Splat Hair Dye Review: How Good (or Bad) Is It Really?

Introduction

Splat hair dye promises vibrant, long-lasting color in a variety of bright and bold shades. As a leader in alternative hair colors, Splat offers complete kits, single-use pouches, and natural formulas to help you achieve your wildest hair dreams.

But how well does it actually work? In this in-depth Splat hair dye review, I‘ll analyze the pros and cons, bestselling products, customer reviews, comparisons to competitors, and more to determine if it lives up to the hype. Stick around to see if this expressive brand is right for you!

Splat Hair Dye Overview

About the Brand

Based in California, Splat hair dye first launched in the mid-2000s as a way for people to express themselves through fun, fearless hair color. They aim to provide high-quality ingredients at affordable prices.

In 2020, Splat partnered with Warner Bros. to provide hair dye used in movies like Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad. This helped grow their brand visibility and credibility.

Today, Splat offers 23 original colors that come in various formulas: semi-permanent, temporary, natural, hair chalk, and more. Their colorpayoff is vibrant and long-lasting at 4-6 weeks. The dye itself is free of parabens, sulfates, PPDs and ammonia.

Product Lineup

Some of Splat‘s most popular items include:

Original Complete Kits: Contains hair bleach, semi-permanent color, gloves and conditioner for full transformation
Single-Use Color Packets: Allows you to mix-and-match shades
Naturals: Made with 60% certified organic extracts for subtle color
1-Wash Temporary: Lasts 1 shampoo while hair chalk offers no-commitment color play
Midnight Collection: Vibrant color without bleaching for darker hair

They also sell accessories like application brushes, shower caps, hair clips and more.

Prices

Splat hair dye ranges from $3 for a single color packet to $25 for a complete kit. Considering most kits include lightener, color, gloves and conditioner, I think these prices are very reasonable.

Their hair accessories like brushes and shower caps range from $2-8. Again, the prices seem affordable compared to quality alternatives on the market.

The Good and Bad of Splat Hair Dye

Based on my research, here is an overview of the pros and cons of using Splat hair color:

Pros

Vibrant, long-lasting color results (4-6 weeks)
23 original colors to choose from
Cruelty-free and vegan formulas
Doesn‘t contain harsh chemicals like ammonia or PPD
Affordable pricing, especially for kits
Accessible at mass retailers like Walmart and CVS
Can return opened products if unsatisfied
Ships internationally

Cons

Tends to bleed/transfer easily, especially with water exposure
Can cause skin/scalp irritation in some people
Lightener can damage hair more than regular bleach
Color doesn‘t lift dark hair well without pre-lightening
Messy and difficult to apply evenly
Long processing time (45-60 minutes)

As you can see, the vibrant colors and affordability make it appealing, but it comes with some downsides regarding bleed, damage and skin irritation.

How to Use Splat Hair Dye

Using Splat involves a few key steps:

Prep your hair by shampooing and towel drying. Put on gloves and old clothes.
Mix the color according to the instructions, usually a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio with developer.
Section your hair and use the included brush to apply dye from roots to ends.
Wait 30-60 minutes for color to process, checking frequently to avoid overlap.
Rinse and shampoo with cool water until water runs clear.
Condition using the included packet, leaving on 3-5 minutes.
Style as usual and avoid washing for 72 hours.

It‘s crucial to follow all steps carefully to avoid uneven results or irritation. Always do a patch test beforehand too.

For best results, use the complete kits with lightener if you have dark hair. And avoid wetting your hair for 1-2 weeks after dyeing to minimize bleeding.

Splat Best Sellers and Reviews

Now let‘s look at some of Splat‘s most popular shades and real customer reviews:

Splat Midnight Hair Dye

The Midnight collection is a top seller on Splat‘s website with over 900 reviews and 4/5 stars. It deposits vibrant color without pre-bleaching darker hair.

77% of buyers said they‘d recommend it to a friend for great color, easy use and longevity.

However, many complained of bleeding, being messy and damage worse than bleach. So it seems results may vary depending on your hair type and expectations.

Original Complete Kit – Pink Fetish

This beloved Pink Fetish shade has 4.5/5 stars on Amazon from over 500 reviews. Most praise its vibrant, long-lasting pink color.

One review said: "By far the BEST color I‘ve used and doesn’t fade for me."

However, the bleeding is a common complaint with this formula too. One user said: "No matter how much I try to wash any access crap that’s stuck to my scalp it just continues to bleed out."

So if you don‘t mind some bleeding for that perfect pink, it could be for you!

Additional Customer Feedback

Checking other sources beyond Splat‘s website reveals similar feedback:

Chick Advisor: 4/5 stars out of 23 reviews. 83% would recommend for lasting, vibrant color.
Influence Central: 3.2/5 stars out of 37 reviews. Lots of complaints about bleeding and damage.
Reddit: Very mixed reviews. Some love it while others say it damaged their hair severely.

So you can expect hit-or-miss results it seems. Make sure to do a patch and strand test before committing!

Splat vs. Manic Panic Comparison

Manic Panic is another popular alternative hair color brand known for its vegan formulas and vibrant shades. How does it compare to Splat?

Similarities

Both are cruelty-free and vegan
Offer a wide range of vivid, semi-permanent colors
No harsh chemicals like ammonia or peroxide
Color lasts 4-6 weeks
Can cause bleeding and transfer

Differences

Splat has complete kits but fewer color choices
Manic Panic has more colors (40+) but no kits
Splat is more affordable (kits start at $13)
Manic Panic sells individual 4 oz jars for $14

Overall, Manic Panic offers greater color variety at a higher price point, while Splat provides better value with their all-in-one kits. Pick the one that best fits your budget and goals!

Is Splat Hair Dye Worth It?

At the end of the day, is Splat worth buying for your vibrant hair dreams? In my opinion…yes!

The affordable prices, convenient kits and extensive color selection make experimenting fun and accessible. While you may risk some skin irritation or bleeding issues, the rewards of gorgeous, long-lasting color outweigh the risks for most.

Just be sure to patch test and avoid wetting your hair for 1-2 weeks after dyeing. And take care of your strands with conditioning treatments. As long as you know what to expect and prepare accordingly, Splat offers stunning colors that do the job.

Splat Hair Dye Alternatives

If Splat isn‘t your cup of tea, here are some similar vivid hair dye brands to consider:

Manic Panic
Punky Colour
Arctic Fox
Good Dye Young
Joico Color Intensity
Ion Color Brilliance

Do your research to see reviews of damage, bleeding and longevity for your hair type. And don‘t be afraid to experiment with different formulas to find "the one"!

Where to Buy Splat Hair Dye

Thanks to its mainstream popularity, Splat is accessible at tons of major retailers like:

Walmart
Target
Sally Beauty Supply
CVS Pharmacy
Amazon

You can also buy from their official website SplatHairDye.com which offers promotions like:

Buy 2 naturals, get a free gloss masque
Free shipping on $35+ orders

Final Verdict

So should you use Splat hair dye for vibrant color without breaking the bank? In most cases, yes!

Just know it may cause some scalp irritation, bleeding or fading over time. But the stellar price of their kits combined with the bold color payoff makes experimentation fun.

We gave Splat a 4 out of 5 star rating overall based on affordability, quality of ingredients and customer feedback. While not completely perfect, it delivers beautiful shades that last.

Have you tried Splat hair color before? Share your review in the comments!