How to Rock the Split Dye Hair Trend [Updated 2021]

You’re ready to color your hair, but you’re not sure which color, blue or teal. Great news—you don’t have to choose! Just rock split dyed hair. This hair trend has been flooding our Instagram feeds and we are here for it!

Cruella de Vil did it first and if you’ve ever seen her then you know exactly what split-colored hair is. It’s when you split your hair equally down the middle and color the right side one color and the left side a different color. If you want to give this trend a try, here’s what you need to know:

Choose Your Colors Carefully

Picking one new hair color isn’t easy, picking two for your split hair could be even harder but can also be more exciting! To find the best colors for you, consider what suits you and what doesn’t. Right now, ombre split colors are in and can be a great place to start. The great thing about split-colored hair is you get to be creative, but you also want to choose two colors that complement each other. This especially applies to a DIY look—in case the color bleeds, you want to make sure the colors don’t mix into something that you weren’t expecting.

However, if you are going to do this trend, we do recommend seeing a professional hairstylist or even visiting a student salon where the hair is done under the supervision of licensed professionals. This way you can ensure you’ll get the look you want and you’ll be using salon-quality products that don’t compromise the integrity of your hair. To help inspire your next split color venture, here are some of our favorite matches:

• Pastels—Pastel tones, like baby pink and baby blue, mint green, and lavender, look great next to each other.
• Complementary Colors—These are the colors across from each other on the color wheel, like blue and orange or red and green.
• Black and Blonde—Aim for a silver or ashy blonde color for a truly villainous look.
• One Natural Side—Pick a crazy color for one side of your head and keep the other natural. Bonus: It’s less work!

When it comes to choosing your colors, you’ll want to choose colors you love and match your own style. Hair is a great way to express yourself and show off your creative side!

How to Prepare and Care for Your Split Hair Color

The Preparation

As salon professionals, we love to help our clients look their best and always do our best to give great recommendations. However, before coming into the salon to get your hair done, here are some things we suggest you do to prepare:

• Do your research and pick your colors
• Call your salon and get a quote
• A few days before your appointment deep condition your hair
• Have photos ready for what you want your hair to look like

By doing these things before your appointment, you’re helping both you and your stylist. If you’re still looking for a salon, consider scheduling an appointment with Salon Success Academy and we’ll help you with your hair goals!

The Aftercare

After getting your hair colored you’ll want to maintain your vibrant color. There is nothing more frustrating than losing color a week after dying your hair. Some things you can do to help maintain your hair color are:

• Use sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner
• Wash your hair with cold water
• Use leave-in treatments to protect hair color
• Use heat protectant spray before using hot tools

These are just a few things you can do to help keep the color in your hair. It’s important to remember that colored hair needs a little extra love and attention, but with that, your results can last longer.

At Home Coloring Tips

Split dyeing hair can be tricky for a beginner, which is why many people go to the salon to get it done. But if you want to tackle this trend yourself at home, then here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Use the same brand of professional color, not boxed color. Chemicals from different brands can adversely interact and cause a hair disaster.
• Don’t over-condition. Conditioner doesn’t allow colors to take as well, so don’t worry about over-prepping your hair. Just make sure you’ve detangled your hair.
• Put Vaseline on your scalp where the hair parts to prevent the color from bleeding. Also rub some on your ears, forehead, and neck to keep the color from dying your skin.
• Wash both sections separately. Tie up one side and wash the other to prevent bleeding. Repeat the process for the other side.
• Have someone to help you with the process!

While you can color your hair at home, it doesn’t mean you always should. Box color can be harmful to your hair and there is a strong possibility that it won’t look as good as you want it to. We always recommend seeing a professional when coloring your hair because you’re more likely to end up with the hair you’ve been wanting.

Challenges of Split Hair Colors

Like most trends, there are challenges that follow. If you like easy, breezy color jobs, split color isn’t for you. If you want to maintain the look, it does take time, money and a stylist you trust! However, it can be a super fun trend and if you love the look, you should rock it!

Is Hair Your Passion?

If the latest hair trends are more of a passion for you than a hobby, consider a career in cosmetology. At Salon Success Academy, we offer a cosmetology program that will provide you with hands-on training in our student salon, in-depth instruction, and support from a dedicated, professional faculty and staff. For more information, call 877-987-HAIR (4247) today.