How to Dye Over Purple Hair?

All the process from A to Z. What colors to use, how to apply, and how to maintain

Written by Kate Holmsy. Updated on How to Dye Over Purple Hair

If you ever went crazy about coloring your hair in all imaginable shades and colors, you definitely came to the idea of dyeing it purple one day! This color has plenty of lovely and fairytale shades that will complement quite many skin types and appearances.

However, if you suddenly become fed up with all those color experiments and decide to go back to what mother nature gave you (meaning your natural hair color), dying over purple hair may become your greatest point of concern.

How to do it right and what colors will be suitable for this purpose better than others? This is what you will learn today!

How to Color Over Purple Hair Dye?

Basically, such a coloring procedure implies you have to go through a few common steps.

  • You need to lift and remove the purple color first. For this purpose, make use of a dye remover and developer first, or opt for a clarifying shampoo and deep conditioning if you don’t feel like starting with bleach at once.
  • In case you do decide to bleach, use the bleaching product, warm water, and a 10 or 20 volume developer with shampoo. Work all that through your hair until all the fantasy color is washed off.
  • Then, once the color is removed, you have to apply a new color on top to cover the previous shade

However, when it comes to unnatural dye colors, things are not that simple as they may seem!

Well, to begin with, if we want to answer the “how to dye over purple” question, we need to take quite many factors into consideration. First of all, it is the current state of your hair. If it is way too exhausted with multiple coloring sessions, another dyeing procedure may ruin the chevelure completely!

Also, you need to take into account how you are going to remove purple. If you decide to make use of a bleaching bath (in case your hair state allows that), it is important to remember that it will not just turn your hair pink. Such a procedure will make the tresses quite porous and thus prone to damage.

As an option, you could make use of a demi-permanent hair color of some natural shades (let’s say, burgundy) to cover the purple color. But even then, your hair will be exposed to quite an intensive chemical “attack”.

Finally, the quality of your hair dye matters greatly! If you colored your chevelure purple using a mass market hair dye, it might be somewhat complicated for you to later change it for another color since cheap dyes are not that easy to get rid of. However, if you initially used a high quality dye, you can be sure that the color changing procedure will be done easily with the least harm for your locks.


How to Dye Over Red Hair to Make It Purple?

The owners of red manes are very noticeable initially since this is not the hair color once can simply pass by! However, even they may want to shift to something even more unusual and turn themselves purple!

But if you really decide to try out this mermaid fantasy hair color, you will most likely face a few questions, such as whether you need to bleach your red hair to perp it for another color. Or, for instance, what shade of purple to choose for applying onto your red locks. No worries, we will explain what to do step by step!

How to Dye Over Red Hair to Make It Purple
Credits: RobertoDavid, via Canva.com

Pick a Proper Dye First

To not mess up, you need to choose the proper shade of purple first of all. Since you already have a red base, it is good since purple (as you probably know) is made up of red and blue.

If you have darker skin, then you should stick to a 4.9 violet or a deep purple 3.9 since they will complement your skin and make your eyes and lips pop! But if your skin is rather fair, you can freely choose a lighter shade of purple, let’s say, 5.9 or 6.9, or a fantasy lilac dye. But to apply these colors, your hair will have to be bleached anyway!

Pick a Proper Dye First
Credits: Jenae Spriensma, via Canva.com

Bleaching Session

Once the dye is chosen and purchased, it is time to proceed to the next stage which is bleaching. Do remember though that you will have to undergo this process only if you are about to apply either intense violet or a light lilac dye color!

But if this is your plan, then mix your bleaching powder with 30-volume peroxide in a bowl, and apply this mixture over your chevelure using a brush. Start with the lengths since they take the longest to bleach.

Afterward, let the substance sit on your hair and work for thirty to forty minutes. But do remember to check how things are going on there every ten minutes or so! Like this, you will not miss the moment when your tresses turn yellow.

Once it happens, rinse the bleaching mixture with either your regular shampoo or with the rinsing cream. Now you can dry your mane and proceed to applying a new color.

GOING FROM PURPLE TO BLONDE HAIR (+ how to remove hair dye)GOING FROM PURPLE TO BLONDE HAIR (+ how to remove hair dye)

Best Colors to Apply Over Purple

If you decide to change your current fantasy purple hair color into something else, no matter whether it is something more natural or the same crazy, you might be wondering what colors will be able to cover this shade.

And if you are quite a newbie in all these coloring spheres, you might make a mistake and choose the tone that will most likely cause pretty much damage both to your hair structure and to your appearance!

