Your Ultimate Guide to Green Hair Dye

Few hair colours offer the breadth and diversity of green. Eye-popping electric and neon greens. Delicate mints and pale greens. Oceanic teals and sea greens. Soft mossy and olive tones. The possibilities are truly endless, but finding the green that really gets you going depends a lot on your complexion, features and overall style.

What green hair dye is best for my skin tone?

First, let’s talk skin tone. Ideally, you want a shade of green hair colour that brightens your complexion, makes your eyes appear more vibrant, and gives your skin a healthy glow. The wrong one can leave you looking tired, flat or as though the colour is wearing you, not the other way around.

The beauty of green is that its incredible variety ensures there’s a shade to suit any skin tone:

• Pale skin: This tends to suit cooler, muted or pastel green hair, such as soft sage, mint or sea greens. But a deep emerald or forest green, such as our Alpine Green shade, also delivers a dramatic contrast. Steer clear of brighter yellow-green tones – they can make pale skin look sallow.
• Medium skin: As the most flexible skin tone, medium skin handles vivid emeralds, olives and grass greens like our own Spring Green beautifully. This is the range where you can be the most adventurous.
• Olive skin: Rich, saturated greens deliver a cleaner, more flattering contrast against olive skin’s natural yellow-green cast, with our Apple Green colour a constant favourite for people in this range.
• Dark skin: High-contrast is the way to go for darker complexions – Fluorescent Green and Fluorescent Lime are perfect here, as are bold teals and electric green hair colours. Pastels are often too subtle, so luminous green is the choice to really shine.
• Warm undertones: It is best to match warm undertones with equally warm or yellow-leaning green hair colours. Moss, olive, lime, forest and grass greens bring harmony rather than an unwanted clash.
• Cool undertones: If your skin has a pink, red or bluish cast, blue-based greens are the best option. Teal, emerald, mint, shamrock and sea green colours echo your skin’s coolness and look far more cohesive.

But remember, these are just our suggestions. We encourage you to experiment with different shades to discover the one that enhances your complexion and helps you express yourself to the fullest.

What green hair dye works with my natural colour?

Another factor in selecting a suitable green hair colour is your natural base. Lighter natural bases can accommodate practically any shade and produce a true-to-tone result. For darker bases, however, only certain shades of green will show up strongly (if at all).

For the best results, we recommend using a hair lightening kit to lift your natural hair colour before dyeing your hair green. But if you don’t want to go down this route, here is our advice:

Dyeing blonde hair green

Light blonde hair (Level 9-10) is the ideal canvas for every form of green – from the soft and subtle, to the dark and intense. This is what you need to get the most out of pastel and bright green hair colours, including:

• Mint green hair
• Neon green hair
• Lime green hair
• Sage green hair
• Seafoam green hair
• Spring green hair

One quick detail: the warm yellow tones in many natural blondes can nudge greens slightly warmer or yellowish than intended. For a cool mint, teal or alpine green, you may want to use a hair toner to neutralise yellow or brassy tones before full application.

Dyeing brown hair green

This depends on how deep your natural brown hair is. For light brown colours, mid-level green hair colours can still show up nicely, such as:

• Emerald green hair
• Shamrock green hair
• Olive green hair
• Apple green hair
• Forest green hair

For mid-brown bases, only the deepest shades of green will make an impact:

• Dark forest green hair
• Jungle green hair
• Deep emerald green hair
• Bottle green hair
• Seaweed green hair

If you’re seeking a brighter, more vivid green, lightening your hair beforehand is crucial to achieve an all-over colour transformation.

Dyeing black hair green

When applying green hair dye directly to black or very dark brown hair, only the darkest greens will appear, and likely as a shimmer or subtle hint rather than a complete shift.

In practically all circumstances, we recommend pre-lightening your natural dark hair to achieve a vivid, rich result – especially if you want to wear a bright or pastel green colour.

