Orange hair dye is a chemical used to change the color of your hair. People do this for many reasons, with the main reason being cosmetic: to cover gray or white hair, to attain hair color that one believes is more fashionable or to restore one’s original hair after discoloration during hairdressing processes or sun bleaching. You can get your hair dyed at the salon by a professional or you can do it yourself at home.
Dyeing of hair is an ancient art and over time has been done using different types of chemicals. At first, the chemicals used to dye hair were obtained from plants, the most common being henna (Lawsonia inermis), indigo dye, Cassia obovata, senna, turmeric and amla.
The first time synthetic hair dye was developed can be traced to the discovery of the reactivity of para-phenylenediamine (PPD) with air in the 1860s. The very first synthetic hair dye was created in 1907 by Eugène Schueller, the founder of L’Oréal. The first hair dye product designed for home use, “Poly Color” was launched in 1947 by the German cosmetics firm Schwarzkopf.
4 Best Orange Hair Dyes on Amazon
1. Arctic Fox Sunset Orange Semi-Permanent Hair Dye
The top rated orange hair dye, based on a combination of product features and customer reviews, is Arctic Fox Sunset Orange Semi-Permanent Hair Dye. This dye stains the hair cuticle and does not deeply penetrate the hair shaft. This color usually comes out in a vibrant shade of orange. It’s not necessarily suitable for anyone who prefers a more subtle option. Instead of dangerous chemicals like ammonia or peroxide, this dye contains hair nourishing ingredients like emollients and conditioners.
This will leave your hair feeling better than it did before you used the dye. It takes about half an hour to apply and can last anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks. The specific length of time depends on how often you wash it, treat it and how much time you spend in the sun.
Although the formula listed on the ingredient list is vegan, all the exact ingredients of the “fragrance” are unknown. It also contains methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone which can cause allergic reactions but the possibility of this happening is very low because these ingredients are used in very low concentrations.
The Arctic Fox dye has a very strong reputation. Over 70 percent of 60,000 online customers rate it with 5 stars, saying it is the best semi-permanent dye that they have used. The negative reviews mostly contain complaints about how the shade was not wearable and how the dye got all over the place. But overall most customers who use this orange hair dye love it.
2. Punky Flame Semi-Permanent Conditioning Orange Hair Dye
Our next recommended orange hair dye is Punky Flame Semi-Permanent Conditioning Hair Color. It’s suitable for people who want orange hair but also don’t want to stand out too much. It’s a fashionable yet mellow option. The color is semi-permanent and if you have very dark hair, you might want to lighten it a little bit before applying the dye.
It contains safe ingredients like cetyl alcohol and glycerin, so you can rest assured that your hair cuticles will not be suffering any form of damage. The manufacturers estimate that the dye lasts between 5 and 40 washes. But individually, how long it lasts depends on how porous your hair is.
The application process takes as little as 30 minutes but the formula does contain methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone which some people might have allergic reactions to. Over 60 percent of customers gave this orange hair dye 5 stars on multiple websites.
The remaining customers who were not as happy with the product noted that it felt more like temporary hair dye and not semi-permanent because the color washed out too easily. A positive factor that resonated with most of the customers was how easy the application process is.
3. Adore Shining Semi-Permanent Orange Hair Dye
Another popular and favorite choice of hair dye is Adore Shining Semi-Permanent Hair Color. It is made from high quality natural and non-harmful ingredients.
This orange hair dye leaves your hair with a soft texture, sensual feel and a long lasting gorgeous golden-orange finish. The dye is gentle on your scalp and hair because it does not contain toxic substances like ammonia, peroxide or alcohol. It gives a more vibrant and luminous colour when your hair is bleached. This allows the dye to leave a sustainable colouring effect on each individual strand. But one potential downside is that the dye washes away really quickly.
4. Clairol Textures & Tones Flaming Desire Permanent Orange Hair Dye
Our fourth pick is Clairol Textures and Tones. This dye is permanent but it also does not contain any ammonia and this means that the color will last indefinitely and will not leave your hair damaged and dry. But regardless of this, you’d need to recolour your roots to keep having a uniform hair color.
