What Does Purple Hair Fade To?

With color transformation on hair, hair dye helps to give healthy and shiny hair. Some people apply hair dye to transform hair color while others do it to cover their white, or grey strands. Among several hair dyes, few are as enchanting and eye-catching as purple hair. Whether it’s a gentle lilac hair color, deep amethyst hair color, lavender hair color, or vivid violet, purple hair undoubtedly captures attention with its attractive colors.

Hair colors fade to different colors as time passes on. Purple hair is known to fade very fast. The fading process of purple hair reveals a charming transformation. As the days go by, as a result of heat and washing off the hair dye, the original purple dye gradually evolves. The once bold and vivid shade begins to fade and change its color. If you are interested in dyeing your hair purple, you should have a proper idea about all the possible effects. So, What Does Purple Hair Fade To? I will help you with everything related to purple hair fading as well as the ways of its maintenance!

Purple Hair Fading

The fading of purple hair is very fast compared to other hair dyes. It is because the hair color molecules are not able to penetrate the hair shaft. As a result, the hair shaft remains open to the outside effects. While it may vary from person to person. As you decide to apply purple hair dye to your hair, you must be prepared for its fading since it will gradually fade away. When you dye your hair purple even with a few purple highlights, it appears to be the most vivid purple. Then, the fading of the purple hair dye takes place in the following stages.

Slightly faded purple

After a few weeks of applying the purple hair dye, the intensity of the hair color will gradually fade away. This stage still retains the vibrant purple color while it just shows one shade lighter than the first time you applied the hair dye. The undertones may also start to stand out more at this stage. For instance, you might start noticing more of the blue undertones if your initial hair color was lilac. While, if you chose a magenta, you might start noticing more of the red undertones. There are a lot of ways to maintain this stage and keep your hair appearing fresh and vibrant for a long time.

Completely faded

If you do not maintain your purple hair for a few months, you will gradually get to this level. Your once-vibrant purple will now appear pale and uneven. It will no longer resemble your original hair. Your hair would most likely appear light blue at this point if the initial color was lilac. Again, it might appear lighter pink if you used to have a purple with a redder undertone, like magenta.

When the color completely fades, dye it again or use a color removal product after the purple color has faded. The process of removing any remaining purple from hair may require a few attempts in salons or at-home kits. If there is still any purple, bleaching might be required, but use a mild solution to get rid of the stain.

What Does Purple Hair Fade To?

Purple hair dyes are semi-permanent or demi-permanent. These contain both red and blue pigments which might become noticeable with fading. It gives a lot of tones and shades starting from lavender to faded light purple. Purple hair gradually fades to a color between light blue and light pink.

The fade result will be different for blonde hair and brown hair. If you have blonde hair, high-quality purple hair dyes will make it fade to a pastel color, similar to lavender or lilac after washing hair a few times. While other brands of hair dye may give a pink or blue based on the tone of the used purple hair dye on your hair. If the color is very light blonde, then the faded purple hair can become silver in color. On the other hand, if you have brown hair, the purple hair dye will turn your hair into a subtle purple color. As the pigment fades out, the purple color will become less vibrant until the hair becomes brown again.

There are various colors in which purple hair fades to. Those are briefly discussed.

1. Lavender

Lavender has a blend of silver undertone. The beautiful fade of purple hair dye will turn to lavender and silver. The roots will stay with silver for a longer period until the purple color fully separates. It will also help you to avoid getting a bleach-yellow tone with the fading of color.

2. Gray Shade

Gray and silver tones often go with each other. If you get your hair pre-bleached before applying the purple hair dye, then the purple hair will fade to a gray or silver shade. Again, due to intentional bleaching before dying hair for getting a gray shade, the result would be great.

3. Ombre

Ombre is the color that forms as a result of the combination of gray and silver both of which have a purple base. Many stylists often combine gray and silver to get a shade of violet, plum, or lilac. As the combination fades away, a lighter ombre effect appears.

4. Faded Fuschia

Purple when fades out turns into faded fuschia in a dusky rose or blue undertones. The shade is very vibrant and bright and the hair also looks amazing after this fade.

5. Faded Purple Balayage

A subtle and deeper shade of purple is less harmful and gives the perfect look to all complexions. You may instantly add beauty to your medium-length or long straight haircut through this version of fade-out.