Found the green of your dreams? Then it’s time to unleash your new look. Here’s our short, step-by-step instructions to achieve great results when dyeing your hair green at home:

1. Start with a strand test and a skin patch test. The first shows you how the green will appear on your hair, while the second flags up any allergic reactions.
2. If you have naturally darker hair, use a hair lightening kit to lift your base to a softer, paler canvas.
3. Wash your hair with Pre Colour Shampoo. It cleanses any residue or oily buildup in your hair, while fixing its pH balance to absorb your chosen green.
4. Run a thin layer of Vaseline, baby oil or petroleum jelly along your hairline and ears, pull on a pair of gloves, and throw on dark towels or a salon cape to minimise stains.
5. Scoop the green out of the pot and into a separate mixing bowl. This makes the whole process cleaner and gives you proper control over your dye.
6. Divide your hair into sections with hair clips. Then, using a tint brush, work the colour through from the roots down, making sure no patch gets left behind.
7. Once every strand is covered, leave the dye to do its thing for 15-30 minutes – or however long your strand test indicates.
8. Rinse under cool to lukewarm water, keeping the dye away from your eyes. Continue until the water runs clear.
9. Pat your hair dry, style it however you like, and show off your bold new green.

How do I lighten green hair dye?

Prefer a pastel or minty green over a bolder, more saturated shade? Combine your selected green with a hair toner or conditioner in a mixing bowl. Because all Directions semi-permanent hair dyes are fully mixable, you can create all kinds of paler, custom colours.

How do I get green hair dye off skin?

Green fingers are for the garden, not when colouring your hair. Should any green dye get on your skin, wipe the stain with a damp cloth or cotton pad before it has a chance to sink in.

For more stubborn stains, reach for a little micellar water, a mild facial cleanser or a cleansing oil. Massage it into the spot in slow, circular motions until it begins to break down, then wash it clean with a splash of warm water.

How do I get green hair dye out of clothes or carpet?

Got green dye on your clothes? Place the stain under cold running water, starting at the back to stop the pigment from soaking in. Then dab on some liquid detergent or stain remover, give it a few minutes to sink in, and put your clothes in the wash.

Stains on carpet, upholstery or furniture need a slightly gentler touch. Start by blotting the area with a clean cloth, then go over it with a mix of warm water and a little washing-up liquid or white vinegar. Don’t scrub the stain too hard – this can spread it further, rather than lift it out.

After applying your chosen green, you want it to glow as long as possible. While every semi-permanent hair colour will fade with time, there are several steps you can take to extend your green’s grandeur:

• Prep with Pre Colour Shampoo before you dye – it resets your hair's pH so every strand is ready to take on your green tones.
• Cut back washing to 2-3 times a week – the longer you go between washes, the longer your green holds its richness and shine.
• Stick to cool or lukewarm water when washing – cooler rinses lock your colour in place, while heat opens up the cuticle.
• Choose a Colour Protecting Shampoo & Conditioner – these are formulated to slow the fade while leaving your hair soft, smooth and full of shine.
• Go easy on heating tools – frequent straightening, curling and blow-drying all speed up fading and strip away that fresh-colour glow.
• Shield your hair from the elements – long stretches under the sun, in swimming pools or in salty seawater can wash out your green shade.

How long does green hair dye last?

Directions green hair colours don’t have a specific longevity on the hair, as this is influenced by several factors, including:

• The shade of green – darker, deeper tones usually last longer than lighter, pastel ones
• Your hair’s thickness – highly porous hair often absorbs colour quickly, but may also fade more quickly

Following our tips for maintaining green hair will help your colour shine for as long as possible, while regular top-ups can help revive it when it starts to fade.

Does green hair dye damage hair?

If you care about your hair’s long-term health, our semi-permanent green hair dyes have your back. Made with nourishing, deep-conditioning ingredients that moisturise as they colour, our shades keep hair feeling soft and looking shiny, while giving your hair the vibrancy you want.

