Pastel purple hair is a modern muted version of an unnatural purple hair color that’s quickly circulating our feeds right now! The reason why everyone is falling in love with this charming hair color is that it offers so much unique creativity and versatility.
Have it in a smoky balayage, a metallic ombre, a cool purple dip-dye, or in hazy highlights – you’ll always get marvelous and aesthetic results with these modern pastel shades!
Although, it’s not without effort that this magical hue will continue being intact! Prepare your schedule and wallet, as this enchanting unicorn mane needs lots of loving and patience.
You can opt to do a full-on pastel purple hair dye or slowly go into the trend by starting with highlights or peekaboo streaks for less maintenance.
Pastel Purple Hair Coloring Tips
- For this color trend, leave it to a professional hair colorist. You’ll be glad you did.
- If you have darker hair (basically it’s not a light blonde), be prepared for 1 or more lightening treatments to bleach your hair as white as possible before you can get that perfect light pastel hue.
- Ask your colorist/stylist about using a bond builder. It protects your hair better during the coloring process.
- Use cold water when washing your hair. It better preserves your color.
- Use a purple shampoo to make your color last even longer!
- You may not want to start off with full purple color. So save time and money, consider getting a pastel dip-dye or highlights.
This updated gallery of pretty subtle lavender-inspired hues will help you choose which tone matches your complexion. Learn how to style and take care of these soft, ultra-feminine pastel purple hair color ideas!
Dark to Light Pastel Purple Ombre
Liven up your classic long bob with an enchanting vibrant purple color melt that makes use of your dark roots. This pastel purple balayage may need a lot of time and work to start with, but we promise that it’s definitely worth it.
Peekaboo Pastel Purple
Peekaboo pastel purple shades are a great way to show off your punchy side without the commitment of all-over purple color. It’s still bold without being over the top and is the perfect accent to a dark color on top. Ask your stylist to create a custom color conditioner by EVO pro to maintain the purple hue as pastel colors tend to want to fade a bit more quickly than traditional colors.
Pastel Purple and Blonde Hair
Pastel purple and blonde hair is a fun change for anyone with pre-lightened hair, or women looking for a dramatic change from their natural hair color. Pastel purple hair is best on pre-lightened hair that has no yellow tones. Pastel pigments also require more maintenance so be sure to ask your stylist for tips to keep your color looking its best!
Pastel Purple and Blonde Hair
Pastel purple and blonde hair with some natural roots shows an edgy hair color that grows out really softly. Balayaged blonde and pastel purple will not leave any harsh regrowth lines. Also, this color is not a big commitment because the pastel purple will wash out very quickly and you will be left with blonde hair.
Pastel Violet
The pastel violet hair is only achievable on a clean platinum blonde canvas. Being that blonde is a lifestyle that requires lots of commitment, time, and money. It’s an absolute head-spinning color though. The pastel violet dye or toner will wash out relatively quickly so try washing your hair less often, preferably once a week with a sulfate-free shampoo. A brilliant option is the latest purple shampoo by Olaplex – Olaplex 4 P, which can be left for a few minutes on the hair before rinsing.
Pastel Purple Highlights on Brown Hair
Pastel purple highlights on brown hair are a good option if you don’t want to bleach your whole head. When the purple dye washes out you will be left with blonde highlights. The lighter the blonde highlights are the cooler and pastel shade the purple is going to be. Ask your colorist to leave a chunkier money piece for a bolder purple face frame.
Curly Pastel Purple
Curly pastel purple hair is a gorgeous combo. Naturally textured hair is becoming more trendy than ever and so is colorful hair. Once bleached to light enough blonde, pop a pastel purple toner or some different hues of purple. Don’t forget to put a good moisturizing leave-in product like Leave-in.Repair by Kevin Murphy.
Ashy Purple Gray Hair
Ashy purple gray hair is a beautiful soft pastel purple hair that unfortunately will wash out very quickly back to blonde. The roots can be colored in a slightly darker purple shade gradually melting into the ashy purple gray hue. Style wavy using thongs or straighteners and don’t forget the heat protectant.
Light Pink and Purple
Light pink and purple pastel tones create a gorgeous unicorn hair color. Add some blue pieces for extra dimension. Pastel colors are generally easier to wash out so be prepared for more regular visits to your salon for topping up. Use sulfate-free color-safe shampoos like Color Extend Magnetics by Redken.