6. Faded Light Purple

A delicate color addition for long, straight layers of hair is light purple which comes as a result of the fading of purple hair. A blonde base helps in the brightening up of the color, enhances light skin tones, and maintains a professional kind of style.

7 Factors Why Purple Hair Fades

Purple hair dye may fade to a wide range of colors. The fading of purple hair depends on the following factors, such as initial hair color, type of applied purple hair dye, quality of the purple hair dye, washing hair with hard water, direct or indirect heat exposure, frequent hot showers, and shampooing and not re-dying dyed hair.

1. Initial Hair Color

The color of your hair before you applied purple hair dye to it is an important factor that determines what color the purple hair fades to. If you had blonde hair and apply purple hair dye over it, it will naturally fade out to a lighter shade of the purple hair dye which was applied. While if you had very light blonde hair or almost platinum blonde hair, and apply purple hair dye on it, it will fade into a beautiful lavender or lilac color.

2. Type of Applied Purple Hair Dye

The type of applied purple hair dye influences its fading. Purple contains much of red and blue pigments. For purple with more red pigments, the hair dye will more likely fade to a pinkish color when the purple pigments wash out. So, for getting warm-toned purple after fading away, orchid, magenta, or plum colors would be best. On the other hand, for having cool based toned purple, the hair dye turns out to be of blue shade after washing several times. So, if you want to get a blue-toned purple after fading away, amethyst, violet, or indigo would be best. Again, as the purple color fades, the intensity of bright pink or bright blue fades too. The pink or blue would not be as pigmented. As a result, hair dying becomes easier.

3. Quality of the Purple Hair Dye

The quality of purple hair dye greatly impacts its fading color. High-quality dyes have a higher concentration of color pigments, resulting in more intense and vibrant colors. These are also more colorfast, holding onto the hair better and resisting fading caused by washing and exposure to sunlight. Higher-quality dyes are less likely to bleed. So, the dyes tend to result in more even and longer-lasting color fades by maintaining their original color as it gradually fades away.

4. Washing Hair with Hard Water

Washing hair with hard water also influences the fading of purple hair. Hard water contains calcium and magnesium which can be too harsh on your hair since these forms build up on hair. As a result, the purple color on your hair won’t settle on the cuticles. So, it will be easily washed away with hard water and cause it to fade. Some strands can be more purple compared to others and there can be a hint of yellow in the hair. For instance, taking a bath or a swim in hard water will transform your purple hair color into a more yellowish one. Your hair may develop yellow undertones as a result of frequently swimming or bathing in hard water. The purple hair dye will fade much more quickly and also not last very long. If you swim in chlorinated or beach water, your hair may have a variation of tones of your hair dye.

5. Direct or Indirect Heat Exposure

One of the most common factors for fading out of purple hair is direct exposure to the sun. UV rays are normally damaging to hair. For purple hair, the rays can help the purple hair dye to fade out. Again, purple hair can also fade due to indirect heat exposure to certain products and equipment. Due to frequent hair styling using equipment, such as blow dryers, flat irons, curling wands, etc., without any heat protection can easily damage your hair and cause purple hair to fade.

6. Frequent Hot Showers and Shampooing

Hot water further opens up hair cuticles. As a result, the hair dye easily fades away during the application of shampoo on the hair. Due to taking hot showers very frequently, purple hair dye can fade away very easily. Shampooing frequently after applying hair dye is also not good for the longevity of the required hair color. So, if you apply shampoo very soon after coloring your hair, the purple hair dye may fade away easily.

7. Not Re-Dying Dyed Hair

Hair colors naturally fade if not re-dyed regularly. So, not re-dying hair as required is another reason for the fading out of your purple hair. Re-dying the dyed hair also determines what color the purple hair fades to. Your hair will appear more red and pink if it was pink before applying the purple color hair dye. It is because the color beneath the purple will start to show as the purple dye fades. Depending on the color of your hair before purple, the purple can very often fade to silver or white.

Taking Care of Faded Purple Hair: Do’s and Don’ts

Since purple hair dye is washed out very easily and fades away very quickly, the maintenance of this hair dye is quite difficult. It is also necessary to take care of faded purple hair. You can follow these ways to take care of or even prevent the fading of purple hair to some extent. The dos and don’ts are briefly explained.

