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Updated on December 21, 2020
26 of 40

26. Neon Lilac Pixie Cut

Pastel Purple Pixie Bob

Instagram / @hairloveheather

Short and electric, the vibrancy of this crop borders on neon. The platinum blonde mixed into the style enhances the brightness and cool factor of this lilac hue. With a color this bold, it looks best on short hair because there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

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26 of 40

In the late 80s and early 90s bright neon hair hues were the most popular non-traditional hair colors. Unlike their predecessors, these modern pastel shades are more versatile and easier to maintain. Pastel purple hair is the top favorite of all the pastels.

How to Bleach Your Hair for Pastel Color

In order to achieve pastel hair you will need to bleach your hair. If your hair isn’t platinum blonde or white, you have to bleach it in order to achieve the light pastel color. For the best result you should go to a colorist, a hair stylist that specializes in coloring.

There are two ways to bleach your hair and color it pastel. One way is to bleach and color your hair in a single process. The second way is to bleach your hair and then add the pastel color, a two-process method. Professional hairstylists prefer to use the two-process method, while at home coloring kits usually have a single process system.

To ensure that your hair can stand being chemically treated, you will need to complete a strand test. After you have successfully completed your strand test, the next thing you will need to do is to choose a color.

The Color You Want

The most popular pastel hair color brand is Manic Panic. Their hair colors come in over 40 shades that can help you to achieve the pastel color of your choice. An innovative product that Manic Panic has created for pastel hair is Manic mixer/Pastel-izer. This product can be mixed with any of the Manic Panic colors in order to make it a pastel shade. This product is probably the easiest way to achieve a pastel hair color at home.

Once you have chosen your favorite pastel hair color, now you have to choose how you want to place your hair hue. If you want all your hair to be pastel, you will need to bleach all of it. Another approach is to bleach and color only the ends, this is known as “dip dyeing”. Some other techniques that can be done with pastel hair color are ombre, balayage, and highlights.

Check out the ideas below.

1. Wavy Brown Bob with Purple Highlights

light brown bob with purple balayage

Instagram / @larisadoll

Another way to rock brown and purple hair is to try it out this way. The wavy Bob features an all over brown hair color with purple highlights that are placed throughout as balayage. The result is chic and modern, perfect for women who like to spice things up.

2. Brunette Ombre Hair

Brunette ombre is a beloved technique for wearing dark and light hair colors seamlessly. This technique can be done with any color, but it looks beautiful with pastel purple hair.

dark brown to lavender ombre

Instagram / @crystaldquach

3. Purple Grey Layers

When you’re on the hunt for purple hairstyles that require little maintenance, this is arguably one of the best. The curls are free-flowing and slightly undone, giving the style a messy look that is perfect for a carefree day or a romantic date.

purple blonde hair with black roots

Instagram / @evalam_

4. Soft Waves with Pastel Highlights

When you like the idea of lavender hair, but feel uncertain about trying a more pronounced tone of the color, going a subtle shade is going a safe way. The dominating hair color in this solution is medium brown, and there are very subtle light purple highlights in the front that frame the face. Soft waves are placed all over for a stylish everyday look.

brown hair with ash blonde and pastel purple balayage

Instagram / @valdoeshair

5. Long Tousled Lavender Hair

Pastel purple hair hue is one of the most soft and feminine shades of all the unnatural hair colors you can try. It looks especially beautiful when you dress it in a romantic hairstyle such a downdo with long, voluminous waves. Due to the length, you could also style it in a variety of ways.

light pastel purple hair

Instagram / @beautybystark

6. Mermaid Curls with Purple Ends

Whether you have short purple hair or extremely long purple locks like these, you are a girl to look as you are passing by. Placing curls at the very ends and leaving the top and middle sections smooth, puts the volume and focus on the lower section.

dark brown to purple ombre

Instagram / @hairbypkilla

7. Lilac Layered Bob

Short pastel hair has never looked so good, and the cut is adorable too! The wavy Bob is given a stylish boost thanks to the chic purple hair color. To break up the unnatural color a bit, the roots are left black. The final result is fun, flirty and impossibly cute.

wavy pastel purple bob with black roots

Instagram / @glamiris

8. Wavy Lavender Lob

Wavy tresses meet choppy ends in this gorgeous lavender hairstyle. The classy cut lets the magical color standout, while still maintaining an easy-to-pull-off style. With dimensional highlights, this look is as close to understated as lilac locks get.

