Manic Panic Colors Guide | Manic Panic Reviews

Vampire Red is an intense, rich shade that looks incredible on medium and dark skin tones. If you’ve bleached your hair before applying Vampire Red, expect a very bright color that is far more vivid than any naturally red hair. Some users with hair that’s been lightened beforehand even get a pinkish tinge with this shade. For brunettes who want to try a Manic Panic red without lightening beforehand, this shade is a great choice that will still yield vibrant color results. Some of the most common comparisons are Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Rihanna’s luscious red-haired looks. Vampire Red is bold and unmistakable even without lightening beforehand, giving you color that’s anything but subtle.

For a dark style that will have your hair looking like lustrous red velvet, try Vampire Red over unbleached brown or natural blonde hair. This is a perfect look for a first experience with Manic Panic color or for anyone looking for a color that’s a little more low-key than something like blue or green.

For a hairstyle that’s soft but impressive, Cotton Candy Pink is the perfect girly shade. On bleached hair, this product comes out as quite vibrant, and definitely more saturated than a pastel pink. Although most users love their initial look with this shade, it tends to be one of the fastest fading Manic Panic colors, even on porous recently bleached hair. Because the color isn’t dark to begin with, faded Cotton Candy Pink may begin to look orange as your bleached hair begins to show. Manic Panic’s easy apply color isn’t difficult to refresh frequently, but you should factor the cost into your decision before choosing this look.

Cotton Candy Pink can also be used to create a subtle rose gold look on hair that’s already a golden blonde shade. Use conditioner to dilute the Manic Panic color, and check your strands every 10 minutes until you’ve reached your desired shade. We love how soft this look is, and it’s perfect for a low commitment introduction to Manic Panic color.

Hot Hot Pink is great for an intensely feminine look that’s much darker than Cotton Candy Pink. If you want a vibrant pink without bleaching your red, blonde, or light brown hair, this shade does an impressive and vibrant job.

Purple Haze is an intense color that comes out as this bright violet when used over bleached hair. We absolutely love this shade on women with olive complexions or on anyone with yellow undertones in their skin and helps to bring out both green and brown eyes. Royal purple is a great way to describe this color. It looks regal when worn with gold accents, but can also feel mystical when paired with an edgy wardrobe and crystal pendant accessories.

As Purple Haze fades, it will turn into a silvery lilac color. This can be annoying if you were hoping to keep a very saturated look for a long time, but getting a trendy lavender look may be a bonus for some users.

An intense blue that’s got a hint of turquoise, Voodoo Blue has become one of Manic Panic’s most sought-after products for wearing your hair in a cool color. On bleached hair, Voodoo Blue is one of the most dynamic shades in the Manic Panic arsenal, working well against fair, medium, and dark complexions. This also happens to be one of Manic Panic’s longest lasting colors, and it’s a great choice for anyone who wants a turquoise look that won’t immediately fade to green.

Many people use Manic Panic for all-over color application, but it can also be used to create incredibly chic looking highlights. This Voodoo Blue ombre against natural black hair is one of the most sophisticated uses of a Manic Panic color and will continue to look great even as the dye fades.

Shocking Blue is Manic Panic’s truest blue shade, making it a nice choice if you’re after blue hair that doesn’t have purple or green undertones (but beware that using Shocking Blue on orangey hair can give you a green look). The rich jewel tone of this shade looks really nice up against darker base colors and is a great shade of blue for anyone with lighter skin who doesn’t want to look pale or washed out. Shocking Blue is a fairly long-lasting shade, and it fades out nicely to a baby blue color when used over bleached blonde hair.

Shocking Blue also looks great against natural brunette base colors and can be used sparingly like in these highlighted bangs. Shocking Blue can tend to look murky when used on unbleached hair that’s medium or dark brown, but pre-lightening creates this beautiful shade of royal blue.

Rockabilly Blue is Manic Panic’s version of a blue/purple hybrid. The name and color of the bottle can be misleading to anyone who was hoping for a true blue shade (we recommend Shocking Blue on bleached hair for a more primary blue look). Rockabilly Blue also tends to fade out quite quickly and can have trouble adhering to strands, even ones that have been bleached beforehand. So if you’re looking for a quick blue experiment this may be the color for you, but a true blue or more long-lasting color can be achieved with either Shocking or Voodoo Blue.

Although Rockabilly Blue tends to fade quickly, it’s a gorgeous choice against medium brown and golden skin tones. If you’ve already implemented a Co-wash haircare strategy on your natural hair, Rockabilly Blue will stick around longer than on hair that’s traditionally shampooed. If you want a bold color like Rockabilly Blue without damaging your natural hair with bleach, you can apply a Manic Panic color on human hair extensions before installing them.

The darkest and sultriest of all Manic Panic’s blue shades, After Midnight is perfect for getting in touch with your goth-glam side. If working with unbleached brown hair, expect this shade to look very dark when initially applied, to the point that some describe it as blue-black. For a deep sapphire blue like the pictured style, use After Midnight on hair that’s bleached or naturally blonde, and watch it fade to a brighter electric blue after several washes. Some people with hair that’s been dyed permanently black like to use After Midnight to create a blue-black sheen on their hair, but it can wash out quite quickly when being applied over permanent color.

