Tips For Dyeing Hair Purple
So, you want to go purple? What’ll it be? A full head of lavender, a two-tone mauve dip-dye, or a berry-whisked balayage look? Let’s look at your options, based on your existing hair colour and daredevil level.
Pamper before going purple
Indeed, pampering your hair before any colour transformation is vital for getting a gorgeous shade that lasts. If you’re using bleach or lightener, it’s especially important to make sure your hair is in its best condition before colouring as these products can dry out your hair.
In the few washes leading up to dyeing your hair, apply a nourishing hair mask in addition to, or in place of your usual conditioner to lock as much moisture as possible into your tresses. Our L’Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Mask is one of our favourite choices for injecting some moisturising TLC and protecting your soon-to-be coloured locks.
Preparing to dye your hair purple
Before you start to dye your hair purple, proper preparation is key. Experimenting with any bright colour dye has the potential to get a little messy, and – as well as getting the look you want – you really don’t want to be ruining your best towels or your favourite outfit.
1. Start with dry, unwashed hair (we recommend not washing your hair for at least 24 hours before colouring it) and tease out all tangles with a brush or comb so your hair is sleek and without snags.
2. Using a comb or your fingers, part hair into two sections and then divide in half again to give you four easy-to-manage sections. Have clips at the ready to secure three out of the four sections up until you’re ready for them.
3) Put on an old t-shirt, cover your shoulders with an old towel, and don’t forget to put on the gloves included in our dye kits (unless you’re after that just-been-chopping-beetroot look, of course).
4) You’re ready to colour!
Dyeing dark brown hair purple
OK brunette babes, we have some good and bad news. We’ll get the bad out of the way first; unlike our blonde and redhead sisters, chestnut shades are typically more stubborn to shift in colour. This means you’ll have to lighten your hair a lot if a pastel lilac shade is your desired look. The good news is that, unlike blondes, you have the choice of either a dark plum or a light violet shade.
The simplest way for a brunette to venture into the purple palette is with the Colorista Violet Permanent Hair Dye, which creates a rich aubergine shade.
If you’re going for a lighter shade of purple, you’ll want to start with our Colorista Effects Bleach to create the perfect base for your Colorista Washout semi-permanent colour. Simply follow the directions on the packet – apply to your full head, or the lower part of your hair for a dip-dye look – and follow with our Colorista Washout in Purple to rock those lavender locks. This lasts 5-7 shampoos so is perfect for a low commitment colour switch up.
Dyeing blonde hair purple
When it comes to dying your hair purple, it’s all great news for you platinum and honey blonde ladies. You already have a great base to begin your blonde-to-bold colour transformation! If you want a purer pastel look, give your blonde a burst with our Colorista Effects Bleach before you reach for the colour.
Using our semi-permanent Colorista Washout in Purple, apply the dye all over your hair – or just on the ends for a dip-dyed look. Depending on the shade you’re going for, here are our suggested developing times:
● Pastels: leave on for 15 minutes, or 20 minutes for more vibrancy.
● Vivids: leave on for 20 minutes, or 30 minutes for more vibrancy.
Purple hair looks
The ‘Undone’ Look
Achieve an effortless, rock chick-inspired style by leaving the width of about two fingers of roots uncoloured. Apply the dye to your hair in two sections, working through each layer until hair is fully covered, not forgetting the back! Grab a friend’s help (or an extra mirror if you’re on a solo mission) to make sure you cover all the hair at the back of your head.
The ‘Ombré / Dip-Dye’ Look
Divide your hair into two sections (think iconic Baby Spice bunches) and apply the purple colour to your lengths from ears to tips for longer hair, or to a few inches on the ends if your hair is bob length or shorter.
Use vertical brush strokes to blend the colour into the area where you want the colour to transition for a flawless and natural-looking ombre-style graduation. For more of a stark, dip-dyed contrast, use horizontal strokes to apply the colour and create a defined line instead of a gradual transition.
Focus on the tips and massage in the colour so that your hair is fully saturated, and then repeat on the second ‘bunch’. Leave the colour to develop for the time needed to achieve your desired intensity.
Keeping your purple hair vibrant
If you want to keep your semi-permanent colour for as long as possible, great rules of thumb for maintaining bright hair colour include staying out of the sun and avoiding swimming in chlorinated water.
To keep colour vibrant for longer you can also wash hair in cooler water than usual, only using a small amount of shampoo to focus on the roots so the lengths can really cling onto that colour.
When it comes to shampoo, look for a product that’s specifically designed for coloured hair to gently cleanse while injecting nourishment and adding strength. L’Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Low Shampoo is the perfect purple partner. It has no sulphates* and is enriched with Linseed Oil.
Protecting your hair against heat styling will also prolong the colour, so make sure you use a protective spray before blow-drying, such as our Elnett Heat Protect Spray Smooth Blow Dry.