Medium Choppy Pastel Purple Hairstyle

Instagram / @taitkieuapril05

9. Purple Mane with Blue Roots

Love the contrast of dark roots but not your natural hair color? Try purple hair gradient with deep periwinkle roots and lighter ends for a pastel dream. The ethereal look is sure to rack up many likes and compliments.

Long Pastel Purple Hair With Blue Roots

Instagram / @jaywesleyolson

10. Platinum and Purple Wavy Bob

A vintage-inspired bob couldn’t be any more modern than it is in this pretty purple-and-platinum-blonde hue. A faded lilac tint gives a fresh feel and vibrancy to the bleached dye-job, while big barrel waves render it envious volume.

Choppy Pastel Purple Bob

Instagram / @linapetrova

11. Lilac and Silver Balayage

Purple-and-silver highlights define the magical allure of this mane. Add a touch of glitter to the roots to accent its unicorn-worthy style. Take small sections of your hair and wrap them around a 1.5” or 2” curling wand and hold for a few seconds. When you release them, you’ll have luscious curls.

Brown Hair With Purple And White Highlights

Instagram / @sheariouslytoni

12. Strawberry Blonde Hair with Lavender Highlights

If you opt for a warmer tone, lavender hair can be a perfect complement to strawberry blonde tresses. Going with a balayage shows off your natural hair color and the fun shade all at once. The contrasting hues set off each other, creating a style that is equal parts vibrant and chic.

Light Brown And Lavender Balayage Hair

Instagram / @stephygnarstagram

13. Pastel Bob with Silver Highlights

Be a silver (and purple) fox. Big barrel curls will spotlight your ultra feminine style, while lighter ends accentuate the volume of your hair. The pale colors and choppy cut give it a surprisingly minimalist look, even though it dabbles in the season’s key trends—i.e. ombre bobs and pastel shades.

Wavy Pastel Purple Bob With Highlights

Instagram / @bescene

14. Large Waves with Purple Ombre

What do you get when you combine Lana Del Ray-inspired curls with a pastel ombre? Sexy Hollywood glamour with a pop of color. Despite its bold style, it’s actually a great choice for newbies to colorful hair. Leave an ample amount of your natural hair color, so you can avoid touchups and grow your hair out quickly if you choose to chop off the lilac.

Brown Hair With Pastel Purple Balayage

Instagram / @lisalovesbalayage

15. Pretty Pastel Waves

Ready for waist-skimming locks, this light purple hair is the ultimate of long hair goals. Dark brown roots are melting, making their way into the wavy pastel lengths full of body and dimension. If you’re a brunette, don’t be shy to experiment with unicorn colors. Just make sure to fight the damage of bleach with oils and masks to keep your locks as lustrous as these.

Long Pastel Purple Hair With Dark Roots

Instagram / @taitkieuapril05

16. Dirty Blonde Bob with Lavender Highlights

A cliche for a reason: sometimes less is more. Instead of going for the usual blonde highlights, piecey lavender strands give the same brightening effect and dimension— but with a bit more personality.

Light Brown Hair With Pastel Purple Balayage

Instagram / @hairbynoora

17. Wavy Locks with Purple Ends

Truly mesmerizing, lavender bits with a pinkish tone are woven throughout these soft tresses resulting in a girls dream style. The wavy strands, hitting mid-back, channel mermaid-like beauty. Recreate this beachy style by twisting your hair in a low bun overnight and simply letting it down in the morning.

