40 Versatile Purple Highlights for Blonde, Brown and Red Hair

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Having bright colors in your hair can be so much fun! Any color of the rainbow is literally at your fingertips, including all shades of purple! It was once a color of royalty, only reserved for the wealthiest and most revered people, because the sources of the color itself were very rare to find — therefore expensive (like pretty snails and Sea Urchins!) But now, we have “animal-free” versions of all shades available if you choose to unleash your creativity and indulge in bold or soft and tender purple highlights!

This article offers a plethora of versatile ideas for purple highlights, catering to all hair colors, from deep natural hues to blonde tones.

Different shades of purple have varying undertones; warm purples with pink distribution may fade to soft purple-pink tones, while cool purples with blue undertones can leave a stubborn blue-green stain on pre-lightened hair. While some may embrace this bluer tone, clear communication with your stylist ensures you achieve the perfect purple shade that you’ll love long after it’s faded.”


Vanessa Koeb Colorist * *

Hair Colors That Pair Best with Purple Highlights

It all depends on the shade of purple and the base color. The darkest and the brightest purples set off the depth and richness of dark brown and black hair, while pastel purple (like a lavender hue) can serve as an exquisite accent for cool toned blondes. Purples sprinkled through cherry red hair are another bright story for daring girls. Look through the following images for inspiration!

1. Purple and Violet for Black Hair

Having brown hair with purple highlights can be a bold choice. Here, we love the brighter, radiant ends, with the deeper hues emanating from the top. If you want to have a captivating yet alternative look, these shades are right for you!

2. Burgundy, Purple and Indigo for Black Hair

Looking at pictures of different hair dye options, we noticed that you can barely find a smooth blend of brightly colored streaks. But here is a way to add some color, both in burgundy and purple, in varying sections, without being over the top!

@amburscissorhands

3. Light and Dark Purple Bob

This violet and purple combination is perfect for any season! A set of light purple highlights emphasizes the base in this angled bob. A dark shade underneath brings out the prominence of the purple quite well!

@foxandjane

4. Purple Ombre Ringlets

Brighten up that dark hair with reddish purple ombre highlights. When curled with a medium-sized curling iron and worn loose around the shoulders, your locks get a totally magical and feminine look. It’s like a waterfall of purple waves!

@alexisthurston

5. Multi-Colored Purple Highlights

Brown and purple hair never looked so good! Combine shades of chocolate brown, golden chestnut, and light rose gold with weaved-in lilac and darker purple highlights to give yourself a hair masterpiece.

@butterflyloftsalon

6. Purple at the Back

Life is too short to go through it with one hair color. You deserve to rock a pinky blonde ombred in purple to elevate your brown hair color whenever you want. Mix sectioning and balayage techniques for an artistic ‘do. The style allows you to have your cake and eat it, too, so to speak.

@alix_maya

7. Dual-Shaded Purple Locks

Purple streaks can be bold but subtle looking. Try dressing your long locks in purple at the bottom for a cool pop of color that doesn’t go overboard.

@butterflyloftsalon

8. Pinky Purple and white Streaks

We’ll take blonde and purple hair with an extra of pink, as is great for upgrading your ash-blonde locks. Opt for a cool color to tone your roots (like navy blue or dark purple brown.)

@glamiris

9. Magenta Mane with Purple Pieces

Purple and plum highlights don’t work only with long manes. Short hair can get in on the fun, too. In fact, when completely covered with magenta and purple highlights, bob hair cuts become cooler than ever.

@maryhornehenry

10. Peach and Purple Perfection

Brighten up those locks even more with panels of peach, purple and pink. When worn with orchid-colored highlights, the cocktail of color will make your hair look like a lovely bouquet of flowers … on your head.

@modernsalon

11. Neon Purple Highlights

Are you looking for purple hair ideas that venture outside the pastel realm? Try a super-bright fluorescent magenta shade with streaks of rich purple. It’s totally rockstar and totally unexpected.