Green Envy is Manic Panic’s most true green shade, and a great choice to use for all-over color or some sneaky peekaboo highlights. Bleaching is required to achieve the vibrant results pictured here, but this look proves that a little green color goes a long way.

For light turquoise hair that’s the stuff of cartoon characters and magical mermaids, Atomic Turquoise is undoubtedly one of Manic Panic’s funnest shades. Unlike some of the darker options, this is one of the colors that should really be used on bleached hair for best results. It can look dull and murky on hair that’s anywhere from dark blonde to medium brown, and won’t show much at all on anything darker. Because your hair will be quite light after Atomic Turquoise is applied, the fading process can happen quite quickly. In many cases Voodoo Blue can be used to create a style that starts out as darker turquoise but will eventually fade into a color that’s very similar to Atomic Turquoise.

This is an example of what Atomic Turquoise looks like when applied directly over unbleached medium brown hair. It’s quite different from the pre-lightened style, but creates a dark greenish-brown palette that’s an interesting blend of natural shades and a dark, gothic vibe. Give it a try if you want to turn your hair into a darker greenish-brown, but be aware that shades like Enchanted Forest and Green Envy will reveal very similar results.

True to its name, Ultra Violet is a straight-up shock of bright violet that’s one of the most fantasy-inspired of all Manic Panic shades. It works as a dramatic color against fair complexions, but also looks incredible on women with darker skin that has golden undertones. Like most purple dyes, Ultra Violet tends to fade quickly but turns into a greyish lavender shade that can look quite chic. So if your heart’s desire is an incredibly intense purple, be prepared to reapply Ultra Violet on a regular basis. Nourishing Manic Panic won’t damage your hair, but frequent reapplications could end up costing more than you’d like.

Although this Ultra Violet style is still very intense, it’s been slightly softened by diluting the dye with conditioner before applying. This is a good strategy to use with darker Manic Panic colors, and can help to stretch your product out longer. Applying a less saturated dye means your color may fade quicker, but you can use your leftovers to frequently refresh your look.

If you thought Manic Panic was only for teenage hair experiments, Enchanted Forest is the shade to change your mind. This deep dye is more of a blue-green shade of teal than pure emerald green, making it perfect for creating an ultra-trendy teal masterpiece. Applying Enchanted Forest over medium or dark brown hair will give you a very dark color that looks more green than teal, but this approach tends to fade out quite quickly, and can leave you left with a muddy looking mane until the Manic Panic washes out completely.

If you want more blues to show in your Enchanted Forest style, use this shade over hair that’s been bleached to a very pale blonde. This dark teal look is one of the biggest emerging trends in bold hair colors, and looks gorgeous on an impressively wide range of skin tones.

Electric Amethyst is a gorgeous shade of intense lavender straight out of the tub, making it a good choice for anyone who doesn’t want to start with a darker purple that will eventually fade to lavender. Anyone with a very pale complexion can pull this color off beautifully, but it also looks incredible against darker skin tones.

For lovely silvery hair that’s the perfect blend between futuristic and antique, use Manic Panic’s Blue Steel. To get a style that’s more silver than grey, we recommend using Blue Steel over hair that’s been bleached and toned. If you want less of a blue tone in your style, dilute Blue Steel with conditioner.

Blue Steel can also be used undiluted on bleached hair to achieve this striking blue-grey style. Most users report having a fairly blue looking style that eventually fades out into more of a medium to light granny grey.

Feeling adventurous? Another way to get grey locks is to mix Raven with Manic Panic Pastelizer or conditioner before applying it to hair. You’ll only need a very small amount of Raven color to achieve this look (think a few drops for several ounces of conditioner), but you should be working with hair that’s been toned close to white to achieve this edgy gunmetal grey color.

Amethyst Ashes is one of Manic Panic’s newest colors. This incredibly chic purplish-grey shade is a limited edition color that won’t be around for long. While Amethyst Ashes looks quite purple when it’s first applied, washing will see this color fade nicely into a tinged grey, especially when applied over very pale hair that’s been toned.

Impossibly beautiful white-blonde hair can be yours with Manic Panic’s Flash Lightning kit and Virgin Snow Toner. Once you’ve bleached your hair to a pale yellow, Virgin Snow uses purple tones to counteract any brassy hues that remain. For best results, leave the toner on for as long as possible, keeping in mind that Virgin Snow (or any other toner) won’t leave you with white hair unless your strands were already sufficiently lightened. Dark hair often requires more than one bleaching session before it can be toned into a white blonde style, meaning you may have to spend a few weeks with an orangey in-between shade. Take extra care if you decide to use the Manic Panic Amplified Flash Lightning kit with 40 volume developer, as this creates a strong bleaching product with more potential to damage your hair.

