AF Blog — Periwinkle

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.

@iamzoeyluna in Transylvania 

Keep your look top-class this fall

You can embrace the change, or you can dread it. But you can’t deny it: summer is over, baby. We’re working on ditching our late sleep-ins (dry shampoo for the win!), have restocked our coffee supplies, bought the organizers, and are getting used to the sound of the alarm. But how has our Fox Fam been falling back into a routine? Let’s just say that leaves aren’t the only things that are changing color!

Lustrous, rich hair tones can make even the most boring schedules feel brighter, and with the onset of busy days, we’re seeing a rise in the deep, dark tones. They can be low-maintenance while still being high-impact, and they give the rich feeling of thicker hair that autumn styles show off the best. On top of that, blends and color combinations keep the looks as interesting as you are.

Whatever your day-to-day looks like this fall, we’re excited to see everyone in dark mode.

New you, new hue

Good news, stargazers: Venus is out of retrograde💫! As (we’re sure) you already know, this means it’s a great time to start fresh with whatever’s been blocked for you lately. Romance can get kicked into high gear, work and creativity will start flowing, and we can’t think of a better sign that it’s time for a brand-new look.

Part of your 2023 back-to-real-life glow-up should be a hair color that you’re stoked to show off — not to mention the noticeably hydrated and healthy hair that comes with using our AF deep-conditioning hair dyes. We’ve mentioned a few times lately that we are really digging the transition from summer ‘cools’ to autumn ‘warms’, and that means going for a darker tone than what you rocked during the sunny season. Plus your hair will be totally in step with Fall 2023’s palette, making your hair the perfect accessory and always on-point.

There’s something else that a darker tone gives to your updated ‘do—aside from all that lovely confidence that comes with a makeover, that is. Going to the dark side of the color wheel gives the gift of a low-maintenance mane. 

In our previous blog on warm hair colors, we explained how a simple warm color can add depth to your hair that will give you a thicker, fuller-looking style without needing extra time with your diffuser. When you combine your warm-color lowlights with a time-saving volumizing shampoo you’re going to have a full look all day.

✨Remember that changing your look doesn’t have to mean changing your beliefs, and that’s why as much as we love watching your evolution, we’ll never be anything other than vegan and cruelty-free. Dye away, and with AF dark hair dyes, you’re dyeing for a cause.

To Bleach or Not to Bleach?

Real talk: Summer puts your hair through the wringer with chlorine, salt water, and sun damage. Keep in mind that even though we pack our potions to the brim with hair-helping ingredients, you can choose to skip the bleaching step now and again. You can also be creative and use it only in sections. Our influencers have found some truly jaw-dropping ways to only color parts of their hair—and still stun. Money pieces are a great example of a simple switch-up that can change your whole look, without changing your entire head.

@_negatronn in Iris Green and Neon Moon

@tavujesus in Frosé

@lazybonesbeauty in Cosmic Sunshine

 

AF’s Bleach, Please is as gentle as a lightener can get, and even has added goodness to keep your hair healthy while it works. And yes, AF’s range of hair color dyes produces a truer color match when they are used on lighter hair. But if you’re looking for a tint without putting your hair through the bleaching process, you can opt for a beautiful color undertone that will come through even on darker or already dyed hair. 

For an idea on how your color will turn out with your natural or current base color, have a look at our guide to using AF hair dyes on unbleached hair. If you like how these look, we’ve grouped all the colors here for easy shopping! 

Pro-tip: Knowing your hair’s color level will be key to planning your look, and we can help you with that, too! Just cruise by this gem of an explainer which breaks it down for you.

Of course, the only way to get the strong, intense pop of color you see on some of our most colorful influencers is to lighten your hair first.

 

@christystarmua in Aquamarine and Periwinkle

@violentinside in Purple AF and Transylvania 

Stir it up for some killer color

Remember: going dark doesn’t mean melting into the surroundings, and it certainly shouldn’t mean you’re stuck with one color! Blend your pastes for a unique shade, or combine multiple colors into your locks for a truly standout fall look. In our last blog, we talked about this fall’s trending hairstyles, and there was a lot of mention of color accents and how to use them. 

 In particular, the money pieces and the peekaboo styles work best when the color is applied precisely (and only!) where you want it. Because we want our Fox Fam’s hair dreams to come true and your looks exactly as you envisioned them, we recommend that you use our gentle-on-hair alligator clips to keep your sections secured and under control while you work.

Here are the results of perfectly applied color.

@yadeemua in Ginger Flare

@wonderingminds_420 in Ritual and Electric Paradise

@onedreamparis in Virgin Pink

How to Darken Your Current Shade

Looking for a darker shade that isn’t a total change of color? Easy peasy! 

