AF Blog — Electric Paradise

While we say goodbye to another year, one of the most anticipated things about the year ahead is Pantone’s Color of the Year announcement and how it applies to what’s happening around the globe. Did you know Pantone first started their Color of the Year program in 1999? For the last 25 years, the team at Pantone has found a way to visualize the current state of the world through color, something our Fox Fam can really get behind!

Before we look ahead, we thought it would be fun to look back one last time. We spent all of 2023 celebrating our 10th anniversary, so before moving into the next decade of AF we’re time traveling to see how Pantone encompassed the last 10 years in terms of color and why. SO many of these colors are still some of the Fox Fam’s favorite shades to play with!

2013 - Emerald, a hue that enhances a sense of well-being further by inspiring insight as well as promoting balance and harmony.

2014 - Radiant Orchid is still a custom hair dye mix that we love to see and according to Pantone it’s “expressive and exotic blooming with confidence and warmth.” 

That brings us to 2024…. We say it every year, but it feels like the folks at Pantone are reading our minds, or maybe, we just know what we’re talking about when it comes to color too 😀The 2024 Color of the year is PEACH FUZZ! According to Pantone, “Peach Fuzz is a heartfelt hue bringing a feeling of kindness and tenderness, communicating a message of caring and sharing, community and collaboration. A warm and cozy shade highlighting our desire for togetherness with others or for enjoying a moment of stillness and the feeling of sanctuary.” As a brand who puts our community first, we could not love this more. 

Peach Fuzz sits between pink and orange on the color spectrum, and we’ve already been dreaming of ways for you to give this a try in 2024. We fully expect this color to be EVERYWHERE in the spring. 

If you’re looking to nail “Peach Fuzz,” you’ll want Sunset Orange Hair Dye and our Arctic Mist Diluter. If you’re already at a level 10 for your base color, use Arctic Mist Diluter the heck out of Sunset Orange until the color appears as warm and fuzzy as you’d like. Of course, perform a strand test FIRST to be sure you’re peachy keen! 

Faded Sunset Orange 

For a more pinky peach hue, take your diluted Sunset Orange and mix her with Frose or Electric Paradise Hair Color, depending on how pink you want to take your peach. 

@siren.style in Sunset Orange and Electric Paradise 

For a darker take on the Color of the Year, start out with Cosmic Sunshine hair dye, add a dollop of Frose hair dye and a few drops of Sunset Orange.

@sheaella in Cosmic Sunshine, Frosé, and a few drops of Sunset Orange

One of our most coveted mixes is this dreamy peach made with equal parts Arctic Mist Diluter and Girls Night hair color plus a dollop of Poison! 

So, are you ready to embrace that warm fuzzy feeling? Don’t forget to tag us @arcticfoxhaircolor with your new look! 

@megflahertyhair in Poison and Ritual 

Hi Foxes! 

With the cold months upon us, you may be missing the warmer weather and there’s truly no better way to heat things up than by entering your red hair era (or re-entering 😉).  Allow us to make this as seamless as possible by giving you not one, but THREE red hair dyes that may even be simply TOO hot 🥵 (especially when mixed)!

It’s important to know that Wrath, Ritual, and Poison are not just red semi-permanent hair dyes … They're a portal to a world where you stand out in the most captivating red hues and express your unique and individual style. With these three red hair dyes, you’ll be able to do just that.

Before diving into some mixes, let’s run through a couple of quick things:

• Start by washing your hair a day or two before coloring to remove excess oils, but skip the conditioner
• Dry your hair completely, as hair dye tends to adhere better to dry strands
• Understand that red hair automatically makes you that girl 💅 
• Consider applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly around your hairline and ears to prevent staining
• Section your hair into manageable portions, securing them with clips (for even application, of course) 

Now that you're RED-y 🤪 to go, let’s embark on the journey of transforming your locks into that inspo pic that you've had saved for some time now, shall we? 

