- Nail the exact shade. First things first – you would want to pick up a reference point to start for whichever shade of purple you are gunning for, as the spectrum for this one colour can be varied and vast. From Kelly Osbourne’s lavender to a green-base faded purple; from Andy Warhol’s Factory muse Ultra Violet’s dark bottle purple to Nicole Richie’s pastel mauve, tell your hair colourist as it is before getting down to business. We like to visit Kevin Woo, director of Centro Hair Salon for all our hair colour mischief.
- Starting small? Then opt for hair chalks, the perfect colour-and-wash for neophytes or uncertain acolytes who want to try out the trend for an occasion. Make like a candy floss swirl around curled tendrils – you can even experiment with intertwining a few shades of mauve; or if you have a centre parting and long flowing locks, dust it on the crown of your head and look set for a music festival. Try L’Oreal Professionnel Hair Chalk, then finish off with a few spritz of Jo Malone’s fresh Plum Blossom like a halo around the top of your head.
- Prepare for the fade. Danny Moon, the colourist who gave Richie her lilac mane, was far-sighted from the beginning. “We picked something vibrant that would fade to an equally beautiful shade,” he reveals. For dark manes, try to avoid the bleach with an onyx-purple tint – it looks absolutely breathtaking and three-dimensional depending on the light. Be sure to follow this up with an intense hair treatment to strengthen hair follicles and keep the colour’s staying power for an even longer time span. TRY: Kérastase Chronologiste Beautifying Oil
Stylist’s Tip: Give pastel an edge. Kelly Osbourne made the perfect poster girl when she posted an Instagram picture of an undercut-mohawk dyed in a pastel shade of purple. It tones down the otherwise gritty hairstyle; it has a bite but the colour keeps things sweet – she even played up the hairstyle with an unexpected braid on the side.
Credits: 11 Studio.
