When it comes to unnatural hair shades, pastel passion is still going strong and there is no shade quite so alluring as lavender hair colour. For those who want to achieve an other-worldly, unnatural hair colour that subtly mesmerises, pastel hair dye is the way forward.

Plenty of celebs have tried out this soft shade of purple. Actress, Anna Paquin showed off her Instagram worthy lavender locks and we absolutely loved them. Demi Lovato opted for a punk vibe with her new purple ‘do, blending it with other shades of blue and pink. Her rainbow hairstyle can be easily achieved at home by sectioning off your hair before you apply your dye. Nicole Richie was also spotted sporting a short lavender style, proving that this colour can be both fun and sophisticated.

If you want the best lavender hair dye that will give you the understated, smoky colour of your dreams, trust us when we say that semi-permanent products are the only way to get a true pastel shade outside of the salon.

Semi-permanent lavender hair colour coats and tints the hair shaft without chemically altering your colour. Of course, you will have to lighten your hair with a bleaching treatment before a semi-permanent dye can give you the pastel shade you want.

Smoky Purple Hair Dye For Dark Hair

If you leave your hair one to two weeks between bleaching treatments, it should have enough time to recover. Just remember to give your tresses some serious TLC while you’re waiting. Deeply condition your hair to make sure it is as strong and healthy as possible for applying bleach and hair dye.

To achieve a true pastel ‘do, you will need to make sure your hair is as light as possible so your natural darker colour doesn’t show through. You may also want to consider using toner on your hair to neutralize the brassy tones that the bleach will have left behind. Starting with a blank canvas is the best way to achieve a gorgeous lavender hue.

In the event that your lightened hair is not pale enough to use pastel hair dye, all is not lost! Try a dusty purple hair dye for dark hair in a deeper shade, such as Manic Panic’s Amplified Semi-Permanent Hair dye in Deep Purple dream. This gorgeous lilac hair dye is dark enough to cover light brown or yellow hair, while still having the smoky undertones of its lighter, lavender counterpart.

One final top-tip, if your hair requires a lot of lightening and you’re going for a different pale shade such as pastel pink hair dye, be patient and use a semi-permanent lavender hair colour first. If bleaching your hair has left even a hint of yellow or orange, pastel pink hair dye simply will not cover it. Instead, you’ll find the brassy tones in your hair blend with the pink to create a rose-gold colour, which might be rather beautiful - but it isn’t what you’re going for. We recommend using the palest semi-permanent lavender dye you can lay your hands on (we love Manic Panic Creamtones Perfect Pastel Hair in Velvet Violet) to neutralise the golden tones. Then you can apply your chosen pastel hair dye once the purple has faded out to get the look you want.

Pastel Lavender Hair Dye Maintenance

It might be impossible to make extremely light or bright purple hair dye permanent, but there is a lot we can do to make it long-lasting. Pastel hair dye requires a fair amount of maintenance to keep it looking good – but it’s so worth it!

Here are a few tips which can help you keep your colour fresher for longer:

1. Choose the best lavender hair dye for hair-health, like La Riche Directions Wisteria or Lilac Hair dye. These wonderful chemical-free conditioning dyes moisturize the hair as they colour it. You’ll be caring for your hair every time you top up your shade. Plenty of our other brands at Blue Banana, have these same conditioning qualities so make sure to do your brands research before buying.
2. Find yourself a colour preserving shampoo. This will keep the amount of colour you loose with each wash to a minimum. We stock shampoos and conditioners here at Blue Banana so you can buy all your products in one place. We would also recommend washing your hair less frequently and in cool water where possible.
3. Use an old hair dye pot or jar to blend one of your favourite lavender hair colour brands with your usual conditioner. Every time you condition your hair, you’ll be subtly enhancing your colour, keeping it fresh and bright.
4. Try to avoid using heat on your hair by letting your hair air dry and by styling it without hair straighteners or curling tongs. This will help lock in that gorgeous lavender colour.
5. Keep some hair dye for later. Save some colour for topping up your roots so you can keep your fabulous new style for longer.

If you’re not sure which shade you want to go for, check out our range of semi-permanent lavender hair colour brands. We’ve got everything you need for pastel-perfection.