed with Red Passion for my red bangs.
Products Needed/Recommended:
-Manic Panic dye of choice.
-Disposable gloves.
-Tint brush.
-Live Clean Organics Invigorating Shampoo (best IMO to wash out dye) or a sulphate-free shampoo.
-L'oreal EverPure Moisture Deep Restorative Masque (best IMO to nourish bleached hair, and help colour last.) or any good conditioner/hair masque.
So, step by step, the best way to use Manic Panic, in my opinion.
1) Wash hair with a cheap, low quality shampoo if you have one. Don't use conditioner. (This will strip the colour, and the oils from your hair, and open the cuticle, allowing for more colour penetration. Oil blocks the colour from being absorbed as much.)
2) Blow dry your hair. (Will open the cuticle further.)
3) Section hair into where you want each colour, if you're using multiple colours.
4) Wearing gloves, using a tint brush, apply the dye to your hair, keep adding more until the hair is SATURATED. Alternately, you can also use your hands, by rubbing the dye into locks of hair. (I don't always wear gloves, unless I'm touching hair with dye on it, or using my hands to apply.)
5) Cover with a plastic bag/shower cap/cling wrap/aluminium foil, if desired, and blast hair with a blowdryer on hot. (Heat will allow the colour to absorb deeper and be more vibrant.)
6) Wait for however long, as little as 15 mins, as long as however. Blasting with a blowdryer if you want periodically. (I don't do more than an hour or two, there's only so much your hair can absorb.)
7) Rinse in warm-ish water until marjority of the colour comes out, then shampoo with a sulphate-free shampoo to get the excess dye out. (I shampoo until the water and suds are clear, then there's no dye on my towels, pillowcases, etc.)
8) Rinse hair with a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and water. (Vinegar helps colour last longer, and hair be more shiny.)
9) Apply conditioner or hair masque if you can. Leave on for however long. (Moisture seals in the colour and nourishes the bleached hair.)
10) Rinse, then towel dry gently and do whatever else you want to your hair. :)
Tips:
-Rubbing alcohol gets most dyes off skin and counter tops.
-Use foils for isolated pieces or around your face (I use foils for my bangs and longer pieces beside my face).
-For the "freshly dyed" look often, touch up the colour slightly, every few days. You don't have to SATURATE or leave it on for two hours, but a little dye for half an hour won't hurt anyone.
-You can add the dye to your conditioner to refresh the colour if you're only using one colour (one colour highlights in black hair, or all your hair is one colour) I don't do this because I use 6+ colours...
-Wash your hair as little as possible, try just using conditioner in between. I only shampoo my hair about once or twice a week.
-Try mixing colours to get a unique shade (but don't mix in developer into manic panic or different brands unless you know they work together) .
-By dying different layers different colours, when they wash out, they all blend together and you get the mixed look that I had, super easy if you want a more interesting look than just one stripe of colour or bands that most people have :P
-Towel dry your hair by wrapping it in a paper towel and squeezing, this is much gentler on your hair than shaking it in a towel, and will save your towels in case you didn't get all the dye out.
GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN.