And finally… if you’re finally done with your purple locks, then our Colorista Color Fader Shampoo will fade that colour fast to make way for your next bold shade.
*No sulphate surfactants
Indeed, pampering your hair before any colour transformation is vital for getting a gorgeous shade that lasts. If you’re using bleach or lightener, it’s especially important to make sure your hair is in its best condition before colouring as these products can dry out your hair.
In the few washes leading up to dyeing your hair, apply a nourishing hair mask in addition to, or in place of your usual conditioner to lock as much moisture as possible into your tresses. Our L’Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Mask is one of our favourite choices for injecting some moisturising TLC and protecting your soon-to-be coloured locks.
Preparing to dye your hair purple
Before you start to dye your hair purple, proper preparation is key. Experimenting with any bright colour dye has the potential to get a little messy, and – as well as getting the look you want – you really don’t want to be ruining your best towels or your favourite outfit.
1. Start with dry, unwashed hair (we recommend not washing your hair for at least 24 hours before colouring it) and tease out all tangles with a brush or comb so your hair is sleek and without snags.
2. Using a comb or your fingers, part hair into two sections and then divide in half again to give you four easy-to-manage sections. Have clips at the ready to secure three out of the four sections up until you’re ready for them.
3) Put on an old t-shirt, cover your shoulders with an old towel, and don’t forget to put on the gloves included in our dye kits (unless you’re after that just-been-chopping-beetroot look, of course).
4) You’re ready to colour!
Dyeing dark brown hair purple
OK brunette babes, we have some good and bad news. We’ll get the bad out of the way first; unlike our blonde and redhead sisters, chestnut shades are typically more stubborn to shift in colour. This means you’ll have to lighten your hair a lot if a pastel lilac shade is your desired look. The good news is that, unlike blondes, you have the choice of either a dark plum or a light violet shade.
The simplest way for a brunette to venture into the purple palette is with the Colorista Violet Permanent Hair Dye, which creates a rich aubergine shade.
If you’re going for a lighter shade of purple, you’ll want to start with our Colorista Effects Bleach to create the perfect base for your Colorista Washout semi-permanent colour. Simply follow the directions on the packet – apply to your full head, or the lower part of your hair for a dip-dye look – and follow with our Colorista Washout in Purple to rock those lavender locks. This lasts 5-7 shampoos so is perfect for a low commitment colour switch up.
Dyeing blonde hair purple
When it comes to dying your hair purple, it’s all great news for you platinum and honey blonde ladies. You already have a great base to begin your blonde-to-bold colour transformation! If you want a purer pastel look, give your blonde a burst with our Colorista Effects Bleach before you reach for the colour.
Using our semi-permanent Colorista Washout in Purple, apply the dye all over your hair – or just on the ends for a dip-dyed look. Depending on the shade you’re going for, here are our suggested developing times:
● Pastels: leave on for 15 minutes, or 20 minutes for more vibrancy.
● Vivids: leave on for 20 minutes, or 30 minutes for more vibrancy.
Purple hair looks
The ‘Undone’ Look
Achieve an effortless, rock chick-inspired style by leaving the width of about two fingers of roots uncoloured. Apply the dye to your hair in two sections, working through each layer until hair is fully covered, not forgetting the back! Grab a friend’s help (or an extra mirror if you’re on a solo mission) to make sure you cover all the hair at the back of your head.
The ‘Ombré / Dip-Dye’ Look
Divide your hair into two sections (think iconic Baby Spice bunches) and apply the purple colour to your lengths from ears to tips for longer hair, or to a few inches on the ends if your hair is bob length or shorter.
Use vertical brush strokes to blend the colour into the area where you want the colour to transition for a flawless and natural-looking ombre-style graduation. For more of a stark, dip-dyed contrast, use horizontal strokes to apply the colour and create a defined line instead of a gradual transition.
Focus on the tips and massage in the colour so that your hair is fully saturated, and then repeat on the second ‘bunch’. Leave the colour to develop for the time needed to achieve your desired intensity.
Keeping your purple hair vibrant
If you want to keep your semi-permanent colour for as long as possible, great rules of thumb for maintaining bright hair colour include staying out of the sun and avoiding swimming in chlorinated water.
To keep colour vibrant for longer you can also wash hair in cooler water than usual, only using a small amount of shampoo to focus on the roots so the lengths can really cling onto that colour.
When it comes to shampoo, look for a product that’s specifically designed for coloured hair to gently cleanse while injecting nourishment and adding strength. L’Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Low Shampoo is the perfect purple partner. It has no sulphates* and is enriched with Linseed Oil.
Protecting your hair against heat styling will also prolong the colour, so make sure you use a protective spray before blow-drying, such as our Elnett Heat Protect Spray Smooth Blow Dry.
And finally… if you’re finally done with your purple locks, then our Colorista Color Fader Shampoo will fade that colour fast to make way for your next bold shade.
*No sulphate surfactants