Lavender Balayage For Long Light Brown Hair

Instagram / @jamiekeikohair

18. Wavy Bob with Pastel Highlights

An asymmetrical bob with wispy layers makes way for a chic base to pastel purple hair. Instead of going with a full-head of lilac locks or doing an ombre, try dying the hair around your face to brighten up your look. Not always our hair can handle the potential damaging effects of hair dyes, so just adding color to some parts is an equally cool alternative.

Pastel Purple Balayage For Brunette Bob

Instagram / @chrisweberhair

19. Unicorn-Inspired Gradient Hair

Don’t be afraid to embrace the trend of purple hairstyles to the fullest extent. A gradient shag is a fun way to incorporate all your favorite pastel shades, from periwinkle to ashen purple and faded magenta. What’s more, dark roots will play-up your cool-girl style.

Medium Length Purple To Pink Ombre Hair

Instagram / @cassderosa

20. Lilac Bob with a Silvery Finish

What’s a chic match to silver? Purple, of course. The two-tone look mimics the natural dimension of a rich blonde or brunette, but in a palette that is oh-so-sweet. Whether your hair is long or short, straight or curly, as long as the two colors are evenly distributed throughout, anyone with confidence can pull-off this look.

21. Wavy Pastel Locks

Silver pieces work with pastel purple so well because their lighter color not only enlivens any mane, but can give it a shiny, metallic finish that is extraterrestrial, in the best way. Even if your hair is feeling a little dull, a silvery hue creates an illusion of great luster.

Medium Layered Pastel Purple Hair

Instagram / @larisadoll

22. Layered Purple-and-Periwinkle Tresses

When you think “pastels” you might think of something very dainty and lady-like. But the colorful hair trend can be as bad-ass as it can be quaint. Electrify your hairstyle with vivacious purple roots, contrasting against periwinkle ends. Choppy layers and even extensions will give a voluminous finish to your edgy cut.

Pastel Blue Hair With Lavender Roots

Instagram / @joeltorresstyle

23. Cool-Toned Violet Melt

This medium-length layered cut uses a gradient blend of purple shades to create a look that straddles the line between tame and vivacious. Dying you hair for the unicorn rainbow can be a balancing act. The key is to keep your colorful hair sleek, that way it can be as playful as it is professional.

Multi-Colored Purple Balayage Hair

Instagram / @spectraltones

24. Grey-and-Purple Wavy Style

This even more daring alternative to blonde and purple hair, is switching out the blonde for grey. Purple is the perfect match to this color, because the two blend seamlessly together with a low contrast. It almost downplays the bold choice. Wavy tresses are a chic way to go if you want to show off the dimension of your two-tone hairstyle.

Pastel Purple To Gray Ombre Hair

Instagram / @hairbykotay

25. Brown to Purple Ombre Hair

Make your ombre even more exciting with luscious purple ends. The warmer shade of purple pairs well with the chocolate brown base. The delicious combo is simply irresistible and is easy to keep up with, especially considering you don’t have to get your roots touched up…like ever.

26. Neon Lilac Pixie Cut

Short and electric, the vibrancy of this crop borders on neon. The platinum blonde mixed into the style enhances the brightness and cool factor of this lilac hue. With a color this bold, it looks best on short hair because there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Pastel Purple Pixie Bob

Instagram / @hairloveheather

27. Silver Lob with Lavender Tips

Skimming the shoulders, this short purple hair showcases ombre done right. The ashen blonde-and-purple brings your femininity to the forefront, without skimping on your sense of style or originality. When everyone is wearing the wavy bob (because it’s so adorable!) a colorful ombre is the best way to standout.

