The 8 Best Purple Hair Dyes In 2023

Thinking of dyeing your hair purple? If so, you’re in the right place, because we’ve listed the 8 best purple hair dyes that are out there, making your selection process easier.

Best Purple Hair Dye

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How To Choose A Purple Hair Dye

If you’re thinking about using a purple hair dye, there are a couple of things to consider before heading out to grab the best one.

The most important thing to remember is to do a strand test before applying the dye! That way you can gauge how it looks on your locks, but also establish whether it reacts badly with your skin or hair. Always be safe.

1. Your Natural Hair Color And State

If your natural hair color is blonde, you don’t need to worry so much about this. But if you have darker hair, you need to think about whether you’re willing to bleach your hair so that the purple hair dye best works.

If you’re okay with bleaching, be sure that you’re confident in your decision. Heading to a salon is always best if you have any doubts, as bleaching gone bad can cause major hair disasters if tackled at home.

Similarly, if your tresses are already a little dehydrated, or are prone to breakage, frizz, and brittleness, then you can want to reconsider bleaching. You also want to be looking for dyes that have as little ammonia in them as possible but contain ingredients to moisturize and condition.

2. Type Of Hair Dye

There are many different types of hair dye – from permanent to semi and demi. Only you know how long you want your purple hair dye to last, so you have to make the call for which dye you go for.

Semi-permanent hair dye will last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how frequently you wash your hair. Permanent will last until your roots come through, and demi stays on for around thirty washes.

3. Maintenance

This is worth thinking about. Even the most natural hair dye will contain some kind of chemical, which will inevitably damage your hair to a degree.

You’ll need to think about what kind of treatment your hair will need after dying – whether a simple leave-in conditioner will do, or whether it will need a more intense strategy to restore hydration.

If your purple hair dye needs regular touch-ups, you’ll need to be able to set aside both time and money to do so. No one wants uneven hair color after all.

You’ll also need to select color-safe shampoos, or at least don’t contain nasty chemicals like sulfates. This will help preserve the dye for longer.

The 8 Best Purple Hair Dye In 2021

Best Purple Hair Dyes

1. Manic Panic Deep Purple Dream Hair Dye

By far and away our favorite purple hair dye is Manic Panics. It’s entirely vegan and cruelty-free, and the company donates a certain amount of profits to charity, which we love.

The hair dye itself is also amongst the best, and there are plenty of purple shades to choose from if you want to diversify your look, from a lovely lilac to a deep eggplant tone.

The colors can be mixed for you to customize as you please, and you don’t need any developer. The dye is semi-permanent, so will fade after about six weeks or so, making it a great low-commitment option, but is still vibrant.

There are also minimal chemical nasties in here – it’s gluten-free, and has no ammonia, parabens, or phthalates. The formula is also fortified with conditioners to boost your hair’s moisture levels. We are big fans.

Pros:

  • Vegan and cruelty free with minimal chemicals
  • Semi-permanent hair dye in many luscious purple colors
  • Can be customized with other colors for a truly unique tone

Cons:

  • You don’t get much product for what you pay

Best Purple Hair Dyes

2. Arctic Fox Vegan and Cruelty-Free Semi-Permanent Hair Dye

Another firm favorite on the list of best hair dyes is this one from Arctic Fox. Vegan and cruelty-free, it’s a deep, true purple that looks fab on all hair colors.

The dye is semi-permanent, so it’s great if you just want to mix up your look temporarily, and pairs well with other dyes from Arctic Fox for a customizable look.

The scent is nice, there’s no ammonia, and the color lasts long without smearing badly across either your skin or clothes when you apply it.

Pros:

  1. Vegan and cruelty free formula
  2. Conditioning dye that lasts for 4 – 8 weeks depending on washes
  3. Smells nicer than other dyes

Cons:

  1. Not the most budget friendly

Best Purple Hair Dyes

3. L’Oreal Paris Feria Power Violet Permanent Hair Dye

L’Oreal is still a major player in the world of hair care, delivering the best dyes up to the standard expected of the brand.

This purple dye is very shimmery, delivering long-lasting purple hair dye that glimmers through locks. It’s easy to apply and works well on different hair types and colors, and has minimal chemicals in it.

Pros:

  1. Creates a shimmering effect in hair
  2. Reasonably priced
  3. Minimal chemicals

Cons:

  1.  It’s on the darker spectrum of purple

Best Purple Hair Dyes

4. Lime Crime Unicorn Hair Semi-Permanent Hair Dye

Lime Crime produces really vibrant hair dyes, and this purple one is no different.

The dye is sulfate, peroxide, and ammonia-free, and supersaturated – it’s also vegan and cruelty-free, too.

Designed as a semi-permanent hair dye, it will last you a decent amount of time, and the formula is very conditioning, so won’t dry your locks out. It also smells great, and we love the other range of colors.

