Style

Here's Proof That Lilac Hair Requires More Commitment Than Most Human Relationships

Dec. 13, 2018

Stocksy

With searches for lilac hair up 1077 percent on Pinterest, the pretty pastel look is set to be 2019's standout hairstyle. Going lilac can seem daunting, especially when you consider the aftercare. With this in mind, I've broken down everything you need to know, including how to care for lilac hair.

First things first, start blonde. Pastel hair dyes such as lilac will only really take to super blonde (usually bleached) hair, so in order to get a great colour payoff, you need to start light. Darker hair shades will struggle to reach any kind of solid shade. Alternatively, blonde hair would benefit from using a purple-hued toner to begin with, as recommended by Bleach London's co-founder Alex Brownsell:

"Maintaining lilac hair can be difficult as fading happens quickly and it can become very blue. The key to keeping it fresh is making sure you have a good tone in the first place that you can top up easily. At BLEACH, we have a new Toner Box Kit called Lavender Grey – which is a great base of smoky lilac."

Secondly, use cold water. Justin Anderson, Pravana guest artist at the Chris McMillan Salon, told Refinery29 that washing hair with cold water is preferable. "Hot water opens up the hair cuticle and releases the color pigment from the hair. I know it doesn't sound very relaxing, but I recommend using cool water when rinsing your shampoo and conditioner," he told the publication.

Thirdly, use a violet based shampoo. Violet shampoos are great for keeping blonde tones cool and icy — they keep warm undertones under control, according to Redken — and they also do well at maintaining lilac shades. Fourthly, and this is super important: nourish the hair. Chances are if you've bleached your hair prior to pastel dyes, things will be looking and feeling pretty dry. Maintain a glossy colour by keeping the hair and scalp nourished.

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The next tip is also an important one: don't wash too often. Most pastel shades are temporary or semi-permanent, therefore the more you wash your hair, the more colour you lose. For this reason, extend the amount of time between washes and let dry shampoo become your new best friend.

And last but by no means least: re-apply, re-apply, re-apply. Most temporary dyes (such as those by Bleach London) have little or no peroxide in, meaning they are fairly safe and gentle on hair. Because of this, you don't have to be worried about topping colour up regularly to maintain the shade.