Pastel Purple Hair with Dark Roots
Pastel purple hair with dark roots is an amazing option if you want colorful hair but with a softer regrowth when your natural hair starts to show at the roots. To achieve the light pastel pink however the hair needs to be lifted to pale or very pale yellow, so regular hair treatments at home and in the salon to protect and strengthen the hair, are a must.
Amethyst Pastel Hair
This pastel purple hair color features an ashy version of mermaid hair that makes it so modern and unique. The smokey effect offers movement and volume to those waves.
Pastel Periwinkle
This metallic violet haze with baby blue undertones creates a magnificent pastel dimension on wavy hair. It’s a style that lets you play around with your creativity and pastel purple hair ideas.
Medium-Length Unicorn Hair with Purple Tones
This whimsical blend of cute fashion colors on mid-length hair is so pleasing to the eye and would make anyone fall in love with your purple pastel hue. Just take note to use the right and best products to keep the vibrant purple tones!
Pastel Lilac Hair
Be inspired with this unicorn violet hair solidly painted from the roots to the ends! Don’t forget to use color-safe shampoos for your purple lilac hair to keep the magic last long!
Pastel Lavender Hair Dye
An eccentric version of a faded platinum hue — this smooth and shiny light purple shade with shadow roots creates the pastel silver lavender hair color that complements cool to neutral skin tones. A pastel hair color like this is sure to bring out the pink in your skin.
Purple to Mint Green Ombre Style
This darker shade of pastel purple to mint green ombre features different shades of Pulp Riot’s purples and greens line. The combination of tones look more promising on wavy or curly locks. Created by hair artist Lyndsay Ballard of Arkansas, the best thing about this lob is the hidden undercut with an abstract geometric design in the same colors.
“If you have vivid and colorful hair, you’ll need to limit the shampooing to no more than once a week, and use cold water and sulfate-free shampoo,” suggests Ballard. It’s great to invest in a good leave-in conditioner, dry shampoo, and use minimal heat when styling.
Ballard continues, “If you’re a woman who likes to wash and style your hair daily, a unique pastel purple hair ombre might not be for you, as the longevity of the hue will fade a lot sooner. Instead, start with a small piece and if that works well, then go for the all-over color.”
Light Pastel Purple Hair Color
This light pastel purple hair color is a custom color created using silver metallic shades (Kenra Professional Color) cocktailed together with a deeper violet red hue. Look creator Heather Grabin from Sacramento, CA pairs this lavender hue with a sassy textured lob that also has internal layers, giving a weightless feel.
In maintaining the pastel purple hair color for a long-lasting shade, the first thing to do is to address maintenance and proper color protection. Grabin explains, “You must use professional-grade products if you’re trying to keep and protect your hair color from fading. Try Kenra Platinum Color charge. The entire system will help protect your color with up to 50 shampoos. Winning! And while we are addressing color protection, Kenra has also recently launched a Thermal Spray 11 that helps lock in color during thermal use.”
Grabin also points out that another thing to consider when choosing a lighter, pastel, or silver shade is how it fits into your lifestyle. “If you’re active and require daily shampooing, this shade will prove to require more maintenance and/or it will fade faster, but also allows you to try other hues sooner as it allows your hair to fade back to a nice cool blonde palette. If you’re blonde, or on the route to a blonde shade, try different lighter shades first. Light purple hair dye is fun, exciting, and usually not a long-term commitment,” Grabin states.
Grey and Purple Ombre
This grey and purple ombre on long hair features a smooth transition of the colors – from deep violet to smoky silvery ends. AJ Copeland, a stylist from California, made no harsh lines visible anywhere. The cut also has plenty of layers and texture which really serves to accentuate the juxtaposition of the different tones.
“The most important thing to think about when you are considering fun, light purple hair like this is the aftercare! Washing in cool water and using high-quality sulfate and paraben-free shampoos are the most important thing. A pretty good shampoo line for taking care of fashion colors is Neuma,” Copeland recommends.
Also, it’s possible to customize these fun colors for all types of hair. Thick, thin, coarse, fine – all hair types can get the look when the hair is handled by the right stylist!