Whether you were naughty or nice, this first mix is for you 👇 

Top Red Hair Dye Mixes for the Season

1. “Haughty Red” 🛷

Poison + Transylvania 

Best suited for light to medium brown hair, this sultry, red-black fusion consists of a base of Poison and a drop of Transylvania (add a few more drops if needed).

2. Crimson Spell: 

@megflahertyhair

Poison + Ritual 

Infuse the vivacity of Poison with the rich deep hue of Ritual and watch magic happen 🪄 Mixing equal parts Poison and Ritual (adding more Ritual as needed) and applying over light to platinum blonde hair will yield the best results.

✨ AF Pro Tip: Punch it up with more Poison for a more vivid red 🥊 

3. Cranberry Cutie: 

@ashlee__smith in Virgin Pink and Ritual

Ritual + Virgin Pink

Combine the dark elegance of Ritual with Virgin Pink for a deep, enchanting red-pink “cranberry” concoction. Mix 2 parts Ritual to 1 part Virgin Pink on light to medium blonde hair.

4. Merlot Magic: 

@cygoesmeow in Wrath and Ritual 

Ritual + Wrath

Combine equal parts of Ritual with Wrath for a merlot moment on light to platinum blonde hair, for this dark Ruby look 🥀 

6. Foxy Firecracker:

@lisovskihair in Poison and Neon Moon

Poison + Neon Moon

Using fiery Poison with Neon Moon to add intensity, we suggest starting with 2 parts Poison to 1 part Neon Moon on light to platinum blonde hair 💥 

✨AF Pro Tip: If needed, add in more Poison to deepen the mix

7. Vibrant Vixen: 

@notyourdestiny__ in Wrath and Electric Paradise

Wrath + Electric Paradise

Similar to the ”Foxy Firecracker” mix, use the red as your base and add in your other shade. Start with 2 parts Wrath to 1 part Electric Paradise on light to platinum blonde hair 🍒

 ✨ AF Pro Tip: If needed, add in more Wrath to deepen the mix 

To preserve the brilliance of your customized hair color, you’ll want to embrace a color-friendly hair care routine. Opt for sulfate-free and color-safe shampoos and conditioners like our Resurrected Set to minimize color fading. 

Washing your hair with cold water also helps seal the cuticles as well by locking in the vibrancy. Another helpful tip is to minimize exposure to harsh sunlight and heated styling tools, as these can accelerate color fading 🙅‍♀️ With proper care, your red locks will continue to captivate and inspire, ensuring your vibrant self-expression can continue ❤️

Soo, which one caught your eye?! 🤩 Let us know in the comments below and as always let us know if you have any questions/need color assistance at support@arcticfoxusa.com. Merry Mixmas! 🎨

@pasteljacqueline in Poseidon 

We’ve been in denial but summer is long gone, and the fall vibes are quickly fading into winter. As the cold months settle in, your tanning routine, skincare routine, and hair care routine are probably all undergoing a major change. So that calls for a whole new routine! AKA an excuse to indulge in some new self care, but hey, who are we to judge!?

The same hair advice we preach year ‘round for both lasting color AND ultimate hair health is don’t 👏🏻 wash 👏🏻 your 👏🏻hair 👏🏻 every 👏🏻 day. And guess what, that advice still applies during the colder months even though you might be sweating less, staying in more, and opting for a movie night instead of a night out with the girls. In any case, having designated wash days once or twice a week is a great way to keep that moisture locked into your strands for as long as possible. 

When it is wash day, make sure you’re using a color safe and sulfate free shampoo and conditioner! This step makes the biggest difference, and shampoo and conditioner is not the place to skimp out when it comes to your hair care routine! Our Resurrected Duo is vegan, color-safe, and sulfate-free, and it’s also PACKED with amino acids and antioxidants that contribute to hair strength and hydration. Resurrected shampoo is formulated with argan and macadamia nut oil to hydrate and soften while adding shine and reducing frizz. PERFECT for those winter months when hair static is an absolute pain in the a🫢. Shea butter, castor oil, and sunflower seed oil (just to name a few!) are the allstar ingredients in Resurrected conditioner - all of the above boost hydration, strengthen each strand, and leave you with soft, nourished strands. Ugh, can it be wash day already!? 

