Vibrant, expressive hair colors are all the rage right now. Brands like Splat offer neon brights, pastels, and deeper shades that allow you to make a bold and artistic statement.
But before you commit to coloring your hair a crazy color, you probably have some questions. How long does it last? Is it damaging? What about bleeding – will my pillowcases and clothes be ruined?
I‘ve experimented with vivid hair dyes for years. In this in-depth review, I‘ll share everything you need to know about Splat – the good, the bad, and the messy.
Overview of Splat Hair Dye
Splat is a well-known brand that offers a complete range of semi-permanent and temporary fantasy hair colors. Their formulas are vegan, cruelty-free, and made in the USA.
Pros:
- 23 original colors to choose from
- Sold in complete kits or individual packets/jars
- Affordable pricing
- Accessible – sold at many major retailers
- Conditioning formula with oils to nourish hair
- Vibrant, long-lasting color
Cons:
- Can cause irritation, staining, and bleeding
- Results vary widely depending on hair color/type
- Contains bleach which can damage hair
Splat‘s Bestselling Colors
Splat has a rainbow of shades from electric neon brights to vampy dark colors. Their most popular picks include:
Neon Green
This bright kelly green livens up any look. It‘s eye-catching yet wearable enough for daily wear. Looks best on pale or pre-lightened hair.
Blue Envy
A midnight blue that adds depth and dimension without going overboard. Subtly punky. Works well on natural brown or black hair.
Crimson Obsession
This rich blood red looks stunning on long hair with a mermaid vibe. Vibrant on light hair or vivid as an ombre on darker locks.
Purple Desire
The perfect medium purple with blue undertones. Mermaid hair vibes! Use alone or mix with Blue Envy for added dimension.
Pink Fetish
A bright fuschia pink that packs a punch. Play up the sweetness by using it as peekaboo highlights or go all-out for a cotton candy look.
Orange Fireballs
For happy summer sunset hair! Mix with other shades to create peachy oranges or bold tangerine. Use sparingly for a pastel look.
Sinful Silver
Add an edgy look with this shimmery silver. Glamorous as an all-over color or intense mixed with darker shades like blue or purple.
How to Use Splat Hair Dye
Splat offers a few different formats depending on your coloring needs:
Complete Kits: Contain hair bleach, dye, gloves, and conditioner treatment. Best for lightening hair first to allow for the most vibrant color results.
Individual Packets: Single use packets of dye in a variety of shades. Easy for touch-ups.
10 or 30 Wash Packets: Temporary dye that fades gradually over 10-30 washes. No bleaching required.
Naturals Line: Made with naturally-derived ingredients like henna, semi-permanent plant-based dyes. More subtle results.
To use the original Splat dye:
Bleach your hair using the provided lightener and follow the instructions. This lifts color so the vibrant dye can deposit evenly.
Rinse, then towel dry hair and put on the gloves. Apply dye evenly from roots to tips.
Wait 30-60 minutes, then rinse until the water runs clear. Be patient!
Apply the conditioning treatment and let it soak in for 5-10 minutes before rinsing.
The color should show up brightly on pale hair. Those with darker strands will still see a tint, but the results won‘t be as vivid. Root touch-ups are needed as your hair grows out.
Pro tip: Strand tests are highly recommended, especially if you‘ve never dyed your hair before or have damage from other chemical processes.
How Long Does Splat Hair Dye Last?
The longevity of Splat depends on a few factors:
Hair color – Vibrant shades last 4-6 weeks on lightened hair. On unbleached hair, the color is more subtle and fades faster.
Hair type – Coarse, thick hair holds onto color better than fine strands. Oily hair may cause the color to fade faster.
Aftercare – Cold water washing, sulfate-free shampoo, and weekly conditioning treatments all help extend the life of fantasy shades.
With the right hair type and proper maintenance, you can get a solid month or more of bright color from Splat. Those with virgin hair or who wash frequently may start to notice fading after 2-3 weeks.
Touch up roots as needed to keep your color looking bold.
Does Splat Damage Your Hair?
This is a controversial question in the world of vivid hair dye! Here‘s the truth…
Splat‘s actual dye formula contains nourishing ingredients like baobab seed oil and quinoa extract to condition hair. These oils help protect strands from UV damage as well.
However…
In order to achieve bright, saturated shades, Splat recommends pre-lightening hair with the bleach that‘s included in their kits. This is where the potential for damage comes in.
Bleach is very drying and can leave hair brittle, especially if you overlap lightened pieces. The provided conditioner treatment is helpful, but bleach is still harsh and removing moisture from your strands.
If you currently have damage from other chemical processes or heat styling, I‘d advise doing a stand test on a small piece of hair before committing to a full bleach and dye job. See how your hair tolerates it.
You can bypass thispotential damage by using the no-bleach Splat Midnight collection. This won‘t lighten your hair, so the color payoff won‘t be as bold, but it still shows up nicely on brunettes.
