Purple isn’t a natural hair color, but that hasn’t stopped folks from dying their hair purple. From deep, dark plums and aubergines, to delicate mauves and lilacs, purple just exudes luxury, power, and royalty that can’t help but make a gal feel invincible. Therefore, it’s no surprise why many celebrities have rocked this unique look for years! After all, if Kylie Jenner and Lady Gaga can rock this stunning look, why can’t you?
But before we let you hop on this trending bandwagon, we must tell you that finding the right shade of purple can be quite tricky. And that is because there are numerous shades of purple out there, available in semi-permanent to long-lasting hair dyes. And while the entire process of finding the right shade for you sounds daunting, you can’t deny the fact that purple hair is all the rage.
Therefore, we have prepared the following review of the best purple hair dyes for the queen in you.
TOP PICK
Our favorite product is Arctic fox semi-permanent hair dye (purple rain), as it is gentle on your hair. Purple rain can give you a stunning look without leaving you with a blonde color when fading.
The Best Purple Hair Dyes Are
1. Arctic Fox Semi-Permanent Hair Dye Purple Rain — Best Overall
Artic is one of the few top hair dye brands that are against animal cruelty. Not only does this company produce the best hair products, but it makes sure that all its products are environmentally friendly. Arctic’s products are some of the best in the market that can help you express yourself, and purple rain is no exception. Purple rain is a versatile dye that works perfectly with a wide range of base colors ranging from light brown to platinum. Purple rain shows vibrantly on lighter hair and gives darker hair tints of color.
This product also pairs perfectly with other Arctic Fox shades. So you can mix it with Poseidon to get deep indigo or with wrath to get burgundy. This product is made using vegan ingredients with no animal by-product. Since it has no harmful chemicals, you can showcase your girly personality without worrying about side effects.
Arctic products are quite gentle and can be used frequently, plus they help condition your hair. Purple rain can last up to 8 weeks, but this will depend on your hair care routine and hair type. Unfortunately, some users have complained that their hands got stained while washing the dye off their hair.
Specs
- Brand: Arctic Fox
- Color: Purple Rain
- Ingredient notes: Peroxide-free, alcohol-free, ammonia-free, paraphenylenediamine free
- Item form: Cream
Pros
- Gentle on your hair
- Vegan-based, which makes it a great investment
- Doesn’t leave a blonde under color after fading
- Smells nice
Cons
- Stains skin
Overall rating: 4.7 out of 5
Verdict
This purple rain dye from Arctic Fox can give your hair a royal deep color that says a lot about your persona. And the fact that it’s vegan means that it is safe to use.
2. Manic Panic Ultra Violet Amplified Semi-Permanent
This hair product from Manic Panic is designed to give you an ultraviolet shade of purple. And like most brands, Manic Panic also stays away from harmful chemicals. This product has a vegan formula that can give you stunning hair. The Manic Panic Amplified dye doesn’t include any type of harsh chemical in its formula. And despite being vegan-based, it still can give you a vibrant shade irrespective of your hair color or type.
This ultraviolet hair dye can even work on unbleached hair and give vibrant shades. But for an excellent result, you should lighten your hair to an extremely light level before using this hair dye. Manic Panic amplified lasts longer and has three times more pigments than Manic Panic’s classic high voltage products. Therefore each application can serve you for up to 8 weeks.
Tested on celebrities, this vegan-based product is quite easy to use. And it is guaranteed to leave you with a head-turning statement everywhere you go. But the only downside is that it does leaves stains on your hands when applying it.
We do love this brand which also makes one of the best red dyes too.
Specs
- Brand: Manic Panic
- Color: Ultra Violet
- Ingredient notes: Vegan, phthalate-free, paraben-free, ammonia-free, resorcinol free, and gluten-free
- Form: Cream
Pros
- Easy to apply
- Safe for both your scalp and hair
- Vibrant and strong
- It can last for about 8 weeks on pre-lightened hairs
Cons
- Fades too fast
Overall rating: 4.3 out of 5
Verdict
This vegan-based product has better pigment than the classic shades; therefore, it will last for about 8 weeks. And the fact that it’s not tested on animals and has no harmful chemicals means that it’s safe to use.
3. Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color Ultra Bold Violet Permanent
Garner is a top brand that is known for producing a wide range of hair products and makeup. Garnier has blended numerous natural ingredients to produce the best formulas for over a century, and this dye is no exception. This permanent dye was formulated with a blend of fruit oils and a color boost technology. Therefore, it can deliver an even boosted purple color even to people with darker hair.
This is the best option for darker hair as it can leave your hair three shades lighter, minus the weird reflective tones. This product comes with a complete dying kit and nourishes your hair while coloring it with its unique non-drip formula. Garnier hair color is easy to use and spreads smoothly on the hair follicles. It also features a conditioner that is made from shea and olive oil which help make your shinier.
To nourish your hair and give it a better color, these products feature grapeseed oil. Unfortunately, some users have claimed that it does fade quickly and just looks red on some hair types..
Specs
- Brand: Garnier
- Color: v2 dark, intense violet
- Ingredient Notes: With avocado, olive, and shea oils
- Form: Cream
Pros
- Made using natural ingredients
- Easy to apply
- Permanent purple color for people with darker hair
Cons
- Looks red on some types of hair
Overall rating: 4.4 out of 5
Verdict
The fact that it’s formulated using natural ingredients means that it is safe on your scalp and hair. This hair color delivers a boosted permanent hair color.
4. Adore Creative Image Semi-Permanent Hair Color 116 Purple Rage
This dye from Adore is yet another effective purple hair dye that you should include in your arsenal. The semi-permanent dye will infuse all your hair strands with its vibrant burst of purple color to give you a new look. The purple rage will deposit some natural-looking colors to your hair while giving it a resilient and healthy shine. Therefore, you can be guaranteed that it will leave your hair in a better condition than it might have been before you decided to dye it.
This dye features some natural ingredients that will leave you with silky soft hair and rich purple color. The purple rage has no peroxide, ammonia, or alcohol; therefore, it is safe for your skin and hair. This product will leave your hair looking great for a very long time. And irrespective of how many times you wash your hair, it won’t fade. But it can stain your hands while applying it to your hair.
Specs
- Brand: Adore
- Color: 116 purple rage
- Ingredient Notes: Alcohol-free, ammonia-free, and peroxide free
- Item form: Cream
Pros
- Free from harsh chemicals
- Easy to apply
- Shade stays bright even after several washes
Cons
- Doesn’t cover gray
- Contains metallic salts
Overall rating: 4.4 out of 5
Verdict
Thanks to its unique formula, this dye doesn’t fade easily, irrespective of the number of washes your hair undergoes.
5. Manic Panic High Voltage Purple Haze Semi-Permanent
This electric color is not for the weak-hearted as it brings out the very best sass in you. This purple haze dye leaves purple tones on unbleached and vegan hair. But make sure your hair is lighter than a medium-level seven blonde to get the best results. This brand is one of the best options in the market that can give you aesthetic purple hair.
If your hair is bleached, then this hair dye will leave you with vibrant purple color. People with naturally dark hair are normally left with purply red hair. This Manic Panic dye starts fading gradually after 4 to 6 weeks. And the good thing about it is that it doesn’t penetrate your hair’s cortex; instead, it rests on the shaft.
Applying it is quite easy, and if you follow the instructions correctly, you will have shiny purple hair in no time. And it doesn’t matter if you do streaks or go global; this dye has a very quick process that can save you a lot of time. And despite being a semi-permanent dye, it does leave you with some beautiful strands when it fades. This product comes with eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging. But some people have complained that it fades so quickly.
Specs
- Brand: Manic Panic
- Color: Purple Haze
- Ingredient Notes: Vegan, gluten-free, ammonia-free, phthalate-free, resorcinol free and paraben-free
- Item form: Cream
Pros
- Available in a wide range of shades
- Easy to apply
- It doesn’t need vigorous mixing
- Ready-to-use dye
Cons
- It fades faster than most dyes
Overall rating: 4.4 out of 5
Verdict
This purple haze dye is quite easy to use and takes a very short time to give your hair a vibrant color. And the fact that it doesn’t have harmful chemicals and is vegan-based is a bonus.