Even though winter seems to be the time to turn that shower knob as hot as it can go, remember your hair needs extra moisture during these months and a lower water temperature is your best friend! Try a lukewarm lather and rinse finished off with some cold water - this will help prevent brittle and breakage on those lovely strands. 

Whenever you do venture out into the cold, try a protective style like braids, a low bun, or tuck it into your favorite beanie! Depending on where you live, cold air or harsh elements actually dry out your hair and can contribute to breakage, so protecting your strands is a MUST. Silk or satin headwraps or pillowcases will be an absolute lifesaver during the dryer months - your hair will thank you. 🤝

Our favorite ✨Pro Tip✨ when it comes to keeping your hair ULTRA healthy and moisturized is adding in a pre shower hair mask to your routine. If you’ve been looking for a hair mask bestie to really take your haircare routine to the next level, Pool Party might just blow you out of the water! She’s packed with top tier vegan ingredients - castor, argan, sunflower seed oil, and apple fruit extract - a power team that accelerates hair growth, strengthens strands, fights frizz, and boosts hair hydration. Wow, that was a mouthful. 

There’s more than one way to party it up with Pool Party if you forget to marinate your locks before a shower! You can apply it any time to dry ends for a quick hydration boost, use it instead of conditioner during a shower, OR mix it up and use it as a wet styling cream (but maybe save that one for summer). 

Sometimes a pre shower mask and the perfect wash day routine still calls for some back up. Money Hunny Repair Serum is the IT girl of our haircare line. Her formula is silky, lightweight, and actually repairs split ends. With a blend of argan, babussa, arginine, avocado, macadamia nut, and jojoba seed oil, Money Hunny is the sweet remedy to dry, brittle, and breaking hair. You can use her on dry or damp hair for whenever you need that extra boost of TLC. 

Now that you’ve got that hair care routine on lock 🫡 you may be wondering if the dead of winter is still a good time to try on a new color. When you’re using AF hair dye, it’s always a good time to switch up your color!  Every color is formulated the same way - FULL of deep conditioning properties so it’s basically a color conditioner! ✨Girl Math✨So you know what that means! You can change your hair literally as many times as you want, all. year. long. Of course it depends on where you’re at now, but if you’re starting out fresh, use Bleach, Please to get to that platinum blonde, throw on Sterling for a totally icy look, and play around with the blues of the AF rainbow to find that wintery wonderland ‘do. Not sure what your starting point is? Check out our breakdown on the Color Wheel! 

And of course, we wouldn’t be your hair bestie without dishing our top inspo that’s making us reach for a new bottle of dye because OMG. 

@tejamaechele in Electric Paradise over Periwinkle

@lizzvargashair in Purple AF and Girls Night 

@faithlrobertson in Sterling

@pasteljacqueline in Poseidon   

@shealla in Arctic Mist Diluter, Bleach, Please, and Sterling  

@shemmysux in Periwinkle  

@kirathesith in Phantom Green and Transylvania

@sophiaxnova in Purple AF

Is TikTok making you want to dye your hair? Welcome to the club! If you’re thinking about pulling the trigger on that new color but have no idea where to start, you’re in the right place. We’re about to dish all our tips for your first time so that you can get that flawless color you’ve been dreaming of. 

Vegan and Cruelty Free Formula

The biggest and most common concern with first-timers is worrying about hair damage. Especially if you have virgin hair. And we get it! All the hair dyes in the AF color range are formulated without any harsh chemicals and packed with so many deep conditioning properties they’re basically a colored conditioner! So not only can you leave it on as long as you want, you’ll also come out with soft locks full of color!  

Semi-permanent dyes are the perfect solution to trying out bold colors minus the fear of settling down with one shade forever. AF hair dyes start with our signature full throttle bold color and then naturally fade out slowly over time with no additional processes. AKA you can try out new colors with the confidence that they won’t damage your strands, and they’ll still look ah-mazing as they fade. Semi-permanent hair dyes definitely don’t have to be scary!