There are two ways you can do this:

1. The first method will neutralize the color you have and deepen it slightly. Take a quick look at our color wheel blog (honestly, just bookmark it already) to find out what the opposite color is to the one you already have! Once you’ve got that, simply mix in a drop or two to your current color, and voila.
2. Method number two is using a darker shade of the same color to help deepen the tone. Let’s say you have Aquamarine, you can add a bit of Blue Jean Baby to darken it. Again, the color wheel blog has a wheel that shows where all the AF colors fall on the wheel so it’s a snap to find out which one you need.

 To keep the blending simple and the colors separate while you apply, our tint bowls are going to be some of your besties.

Peep these dark hues on our Fox Fam!

As always, we look to you, our boldest and bravest Foxy trailblazers for our inspiration. After all, we can talk about change, but you are the gorgeous bunch that does it, flaunts it, and shares it with the world! Here are some superb examples of falling into the dark for autumn.

@makeupbytiffanybanks in Poseidon covered in Ritual

@lil.mishroom in Cosmic Sunshine, Sunset Orange, and Purple AF 

If you’re thinking of going green, stay tuned! Next week we’ll give some precise mixing tips for gorgeous green hues that need a little bit of alchemy to get just right.

So lovelies, as you traipse into autumn vibes this year, remember that you can go dark and shine! Treat your hair right by using AF conditioning hair dyes, and for the love of gosh, share your hair journey with your Fax Fam by tagging @arcticfoxusa on your socials!

@berlinstacy in Arctic Mist Diluter, Virgin Pink, Sunset Orange, Cosmic Sunshine, Iris Green, Aquamarine, Purple AF, Violet Dream, and Poseidon 

What is the Color Wheel?

The color wheel is a visual tool to explain and visualize the relationship between colors. When it comes to coloring hair, the color wheel is your personal hack to understand how colors will combine or cancel each other out when you’re creating your dream shade!

Understanding the color wheel will help you better understand color theory so you can better predict how specific colors will mix together and how to avoid results you weren’t expecting.

 

Color Definitions

When speaking to the color wheel, there are a few terms to know.

Primary Colors - What we learn in Kindergarten! Red, yellow and blue. These colors cannot be made from any other colors.

@erez_ivan in Poseidon 

Secondary Colors - Two primary colors mixed together that create orange, green, and violet.

@kunailuv in Sunset Orange, Cosmic Sunshine, and Purple AF 

Intermediate Colors - One primary and one secondary color mixed together: blue-violet, red-violet, red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, and blue-green.

@lilygraceglam in Blue Jean Baby, Purple AF, Violet Dream, Poseidon 

What Are Complementary Colors?

Complementary colors are two colors that live opposite each other on the color wheel. For example: violet and yellow, red and green, orange and blue.

When mixing these colors, you will get a brown shade. We receive a lot of questions around natural shades from the Fox Fam, so this color wheel hack is good to know in case you want to go back to natural color OR to avoid mixing colors or applying over faded color that might yield a muddy result.

Knowing complementary colors can also be great in creating looks that are bold and contrasting, especially for split dyes or layering colors.

@ashley.smit17 in Space Cowgirl, Aquamarine, Virgin Pink, Violet Dream, and Purple AF

@hairwaytoheavennn in Poison, Phantom Green, and Space Cowgirl

What Is Your Base?

When choosing a color, it’s important to consider how your base shade will affect the final outcome. Using the color wheel and color theory, you can have a better educated guess on what might happen or how to plan to get the result you’re looking for.

Starting From A Natural Base

Your natural hair color will affect the outcome of your look. Learn all about hair levels here and which AF colors will work best for your natural base. 

Starting From A Processed Blonde

Most Arctic Fox hair dyes will look and perform best on hair that’s a level 9 or higher, for some, that will require processing. Using the color wheel to figure out the tone of your blonde will help determine which colors to choose to get the results you want. Most natural hair colors that are bleached to blonde will start with an orange undertone and may reach a yellow/brassy color at the lightest. There are multiple ways to cancel out unwanted yellow/orange tones. One option is to use a commercial toning product found at your favorite beauty supply store. A second option is to use the color wheel and “tone” with AF colors. If your hair is leaning toward the yellow side, pre-dye using Arctic Mist Diluter and Purple AF to create an extremely diluted purple color. If your hair is leaning toward the orange side, you might try pre-dyeing with Arctic Mist Diluter and Poseidon to create an extremely diluted blue. 

@salinesimon in Arctic Mist Diluter and Aquamarine

For example, if you want a Poseidon to appear as a nice true blue, but are starting out with yellow undertones, your color might pull green. Since we know that violet is opposite the color wheel from yellow, mixing in a little bit of Purple AF may help counteract those yellow tones.

