Hair dye

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Wylla Manderly dyes her hair a garish green. © Eluas
Daario Naharis dyes his hair blue. © / Steamey

Hair dye is a cosmetic used by characters in A Song of Ice and Fire to colour their hair and beards, sometimes the colours used can be quite outrageous, such as blue[1], purple[1][2], green,[3][2] scarlet,[4] pink,[5] and orange.[6]

About

Hair dye is more fashionable in the Free Cities especially amongst the Tyroshi,[7][8] which is a major supplier of hair dye. There, a unique variety of sea snail was discovered not long after the city was founded. These snails secreted a substance that, when properly treated, yielded a dye that soon became very fashionable among the nobility of Valyria. This led to merchants traveling to Tyrosh by the thousands. Tyroshi dyers quickly learned to produce different colors of dyes by varying the diet of the snails.[8]

In Pentos, some of their men dye, oil,[9] and fork their beards.[10]

Some characters dye their hair not for the sake of fashion but in order to disguise themselves.[11][12] Bright colored hair dyes are not that common in Westeros.[13]

History

After the death of her brother-husband, Prince Aegon the Uncrowned, Princess Rhaena Targaryen dyed the silver hair of their twins daughters, Aerea and Rhaella, to escape from King Maegor I Targaryen. However, the ploy did not worked and the girls were found by Tyanna of the Tower, one of Maegor's wives.[14]

In 50 AC, Aerea's hair were dyed in muddy brown by order of her grandmother, Queen Regent Alyssa Velaryon, to desguise her as a common girl and not be found by Ser Ronnal Baratheon.[13]

Racallio Ryndoon dyed his long hair and beard purple, his favorite color, with orange streaks.[6]

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

Septa Eglantine puts brown dye in Myrcella Baratheon’s hair when they are aboard the Seaswift, on the way to Braavos. She tells Mycella that it is a game, but Myrcella realised that it was meant to keep her safe in case the ship was taken by her uncle Stannis.[15]

A Storm of Swords

Lysa Tully tells Sansa Stark she looks too much like her mother and that in order to disguise her, her hair will have to be darkened before she is brought to the Eyrie.[16]

Sansa Stark has to dye her hair before arriving in the Eyrie. © FFG

A Feast for Crows

In the Eyrie Alayne Stone dyes her hair with a wash given to her by her aunt Lysa. The wash comes from Tyrosh, across the narrow sea. It changes her own rich auburn into a burnt brown, but it is seldom long before the red begins creeping back at the root. Alayne worries what she will do when the dye runs out.[17]

The captain of the Huntress tells Samwell Tarly that ironmen captured a Tyroshi merchantman on the straits a fortnight ago. They killed her crew donned their clothes and used the dyes they found to colour their whiskers half a hundred colours meaning to sneak into Oldtown - but the oarsmaster of the Lady of the Tower was able to detect this trap.[12]

Cersei observes the Blue Bard noticing that he even dyes his hair blue.[18]

A Dance with Dragons

Tyrion Lannister meets Griff and young Griff, father and son who have dyed blue hair.[11] Young Giff is later revealed to be Prince Aegon Targaryen in disguise. The blue dye helped to make his purple eyes look blue.[19]

In Volon Therys, Prince Aegon dyes his hair a deep dark blue which makes his purple eyes look blue as well Jon Connington notes.[19]

Daenerys Targaryen’s paramour Daario Naharis dyes his hair back to blue to please her.[1]

Some characters who dye their hair

Historical characters

During A Song of Ice and Fire

Quotes

My mother was a lady of Tyrosh. I dye my hair in memory of her.[11]

Young Griff's lie to Tyrion

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 43, Daenerys VII.
  2. 2.0 2.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 14, Brienne III.
  3. 3.0 3.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 19, Davos III.
  4. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 26, Samwell III.
  5. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 17, Cersei IV.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Voyage of Alyn Oakenfist.
  7. Bad parameter 1: "AFOT" is not a recognized work
  8. 8.0 8.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Free Cities: The Quarrelsome Daughters: Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh.
  9. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 3, Daenerys I.
  10. A Game of Thrones: d20-based Open Gaming RPG.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 8, Tyrion III.
  12. 12.0 12.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 45, Samwell V.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Fire & Blood, A Surfeit of Rulers.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
  15. 15.0 15.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 21, The Queenmaker.
  16. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 80, Sansa VII.
  17. 17.0 17.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 23, Alayne I.
  18. 18.0 18.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 39, Cersei IX.
  19. 19.0 19.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 24, The Lost Lord.
  20. Fire & Blood, The Year of the Three Brides - 49 AC.
  21. The Mystery Knight.
  22. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 71, Daenerys VI.
  23. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 15, Davos II.
  24. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 18, Catelyn IV.
  25. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 13, Arya II.
  26. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 47, Tyrion X.