@guy_tang

12. Jet Black Hair with Flashes of Purple

If your jet-black pixie cut needs some added flare, add in some beautiful flashes of dark purple highlights. When strewn throughout, the weaved-in color looks amazing and shows people you’re a fearless flyer when it comes to your hair.

@modernsalon

13. Two Shades of Purple

Are you unsure about which shade of purple to try out? Fulfill all of your purple hair dreams with a look that features a rich plum up top and a lavender shade at the bottom. It may seem a bit unconventional, but, hey, you only live once, right?

@xostylistxo

14. Angular Bob with Purple Highlights

Purple hair just hit the cutting edge … literally. Pairing a dark-to-light ombre look with an angular bob cut is about as cool as it gets. Oh, and if you only get glimpses of those violet locks, that’s OK. The purple has you covered.

@hair_by_love

15. Prismatic Highlights

Channel your inner rockstar with prismatic highlights that reflect shades of purple, pink and blue. Hey, you’ve always dreamed of singing your heart out on stage and feeling every bit the rock goddess, so why not look the part?

@redbloomsalon

16. Cyclamen Pink-to-Pearl Blonde Ombre

It’s that time of year when color is everywhere, so it’s time to get funky with floral-inspired tones. Combine those pieces of delicate pearl blonde highlights with an ethereal cyclamen pink. Be strategic about the placement of your highlights, as well as brighter and lighter sections.

@jaywesleyolson

17. Dimensional Violets

Not sure if you can pull off black hair with purple highlights? Well, you can! Yes, the process is extensive and could involve some bleaching and processing, but the results are totally worth it. Amethyst-colored streaks lend a nice jewel-like look to your hair, and who doesn’t want that?

@xostylistxo

18. Blueberry Enhancement

Make your purple highlights shine bright like a diamond by adding a glossing effect to your hair-dyeing sesh. Ask your stylist about adding a blueberry purple gloss to make your locks really sparkle and shine as they were meant to.

@michellehair

19. Magical Magenta Highlights

Short purple hair doesn’t need to be completely purple. In fact, even when it comes to purple shades, one uniform hair color can appear flat. Bring in streaks of fuchsia or red highlights to add some dimension and give the look some added “oomph.”

@chellsiedanielle

20. Pretty in Purple Balayage

Tired of your brown locks? Try rocking a lilac ombre or brown hair with purple highlights for a psychedelic spin on your plain mane. Add dimension by creating a cool color transition that starts out subdued and ends vibrant and bright.

@jesstheebesttcolor

21. Braided Purple Highlights

Showcase those violet highlights by being creative at styling them nothing beats a lovely plaited ‘do! The simple half updo showcases and weaves together each hair shade. It’s a look fit for a princess, and you know you’re all about that.

@ritual.haircompany

22. Short, Curly and Purple

Purple highlights on a short, textured pixie cut are very in right now. The look delivers high style, just make sure you have some color-friendly products on-hand to keep your hue and ‘do intact. The last thing about this gorgeous pixie you want is a faded color!

@modernsalon

23. Wavy Purple Magenta Hair with Highlights

There’s something about purple and blonde locks that are just so darn fairy-like. And when curled into perfect, luscious, voluminous waves, the look reaches new levels of ethereal, not to mention it looks gorgeous. Now all you need is some fairy wings and pixie dust.

@queenvenalove

24. Deep Purple Tips

This color is enriched with deep red in its base tone. Pictures simply don’t do it justice! Some blonde highlights over the dark brown hair enhanced by the gentle curls give way to the wonderful dimensional locks which are further adorned with the deep purple red, covering much of the lower half of this stunning lob. Leave one strand blonde… just because you can!

@carpediemsalon_nola

25. Rosewood, Purple and Ginger Blonde

These dark and light purple streaks are a cute and creative way to have fun without a huge commitment. Add the lighter rosewood streaks through this beautiful warm blonde, and then accent them with a darker purple.

@nicolehanily

26. Cherry Red with Raspberry Pink

Adding raspberry pink highlights to red hair is a fun combination, and we love this two-tonal look. The two tones are smoothly blended, resulting in a striking color that definitely stands out. It’s a great way to get noticed!

