If you’re fond of the color purple, it’s no surprise when you also want it on your hair. Whether you want a delicate lilac or a deep violet, you can’t go wrong with any of its shades.
But since purple is a fantasy hair color, it’s a hue known to fade fast. So we won’t blame you if you’re curious to see whether it’ll look good on your hair.
So if you dye your hair purple, what color does it fade to?
Since purple hair dye is available in various shades, what will dictate which color a purple hue will fade into? If you want to find out, read more below.
What does purple hair look like when it fades?
If you want to know what faded purple hair will look like, the color will depend on the brand and shade of purple you’ll use.
As high-quality semi-permanent dyes like Punky Colour and Sparks have their purple hues fade true to tone, the color fades into a lighter version of their shades.
While other dye brands, like Manic Panic, will have their purple dyes turn into their under pigments depending on their tone.
For instance, if the purple dye you have has a red or pink base, it will likely fade into a pink shade once the purple pigments wash out. So if you want to try a warm-toned purple, look for colors like orchid, magenta, or plum.
If a purple hair color has a cool-base tone, it will fade into a blue shade after several washes. So if you want to go for a blue-based purple, amethyst, violet, or indigo will look great.
What color does dark purple hair fade to?
If you’re not a fan of bright purple hair, then maybe a deep violet shade may tickle your fancy. It’s not as overwhelming as magenta, so it’s easier to pair with any clothes while also giving your hair enough color.
But what color does violet hair fade to?
How your dark purple color will fade will still depend on what tone your hair dye is. But most violet hair colors are blue-based, so they often fade into a subtle blue tone once the purple pigments wear off.
So if you’re looking for a rich deep purple shade, you can apply an eggplant, deep violet, or dark indigo hair dye.
What color does light purple hair fade to?
If you want to achieve a light purple hair color, you’ll need to pre-lighten your hair to a level 8 or 9 for the shade to show up.
But since lilac and lavender hues are not as saturated as their darker counterparts, they’re more likely to fade faster.
So when they start to fade, what color do light purple shades turn into?
Depending on the base color of your light purple dye, your hair can turn into a pastel pink or blue shade once all the purple pigments wash out.
But if you use a subtle pastel purple, some brands won’t stain your hair, so it will only go back to blonde once all the pigments wash out.
What color does purple fade to in brown hair?
If you’re hesitant about bleaching your hair but still want to have purple strands, keep in mind that the color won’t be as vibrant as if it were on pre-lightened hair.
Instead, the purple dye will give your hair a subtle purple tint that will be more noticeable once you expose it to light. It’s a sneaky way of adding color to your hair without a complete makeover.
So when the pigment fades out, the purple tint will become less noticeable until your hair goes back to brown.
This method is also great for when you want to test out how purple hair color will look on you without bleaching your hair.
What color does purple fade to in blonde hair?
As mentioned before, good-quality dyes will lighten your purple hair into a pastel color, like lilac or lavender, after a few washes.
But other brands will leave an under pigment, so expect your hair to turn pink or blue depending on the tone of purple you’ll be using.
But on very light blonde hair, faded purple hair can turn into silver if it has a blue undertone. So if you can’t decide what color you should do next, you can easily transition into a silver or gray shade.
How to fade purple hair to silver?
An excellent way to get the most out of your purple dye is to have your hair fade into silver once you’re done enjoying the purple hues.
The trick is to use an ashy purple shade on a level 8 or 9 blonde base color. Since the blue under pigments of the dye will cancel out the yellow in your hair, toning it into a silver color.
But if you can’t find a cool-toned purple that you like, you can also customize it by mixing a purple hair color with a blue dye to mute its warm tones down. Then, you can add a white conditioner to dilute the color and turn it into a pastel shade.
Depending on how light you make your hair color mixture to be, the result will look like a multidimensional purple with silver undertones. Once the purple pigments fade out, the silver shade will show up better.
How to fade out purple hair?
Once you’re done enjoying your purple hair and find that you don’t like the faded version of the shade, it might be time to strip the color out.
So what options do you have for removing purple hair?
Color remover
A quick method of stripping out hair color is using a hair color remover.
It removes color by going into your hair shaft to eliminate artificial color molecules, leaving you with your previous color.
It’s healthier than bleach since it won’t lighten your base color, so you won’t have to worry about any damage afterward.
Some purple dyes can be stubborn to remove, so if you still have some leftover pigments you can re-apply the color remover 2 more times within the day, and if the color is still persistent wait for at least 24 hours before doing another attempt.
Make sure to apply a moisturizing conditioner after since the formula can dry out your hair.
Also, if you’re using a semi-permanent purple shade, use a color remover that works on direct dyes since some brands are for permanent hair colors only.
Bleach bath
You can do a bleach bath if you want to strip off your purple hair dye while also lightening your base color.
It’s a diluted version of bleaching your hair since you’ll need to add shampoo to make the formula more gentle on your hair.
To start, mix bleach powder, 10 volume developer, and dandruff shampoo and apply the formula on wet hair. Let it sit for 5-15 minutes, but make sure to check your hair every few minutes to avoid overprocessing your hair.
When you try this method, make sure that most of the purple pigments are out of your hair since some purple dyes turn green when you bleach over them. This is a result of the oxidation process, which will make the green stain harder to remove since it will go deeper into your hair cortex. So, in the end, you’ll have to cut off your hair if you want to get rid of the green.
The bottom line
When it comes to purple hair color, it can make you look ethereal or mysterious depending on how light or dark your shade is.
But when it fades, the color can sometimes be unpredictable, so it’s helpful to know what color purple dye will fade into so you can choose the right one for you.
If you don’t want your hair to turn blue, pick a warm-toned purple so it will fade into a light pink shade. But if you’re not a fan of pink hair colors, you can go for a cooler tone for a true violet shade.
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