Hair color trends come and go, but there’s one bold dye job that continues to come back—and for good reason: split hair. There are so many variations to the two-tone hair color trend, and that’s what makes it so interesting. “The split hair trend, or as I like to call it, ‘two-faced,’ is a two-toned color look, with one color tone on one half of the head and another color on the other,” says colorist and #mydentity brand founder Guy Tang.
Split hair can be as dramatic as black and white, as subtle as blonde and platinum blonde, or as colorful as red and blue or pastel shade. “I think [split hair] is popping up because over the past year people have been increasingly open to getting creative and taking risks,” says Tang. Here’s everything you need to know about the split hair color trend you’re seeing all over your Instagram feed.
Meet the Expert
Guy Tang is a “hair activist” and #mydentity brand founder.
Here’s How Guy Tang Creates a Split Hair Color:
1. Bleach where you need it.
In order for bold colors to show up as vivid as you see in the mixing bowl, they need to be applied over bleached hair. If you’re touching up a former bleach job, he’ll just apply bleach at the roots. If you’re starting from scratch, this will be a much longer process.
2. Mix multiple shades.
Tang hand blends multiple shades of his #mydentity hair color to create a color range that’s richer at the roots and a lighter pastel towards the ends. But depending on the two-tone vibe you’re going for, the colors might differ.
3. Give your hair a bond-building boost.
After rinsing out the bleach, Tang likes to use a bond building treatment to keep the hair strong and healthy (remember, bleach can be incredibly drying and damaging, so he doesn’t skip this step!).
4. Section the hair.
He’ll split your hair where the two colors meet, then clip up one side so it’s out of the way as he begins the application.
5. Let the color process.
He’ll let the dye sit in your hair to fully process, then he rinses it out thoroughly before he applies shampoo and conditioner.
Can I DIY the split hair color trend?
Because there are so many risks that come with bleach, Tang recommends always going to the salon for hair dye this bold. “I would definitely recommend you go to a professional for this look instead of trying at home, especially if your hair is already compromised or damaged,” he says. But there are ways to get the split hair look at home with less risk.
If your hair is already lightened, there’s less risk to your strands to play around with hair color. You can even add professional hair dye to your conditioner for a less intense finished product that will fade quicker. And your hair doesn’t have to be ultra-blonde to try this. Colors such as dark purple and red look gorgeous on brunettes. But for pastel hues, you’ll have to be pretty blonde to start. Otherwise, what colors you use and the placement of the shades is up to you. “My biggest tip is to always shampoo with cold water,” adds Tang. “Otherwise, the colors will bleed.”
Split Hair Color Ideas to Inspire Your Next Look:
1. Pink and Orange
Utah-based colorist Steph Powell took her client’s blonde hair to this incredible pink and orange look. Who would have thought those two bright shades would look so incredible together?
2. Purple and Blue
Tang used his own hair color line to create this dye job consisting of two purple shades and two blue shades to get the perfect hues. Of course, he needed to add bleach to her roots first, lifting her natural hair color so the results are even. The results are flawless.
3. Split Bangs
The split hair trend can even be subtle, like this dirty blonde and platinum dye job. The colors look even cooler front and center in the form of bangs.
4. Purple Passion
Split hair doesn’t have to be 50/50. Atlanta colorist Ashley Thacker dyed a quarter of her client’s hair purple, as well as a section of hair on the opposite side. She left the rest of her hair dark brown for a creative take on the trend.
5. Watermelon Vibes
Although colorist Vicki from Stan Parente Salons in Washington calls herself a “stylist in training,” we’d say she nailed this pastel dye job. The pink and green shades make her client’s hair resemble candy in the best way ever.
6. Curly Contrast
It seems split hair looks even more incredible on curls! Denver colorist Brea Renee bleached a quarter of her client’s hair and dyed it light pink. She also gave her this trendy shag haircut.
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