Permanent green hair dyes are often more harmful to hair. Because they contain harsh chemicals such as ammonia, peroxide and PPDs, these can make your hair brittle and more susceptible to damage.

Like our entire range of semi-permanent hair colours, all our green dyes are completely mixable. This means they can be blended to produce more diverse shades, or combined with other colours to create entirely new hues.

While we encourage you to mix, match and make our shades your own, here are a handful of pairings we think work especially beautifully with our range of greens:

• Green & blue hair dye: Blue is green’s most natural partner, pulling the shade towards teal, turquoise and peacock tones. This is the simplest, most predictable mix because you're just reinforcing one of green's own components.
• Green & yellow hair dye: Yellow pushes green towards lime, chartreuse and spring greens. Adding warmth and brightness, it can make any green feel more zingy, zesty and fresh.
• Green & black hair dye: Taking greens darker and deeper, black helps produce dimensional pine and forest greens. But remember a little goes a long way – black can easily overpower the green, so be careful with your ratios.
• Green & white hair toner: For shades such as pastel green, mint and sage, blending green with a white hair toner is the perfect partnership.
• Green & orange hair dye: A tiny amount of orange hair dye can push green towards earthy greens like olive, moss and khaki. Again, be careful – too much orange neutralises the green, leading to muddy browns or greys.

When mixing colours at home, remember:

• Use a mixing bowl and tint brushes to combine colours
• Measure your ratios carefully to get the best outcome
• Perform a strand test to try out your custom shade
• Mix a maximum of 2-3 colours at once

What hair colours go well with green hair dye?

Pairing green with the right colour in a split-dye, balayage or ombre can produce some incredibly eye-catching combinations.

Green goes well with several other shades, but here are some of our favourites for you to try out:

• Green & red hair dye: As opposite ends of the colour spectrum, green and red are a match made in heaven (especially over Christmas time).
• Green & blue hair dye: Because green and blue are neighbours on the colour wheel, the pairing feels cohesive and oceanic rather than jarring.
• Green & purple hair dye: Purple sits a little further around the wheel, so its pairing with green leads to moody, luxe looks that flatter most skin tones.
• Green & pink hair dye: Similar to red, pink produces bold, high-contrast styles, whether you go bright and vivid or soft and gentle.
• Green & yellow hair dye: Lemon and lime is a classic combo, and pairing green and yellow results in equally zesty citrus effects.
• Green & black hair dye: A block of natural or dyed black against a vivid green helps the green pop with even more punch than it can alone.

Is it time to say goodbye to the green? If you’d prefer to switch to another shade, here are a few ways to speed up the fading process:

• Wash your hair more often with hot or warm water – heat opens up the cuticles and allows colour to escape more easily
• Use a deep conditioner – smooth it through and let it sit for 10-20 minutes before rinsing to coax green pigment out of your hair
• Talk to a professional colourist – they'll point you toward the safest, most effective way to shift your green without harming your hair

Don’t use bleach or colour strippers unless advised by a professional colourist – these can dry out your hair and have unflattering results.

What colour does green hair dye fade into?

This will vary based on your chosen shade of green and your natural underlying colour, but here is how green hair dyes typically fade:

• Blue-based greens tend to fade toward a blue-grey, then to a washed-out powder blue and finally a faint grey tint
• Yellow-based greens often pass through a yellow-green or khaki stage before fading away fully
• Darker greens like forest and pine tend to soften gradually toward a muted, dusty green and end with a grey-green
• Pastel greens fade the fastest, transitioning to a faint cool blue or grey tint before disappearing entirely

What cancels out green hair dye?

Red and red-orange tones placed over green tend to counteract it, as they're opposite positions on the colour wheel. A coppery, auburn, golden, or warm-red dye will neutralise green far more effectively than a cool-toned one.

However, if attempting to cancel out your green hair, we suggest speaking to a salon professional to achieve this rather than trying it yourself at home.