The Professional Hair Colorist Guide to Modern Dip Dye & High-Contrast Money Piece Placement

The Professional Hair Colorist Guide to Modern Dip Dye & High-Contrast Money Piece Placement

Dip dye hair is an intentional color blocking technique featuring a distinct, non-blended horizontal band of contrasting color across the perimeter ends of the hair. Achieving a modern, professional dip dye combined with a high-contrast money piece requires isolating a 1- to 2-inch hairline perimeter, formulating a deposit-only base using permanent hair color mixed with high speed toners and 6 Volume developers, and applying contrasting tones directly to the tips while preserving a clean boundary gap to prevent overlapping warmth or cross-bleeding.

Dip dye hair is a coloring technique is a type of color blocking, where we only apply color to the ends of the hair, creating a bold contrast and not worrying to much of creating a gradient. You normally use Lightner & Semi Permanent hair color to create the look. Though this video we have evolved from beyond its grungy origins into a chic, intentional color-blocking statement. This technique features a distinct, non-blended horizontal band of contrasting color across the perimeter ends of the hair, often elevated with a high-contrast money piece framing the face.

For this video we Isolated a 1”-2” section along the hairline to establish our money piece face framing. Then we deposited color to the remaining hair using our Silver High-Speed Toners and FACTION8 1-1 + 6 Vol developer. Then for the framing we used #BlondeAF to lighten the new growth Once the blonding process we tone with Moon Stone High Speed toner and apply FACTION8 1-0 in mids and in the ends apply our Semi Formula Jam & Nuclear.

 

Graphic Edge Disruptors: Who This Technique Is Formulated For

• Nostalgic & Y2K Editorial Seekers: This placement is built for clients who want bold, graphic, 2016-inspired nostalgic aesthetics. Combining cool charcoal grey with stark, warm dip-dyed ends produces high visual impact without the soft gradients of a traditional balayage.
• Precision Short Hair & Bob Canvases: Short hair, blunt bobs, and structured lobs serve as ideal foundations for dip dyeing. The sharp horizontal demarcation accentuates perimeter weight lines and architectural cuts.
• High-Contrast Dual-Canvas Enthusiasts:Clients wanting multi-tonal versatility benefit from pairing an ultra-light money piece with dark charcoal grounding and vivid neon-red tips. This structure delivers visible contrast from every styling angle.

The Formula

Developed by Los Angeles platform educator Shurie Saxelby (@shurie), this technique unites a smoky charcoal base with an electric red-dipped money piece.

Shurie Saxelby (@shurie) is a Los Angeles-based hair artist, salon educator, and platform creator for Pulp Riot. Known for inventive formulation chemistry, high-contrast color placement, and technical color correction, Saxelby translates complex salon transformations into practical education that helps stylists master creative color techniques.

 

Complete Formula Breakdown

PROCESSING PHASE	PRODUCT LINE	FORMULA BREAKDOWN	RATIO & DEVELOPER	TECHNICAL PURPOSE
Formula 1 (Charcoal Grey)	High Speed Toners + FACTION8	1.5 oz Silver Toner + 1" 1-1 + 1" 1-0 + 1" 3-22	1:2 with 6 Vol. Developer	Creates a smoky, deposit-only charcoal grey canvas.
Pre-Lighten (Money Piece)	Lightener	#BlondeAF Lightener	1:2 with 6 Vol. Developer	Gently lifts the front hairline canvas to a bright blonde.
Formula 2 (Black Base Tips)	FACTION8 Permanent Hair Color	1-0 (Natural Black)	1:2 with 6 Vol. Developer	Establishes a 2- to 3-inch dark foundation block on the ends.
Formula 3 (Blonde Toning)	High Speed Toners	Moon Stone High Speed Toner	1:2 with 6 Vol. Developer	Refines and brightens the lifted money piece in 5 minutes.
Formula 4 (Red Vivid Overlay)	Semi Permanent Hair Color	Jam + Nuclear (1:1 Ratio)	Direct Application (No Developer)	Saturated over the tips for high-voltage red reflection.