Dos

• Apply A Darker Color to the Hair Root: You can dye the roots of your hair into a darker shade, such as brown, black, or vivid purple color with faded purple hair with a bold ombre at the ends. It will give an amazing look to the purple hair and help to maintain the color of your purple hair. The style is called shadow root which is very popular now.
• Wash Hair with Cold Water: You should wash your hair with cold water which will help to prevent the opening of hair cuticles. If you use hot water to wash your hair, it will force the opening up of hair cuticles. During a hot water hair wash, the dye molecules can be washed out of your hair. So, it is better to avoid using hot water when shampooing. Although it may cause discomfort at first, still do not try to skip this. Over time, you’ll grow used to performing it.
• Moisturize Hair with Suitable Shampoos: Moisturizing colored hair is essential to enhance its health. Your hair will be less likely to fade and break if you add more moisture to it. Sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners, and oil treatments can help you achieve this since these products lock your cuticle afterward and keep water from seeping out of your hair shaft. So, use shampoos without sulfates that are specially formulated for dyed hair. Using shampoos with sulfates might irritate scalps and speed up the fading of hair color sometimes. Again, clarifying and anti-dandruff shampoos also tend to remove purple hair dye. Try to avoid these types of shampoos too.
• Use Color-Saving Shampoos and Conditioners: The use of color-saving shampoos is one of the simplest ways to retain the vibrant color of your hair dye. It settles the pigment in your hair as you take your shower every day, making your hair color appear brand new. On pre-lightened hair, use these types of shampoos to revive darker tones or even produce vivid or pastel shades. If you don’t like the way your purple hair dye has faded, you may also revive it by using a color-saving conditioner.
• Proper Use of Styling Tools and Products: Thermal protection, when you style your hair with hot styling tools like straighteners and blow driers, protects the hair from heat damage. While direct heat will cause damage as well as help the color to fade although those make styling your hair simple. Minimum use of styling tools can also be a good idea. By using thermal protection, you can prevent both damage and color fade at the same time. Some styling products have alcohol which causes the hair dye to fade quickly. So, you should use color-lock hair products. It will help to protect the color of your hair dye as it will seal the cuticle of the hair.
• Make Your Hair Curly: Faded purple hair often looks uneven and unattractive. If you make it curly, you can easily fix these problems. Curly hair adds to the volume of your hair and also conceals the uneven color of the hair. Those who do not prefer heat styling can go for heatless curls which are more gentle and long-lasting on hair.

Don’ts

• Avoid Everyday Hair Wash: It’s not good to shampoo your hair every day, especially if it’s purple dye. Shampoos for hair contain detergents that might fade your color along with removing dirt and extra sebum. So, you should wait a few days before washing your hair after applying hair dye. You should only wash your hair when required. Also, utilize dry shampoo to control extra oil.
• Reduce Direct Exposure to Sunlight: Exposure to sunlight help to fade color and as it doesn’t give any protection to your hair. So, it is very important to protect hair from UV rays by reducing direct exposure to the sun. As it is not possible to completely avoid sunlight but it is possible to reduce exposure by using certain products or using protective shields. Always use sunscreen to give protection to your hair from harmful UV rays. You may also wear a hat, a cap on your hair to cover it or use a sun umbrella while you go out in the sun.
• Avoid or Reduce Use of Heat Tools: Heat tools can help to fade purple hair dye quickly. If you want to retain the original color of your purple hair dye, avoid or reduce the use of heat tools. Go for hairstyles that are heat free. But still, if you want to use heat tools, do it carefully in low heat. You may also use a heat protectant for the purpose.
• Avoid Swimming: Swimming pools contain chlorinated water. It creates a bleaching effect which can cause the purple hair dye to fade very easily and quickly. You must wear a swimming cap for giving protection to your hair from chemicals like chlorine. Before starting to swim in a swimming g pool, you need to immerse your hair in a product that gives protection of your hair from chlorine.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

The journey from bold purple to its faded beauty makes the process as enchanting as the color itself. Depending on various factors like initial hair color, type of applied purple hair dye, quality of the purple hair dye, etc, the fading of purple hair remains a captivating mystery. It results in lavender, gray shade, ombre, faded fuschia, faded purple balayage, and faded light purple color on fading. The faded purple hair looks amazing, but you can still take care of the hair dye. There are several ways by which you can take care and prevent fading of purple hair to some extent and make your purple hair look great.

So, if you want to embrace purple hair, remember that its fading is as notable as its vibrancy. Prepare to witness the captivating world of what purple hair fades to.

Key Points