@eclipse.lunxr in Virgin Pink

Starting with Vivid Hair Dye

When you’re first starting out with vivids, you need to keep in mind how light or dark your natural hair is to ensure you get the best results. For example, if your hair is light brown, deeply pigmented shades like Wrath, or Purple AF were made for you, Fox! Avoid pastel colors or the lighter blues and greens, unless you bleach and lighten your natural hair base first.  

Need more inspo before you take the leap? We got a list of important questions you need to ask before you dye your hair, just to make sure you’re ready to jump into the world of color! 

@queenbcyn in Wrath

Picking your new hue

One way you can crack the color code is by considering your skin’s undertone to help narrow down your choice and lead you to a new shade that will accentuate your natural features. 

Your skin tone is the surface level color of your skin that can change due to the season or sun exposure, we all notice our skin tone change a bit in the summer months, right? 😎 Your undertone on the other hand, is the underlying tone of your skin that is ever-present and doesn’t alter with the seasons.

Knowing your undertone can help narrow down your choice of color (unless you want to rebel and go with whatever shade you’re feeling). Start by finding out which of the three categories of undertones you fall into: cool, warm, or neutral.

Cool undertones have a pink or bluish hue to their skin. Warm undertones have a yellow, golden, or peachy hue, while neutral undertones mirror the color of their surface skin.

To figure out your undertone, use the Vein Method, Jewelry Method, or White T-Shirt Method as all are proven ways to see how your skin tone compliments and reacts to colors - and yes you can totally do them right at home! 

The white t-shirt method is as simple as it sounds -  throw on a white t-shirt and go outside in natural light. Pay attention to how your skin contrasts with the white shirt. If your skin looks rosy or pink, you have cool undertones. If your skin looks golden or yellow, you have warm undertones. If you don’t really see a change, you have neutral undertones.

The vein method might be the easiest one! If your veins appear purple or blue, you have cool undertones. Green or love mean you have warm undertones, and a mix of blue and green are neutral undertones. If you can’t really tell, you likely have neutral undertones as well. 

The jewelry method is probably the most fun! It’s simply the way jewelry looks on your skin. If you prefer silver jewelry against your skin you have cool undertones. If you prefer the way yellow gold jewelry looks on your skin, you have warm undertones.If you look great in both or don’t have a preference, (lucky you) you likely have neutral undertones.

And of course, we wouldn’t be your hair bestie if we didn’t have a full rundown on picking colors that go with your undertone right here!

In short, all our cool toned babes look best in Aquamarine, Poseidon, Periwinkle, Neverland, Girls Night, Purple AF, and Ritual.

@tayreichel in Neverland, Aquamarine, Periwinkle, and Arctic Mist Diluter 

Warm undertones stun in reds, oranges, yellows, or colors with warmth like Electric Paradise, Wrath, Sunset Orange, Poison, and Virgin Pink.

@sophia.vog in Wrath, Poison

And for our neutral undertone Foxes..well, you can literally go for any AF color. 

@jingleheartart in Cosmic Sunshine and Neon Moon

Our second method for picking a hair color is by using color theory and the color wheel. The color wheel is a visual tool to explain and visualize the relationship between colors (That much was obvious, right?). The color wheel will help you better predict how specific colors will mix together and how to avoid results that just don’t hit the heights you want to scale with your new hairdo.

For example, complementary colors are two shades that live opposite each other on the color wheel such as, violet and yellow, red and green, orange and blue. When you are coloring for the first time it is best to pick a hue that is opposite your natural hair color on the wheel in order to get an optimum result! Consult the AF color wheel here to find your inspo!

@imperial.hairstudio in Aquamarine, Virgin Pink, Violet Dream, Sunset Orange, Cosmic Sunshine

For unbleached hair, you can also check a prediction of how deep the color will show up based on your natural hair base.