6. Punky Purple Semi-PermanentSemi-Permanent Conditioning Hair Color
If you plan on giving your hair a royal purple color at an affordable price, then Punky purple dye is the best option. This dye evokes intrigue and mystery to your overall looks as it transforms your hair with no commitments. And despite being a semi-permanent hair color, it can maintain an intense shade of purple even after numerous washes.
Punky purple hair color doesn’t include acid dyes, which means that it wouldn’t bleed when being applied. This dye is also ideal for individuals with hair dye allergies. And that is because it doesn’t include parabens, ammonia, GMOs, or any known allergens in its formula. This dye works perfectly with numerous types of hair so that you can experiment without commitments. This product is designed to nourish strands, prevent over-drying and breakages, and leave you with soft silky, and healthy hair.
This product is very easy to use; all you have to do is apply the dye from the hair roots to the end using a comb and brush. And then leave it for about half an hour before rinsing it out. Therefore, there is no need to visit the salon every time you need to dye your hair. Unfortunately, Punky purple dye is not ideal for dark hair.
Specs
- Brand: Punky
- Color: Purple
- Ingredient Notes: Ammonia-free, paraben-free, non-GMO, peroxide-free, and paraphenylenediamine free
- Item form: cream
Pros
- No harmful chemicals
- Cruelty-free
- Survives over 35 washes
- Easy to apply
Cons
- A little too permanent for some
- Stains and bleeds
Overall rating: 4 .0 out of 5
Verdict
Punky purple is the safest and best option for people looking to dye their hair at an affordable price.
7. L’Oreal Paris Colorista #Purple200 Temporary Hair Color Spray
This temporary dye is a perfect product for people who love experimenting with colors. And since it comes in spray form, you can spray a certain part of your hair or the entire hair, and it becomes purple in minutes. This temporary dye lasts for a single day, and it works on different types of hair, and no bleaching is necessary.
L’Oreal Paris Colorista spray is easy and quick to apply and gentle on your hair. And the fact that it washes out within a day means that you can apply it every time you want to try one of its other shades. L’Oreal Paris Colorista spray has no peroxide or ammonia; therefore, it’s safe and works with numerous types of hair. Unfortunately, it may not wash out in one wash.
Specs
- Brand: L’Oreal Paris
- Color: Purple200
- Ingredient Notes: Ammonia-free and peroxide free
- Item form: Spray
Pros
- A 1-day spray
- Paraben and ammonia-free
- Perfect for experimenting on numerous hair colors
- Easy to apply
Cons
- It may not wash out with one wash
Overall rating: 4.1 out of 5
Verdict
The fact that it’s a one-day spray makes it the best option for individuals who love experimenting with colors.
8. Iroiro Purple Semi Permanent Hair Color
Iroiro purple hair color is an all-natural product that is 100% cruelty and vegan-free. Some of its natural ingredients include yuzu-cranberry fragrance and organic coconut oil. This cream-based product can be easily applied to your hair. All you have to do is massage it on your hair and leave it there for 30 minutes.
Its primary ingredient (coconut oil) helps restores damaged and dry hair. On the other hand, the yuzu cranberry offers an aromatic fragrance. And the fact that it doesn’t feature any harmful chemicals like alcohol, ammonia, and peroxide means that it’s safe to use. Iroiro dye has an eco-friendly pouch making it ideal for environmentally conscious individuals. Unfortunately, Iroiro purple dye is not ideal for people with darker hair.
Specs
- Brand: Iroiro
- Color: 20 Purple
- Ingredient Notes: Vegan, no synthetic or toxic ingredients, with coconut oil and quinoa protein
- Item form: Cream
Pros
- Features all-natural ingredients
- Nourishes your hair
- No harmful ingredients
- Vegan friendly
- Easy to apply
Cons
- Leaves messy stains
Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5
Verdict
Iroiro hair color doesn’t contain harmful chemicals and synthetic preservatives. Therefore, it’s the best option for people with hair dye allergies.
9. L’Oreal Paris Colorista Purple 400 Semi-Permanent Hair Color
This product was formulated using pure dyes. It’s quite easy to apply and can be used on highlighted or bleached hair and medium or light blondes. It is formulated to fade in a few washes, so you need not be afraid of getting stuck with a single color for a long time.