Starting From A Faded Color

If you’re a DIY dye queen, you might already have a faded color on your hair. Using color theory, you can get to the next color seamlessly without creating a muddy mess!

This video by Stella Cini is a great example of how to use color theory to get your desired color or read this blog by Thuy Pham on how she shifted her hair from green to purple.

AF Colors Charted

Each of our colors have specific undertones. Knowing where our colors fall on the color wheel, can help you make decisions on which dyes to mix to get the results you’re looking for.

@nadine.xoo in Cosmic Sunshine and Sunset Orange 

@chjango_john.n115 in Violet Dream, Cosmic Sunshine, Sunset Orange, and Virgin Pink

@angelicabarragan3 in Space Cowgirl and Neon Moon

@_kenzurrito in Poison, Purple AF, Periwinkle, Aquamarine

If you haven’t heard the good news yet, here it is… SUMMER HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN! 🥳☀️ Question is, have you decided on how you’re going to color your summer yet? Maybe you’re stuck between a couple of really great shades and just can’t decide? Well I’ve come prepared with some summer mixes, just for you 😉 

When I think of summer, I think HOT 🔥 So let’s crank up the heat with these orange and red focused mixes first. Sunset Orange is a wonderful base for this, so let’s get to mixing in some other shades.

Sunset Orange + Poison + Cosmic Sunshine 🥵 

@theeglamnaija

Sunset Orange + Wrath 🧯

@a.dragon.soul

Sunset Orange + Violet Dream  🌶️ 

@evelina.forsell

Unreal, right?! Why don’t we cool things down a bit with a few blue mixes 💧 Let's dive right in (pun intended 😏).

Poseidon + Aquamarine 🌊

@jessicamoralemusic

Aquamarine + Periwinkle + Transylvania 💙

@billiedawningle

Aquamarine + Phantom Green 🐚

@arisa_hair

Arctic Mist Diluter + Aquamarine 

@salinesimon

When you think back to how you colored your summer, what shade is going to forever bring you that summer nostalgia feeling when you see it? Is it blue? Is it pink? Maybe it’s green! ✨

The beauty of ‘color your summer’ could mean a lot of things but color expression is definitely one of them 🎨 You may be wondering “well, when I think of summer, I think of a beautiful sunset to end the perfect day with my favorite people”. To be completely honest, I couldn’t agree more. So let’s settle things down with a couple of sunset inspired mixes! 🌅 

Electric Paradise + Poison 🌺

@tamaracamps

Cosmic Sunshine + Frosé ☀️ 

@itslauren.jpg

Periwinkle + Purple AF 

@_gumshoe_

After a long day of laughter, heat and good vibes; It’s time to reminisce on the core memories you’ve built and get ready to make more during those long summer nights 🌌 Nothing says “summer nights” more than this last mix.

Using equal parts Periwinkle + Sterling with just a few drops of Blue Jean Baby and BOOM… You’ve created a masterpiece. 👩‍🎨🎨✨🤌

So how will YOU color your summer? 🌈 Let us know in the comments! And as always, if you have questions on how best to use any of our products, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. Stay foxy! 🦊 

Everyone has a bestie who celebrates their birthday MONTH (cue eye roll). Well babe, we’re that bestie and we’re going to celebrate turning 10 ALL. YEAR. LONG because it’s that monumental. We kicked off the celebration by reminding you of WTF was happening back in 2013, celebrated the colors that started it all, and even added some new rescues to our roster.

While we keep the celebration going, we wanted to hear from the Fox Fam on what they love about Arctic Fox and why you’ve stuck with us for so long, here’s what you said. 

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A post shared by Arctic Fox Hair Color (@arcticfoxhaircolor)

Keep the love coming, we truly don’t tire of your support whether it’s fire photos we see on Instagram, stunning transitions on TikTok, feedback on Facebook, or our 1:1 convos in our DMs. You keep us going and you continue to help us support animals in need across the globe. Here’s to 10 more together!

Shoutout to our AF Ambassadors - you rock!

@kreeppyy_ in Aquamarine and Periwinkle. The mermaid vibes are just....🤌

@sararoudbari rocks Cosmic Sunshine - ugh are you kidding me?! What a stunner.

@silkyorchids used Bleach, Please as to lighten her hair and then went in with Virgin Pink and Frosé for this totally hot, punk rock look!

@jessicamaiapinto shows us what a pretty blend you can achieve with Frosé and Wrath - it's giving cotton candy skies and we're in love! 

@norelle.k mixes it up with Bleach, Please - that split dye combo and the black hair is such a bold and stunning look!