If you want to go lighter and even work up to a pastel shade, you’ll need to lighten your hair up with a little bleach. You can look at the hair level charts on the AF product pages for a guide to how light you’d need to be to get your desired shade. Lightening it up gradually over time is the best way to go about it, especially if you are starting with really dark hair that borders on or around black tones. Our lightening kit, Bleach, Please is a safe option for healthy at-home lightening if you are going down this route. Before you know it you’ll be setting off sirens with your new delicious hair color.

@sheaella in Girls Night and Periwinkle 

So now you have done your research and found a complimentary hue and got your hair to the right base level, it's time to dive right in and get that new color on, right!? Erm... not quite!

The Strand Test, Your BFF

We always, ALWAYS recommend doing a strand test to see exactly how your shade will show up on your beautiful head of hair. 

Strand tests are SUPER important tools to help you see how the color will show up on your hair.

Even if you are blonde and have light hair, the natural tone of your hair will affect how color shows up so it's important to test it first. Everyone’s hair is different, and the Strand Test gives real world results of the color application. (The strand test never lies).

To start testing, shampoo and fully dry your hair, without conditioning. Find a 1 inch strand of hair in a hidden area and apply some of your chosen AF hue. Wrap the test strands in foil and let them process for at least 30 minutes before rinsing in cool water, drying your hair, and checking the outcome. You can always repeat the test as needed, if the shade was not what you were looking for.

Once you are happy and all set with your color, it's time to apply the shade to your locks. Naturally, we have some great tips and tools to help you get this process right!

The Hair Dyeing Process

Get ready to apply that delicious new color by either shampooing and drying your hair first, or even applying the color to hair that has not been washed for a day or two. This will allow natural oils to remain in the hair and can help the hair dye absorb into the strands better. We love to see that new vivacious color soak in.

While dyeing your hair use our alligator clips to separate your hair into sections to allow the color to be applied thoroughly and evenly. Ohh snap! 

@onedreamparis in Virgin Pink

If you are applying multiple colors the sectioning clips can be a lifesaver! For mixes, you can also use AF mixing bowls to measure out and mix up a perfect storm of color. It just makes it a little easier to get the exact ratios you need.

Before you apply the color and allow it to process for at least 30 minutes, you should take a couple of precautions to prevent staining your skin. 

First, apply vaseline around your hairline to prevent staining on your face or neck, because, well, that’s not a great look.  And finally, wear our reusable gloves while you apply your color and rinse it off, to prevent the hair dye from staining your hands and making it look like you have been in art class.

Whoop! 30 minutes later and you’re done! Your gorgeous new color can be unleashed into the world.

Hair Color Maintenance

Keeping your new hair color looking fresh can be done in more than one way! Remember, our dyes will still look super pretty as they fade - BUT the less you wash your hair the slower the fading process is. Opt for our Vacay Volumizing dry shampoo in between wash days to stretch your clean hair as long as possible, and don’t forget to throw in a few drops of your chosen hair color to your conditioner to keep that color looking fresh! Our 4 oz bottles are perfect for that touch ups!

Of course, a big part of success with hair dye is not only choosing the right hair dye color, but maintaining your new color afterwards. Throw in a color safe shampoo and conditioner into your wash day routine (like our Resurrected Duo) to keep that color alive and long-lasting. You can also grab an extra 4 oz bottle of your chosen color and add a few drops into your conditioner as needed for that extra oomph if you see your color starting to fade. 

✨AF Pro Tip✨ Pool Party is your pre or post shower bestie when it comes to deep hair hydration for the softest, most luscious locks. She can even double as a styling cream for that coveted wet hair look. Did we mention she smells absolutely delicious?

Want to share your new hair color and make us green with envy? Tag us @arcticfoxhaircolor and show us and the Fox Fam what you and your new color are made of.

These hair dye mixes didn’t go as expected…they turned out even better!