The shade you’d need to get it in for that lovely orange color is called Flaming Desire. As this dye is formulated for home use, the product comes with everything you would need to dye your hair from the comfort of your home.
This dye is suitable for very dark hair, has a somewhat pleasant smell and will give you a vibrant color for quite a while. But on the downside, the instructions on the box are not very easy to understand and it’s never advisable to use dye without fully understanding the instructions on the box. If you’re a person who lives by customer reviews, then this hair dye will not disappoint you. Most customers attest that the end results were vibrant, long lasting and wonderful. Just like advertised by the makers of the product. Some customers complained that the dye irritated their scalp and did not produce the desired results. But these negative reviews are very rare.
Off-Scalp and On-Scalp Application
There are two main methods by which orange hair dye can be applied to your hair. It can be either off-scalp or on-scalp. The off-scalp method is an indirect method, and has other sub methods which are foiling, cap, balayage, baby lights or tip dyeing. These techniques can be used for all dye colors but for lighter colors it is advisable that the hair is bleached first.
For a more solid and direct coverage the dye can be applied on the scalp. The different methods for this technique are root touch-up, where the color is applied to the most recent section of new growth and repeated every 4-6 weeks. This method is usually done by people who color their hair to hide gray hairs. The other methods are all-over color, when the person wants their entire hair to be a solid uniform color or block coloring where two or more colors are applied to create dimension and contrast between these colors.
Permanent, Demi-Permanent, Semi-Permanent or Temporary Dyes
Most commonly, hair dye is classified into permanent, demi-permanent (sometimes called deposit only), semi-permanent, and temporary. Usually, permanent hair dye contains ammonia and for it to permanently change hair color it has to be mixed with an oxidizing agent. Ammonia works to open the cuticle layer and this allows it and the colorant to get into the cortex.
Demi-permanent hair color will contain an alkaline agent that is not ammonia. It is used with an oxidizing agent but the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in it is usually lower than the amount present in permanent hair dye. They cannot be used to make hair lighter than their natural color and as such are safer and cause less damage than permanent hair dye.
Semi permanent hair dye also cannot lighten hair above the natural color and it does not contain any oxidizing agent. This type of dye gives a more natural finished look, the different color and porosity of each strand of hair will create a subtle variation in shade across the entire head.
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Temporary hair dye might perhaps be the most popular and easily accessible type of dye. It comes in various forms such as rinses, shampoos, gels, sprays and foams. Typically it is more vibrant and brighter than the other types of hair dyes. This type of dye cannot penetrate the cuticle layer because the colorants are high molecular weight. So the color can be easily removed with a single shampoo session because the colorant it contains is only absorbed to the surface of the hair shaft.
Which Orange Hair Dye Is Best For You?
To be able to select the perfect shade of orange hair dye for your skin type, you have to first identify if you have warm or cool undertones.
For Dark Hair
How often you need to maintain the shade depends on how and where your orange color is placed. For darker skin tones, deeper and darker shades of orange work best. Lighter shades work shades are best for fairer skin tones
Light Orange Hair Dye
Although this bright and daring color choice might be difficult to maintain as it will require more regular highlights, it will definitely be worth it in the end.
If you are even more daring than the average Joe, then you definitely have to try the neon light orange hair dye option. This color will most likely work best with light skin tones. To see how well this color works with your skin tone before committing to the color, it’s best to try on an orange blouse and see how you feel in it.
Natural Hair Dye
What if you’re completely adverse to putting chemicals that close to your skin because you want to avoid potentially toxic and damaging chemicals? Well, there are some natural alternatives. There are so many natural options to choose from. For example, orange juice will give your hair a reddish-orange tint and can last for a few weeks depending on the color of your hair.
If you want a deeper red tint with cooler undertones then you should try beet juice instead. Henna which has been used in ancient times is still recommended today as well. It comes in powder form and is the longest lasting and most vibrant natural orange hair dye option.