Overall, it‘s bleach that can damage hair, not the Splat dye itself. Take care when pre-lightening and use their nourishing conditioner to help.
Splat Reviews: What Do Customers Say?
Curious what real people think of Splat‘s bright hair colors? After diving into reviews, here‘s what I found:
The Good
- Over 3,000 Amazon reviews with a 4.5 star average rating
- 78% of website reviewers say they would recommend Splat to a friend
- Users report long-lasting, vibrant color with good payoff
- Affordable pricing compared to salon vivid colors
- Fun to experiment with different fantasy shades
The Bad
- Dye tends to bleed excessively at first, staining skin and clothes
- Can cause irritation around the scalp or ears
- High maintenance touch-ups required as it fades quickly on regrowth
- Very messy during application – stains tile, counters, furniture
- Misleading advertising shows results not possible for most
The bottom line from Splat reviewers seems to be…
If you‘re committed to the high maintenance nature of fantasy colors, don‘t mind some messes, and set proper expectations – then the price can‘t be beat for the fun results.
However, if you‘re looking for something low commitment or have easily irritated skin, you may want to try a gentler brand.
Splat vs Manic Panic Hair Dye
Manic Panic is one of Splat’s biggest competitors in the fantasy hair space. They also offer a wide range of vivid colors at affordable prices. Here’s how the two brands compare:
Number of shades – Manic Panic has over 40+ colors whereas Splat carries around 25 shades
Conditioning – Splat contains more nourishing oils like baobab and quinoa seed extracts. Manic Panic uses humectants like glycerin.
Formats – Splat offers more complete kits for at-home lightening and coloring. Manic Panic sells mostly individual dye containers.
Longevity – Both last 4-6 weeks with touch-ups as needed. Splat claims longer wear on its “amplified” line.
Bleeding – This seems to be a universal issue with vivid dyes, not just these brands. Lots of complaints about staining.
Overall, Manic Panic has a longer history in the industry and more shade options. But Splat gives you more all-in-one lightening and dyeing options if you want to go bright.
Is Splat Hair Dye Worth It?
For the cost, performance, and fun factor – yes, I‘d say Splat is worth it!
Their hair bleaching and coloring kits provide everything you need for less than $15. The finished results are vibrant, saturated shades that last 4-6 weeks.
Splat‘s hair dye is easily accessible at popular drugstores if you want to experiment. And it fades back to a fun pastel for low commitment.
Just go in knowing there may be some messiness, irritation, staining, or fading issues. But the price point matches the DIY quality.
If you‘re looking for an affordable way to rock cotton candy hair or emerald green strands – grab a kit this weekend!
Splat Hair Dye Alternatives
Want brights without the bleeding and damage risks of Splat? Here are some gentler fantasy dye options:
Overtone
This brand offers pre-mixed masks and deep conditioners in vivid colors to gently stain your strands. No bleach or ammonia.
Best for: Pastel fantasy shades or subtle tints
Good Dye Young
Founded by Paramore‘s Hayley Williams, these vegan and cruelty-free semi-permanents offer lots of fun colors. No PPDs or harsh ingredients.
Best for: Vibrant true-to-tone shades
Lime Crime
A cruelty-free brand loved by beauty influencers for their unicorn-themed hair colors. Conditions as it deposits color.
Best for: Bold, longer-lasting fantasy shades
Arctic Fox
This is my current go-to dye brand! The pretty pastel formula is gentle, fades beautifully, and leaves hair soft.
Best for: Pastel shades that fade uniquely on everyone
How to Save on Splat
Splat‘s colorful hair dye already comes at a budget-friendly cost. But who doesn‘t love saving even more?
Here are some tips to get the most bang for your buck:
- Buy during sales events like back-to-school or right before Halloween
- Check Amazon for coupons and subscribe for regular deliveries = discounts
- Buy multiple packets of the same shade for better bulk pricing
- Use rebates through apps like Ibotta, Fetch Rewards and more
- Shop at Sally‘s Beauty for discounts, especially if you have their credit card
You can also save by spacing out your touch-ups. Instead of redyeing every 4 weeks, stretch it to 6 or more. Let it fade into a fun pastel instead.
Where to Buy Splat Hair Dye
Part of Splat‘s appeal is how easy it is to find. You can pick it up at:
- Walmart
- Target
- Amazon
- Sally Beauty
- CVS Pharmacy
- Walgreens
- Plus many more drugstores and beauty retailers!
Shop their official website as well at SplatHairColor.com.
Contacting Splat Customer Service
Have any other questions about using Splat hair dye? Here‘s how to get in touch:
By Email: Send messages to [emailprotected]
By Phone: Call their customer service at 951-738-8595
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm PST
before you color, do a stand test on a small section of hair before committing to a full dye job.
I hope this Splat hair dye review has covered everything you need to know before taking the bright hair plunge! Let me know if you have any other questions.