Pastel Blue and Purple
This pastel blue and purple hair color required several hours to create, according to Melanie Guzzo, a style creator from Columbus, OH. It started out with red virgin hair and was taken all over platinum with a micro-foil bleach application. After the perfect level of blonde was achieved, a shadow root of purple was added and melted through the mid-strands and ends with a pastel version of the root color. The best thing about this color is the evenness of the pastel.
These tones of pastel purple are very desirable for many women but can be a challenge to achieve on some hair types and hair colors. In order to have a true blue pastel, the canvas must arrive at a pale yellow.
Guzzo further explains, “If the hair would have been previously tinted or naturally darker than a level 5, the outcome would not have been as simple. Bleach was used to archive at this color so the hair must begin healthily or it will not be able to withstand a bleaching service.”
Pastel colors don’t have long-lasting abilities in the hair. Guzzo suggests that women with pastel color should shampoo as little as possible with color-safe shampoo and cold water. The maintenance of pastel can be maintained at home with tinted shampoos or conditioners.
“A pale purple like this should be returned to the salon every 4-6 weeks to maintain the regrowth and refresh the vivid/fashion color. The cost to keep up with this color can be quite expensive as well,” Guzzo mentions.
Pink Roots on Pastel Purple Mermaid Hair
This mermaid hair with pastel purple is inspired by cotton candy! The base is a beautiful bubblegum pink with pops of pastel purple and blue on the ends. The best thing about this color is how the colors all melt together. This purple color is especially eye-catching when it’s curled as you can see all the dimensions and pops of color as the hair moves.
It’s important to understand that this pastel dye is unnatural and thus, fades quickly. It’s high-maintenance and takes a lot of time and money to achieve depending on your natural hair color. Oftentimes, it may take multiple sessions of lightening to achieve a clean canvas to lay these colors on top o.
If you’re considering pastel pink and purple hair, it’s crucial to maintain the color by using a color-safe shampoo/conditioner and washing with cold water. Because the hair will have to be significantly lightened in order to achieve these colors, it’s also important to use nutritive products that will strengthen and repair the hair.
In addition, washing infrequently, once to twice a week, is a must! Dry shampoo will be your best friend! This pastel purple hairstyle is great for women who are fun-loving, adventurous and are willing to put the effort into their hair. If you’re more of a wash and go kind of gal, maybe this look isn’t for you.
Dark Pastel Purple on Short Hair
This dark pastel purple color on short hair is vibrant, especially in person. If you’re initially wanting pastel lavender hair, remember that pastel tones usually only last a few washes before balancing out. Instead opt for something a little deeper and with a blue-violet base. That way, it will fade into the silvery lavender purple hair you eventually want.
In order for the color to be pure, Glendora-based style creator Bri Claire suggests that the hair has to be lifted to a pale blonde.
“You have to understand that getting light enough (even when the final, desired fashion color appears dark) can take multiple sessions, so you must be willing to invest the time and money into achieving it and taking care of it with regular conditioning treatments, color-depositing shampoos, and regular salon visits,” Claire notes.
Light Brown to Pastel Purple Ombre
This is a vivid purple ombre with long layers. Hairstylist Anna Lindsey of Springfield, MO describes these purple tips as something bright and fun! Ombres of vivid colors gives you the opportunity to have fun colors while also not overpowering you by doing your whole head a bright color.
If you want to have vivid colors or pastel colors done, 9 times out of 10 you’ll have to lighten your hair to achieve the ‘vivid’ or ‘pastel’, therefore there’s always the possibility of damage. If your hair isn’t lightened enough the color will not be as bright. Also, depending on the vivid color, there’s also the possibility of it staining light-colored clothes, towels, or sheets and pillowcases as well as your bathtub (magic erasers work wonders for this).
Also, keep in mind that achieving colored hair is a long process and is expensive, as well. Lindsey states, “Plan on being in the salon for a few hours depending on what you would like to have done. Plan on also discussing your budget with your stylist before you start so there are no surprises.”
Lastly but just as important, vivid pastels are temporary colors, so they will fade out very fast even when using color safe shampoo and conditioner. Lindsey adds, “Pastel colors fade out even faster because they’re a lot lighter than the vivids, so be prepared to go in and have your color touched up every few weeks if this is a color you want to maintain.”
