Have you dyed your hair a vibrant shade of purple but are now ready for a change? Purple hair is fun and adventurous, but it can be challenging to switch up colors once you’ve gone purple. The pigments in purple dye can be stubborn and tend to linger in the hair. But don’t worry – with the right techniques and products, you can successfully shift your purple tresses to any color you desire!
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to change your purple hair to a new color.
How to Prepare Purple Hair for Color Change
Before applying a new dye over purple hair, you’ll need to properly prep your strands. Purple contains cool blue and red pigments that can mix undesirably with warm dye tones like oranges and yellows. Here are a few tips:
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Strip the color with clarifying or anti-dandruff shampoo: Use a clarifying shampoo containing sulfates 2-3 times per week to help fade purple tones. Also try a dandruff shampoo, which tends to be extra cleansing. Concentrate the shampoos on your roots.
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Use a color-removing treatment: Products like Color Oops or L’Oreal Effasol contain chemicals that break down permanent dye molecules. Follow the product directions carefully. This will remove more color than shampooing alone.
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Bleach your hair: Bleach is the most effective way to strip purple pigment from your strands. Use a powder lightener and 20 volume developer. Apply carefully to avoid damage. Monitor closely and don’t go lighter than pale yellow.
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Tone your hair: Once you’ve removed purple, apply a toner to cancel out any remaining hints of color. For light purple, use an orange toner. For darker purple, use a yellow toner. Toner deposited color that neutralizes undertones.
Regularly conditioning and doing hair masks during this stripping process will help keep your hair healthy. Always do a strand test when applying bleach or color removers to be sure your hair can handle it.
What Color Can I Dye Over Purple Hair?
Once you’ve prepped your purple hair, you can move onto dyeing it a new vibrant shade! Here are some of the best options for coloring over purple locks:
Warm Tones
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Yellow: A bright golden yellow is hugely complementary to purple and will provide complete coverage. Yellow is on the opposite side of purple on the color wheel, so it neutralizes those cool undertones.
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Orange: Vibrant copper and orange shades also cancel out purple tones efficiently. Like yellow, orange is directly across from purple on the color wheel. Neon orange would look amazing over pale purple hair!
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Red: Both cool-toned reds with a blue base and warm reds with a golden base will show up well on purple hair. The red base in purple allows seamless blending.
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Brown: Warm shades of brown with golden undertones provide great coverage over purple. Go for caramel, chestnut, or honey brown for a beautiful result. Avoid ashy browns.
Cool Tones
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Blue: Teal, sky blue, and navy blue will all pop beautifully over purple hair. Since purple contains blue pigments, cool blue tones will complement perfectly.
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Green: Vibrant greens like lime green, emerald, and seafoam will stand out boldly against purple strands. Green neutralizes red tones, leaving a stunning interplay.
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Pink: Both hot pink and pastel pink look amazing on purple hair. Pink is essentially a lightened version of purple, so the tones marry seamlessly.
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Silver/Gray: Metallic silver and smoky grays offer cooler alternatives to blonde when placed over purple hair. They mute the purple beautifully.
Additional Options
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Blonde: You can go platinum or gold blonde over purple hair, but it will take thorough lightening first. Use a high-volume developer. Expect some purple tones to linger.
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Black: Dyeing your hair black is an easy way to cover purple strands, but the results may end up looking murky. Stick to blue-black and not warm black for best results.
Step-by-Step Guide to Dyeing over Purple Hair
Follow these steps when applying your new color over purple tresses:
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Prep your purple hair as discussed above using clarifying shampoo, color removers, bleaching, and/or toning as needed. Do a strand test.
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Wash your hair with a sulfate-free shampoo and apply a conditioning hair mask. This will ensure your hair is clean and conditioned before coloring.
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Divide your hair into sections and clip up the sections you aren’t working on. Always start by dyeing the mid-lengths and ends before doing roots.
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Following the product directions, mix the new dye color with developer and apply it carefully to the prepped purple strands.
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Allow the dye to process for the full development time listed on the box instructions. Setting a timer prevents over-processing.
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Once the time is complete, rinse the dye thoroughly with cool water until the water runs clear. Use a sulfate-free shampoo.
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Apply a hydrating conditioner and let it sit for 2-3 minutes before rinsing out. Air dry your hair.
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Continue conditioning and using color-protective products. Refresh your new color as needed.
Some key tips: Always do a patch test for dye allergies prior to full application. Wear gloves during the coloring process. Avoid getting dye on your skin or clothes. Follow all timing and mixing directions precisely.
How to Care for Hair After Dyeing Over Purple
Colored hair needs specialized care to keep it looking vibrant. Here are some post-coloring tips:
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Use color-safe, sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners. Avoid products with sulfates or salts which cause fading.
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Wash hair less frequently, only 2-3 times per week. Excess washing causes color to leech out.
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Rinse with cool water and avoid heat-styling to prevent color fading.
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Apply a weekly strengthening hair mask or hot oil treatment to keep dyed strands healthy.
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Use leave-in conditioning treatments containing UV filters to protect color from sun damage.
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Get a glossing treatment at the salon every 4-6 weeks to refresh your new color.
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Adjust your dyeing schedule based on how quickly your color fades. Re-dye once you notice your roots coming in.
With the proper prep, dye selection, application, and aftercare, you can successfully shift your purple hair to any shade you desire. Have fun with your colorful hair makeover! Visit a salon for professional assistance if needed.
FAQs About Dyeing Over Purple Hair
Still have questions about changing up your purple tresses? Here are some commonly asked questions:
Can you dye brown over purple hair?
Yes, brown dye can be applied over purple hair but it typically requires bleaching out the purple first to a pale yellow base. Otherwise, brown may mix with purple in unappealing ways. Opt for a warm brown with golden undertones for best results.
Does purple and brown hair dye go well together?
If mixed intentionally, deep purple and dark brown can interplay beautifully to create dimensional plum-brown tones. But overlapping cool purple with warm browns randomly usually appears muddy. Intentional blending by a colorist is best.
What color cancel out purple hair dye?
On the color wheel, purple’s complementary colors of yellow and orange cancel out purple pigment the best. Yellow dye or an orange-based toner will neutralize purple hair for color change.
Can you put blonde dye over purple hair?
You can go blonde over purple but it takes intensive lightening to lift hair to pale yellow first. Use high-volume bleach with 30 or 40 developer. Some purple hues may linger even after lightening. Use a toner to correct those tones.
What happens if you put red dye over purple hair?
When red dye is placed over purple hair, it mixes beautifully with the cool red undertones in purple, creating a richer magenta or berry shade. Red enhances rather than cancels purple. Deep crimson would be gorgeous!
Transform Your Purple Hair With Help From Heather Annz Salon
While dyeing over purple strands isn’t overly complicated, the process requires proper techniques and products for optimal results. Don’t hesitate to consult the color experts at Heather Annz Salon if you need professional assistance transitioning your purple hair to a fabulous new shade. We’ll evaluate your hair’s current state and craft a customized color plan. Book your color consultation today!
How To: From Purple Hair to Brown | Avoid TURNING Your Hair GREEN
FAQ
What color covers purple?
What happens if I dye my hair brown over purple?
What Colour suits purple hair?
How do I get rid of purple tones in my hair?
Most toners are not permanent, therefore eventually, after several washes, the ‘cool’ tones will fade. If you want that toner gone quicker, 2-3 washes with a clarifying shampoo will start to remove the blue, grey or purple stains.