Reverse Gray To Pastel Purple Ombre

Instagram / @chrisweberhair

28. Grey and Purple Layers

Pastel purple and gray can be combined to achieve an ethereal look. To keep your hair looking lightweight, avoid any blunt cuts with this type of hair color.

light lavender and silver gray hair

Instagram / @taytailx

29. Lilac Highlights for Blondes

Highlights are one way to evenly mix pastel purple into your entire head of hair. When you use a lighter shade of purple, like this heavenly lavender hue, for instance, a good idea is to use lowlights.

pastel purple hair with lowlights

Instagram / @evalam_

30. Lavender Hair with Pink Roots

With a hot pink color at the roots and light purple throughout the middle and to the ends, a hairstyle like this demonstrates the magic you can create when you combine two outrageous hair colors together. The thick, chunky curls finish the look and create a nice amount of volume and depth.

lavender hair with pink roots

Instagram / @xostylistxo

31. Side-Parted Purple Waves

A lovely ash brown base with very light purple balayage is what makes this long and curly look standout. A flattering side part, revealing the naturally colored roots, is also responsible for why this hair works so well.

ash blonde hair color with pastel purple balayage

Instagram / @sammiiwang

32. Messy Braided Updo

A few tones of pastel purple, pinkish purple and silver blonde blend to create a sophisticated hair color, not your doll’s gaudy hair. The hairstyle is a messy masterpiece that would look fantastic in any hair color, but in purple is true perfection.

33. Bright Vintage Swirl Bun

Equal parts rockabilly and old Hollywood glam, a hairstyle like this one is bound to turn heads. The purple color is a nice modern hair color upgrade to the vintage updo with Victory rolls placed untraditionally to the side and along the back of the head.

purple updo with side and back victory rolls

Instagram / @hairbymisskellyo

34. Angled Pastel Bob

Not only long hair is beautiful in unusual hair colors. Short pastel hair instantly draws your attention, especially if it’s cut in a bold manner – in choppy layers or asymmetrically, for instance. This angled Bob is chopped throughout with pieces of hair placed in different directions for a funky and unique appearance. There is also a deep side bang that adds a hint of mystery.

choppy pastel purple bob

Instagram / @guy_tang

35. Chunky Purple Waves

Calling all girly girls, this one’s for you! The long, chunky waves are absolutely stunning and romantic. Recreating the look is pretty simple, just add a side part and tons of thick curls all over. The light silver and purple hair color adds just the right amount of softness and femininity.

long wavy pastel purple hair

Instagram / @larisadoll

36. Blonde Locks with Purple Roots

Pastel purple is good not only as an all-over color but as a hue for accents. Place some smears of purple to frame your face, dip dye the ends or, better, color the roots. This is a rather fresh idea, compared to the other suggestions. You don’t see this color solution very often, which is why it is so fascinating.

37. Layered Lavender Curls

You can go for a rather rich shade of purple, but if it’s pastel, it will still look tender. Avoid monochromatic looks with unnatural hair colors. Even subtle highlights make a big difference and move your hair color to the next level.

medium length pastel purple hairstyle

Instagram / @caitlintyczka

38. Pinkish Purple Balayage

The purple hair ideas keep coming, and this one really looks like from another world! Long, messy light brown hair with light purple brush strokes placed throughout, starting at the top and traveling to the ends. The side peekaboo bang adds to the mystery of the look.

pastel purple balayage for light brown hair

Instagram / @mizzchoi

39. Ash-Toned Pastel Curls

Purple hairstyles look good both in sleek and tousled textures. In this example the curls are slightly undone and then pulled apart, which creates a messy appearance that seams effortlessly charming.

pastel ash purple hair color

Instagram / @guy_tang

40. Long Pixie with Undercut

Like most color trends, pastel purple hair looks great on short hair too. Besides, it’s much easier to experiment with new hair colors when your locks are cropped.

pastel purple pixie

Instagram / @katiezimbalisalon

Pastel hair color is fun, vibrant, and versatile, which is why so many girls want to try it. Choose your color, follow our tips, and the result will be a fabulous pastel hair color everyone will envy.