As one of the only fashion colors that can truly flatter any skin tone, purple hair colors are fashionable, beautiful, and easier to achieve than you might think.
Depending on the shade of purple you choose, purple hair typically fades to a bluish, pale color. This collection will show you a variety of shades of purple hair color ideas, and we know you’ll find your favorite. Happy coloring!
So before your next hair appointment, check out these photos of popular purple hair.
#1: Dusty Lilac Dream Hair
The purple tones in this dusty lilac hair color were created using Joico and Pulp Riot. Use a custom color conditioner to help freshen the color between hair appointments. A color-safe shampoo, a sulfate-free conditioner, and a good dry shampoo are always your best friends! This light purple color is for women ready for the high maintenance it comes with. Use the right products; regardless, know it will fade over time. Be prepared to make a trip to see your stylist every four to six weeks.
#2: Medium Brown with Midnight Purple Highlights
Go for a medium brown with midnight purple highlights. It’s for the brave chicas who desire bold colors. The velvety purple color called Nightfall, from Pulp Riot, will add dimension to your brown hair. It’s a color that appears subdued indoors but shines brightly in natural light. Your stylist will first apply highlights to brighten your hair to a Level 8. Afterward, they will add a purple semi-permanent color.
#3: Monochromatic Purple Hair
One of the best ways to style purple hair is by a monochromatic approach. It’s crucial to use a range of purple hues to add depth around the face while making sure all colors belong to the purple family.
#4: High Contrast Purple and Yellow Hair
Looking for some eye-catching hair color ideas? This high-contrast purple and yellow hairstyle will certainly turn heads!
#5: Funky Purple Curls
Try this hot take on funky purple curls for a vibrant and playful hairstyle! This bold color adds a fun and vibrant twist to a traditional curly hairstyle. This is a great choice for women with curls wanting to explore vivid tones with more longevity. Your hair colorist should discuss lightening options with you beforehand. Be sure to see a stylist who specializes in curls and can treat your strands with the care they need.
#6: Radiant Purple Waves
Consider radiant purple waves if you’re a woman with thick mid-length hair. It’s a great way to spice up your look. This bold color option is perfect for those looking to make a statement. The purple waves can be achieved with a mix of cool and warm purple tones. Blend them seamlessly for a multi-dimensional look. This hair color pairs well with various skin tones but complements those with warm undertones. Regular touch-ups and at-home care routines are essential to maintain the purple’s vibrancy.
#7: Brunette with Purple Highlights
Ask for a brunette cut with purple highlights. I suggest a fun money piece of purple if you want an edgy spin on your brown hair. You can start by highlighting the front and mixing magenta with purple to create this vibrant color.
#8: Amazing Amethyst Purple Hair Color
This amazing amethyst purple hair color may be what you need if you’re craving a unique hair color. This striking hue is perfect for women who want to add a bold touch to their look without going too dark. The beauty of this color is in how it compliments all skin tones, from light to dark. To achieve the perfect amethyst purple, your colorist should mix vibrant shades. It would be best if you opted for using purple and pink. Avoid using too dark of shades. This color is perfect for women who want to express themselves without sacrificing style. A tip from the experts: pair this color with subtle makeup and accessories to let your hair do the talking.
#9: Pretty and Vivid Purple
Step out of the ordinary with pretty and vivid purple hair. Purple is one of the most requested hair colors for brightly colored hair. Since these colors are semi-permanent, they fade easily and require much maintenance. To reduce fading, always wash with cold water. Try washing with a color-depositing shampoo. Try Celeb Luxury Viral Purple Colorwash Shampoo or Purple Colorditioner Conditioner.
#10: Vivid Dark Purple Waves
Here’s a wavy dark vivid purple-colored style. The best way to create a beautiful purple is to pre-lighten the hair. It’s helpful to add Olaplex treatments to your blonding service. They protect your hair and disulfide bonds while lifting. Having a couple of tones of dark purples will define your color. Plus, accenting with dark is a great contrast.
#11: Mauve Pinkish Purple Color
The mauve pinkish purple color was created using Joico Intensity colors blended into one another, taking orange segment sections and melting them into the pastels, not forgetting a little secret ingredient of Olaplex.
Purple hair shades like this lavender and mauve violet hair dye are not for women who can’t keep up with maintenance because pastels can fade and need a lot of TLC. Using the correct aftercare products like sulfate-free shampoos is important to keep it colorful.
