Review of Jerome Russell Punky Hair Dye

Sometimes I color my hair--and sometimes I like to be bold about it. As a natural brunette with blond and red tones in my hair, I've been told that I must bleach my hair prior to dyeing it to achieve full effect. From what I've seen in the hairdresser's chair and out of the box, this is true--with one exception--Jerome Russell Punky hair dye.



I first learned about Punky from my friend Michelle Miller. I was visiting Michelle in the Lynchburg, Virginia area when she took me to a local hippie store called Easter Island. Michelle is great with hair and makeup, so I trusted her recommendation when she pointed to the Punky dye.

When I selected Jerome Russell Punky dye at Easter Island, I chose the "Poppy Red" color. The product line includes multiple shades. The product comes in small jars. I took the hair dye back home with me to New Jersey. I was working in an office at the time, so I couldn't really dye my hair with a 'loud' color.

Once I started working for myself, I was able to be a bit more funky. As part of my job functions, I wear costumes and attend conventions, so having a funky hair color was a bit more acceptable. I decided to use the dye.

Michelle warned me that this type of hair dye stains everything--but that it's extremely effective on the hair. Most of the reviews I found online praised the product but also warned about the staining.

The product does stain, though I found that it is removable from bathroom surfaces with multiple washes using bleach and bleach-based products. My fair skin, however, is not something I can bleach. It takes four or more showers before the product is removed from the skin. Accidental splotches come off fairly quickly with a bit of scrubbing.

I used my ungloved hands to wash my hair free of the dye in the shower. This was my big mistake. Not only did the hair dye stain my hands, it also ran down my body with the water, staining the center of my chest, backs of my legs, back and neck. The dye also remained on the scalp for about three washes.

With each wash, I made sure to wash my hair until the water ran clear. Fortunately, the dye did not stain my navy blue towels, black shirt or my gold and diamond rings.

I'm married, so my husband and I had a laugh with the dyed skin. However, I would have been horrified and self-conscious if I were single and going out on a date soon after dyeing my hair with Punky.

If you want to look your best for a date, wedding or special event, make sure to dye your hair a few days prior to the event. Fortunately, I was able to stay home or hang out with family and friends after dyeing my hair with Punky colors--it's not something I'd risk doing very close to a special event.

The texture of Punky hair dye is creamy. It also has a pleasant smell and does not smell like caustic chemicals. My dogs still held a strong dislike to the smell even though I did not mind it. This dye doesn't make me sneeze or make my eyes burn. Also, it doesn't burn my skin.

The color itself holds extremely well. On my hair, the look close to the actual color of the dye when it's in the bottle. During the coloring process, the red dyes turn bright pink.

Both the "Poppy Red" and "Wine Red" colors are extremely vibrant. Though they do fade with washing, I was amazed to find how natural the fade seemed at the end considering the vibrancy of the colors.

I highly recommend Jerome Russell Punky hair dye. In addition to the effectiveness of the dye and the pleasant smell, it usually retails for under $10.