And being a vegan formulated product, it has no animal by-product as part of its ingredient. The fact that it’s peroxide and ammonia-free means that it can be safe on your skin. So you can mix several shades to create perfect galaxy hair, mermaid hair, or festival hair that turns heads.
Unfortunately, it contains some ingredients that are known to cause allergies. Therefore, make sure you do an allergy test 2 days before using it. And make sure you wait for 2 weeks after perming, relaxing, or bleaching before applying it. Some people have complained that for a semi-permanent dye, this dye doesn’t come off easily.
Specs
- Brand: L’Oreal Paris
- Color: Purple
- Ingredient Notes: Ammonia-free and peroxide free
- Item form: Cream
Pros
- Vegan-based
- Peroxide and ammonia-free
- It can last for up to 8 shampoo washes
- Easy to apply
- Available in numerous shades
Cons
- It doesn’t come off easily
- Contains known allergens
Overall rating: 4.1 out of 5
Verdict
This product might not be the best option for people with allergies. So make sure you do a skin test before applying it to your hair.
How to Choose the Best Purple Hair Dye for Your Hair
Many women love experimenting with hair colors, and there is no perfect way to do this other than trying purple hair. Nevertheless, purple is a head-turning hair color that can give you a confident personality. And now that you have some idea on which brands give the best results, you may be wondering which dye is ideal for you. After all, these purple dyes are created differently and for different types of hairs.
And using the wrong shade of purple can have serious repercussions on your hair, especially if you’ve opted for a permanent dye which can take about 8 weeks to fade away. Staying with the wrong shade of purple for almost two months can affect your confidence. So here are a few factors to consider when choosing the right dye for your hair type.
Purple Shades
The first crucial factor to consider is the shade of purple to color your hair. Whether it’s a semi-permanent or permanent dye, there are a whole lot of shades to choose from:
- Lilac: Lilac is a unique purple dye that guarantees you a soothing tone. It is a bit darker than pastel.
- Pastels: pastel is a soothing lighter purple dye that is quite common in the fashion industry. Pastel has a blonde or greyish shade peeking through the purple hair.
- Neon: Neon an electric shade that can give an outlandish and quirky statement.
- Violet: violet is ideal for people with dark hair. Its deep purple shade gives you a quirky and vibrant tone.
- Eggplant: Eggplant is a common shade that is normally designed for darker hair.
- Lavender: this shade of purple has a blue base in it.
- Mauve: Mauve is considered to be a grownup purple. This dusty purple has a hint of brown in it, but it’s more subtle than bright violet.
- Magenta: magenta is the outcome of mixing purple with yellow. Magenta is a unique shade of pink that will help you stand out.
- Amethyst: this shade will give you a jewel tone. Amethyst is a lighter version of natural purple.
- Silver purple: compared to other shades of purple, silver purple looks metallic. Imagine a silver-colored hair with purple streaks running through it.
Luckily, some products feature a chart on their packaging, showing the expected results based on your hair color. Either way, you should still do a strand test before coloring your hair. And make sure you like the results of the test before proceeding with changing your hair color. You might have to bleach the hair before applying the dye for a better result in some cases.
Presence of Harsh Chemicals
Since you’re about to change your hair color, it’s crucial that you learn about all the harsh chemicals in dyes. Most manufacturers include several harsh chemicals to enhance their products. Some of these ingredients include gluten, parabens, resorcinol, phthalate, and ammonia, among others.
This chemical can damage your hair follicles and scalp. And if the product touches your skin, it can cause rashes. So make sure you go for vegan-based and animal cruelty-free products that have steered clear of these ingredients. This is important to consider especially if you’re pregnant and want to dye your hair.
Allergic Reactions
Allergy sufferers are normally affected by the para-toluene diamine (PTB) and the paraphenylenediamine (PPD). These chemicals can trigger a wide range of symptoms, including stretched or cracked skin. You can also get a burning sensation on your scalp. These symptoms appear after 48 hours. So make sure you do a skin test before changing the color of your hair.
Semi-Permanent vs. Temporary Dye vs. Permanent Dye
If you’re iffy about committing to purple for a long time, and just want to keep it for a day or two, you should opt for temporary dyes.