Luckily for you, Manic Panic’s popularity means it’s not hard to find at a variety of retailers. Some of the most well-known carriers include:

• Sally Beauty
• Target
• Walgreens
• Hot Topic

Because Manic Panic has a wide range of products that come in over 40 different colors, your nearest drug store or beauty supply shop may not carry the exact product that you’re looking for. If you’re after something specific, check online with one of the above retailers, or head to Amazon, where just about every Manic Panic product is available.

Manic Panic’s semi-permanent colors are easy enough to use, and you’ll feel like a pro after one or two applications. To apply Manic Panic hair dye, follow these steps:

Manic Panic Hair Dye  – Bleaching

For an incredibly vibrant Manic Panic color, you’ll need to bleach your hair beforehand. You can use Manic Panic’s Flash Lightning Kit (it comes with bleach, developer, gloves, mixing tub, and tint brush) or another lightening kit.

• Mix bleach and developer together, then apply bleach to all sections of hair that you want to have a bright Manic Panic color on. Check your hair every 10 minutes, and rinse bleach when the hair has been lightened to a pale yellow or after 60 minutes, whichever comes first. After bleach is washed out, thoroughly dry your hair.
• Before opening a tub of Manic Panic color, thoroughly prep the area to prevent staining. This dye can stain your skin, clothes, and surfaces like bathroom counters and walls. Apply petroleum jelly to your hairline, ears, and neck to make it easier to remove excess dye from your skin.
• Apply Manic Panic straight out of the tub, liberally covering any part of your hair that you want to color.
• Once you’ve saturated your hair with Manic Panic dye, leave it on for as long as possible. We’d recommend at least an hour, but longer times will almost always yield brighter results. Because Manic Panic is a semi-permanent conditioning color, the only potential danger with leaving this dye on longer is in the surfaces you might stain. We recommend covering your hair with a plastic cap and using old towels to cover any nearby surfaces.
• After your chosen length of time has elapsed, rinse your hair using cool or lukewarm water. For more vibrant looks don’t shampoo your hair right after application, as this can cause your fresh color to fade.
• Congratulations! You’re now the proud owner of a bold Manic Panic style.

Manic Panic’s color can last anywhere from 2-6 weeks, depending on a few factors.

Bleached vs virgin hair: Expect color to last significantly longer on bleached hair that is porous and ready to soak up Manic Panic color.

Washing: Each time you wet or shampoo your hair is an opportunity to lose some of your color. For longer-lasting looks, wash your hair less often, with sulfate-free shampoo in lukewarm or cool water.

Manic Panic Shade: Different Manic Panic shades appear to last for different lengths of time. Our above reviews aim to give you a general idea of how long these shades last, but remember to factor in individual differences.

Manic Panic Product: Manic Panic’s colors come in the original High Voltage Classic Cream formula and a stronger, longer-lasting Amplified Formula. If your ultimate goal is a vibrant, long-lasting color, it’s worth shelling out a few extra dollars for the Manic Panic Amplified dye.

Remember that if your color is fading, applying more Manic Panic dye (either on its own or diluted with conditioner) won’t cause any damage to your hair.

If you want to add a subtle sheen to your dark hair, applying Manic Panic without using bleach is a definite possibility. Your color won’t be intensely vibrant, but can still turn heads. We recommend going for darker shades, as lighter ones might not show up at all on darker strands.

Some of our favorite Manic Panic colors for applying over dark hair are:

• Amplified Vampire Red
• After Midnight blue
• Enchanted Forest
• Hot Hot Pink
• Purple Haze

For extra help in figuring out how Manic Panic will look over your current shade, this color chart provides swatches of what Manic Panic will look like over bleached, dark blonde, brown, and dark brown/black hair.

More Manic Panic Hair Color Styles and Ideas

For all you red lovers out there, this bold Vampire color is a must-try!

If you like glowy bright and neon, then the Manic Panic Electric Lizard shade is the one for you!

Manic Panic Fuschia Shock hair dye is a gorgeous deep Fuschia shade that’s just so unique!

If silver is your color Manic Panic Blue Steel is a great choice. The soft pastel and grunge haircut create a sophisticated and edgy look.

If you like to get a unique look, choose two of your favorite colors to create this Ombre-like style.

This side-swept bob style looks great in green Manic Panic Enchanted Forest color!

Mixing two manic Panic colors is a great trick if you want to get a more dynamic tone and the colors look even prettier as they get lighter.

Another bright and bold red is the Pillarbox shade. Stunning!

If you want to create a rainbow look, this manic panic color combo creates a beautiful new texture and hues.

Bold colors like the Rockabilly Blue will look great with braided style. This blue and gray color mix is so unique and beautiful!

We are head over heels with this bold Manic Panic Purple Magenta color!

Jazz up your look by adding curl and volume to your hair.

Another gorgeous blue shade by Manic Panic that looks absolutely stunning with braided hair.

Beautiful deep Purple Haze color on natural short curls.

The grey hair trend is still here and not going anywhere! We love this shiny grey shade and it goes well both on blonde or dark hair.

Split natural brown and manic panic fiery hair colors – stunning and so unique!

The Manic Panic Cleo rose shade is a bit similar to the Fuschia shade but much more vibrant and bold!