#12: Violet-Purple Chin-Length Bob
A violet chin-length bob with bangs and face-framing is one of the best hairstyles. I’ve found that you will want to use a heat-protectant spray before using heat-styling tools. The color may be more likely to fade from heat damage. If you want a style that will last all day, you may want to use a light-hold hairspray to keep it in place. I also recommend a smoothing serum to give your hair a sleek, glossy look.
#13: Gorgeous Dark Purple Waves
Gorgeous dark purple waves are stunning and rich. Coloring your hair in vibrant shades like purple can be a lot of fun but requires extra maintenance. Purple is one of the best hair dye ideas if it’s the first time you’re coloring your hair a vivid color because purple tends to fade out better than other vivid colors. Purple tones out yellow and fade to a lighter purple instead of a weird muddy color like other colors tend to do.
#14: Vibrant Purple Balayage with Blue Tips
It’s a vibrant and dreamy blue and purple blend that will have you diving into a fantasy. Such complimentary tones are low maintenance. They will wash out into a soft pastel over time. You may want a good dry shampoo to keep this color fresh to prolong your washes with this color.
#15: Purple Inverted Bob for Thick Hair
Inverted bob cuts are edgy and modern. Pair this with a purple tone to make it a show-stopper. There is an entire array of purple tones, from lilac to jewel-toned, so play with it without worrying about an odd fade out. Another benefit is that it’s easy to style both straight and curly to show off the tonality; for products, use purple shampoo to maintain the coolness in hair while it fades.
#16: Bright Purple Wavy Lob
Try a vibrant hue with a bright purple wavy lob. Fashion colors are very fun to experiment with. Purple is one of the easiest fashion colors because you do not have to lift your hair to a pale blonde to achieve a purple hue. The blonder your hair is underneath, the more vibrant the color will become. Remember to color your hair every 4 weeks to keep your locks vibrant.
#17: Wild Orchid Layered Bob
Try a wild orchid layered bob if you want a new vibrant hair color to transform your hairstyle. Keep in mind that with vivid hair colors come lots of maintenance. I recommend shampooing 1-2 times per week and using a sulfate-free and color-safe shampoo and conditioner your hairstylist recommends. A layered bob will create shape and movement that will pair well with your new wild orchid purple hair.
#18: Dark to Light Purple Ombre
A purple ombré gradient from dark to light. Dyeing your hair in vibrant colors can be fun but also requires quite a bit of upkeep on your part. Typically, you will bleach your hair and add those vibrant tones that tend to last about 6-8 weeks before needing to be refreshed. Equip yourself with hydration conditioners and sulfate-free shampoo to protect your colors.
#19: Purple with Pink Tint
Purple hair color with a pink tint is perfect for women who want all-over vibrancy. Adding a pink hue allows reflection and looks great on any skin type. You may be required to use specific color-saving shampoo and conditioner to maintain.
#20: Jaw-Length Edgy Choppy Purple Bob
The jaw-length edgy choppy bob has a playful texture and length, making this haircut the perfect hairstyle. Consult your colorist on what shade of purple will suit your complexion the most.
#21: Pretty Periwinkle Purple Hair
This pretty periwinkle is called a vivid colored from the roots and blended to a lighter tone with a shadow root. To achieve this look, you must do a full bleach out or lift very close to the scalp. A clean canvas is key. That way, you can create your color at the root that will blend perfectly with the shades you are going for.  This was done using all Pulp Riot semi-permanent dyes (lilac, velvet, & smoke).
What you should know about doing vivid tones is that more pastel and lighter hue tones will fade the quickest. If you want to keep up the light purple color, you must buy color shampoos and conditioners to keep the color from not fading. When it comes to the upkeep, showering with ice-cold water is a must. And keeping your hair hydrated is very important. The cost of doing colorful hair is pricey, and buying products to maintain should be about the same as getting your hair done.
#22: Blonde Hair with Light Purple Highlights
Light purple highlights in blonde hair are a great addition to add soft hints of color all over blonde hair. Have your stylist concentrate the light purple highlights in the underneath sections of your hair so that as your hair moves and sways, hues of purple peek through, revealing beautiful pale purple highlights.
#23: Blue and Purple Hair Color
Blue and purple hair color is so easy to play around with. A more neon shade of purple and blue creates an even more unique color scheme and blends perfectly together. Blue and purple counteract warmer tones, so when the fashion hue inevitably fades, a woman is still left with a pretty underlying tone.
#24: Platinum Purple Hair Idea
Platinum purple hair is a great upgrade from your dirty blonde ash-toned hair. Taking hair to a platinum purple takes time and patience. Lifting the hair light enough takes a lot of time; accept the purple, and expect to spend most of the day with your stylist.