Pros:

  1. The jar means you waste less product
  2. High-pigmented color
  3. Vegan, cruelty-free, and smells great

Cons:

  • Fairly thick formula

Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color Nourishing Permanent Hair Color Cream

5. Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color Nourishing Permanent Hair Color Cream

Garnier hair dyes continue to be popular for a reason, and this purple one is up to their usual standard. It’s easy to use if you’re familiar with box dyes, coming with gloves and a bottle applicator.

Shea, olive, and avocado oils lock in moisture whilst delivering intense color, and the formula is non-drip for easier application.

Pros:

  1. Budget-friendly hair dye
  2. Works well on most natural hair dyes
  3. Moisturizing oils aim to nourish and hydrate hair

Cons:

  1. If you only have short hair, you’ll have leftover dye which can’t be re-used once mixed

Adore Creative Image Semipermanent Hair Color

6. Adore Creative Image Semipermanent Hair Color

Grab the Adore hair dye in violet gem if you’re after some ammonia and peroxide-free fun.

The color is long-lasting, the dye smells great, and there’s minimal staining when you dye. If you take care of your hair, this color can last a serious amount of time – longer than some of the competitors on this list.

It is, therefore, more budget-friendly as you don’t need to reapply so often.

Pros:

  1. Long-lasting dye
  2. Smells great
  3. Minimal staining

Cons:

  1. The formula can be a little liquid

Punky Color Cream Violet

7. Punky Color Cream Violet

This is a hair color from the brand Jerome Russell, and we love it. The dye comes in a range of shades if you want to mix it up, and all of the formulas are sulfate, paraben, ammonia, gluten, and PPD-free.

The color will last up to 35 washes if you care for it properly, and the formula is boosted with keratin to condition your hair whilst infusing it with vibrant color. Leave on for 15 minutes and you’re good to go.

Pros:

  1. The colors are really vibrant and will last
  2. Free from nasty chemicals
  3. Infused with keratin for conditioning

Cons:

  1. Some of the darker dyes can be really staining

Iroiro Premium Natural Semi-Permanent Hair Color Purple

8. Iroiro Premium Natural Semi-Permanent Hair Color Purple

Vegan and cruelty-free, this hair dye contains coconut oil and a natural yuzu-cranberry fragrance to make your overall coloring experience more enjoyable, and to hydrate your hair in the process.

The cream-based color is easy to apply and the pouch is super user-friendly. The dye also contains no nasty chemicals like peroxide, alcohol, or PPD, and the color is vibrant.

Pros:

  1. The scent is great
  2. Minimal nasty chemicals
  3. Budget-friendly

Cons:

  1. Color not as long-lasting as others

How To Prep Your Hair For Purple Dye

Follow the below steps to ensure that you get the best possible experience with your purple hair dye, making it last longer and minimizing staining.

  1. Consider whether you need to bleach or lighten your hair before dyeing, depending on how dark your natural tone is.
  2. Remember your deep conditioners and moisturizers, so that you can treat your locks to some hydration after coloring.
  3. Never forget to strand test the dye before applying it over your hair.
  4. Remember to wear dark clothing that you don’t mind getting stained. Wear gloves and even a bib if that would make you more comfortable.
  5. Try not to let the dye drip down your shower or tub, as it will likely stain. There are many dyes specifically formulated to minimize dripping.
  6. Remember to buy color-safe, sulfate-free shampoo, and wash your hair less frequently to preserve the dye.
  7. Mixing a bit of the dye into your conditioner helps to neutralize any brassiness and will also maintain the color for longer.

How To Wear Purple Hair Dye

Hair dye is for everyone. You don’t have to dye your whole head of hair just to be able to enjoy a splash of color.

Maybe you just want a streak or two of color in order to liven up your natural hair tones, or you want to mix and match with other color hair dyes.

These are some of the ways you can best wear purple hair dye:

  1. Streaks

If you want a bit of color but aren’t keen on dyeing your whole head of hair, consider getting streaks. Intersperse them around your hair, being sure to split them up evenly. Alternatively, you could also just dye the strands that frame your face for a striking look.

  • Peek a boo hair

Never heard of peek a boo hair? It’s essentially when you dye an underlayer of hair a bright color, so that it ‘peeks’ out in certain styles, making it ideal for people who don’t want to dye their whole head. This hot trend is therefore a perfect way to wear purple hair dye.

  • Go for traditional highlights

Whether you’re after an ombre, balayage or standard set of highlights, purple hair dye is a unique way to add flashes of color to your tresses.

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Alice Carlill

Alice is an experienced writer and researcher with a background in the Creative Arts. She is a published poet and is currently completing her Ph.D., having worked in a variety of industries, including as a theatre dramaturg. Alice is passionate about the environment, so is always on the lookout for the best zero-waste products that are vegan and cruelty-free.