So to avoid such a dramatic scenario, we recommend you consider a few handy tips first:

  1. If you want to apply something light (for instance, pastel pink, light blonde, etc), you will have to bleach your locks first.
  2. If you are going to apply a darker color of hair dye, your current purple needs to be faded first.
  3. In case you are fond of fantasy colors, feel free to apply pink, blue, red, or violet.
  4. But if your goal is something more traditional, then stick to chestnut or mahogany brown.

In general, the most suitable hair colors that can be applied on top of your current purple to cover it completely and with no flaws are blue, red, purple, chestnut, and mahogany brown. All of them have either blue or red pigments which means that these dyes will ideally cover purple. You will not even have to do any prep work and bleach your locks, for example!

However, do please note that, even if you know what dye will cover purple, the resulting color will hang upon how intense your current purple is. So if it is not faded, you should expect your new hair color will be somewhat different from what is shown on the dye box.

Best Colors to Apply Over Purple
Credits: Marchello Chagas, via Canva.com

Tips For Fading Purple

So if you are going to apply one of the dye colors we mentioned above, you will have to fade your current purple first. Fortunately, this can be done with one of the methods we will describe below. So you can choose which approach suits you better than others and use it.

  1. To fade soft to medium purple, wash your hair with shampoo that contains ceramides. This is the least harsh method that will save your hair from any damage.
  2. For fading medium purple, or the hair dyes that last up to twenty washes, you can try out a common dishwashing product! Nevertheless, be prepared that your mane will end up being extremely dry since this liquid is very corrosive. This is why you always need to moisturize it with hair oil for the ends.
  3. Finally, to deal with intense purple (or hair dyes that last more than thirty washes), we recommend you opt for baking soda. Simply add 100 grams of it to your shampoo and give your purple mane a good wash!

To keep your tresses in a good state, remember to moisturize them with coconut, almond, or flaxseed oil, as well as with butter prior to applying the new dye. Like this, you will save your hair from further and deeper damage.

Tips For Fading Purple
Credits: vgajic, via Canva.com

How to Take Care Of Purple Hair?

Coloring your mane purple successfully is a great thing to do. But this is only half of the job! Now you need to take care of your locks properly to make the color last as long as it is only possible.

See, purple, just like any other fantasy and unnatural color, can hardly be called a long-lasting dye. Even if you do everything correctly when preparing your hair for the coloring procedure, and when applying the dye, you shall not expect it to last more than three or four weeks!

This is why it is very important how you maintain your purple strands since it will influence the period of time they will be pleasing your eyes. Fortunately, the care is not that difficult.

  • Wash your purple hair less frequently (every 2 or 3 days) since shampoo will strip the color out.
  • Stick to a sulfate-free shampoo to preserve the color.
  • Do your best to wash and rinse your mane in cool water to prevent the color from escaping your tresses.
  • Wash the hair roots only to protect the color on the ends.
  • Avoid visiting swimming pools! Chlorine in their water is not very purple hair-friendly.
  • Keep your locks healthy with hair masks and other care procedures.
  • Add a bit of hair color to your conditioner to give your locks an extra boost of color every time you wash them!
  • Remember to use a heat-protection spray when drying your hair or using any hot styling tools.
  • Also, don’t forget about UV-protection.
  • Sip hot oil hair treatment, as well as oil-based hair masks for a while after your chevelure was purpled. Like this, you will preserve the color longer.

With these easy recommendations, you will easily be able to keep your purple locks look gorgeous and well-treated much longer.

So today you learned how you can color your hair over purple dye, and what nuances you will need to take into consideration to undergo this procedure successfully. Also, since you are now aware of the optimal dye colors that can easily cover any shades of purple, you will have no trouble with choosing the correct dye next time you want to experiment with your appearance.
And as long as we shared a bunch of easy hair care tips with you today, maintaining your fantasy purple mermaid mane will be extremely easy!

Frequently Asked Questions

⭐ What happens if you put brown dye on purple hair?

You hair will turn purple-brown.

⭐ How do purple and dark brown hair mix?

They create a deep purple-brown shade.

⭐ What color cancels out red?

Green cancels red out.

⭐ What color cancels out orange?

Blue will strip orange out.

Written by
avatar
Kate worked in "The Fashion Magazine" for four years as a freelance writer and loved to consult and help people with their style. How to create your own style, how to look beautiful, and select trendy colors for your hair - these are just a few of many issues Kate will happily explain in Beezzly Beauty blogs!
Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here.
How To: From Purple Hair to Brown | Avoid TURNING  Your Hair GREENHow To: From Purple Hair to Brown | Avoid TURNING Your Hair GREEN