#25: Light Purple Blonde
A light purple blonde color is the work of a violet toner after the hair has been bleached to level 9+. You can maintain this purple tone with at-home violet shampoos. Ensure you don’t overuse the home shampoo daily because it can look dull. Use it once a week with other color-free cleansers in between, or dilute the colored shampoo with a plain one to soften the tone if you have a vibrant one.
#26: Burgundy Red and Purple Hair
A burgundy red and purple hair color works beautifully with darker hair and warmer skin tones. You won’t need to lift your hair to level 9 with these tones. A little warmth in the hair works well with retaining color and making the burgundy last longer. You’ll want to pre-lift the ends, and depending on the beginning level, you may need to pre-lift the base a little too. You can blend these two shades into the perfect melt.
#27: Neon Purple Pink Hue
A neon purple pink hue might be what you’re missing in your life. Shades of purple, pink, and blue blended perfectly, creating a love affair between cotton candy and galaxies. One must bleach their entire hair to a blonde level 9+ to get the perfect blank pallet, alternating sections of colors and melting together.
#28: Gray Purple Hair
If you’re looking to spice up a classic ash gray hair color, ask your stylist to add a tint of purple for a gorgeous, luscious look! Gray hair can be modified to suit your skin tone. While gray hair is gorgeous, it also requires color maintenance.
#29: Ash Purple Hair Inspiration
Ash purple hair inspiration works on most ladies. It’s not too pale nor too light. Hair designer Alice Boon from Malaysia is the stylist behind this color.
“It’s a whole head bleaching and root melting application,” says Boon, sharing how to mimic the color. Boon also suggests using violet-pigmented shampoo and a hair mask to maintain the tones.
#30: Silver Purple Hair
Opt for silver purple hair and achieve that unique, modern, and rocking color. Do you want to recreate it? Here’s hairdresser Katerina Dogana of Greece advising us on achieving it.
“I used the balayage technique. It features babylights and highlights. I created some slice shadows to the roots to look more natural. Then I used a denim mauve color,” Dogana states. She suggests using a hair mask and silver shampoo once a week for maintenance.
#31: Bright Plum Purple and Berry
This bright plum purple is great for women looking to step out of the box and wanting to dabble in the vivid colors. This short purple hair has a deep berry color that can complement a variety of skin tones and give you that little bit of edge.
Any hair type would be great for this color or cut as long as it’s healthy. There is also home maintenance. Use color-safe shampoo and conditioner, and don’t wash your hair daily.
#32: Orchid Highlights on Dark Hair
These orchid highlights on dark hair are an orchid balayage in which two different purples were mixed to achieve this color. The best thing about it is the accents of purples and pinks, especially if your hair has a darker root.
You must buy a specific shampoo/product to maintain these purple hair highlights. Ulta has great hair products such as Joice Purple Color Butter & Keracolor in Purple.
#33: Neon Purple Hair Balayage
If you want purple hair dye ideas, try this galaxy on your crown! A lavender-violet transition that is reminiscent of flowers in bloom and outer space.
#34: Fun Purple Highlights in Brown Hair
These purple highlights on brown hair produce a lavender rose color effect. Purple hair ideas require a bit more TLC. Your hair should be washed no more than 1-2x per week with preferably cool water and professional color-safe shampoos and conditioners. Daily use of a leave-in conditioning spray is important, as well as styling products with UV & heat protectants to help preserve hair health and color.
#35: Royal Purple and Pink Hair Romance
This pinkish-purple hair with purple roots makes a romantic style. It’s cute yet edgy. My best thing about this pink and purple hair is how seamless it comes together and how vibrant the colors are! Use Olapex to help maintain the hair’s integrity while lifting and Pulp Riot color to achieve this perfect blend. Dry shampoo will be a lifesaver for this shade because the less you wash, the longer the vibrancy!
#36: Black to Purple Melt
This is a black and purple hair melt. It’s a mixture of shades of purple fading into softer ones to give it a dimensional and fun look. Use Pulpriot hair color for this look. After the first appointment, see your stylist every three to four weeks to keep the color fresh and beautiful. Use a sulfate-free shampoo, conditioner, and cold water when rinsing your hair, as it will help minimize color fade. This, paired with a heat protectant, will increase the longevity of the color.