@alyssawiener

27. Pastel Lavender Waves

Pink and purple are a great combination for something different and fun! These blended highlights give the impression of a misty fog and are definitely whimsical. Go for an all over pastel pink blonde shade, then add lavender highlights over top.

@modernsalon

28. Purple Streak for Blonde Bixie

Purple highlights can also be just a small detail, sneaking in under the radar. These chunks of lighter purple are hidden underneath the blonde base in a small amount of lowlights. Add them in various spots for a little extra fun!

@carriesapphire

29. Under the Sea Waves Ombre

These dark brown hair strands toned in a noble burgundy hue unexpectedly give way to an outstanding shade of electric blue! The contrasting colors remind us of those red, white, and blue popsicles of a long time ago.

@modernsalon

30. Purple Frost Job

For a hue in light purple that stands out more than toned silver locks, you must look for a purple with a blue base. It is softer than the red-based purples, and it looks very interesting. Go for an all-over lighter color with dark roots and just a bit of lowlights to really bring out your individuality!

@butterflyloftsalon

31. Purple Mermaid Hair

If you have brown hair and want to adorn it with purple highlights, you probably want to become a mystical mermaid. Just kidding! This combination of some pink on top with a head turning electric violet is a gorgeous and multifaceted combination!

@jenndones.hair

32. Bright Purple and Ashy Blonde

In this case, the purple dye is distributed unevenly through the length, and it also varies in its intensity, starting with the brightest roots, blending to the soft purple highlights, and finishing with slightly darker purple tips.

@savannahraehair

33. Brown and Purple Pink Color Combination

Dark hair is a little more difficult to add lighter colors to, but we think this look is a perfect example of how to blend those elegant shades of brown and pastel purple pink. To achieve this color result. The length needs lightening while the roots can (and should) stay the natural dark color.

@salsalhair

34. Purple-Pink Undercut Bob with Shadow Roots

Not all purple highlights are truly “purple.” Some are pinker, and some are bluer. These base colors are mixed in different proportions depending on the purple shades used or chosen. This is a pretty purple with a subtle pink tone.

@ateliermaytoronto

35.Groovy Purple Curls

This bright set of wavy neon purple curls is elevated by a short undercut. Keep the sideburns a touch longer and add the lighter with darker purples all over the top section, maintaining the undercut of its natural color …and will look just gorgeous!

@modernsalon

36. Ribbons of Purple Haze

These brown and blonde streaks are a great base to use as an additional color, such as a light shade of purple (purple haze). Blonde hair provides a nice contrast to the base color and a beautiful dimension when mixed with purple. Style some tighter and looser curls to enhance the variety of tones and create a more defined texture. Okay, now you’ve got a pretty set of locks for any season!

@modernsalon

37. Purple Siren Song Waves

Looking for a bit more in purple highlights? This bold plum color is a step into the waters of freedom for expression. If your hair is very dark, you’ll have to take it to a lighter tone first, and then apply the color.

@jimmychoosy

38. Midi Cut with Purple Feathered Tips

This look for blonde hair is great if you want to personalize your haircut. Use a purple shade as a dip dye to upgrade your highlighted blonde hair. It can be a great compromise if you are not sure of how long you are going to like those purple feathers.

@savannahraehair

39. Bright Purple to Magenta Fade

People with naturally dark hair look great in bright vibrant shades, because their skin tones often fall rather in the middle of the spectrum, giving a pleasant contrast. In this indigo blue hued style, vibrant purple and bright magenta blend into an exceptional mix for bold brunettes!

@modernsalon

40. Midnight Ocean Wave Curls

Black hair with purple highlights is quite stunning as it stands. In this picture instead the long curls cascading in an ombre pattern, going from a dark cobalt hue to a mystical shade of violet are literally breathtaking!

@araxjan

Now that you have expanded your view of purple highlights, what styles and shades are your favorites? Get ready to share these inspirations with your friends, and then check in with your stylist to ensure you get the full opportunity to fly free with color!

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