Temporary dyes can be removed with two washes, and they do work wonders. Temporary hair dyes don’t get soaked into your hair; instead, they just sit on your hair. Therefore they are quite easy to wash off.
Semi-permanent color is the best option for people looking to stay with the new look for more than a month. This dye gets soaked into our hair when applied and takes a very long time to start fading. Luckily, it doesn’t have a prolonged effect on your hair.
Remember, this hair color is quite hard to maintain, so you will have to be mindful of how often you wash it. And that is because purple dye bleeds every time you wash your hair.
A permanent hair color is an ideal option for folks looking to cover their grey hair permanently. Permanent hair dye offers long-lasting vibrant colors and 100% grey hair coverage.
Permanent dyes last longer than semi-permanent ones. So you should be ready to commit before applying permanent purple hair colors.
How Long Does It Take For the Dye to Fade?
Most of the semi-permanent dyes in the market can last for about 8 weeks before they start fading. So knowing how long it takes for them to fade can help you pick the right product for your hair. And if you want it to last longer, you should mix it with the conditioner. Mixing it will refresh the dye on your hair and neutralize the brassiness of your hair.
Hair Color Fading
Changing your hair color gives you a new look. But with time, the purple color will fade away and turn to a wide range of shades like blonde, green, blue, or light pink.
Depending on your original hair color, the results after fading will differ. So make sure you pick the right shade of purple for your hair. It’s a different story if you’re working synthetic hair. Find out more about dyeing synthetic hair.
Brand
The brand you purchase matters a lot when it comes to hair products. And if you’re against animal cruelty, then you should consider brands shying away from testing their products on animals. Luckily, most firms are making their products cruelty-free. So before you make a purchase, you should do your research and find out if the brand has any bad reviews.
The Condition of Your Hair
Hair dyes are manufactured for a certain type of hair. Be it thin, dense, dark, or lighter; make sure you consider your hair condition when purchasing a hair dye. This will help you get the right shade that will help you stand out in a crowd.
Ease Of Use
Most folks love saving time and need an easy application that does not need aggressive mixing. If this is what you need, then there are products that are available in cream or spray that are ideal for you. These dyes are easy to apply, and you won’t need to struggle or seek professional help when mixing and applying.
Scent
Most manufacturers use fragrances to hide the smell of the chemicals used to make their products. Therefore, each dye will have its unique scent, so make sure you’re comfortable with it before making a purchase.
People with allergies should look for fragrance-free products to be safe. After all, fragrances are trade secrets, and companies are allowed to never disclose their ingredients. So you might end up with a fragrance featuring a known allergen if you’re not careful.
Look for a Product With Conditioner
Changing the color of your hair can affect your hair’s condition. So make sure you look for a product that features conditioner as one of its ingredients. Your product should also contain a post-dye conditioner.
Price
Finally, the price of the product you plan on purchasing matters, especially if you’re just experimenting for a few days. Luckily, the price of most products in the market varies between $6 and $30. The price varies depending on the ingredients used and the type of dye. Temporary dyes tend to be cheaper than semi-permanent ones.
Secondary Color and Base Color
Very few products have to be carefully mixed with certain base colors to produce the desired shade. And the final shade will be determined by the amount of secondary color and purple used. Remember; each time you mix your dye; you are subtracting or adding pigments that can affect the shade of purple. And in most cases, it’s fun to mix the dye with the base color to get the desired color.
Final Thoughts
Despite the hype surrounding purple hair, changing the color of your hair is a big commitment. And with any shade of purple, you have to be ready to stand out in a crowd. But picking the wrong shade of pink can be quite catastrophic, especially when it starts fading. So make sure you pick the right product for your hair type and color. And before applying the dye, you should do a strand test to determine if you like the new color or not. Make sure you avoid products containing known allergens and harmful chemicals.
From our research, we have concluded that Arctic fox semi-permanent hair dye (purple rain) is the best option. This product is versatile and works perfectly with several base colors. And the fact that it is vegan-based and doesn’t have harmful chemicals makes it safe. And depending on your hair care routine, this dye can last for about 8 weeks.
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