#37: Dark Red Purple Magenta Passion
A dark red-purple hair color like magenta is versatile for all skin tones, so it’s a safe zone for women wanting to jump into a more fun, vivid color. These tones can work for all hair types, textures, and skin tones. They can be customized for you. Adding in braids is a bonus. Use a deeper, more velvet shade on a darker skin tone and a more lavender purple pastel tone if you have a fair skin tone. It can be highlighted for a more subtle effect, or it can be bold and a solid all-over variation of purple. With a variety of purple hair options, you can find one to compliment your skin tone.
#38: Purple Amethyst Mermaid Waves
Opt for long wavy hair and the beautiful color of an amethyst mermaid look with vivid colors. The beachy waves illuminate the combination of the purple-amethyst waves of Joico Vivids applied to the hair.
The purple mermaid color is fashionable, fun, edgy, playful, and easy on the eyes. However, be prepared for frequent salon visits every 3 to 4 weeks to freshen your vivid color perfectly.
#39: Bright Violet Hair
Bright violet hair is for women who want to try vivids without a huge commitment. You’ll need to have your ends previously lightened first. Then you’ll need to bring up your balayage in a very natural and beautifully blended way. This will allow the gorgeous pops of color to emerge without the dull commitment of bleaching the hair into a blank canvas.
If you wanted, this color could fade out gradually back to a natural balayage. Purple is the best color for that! It fades out to lighter and brighter, eventually to beautiful pastels that the blonde will begin to peek through.
Purple looks great on almost all women! You have to ensure that you are cool with the time and money commitment, as well as cold shampoos and minimal heat styling. Purple hairstyles are not good for women who wash their hair daily or love to flat iron.
#40: Multi-Toned Violet Ombrè Hair
Go for a multi-toned violet ombre. Use Pulp Riot to create this hair color because Pulp Riot hair color maximizes how creative you can get with colors, and it’s long-lasting. Ombre purple hair is perfect for women looking to try something fun. It’s especially great for women who love changing their looks frequently from one fantasy color to another.
#41: Purple Highlights
Jazzing up your medium-length hair with purple highlights is a subtle yet edgy way to spice up your color. While everyone may not be able to have purple hair color, this is a fun way of getting that edge yet still keeping it fresh and modern.
This purple-brown hair is a great look for women wanting something different but may have restrictions due to work, etc. It’s an easy and subtle way to add eye-popping dimension to your hair. Throwing purple in with the other highlights and lowlights works well with almost all skin tones because it acts as a beautiful accent piece.
#42: Purple Amethyst Sunset
Consider a purple hair color that is an amethyst sunset. The best thing about this look is how all colors melt and play off each other. Use Joico Intensities or Pulp Riot semi-permanent fashion colors. Both are great for longevity and make the hair shine!
To maintain fashion colors like this purple shade, use L’anza Color Guard to help fight color loss while washing and their color-preserving shampoo and conditioner. Most fashion colors work best on medium to thick hair. Those hair types can withstand the process a lot better than fine hair. Fashion colors are for all skin tones. It just depends on the combinations you’re working with. The beauty of it all? When you dye your hair purple, the possibilities are endless!
#43: Deep Purple Color
A deep purple color is for the woman who wants all the purples! To create a deep violet tint, use Schwarzkopf Royal for the base, 4-29 and 0-99 w/20 volume. Paint the hair with Schwarzkopf Blondme 20 volume in an irregular pattern and process to a pale yellow. Then use diagonal back sections and apply Schwarzkopf 8-29 w/0-11, Pulp Riot jam, and Joico Indigo with Cobalt. Purple hair complements cooler skin tones but could be worn by all women. Confidence is everything!
#44: Brownish Purple
Go for a brownish-purple color that combines purple and dark brown. If you have a fair amount of fine hair, use products from the range of Eleven products. The I Want Body shampoo helps create volume, and the I Want Body conditioner is lightweight so that it won’t weigh your hair down and leaves it feeling amazing.
This layered bob is for women who have a finer, straight hair texture and only have a little time to maintain but want to have fun at the same time. This purple-brown color isn’t for pale-skinned women, only for women with a slightly dark to darker complexion.
#45: Bright Plum on Dark Roots
A bright plum on dark roots works well with natural hair color. Your hair will fade beautifully into this vibrant waterfall of grape juice. Try using Milkshake Silver Shine Shampoo to maintain this purple hair colour. You don’t need just to have platinum blonde hair to use that specific product. Using a color-treated shampoo and conditioner always helps, along with using the Milkshake 12 Effects leave-in treatment.
Most hair types go well with a vibrant purple. However, finer-haired women or blondes tend to have a better vibrancy effect. Anyone could pull off this purple hair cut, though! With long or short hair, this grape juice hue is fine.