Application Execution Steps

• Sectioning the Money Piece: Section out 1 to 2 inches along the hairline from fringe to nape. Clip this front perimeter away cleanly to isolate it from the back canvas.
• Pre-Lightening Blonde Blocks: Apply #BlondeAF Lightener with 20 Volume Developer to the front-left and back-right quadrants in 1/4-inch subsections. Saturate the mid-lengths and ends first, processing until lifting begins before applying to the root area for a uniform lift.
• Applying the Charcoal Grey Base: On the remaining back canvas, apply Formula 1 (Silver High Speed Toner mixed with FACTION8 1-1, 1-0, 3-22, and 6 Volume Developer). Apply this first to allow the deposit-only formula to process fully while working on the front.
• Simultaneous Lightening & Black Tip Placement: Release the clipped hairline. Working from the nape upward, apply #BlondeAF Lightener with 6 Volume Developer to the mid-lengths. Simultaneously apply FACTION8 1-0 with 6 Volume Developer to the bottom 2 to 3 inches of the tips. Maintain a 1 cm unpainted buffer space between the lightener and the black color to prevent unwanted brassy chemical bleed. Process for 30 minutes.
• Toning the Blonde: Shampoo the hair thoroughly without applying conditioner. Apply Moon Stone High Speed Toner to the lightened money piece for up to 5 minutes to create an iridescent blonde base. Rinse and dry completely.
• Applying the Red Dip Dye Overlay: Mix equal parts semi permanent hair color in Jam and Nuclear. Apply this red formula directly over the ends, extending across the dip-dyed perimeter with clean, sharp horizontal boundaries. Process for 20 minutes, then rinse with high-pressure, cold water.

Quick Comparison Chart

PERFORMANCE TRAIT	FACTION8 Permanent Color	Semi Permanent Hair Color	High Speed Toners	Developers
Formulation Role	Deep black tip anchor & charcoal mix	High-voltage red overlay	Rapid 5-minute toning & grey base	Activates oxidation & lightener
Developer Need	Required (6–40 Vol.)	None (Direct dye	Required (6 or 10 Vol.)	Pure catalyst
Cuticle Interaction	Penetrates deep into cortex	Coats cuticle & outer cortex	Outer cortex deposit	Opens cuticle layers
Demarcation Line	Sharp or blended based on brushwork	High saturation on prepped ends	Uniform surface tone	Dictates lift strength
Wash Longevity	Permanent retention	Up to 50 washes	3 to 6 weeks	Permanent shift

What Not to Do: Technical Troubleshooting & Hair Health

• Do Not Touch Lightener and Permanent Black Formula Together: Blending lightener directly into oxidative black hair color on the strand causes severe chemical heat, creating unwanted muddy red-orange banding. Always leave a 1 cm buffer zone between formulas.
• Do Not Condition Before Semi-Permanent Application: Conditioning hair immediately before applying direct dyes creates a barrier that prevents semi-permanent pigments from adhering to the hair shaft.
• Do Not Dry Brush Lightened, Compromised, or Textured Hair: Dry brushing introduces high mechanical friction that tears fragile cuticles, causes strand snapping, and ruins curl definition. Strict Exception Rule: Dry manipulation is acceptable only when using an afro pick on thoroughly conditioned, oil-lubricated textured hair to build volume, or when separating dry curls coated in a high-slip finishing oil.
• Do Not Soften the Dip Line with Vertical Feathering: Unlike balayage or ombré, dip dye requires a crisp, blocky, horizontal edge. Feathering the brush vertically weakens the signature graphic dip effect.
• Do Not Rinse High-Contrast Tones with Warm Water: Warm water swells the hair cuticle, causing dark charcoal and red dyes to bleed into pale blonde money pieces. Always rinse with high-pressure, cold water.

Pulp Riot Product Pairings for Fiber Health, Slip & Color Longevity

Executing high-contrast color blocking requires clean section separation and strong fiber support:

• For Controlled, Low-Stress Lightening: Mix #BlondeAF Lightener with 6 Volume Pulp Riot Developer at a 1:2 ratio. This delivers clean, gradual lifting on the delicate money piece zone while keeping the hair cuticle smooth.
• For 5-Minute Canvas Toning: Utilize Moon Stone High Speed Toner on damp hair after lightener removal. This neutralizes underlying yellow tones in 5 minutes without shifting the natural base.
• For Gentle Color Stripping & Clean Resets: If changing dip-dyed ends in future appointments, apply Blank Canvas mixed with 6, 10, or 20 Volume Developer to lift away direct dyes without damaging the hair fiber.
• For Anti-Breakage Vivid Saturation: Formulate vivid ends using Pulp Riot Semi-Permanent Paint featuring Anti-Overworking Technology, providing up to 86% more shine and 3x less breakage over up to 50 washes.
• For In-Salon Detangling & Friction Reduction: Never dry brush textured or lightened hair. Detangle only at the shampoo bowl while hair is coated in cool water and a rich professional conditioning mask, using a wide-tooth comb from ends to roots.