The 13 Prettiest Pastel Purple Hair Color Ideas

With spring right around the corner, it’s time to start preparing for a fresh, clean start. And what better way to start anew than with a beautiful vivid hair color. We’re loving all the pastel hair colors we’ve been seeing in our social feeds, including light pinks and purples. And if you’ve been thinking about trying out a purple hair color, it’s a great time to opt for a soft hue like lavender. Whether you want to use pastel purple hair dye for an all-over mane makeover or low-maintenance balayage highlights, we’ve got you covered in the inspiration department. Read on for 13 beautiful pastel purple hair color ideas you can try and products you can use to recreate these looks at home. 

13 Pastel Purple Hair Color Ideas

1. Lavender Balayage

For those looking for a low-maintenance option, lavender balayage highlights fit the bill. To get the look, your colorist will hand-paint lavender highlights throughout your mane, placing them in a way that looks natural. This means no harsh lines of demarcation as your roots start to grow out, extending the necessary time between touch-ups. We also recommended using the L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss in Clear between appointments to keep your color glossy and fresh-looking. 

2. Vanilla Lilac Hair

Vanilla Lilac hair blends together our love for the purple hair trend and blonde hair. The color features a rooted blonde base that gradually transitions into lilac ends. If you already have natural light blonde hair, use the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Pastel Lavender to achieve this look. For those with darker hair, head to the salon so your colorist can expertly blend the right shades for this blonde-meets-purple hue. 

3. All-Over Amethyst

With so many shades of purple hair color available, it can be overwhelming figuring out which hue to go for. We recommend trying a beautiful, deep amethyst. This pastel purple shade has a muted tone that makes it ideal for those who prefer a subtler take on the trend. To DIY the color, use the L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Cool Amethyst.

4. All-Over Lavender

You know what they say—go hard or go home! If you’re ready to embrace a pastel purple mane fully, allow us to point you in the right direction. This beautiful light purple hue will require bleaching (if you’re starting with a darker base color). Get the look by using the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Pastel Lavender. 

5. Pastel Purple Streak

Not ready to commit to a full head of light purple hair? Not a problem! If you want to spruce up your strands without dyeing your entire head, a pastel purple streak is a great way to do it. To get the look at home, simply apply the L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Dusty Mauve. 

6. Lavender Peek-A-Boo Hair

If you want to keep your pastel purple hair color on the low, consider giving lavender peek-a-boo hair a try. This hair coloring technique involves coloring the underneath layer of your hair a lavender shade while the rest remains your natural hair color. When you wear your hair down, no one will know about your pastel purple strands. But when you wear it up, you can put your colorful secret on full display!

7. Pastel Purple Ombré

Perhaps you’d prefer a gradual transition into pastel purple territory. That’s where purple ombré hair comes in. As you likely already know, ombré hair involves a gradient transition from dark at your roots to lighter at your ends. Have your colorist transition your natural hair color into pastel purple ends using a seamless ombré highlighting technique. 

8. Rooted Lilac Hair

Love the idea of an all-over pastel purple hair color but aren’t so fond of the upkeep that comes with it? Consider rooted lilac hair the answer to your prayers. This coloring technique involves giving your strands an all-over lilac hue—minus your roots! Your colorist will use a root smudge technique to keep your roots their natural color, meaning there will be no obvious line as your hair starts to grow out. 

9. Half Pastel Purple And Half Pink Hair

Two hair colors are better than one—or at least that’s the case when it comes to a half and half hair color. If you love pastel purple but also want to incorporate another pastel hue, consider getting the best of both worlds with half and half pastel purple and pink hair. Book an appointment with your colorist or DIY the look at home using the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Purple and the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Pink. 

10. Dip-Dyed Lilac Ends

Dyeing your ends is a great way to add dimension to your hairstyle, especially with lilac dip dye.  This technique involves coloring just the ends of your hair in a lilac hue. Since it requires two colors and some technical skill to get the right tone throughout the tips, we recommend booking an appointment at your local hair salon. 

11. Multi-Colored Pastel Purple Underlights

Did peek-a-boo hair pique your interest? If so, you’ll love this next pastel purple hair color idea: pastel purple underlights! This highlighting technique involves coloring the underneath layer of hair to give you a hidden hair color. But instead of coloring it all a single shade, multi-colored pastel highlights will be placed there. This is a great way to rock multiple purple hues without drawing major attention to your strands when you don’t want to. DIY with the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Pastel Lavender, and the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Purple.  

12. Lilac Money Piece

Want your pastel purple strands to be front and center? A lilac money piece is a great way to make that happen! This placement involves hand painting face-framing highlights from the roots to the ends to brighten up your overall look. Since this look focuses a lot on the front pieces of hair, you may want to book an appointment with your stylist to make sure you get the best results possible. 

13. Half Pastel Purple And Half Platinum Hair

Remember the half and half hair color we mentioned earlier? If you’re tempted to give the idea a try, pastel purple goes well with more than just pastel pink. For a mane with a bit less color, consider a pastel purple and platinum blonde combo! The contrast in shades will add dimension to the hair and brighten up your overall look. Use the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Dark Lilac Opal Blonde to get the best results. 

After figuring out what color and style are right for you, make sure to switch out your everyday hair care products to ones specifically formulated for color-treated hair. We recommend using the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Protecting Shampoo and the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Protecting Conditioner. This system will hydrate, condition, and seal-in color vibrancy for up to 60 days. 

Photo Credit: Ashley, @ashkmakeup

Next: 10 Purple Hair Dyes For Easy At-Home Hair Color