#46: Pastel Purple Tones
The pastel purple hair has colors mixed with the metallics, and they look trendy, edgy, and fun! There’s a harmony of the colors used (soft lilacs, icy purple, deep violets) to give the curls both softness and edginess.
To recreate this light purple hair color, use the Joico Intensity and Metallic line. The pigment payoff for the colors is beyond amazing! For maintenance of the vibrancy, it is recommended to use shampoos for color-treated hair. Follow up with a nourishing moisture conditioner to keep your curly hair soft. You can use your favorite soft hold spray to create a spiked pixie.
#47: Galaxy Purple Hair
Go for galaxy purple hair if you need color correction. First, bleach out all of the old colors, then counteract the colors left in the hair to achieve these shades of purple hair. Use B3 and Redken bleach. Then use the vivid line Pulp Riot. Galaxy hair is great for women wanting to get away from the darker colors and wanting to try out vivids. The darker and lighter tones can look great on most skin types.
#48: Smokey Eggplant Purple
Consider smoky purple hair. The vibrant color is fun and exciting! Use Pulp Riot to recreate the tone in this dark purple hair. This particular color is called Eggplant. The best way to maintain this look would be to use a sulfate-free, color-safe shampoo and conditioner by Kevin Murphy called Hydrate Me. The products smell amazing and leave your eggplant hair color lasting for weeks!
#49: Jewel-Toned Purple
Try an amethyst, jewel-toned purple! Don’t you love how the textured cut accentuates the different ribbons of color throughout the hair? To achieve the purple hue, use Wella and Pulp Riot colors. To maintain fashion colors, ask your stylist to mix some of your colors with your favorite conditioner or Olaplex. You can use this at home to deposit little bits of color every time you wash!
As for skin tone, according to the rules, a violet color will look best on cool-toned women, whereas a peachy color would look best on warm skin tones. However, you can’t go wrong with fashion colors since they’re so obviously fake.
#50: Multi-Tonal Amethyst Balayage
This is a multi-tonal amethyst balayage. The best part about this dark purple balayage is the dimension of the vibrant tones and how it blends seamlessly with the roots. Use Blondor and 30vol to pre-lighten your hair, then use Pulp Riot in Jam and Eggplant for the purple ribbons. Put R+Co One Prep Spray and R+Co High Dive on the ends. Then ask your colorist to make you a custom Evo Fabuloso Color Conditioner so you can maintain the purple at home!
This dark purple hair color is a great choice for women with naturally dark hair as it looks great with a darker contrast root. It would look great on most skin tones as the violet is not overly cool or warm. Because the hair has to be lightened quite a bit for vivid colors, the hair has to be healthy and preferably virgin before one of these colors can be done.
#51: Soft Lilac
This color melts from a smoky velvet into a light dusty purple tone, creating a soft approach to fashion colors! Use a combination of Pulp Riot fashion colors to create this look and Olaplex. These colors have an amazing consistency and are packed full of conditioners to ensure that the integrity of your hair is not compromised.
Use sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners, such as Sudzz Cashmere and Aquafix, to maintain a purple hue. Wash very infrequently in the coldest water you can bear! Pulp Riot colors are interchangeable. You can custom-create a shade for any complexion.
#52: Unicorn White Purple
This unicorn white purple is similar to a cotton candy swirl and unicorn dreams! Use Pulp Riot for fashion colors because they are long-lasting colors with a creamy consistency. The lightening process to achieve this bright purple hair can be long and take multiple sessions depending on what kind of hair history each woman has, so good maintenance both before lightening and after is important, and that means spending time on your hair.
#53: Short Boysenberry Nightfall
This short boysenberry purple is an all-over purple color with dimension. Stick with all Pulp Riot colors. Formulate the base color a bit deeper, and you’ll create dimension. Base that with Velvet, then add Nightfall and a few drops of Noir. Apply that like a new growth retouch and comb it through. Base the end color with Jam, Clear, and a few drops of Velvet!
For maintenance, follow the initial color service with a clear glaze to lock in the color. Try Schwarzkopf Igora vibrance 0-00 1:2 1.9%. Also, shampooing less frequently is a must! Vivid-colored women should use dry shampoo daily to keep their color fresh. Try Simply Dry by AG.
#54: Light Pinkish Purple Color
Light pinkish purple color is a popular trend that has stayed! Perfect for platinum blondes who want to add some color to their hair. Keep the longevity with a light purple toner, let it fade, and keep it temporarily.
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