We’ve been mixing up a storm this week and had to jump on here to share with our Fox Fam some of our favorite discoveries. Nothing is more exciting to us than experimenting with hair colors, and the endless color blends and creative applications for our AF hair color range that are just… *chef’s kiss*. Even more exciting is when we go wild and start throwing together colors that shouldn’t work together—but absolutely do.

Here are some traffic-stopping new hues that we’ve created with some seriously unexpected color pairings. If you’ve been collecting our color range at home but you’re not quite sure they work together, you might be in for a pleasant surprise. Read on and have a look at some of the surprising ways our AF Hair Colors come together to shake up the rainbow. 

Why are AF dyes so great for mixing?

AF’s range of colors is truly full of endless possibilities - the bolds, brights, and pastels show up incredibly on their own. But if you’re looking for something new, or want to add a surprising twist to your usual color routine, you can totally mix away to your heart’s content! You’d be surprised at the stunning shades you can create. 👀 

Sometimes you might need a little inspiration when it comes to cooking up a new look, we’re here to save the day with all the inspo - ratios and swatches included! Ready to dive in? Let’s get into the mixes you wouldn’t think would work, but omg do they! 

✨AF Pro Tip✨ Once you’ve found a great hair color, you can stick with it and keep it intense with regular dyeing, or switch it up for something totally new! AF dyes are hydrating and deep conditioning, so coloring your hair as many times as you want is completely safe. 

Mixes you wouldn’t think work but do

First up on our list of surprising mixes is this velvety hue. 60% Blue Jean Baby to 40% Sterling gives the blue a serious depth. This swatch shows the results on a platinum base, but you’ll get a similar result on a medium blonde, and a gorgeous tint on light brown.

Electric Paradise with a drop of Wrath gives us this 5-alarm siren of a color that is hard to predict from two colors on the same slice of the color wheel. It’s bold and bright, but it still gives ‘sexy’. Again, a platinum base here yields this exact color, but up to a medium blonde will see the same color and a light brown will still get a tint.

Ginger Flare, Space Cowgirl, and Frosé on a medium blonde base bring a fiery edge to your locks, in what might be our most unexpected blend yet. How can you get it? The mix to get this one just right is 70% Ginger Flare,15% Space Cowgirl, and 15% Frosé.

Arctic Mist Diluter, Poison, and Girl’s Night make a bubblegum pink that will stand out no matter where you show it off. What’s extra fun about this cotton candy hue is that adjusting the mix is a snap. So this swatch (on platinum) is about 80% Arctic Mist, 10% Poison and 10% Girl’s Night, but if you find it’s a bit dark just add in more Arctic Mist!

Space Cowgirl and Virgin Pink in a 50:50 ratio brings out a cinnabar hue in the final mix, and on a platinum base it gives a va-va-voom effect that can really pack a punch. 

Space Cowgirl and Periwinkle join forces to create an unexpectedly dark, leafy, earthy green. A simple 50:50 mix will get this result on a platinum base. 

For a dreamy twist on a calming green hue, add 75% Neverland and 25% Transylvania in your fave mixing bowls and adjust away! If you want darker, drop in more Transylvania… if you like it on the lighter side of the spectrum, use less. This color feels very ‘underwater fantasy’ to us. FYI this swatch is on a platinum base but you’ll still get a lovely deep teal tint on darker colors.

Basic rules of mixing

If you’re going to use this post as the match to your potion-making fire, make sure to follow a couple of basic rules:

1. Don’t go overboard with the colors, at least at first! Mix one or two to start with, otherwise the colors start to all trend towards brown.
2. Use the right tools! We always recommend (and use) our tint bowls to make sure we’re treating our dyes right and keeping the blends precise. If you want to keep your Foxology manicure intact, use these reusable gloves as well.
3. Remember that some colors can cancel out certain shades. As always, take a look at our color wheel post for some ideas on how to mix and match using the right colors.

You don’t know until you try

Mix it up, baby! Splash your fave shades into your best mixing bowl and stir away. And let us know what you discover! As always—share your hair change journey with the Fox Fam, tag Arctic Fox, @arcticfoxhaircolor and let us see what you create.