Have you grown tired of your vivid purple hair and are looking for a cooler, a more striking shift in color? Do you wish to embrace a shimmering silver hue but aren’t sure where to begin? Fading out bold purple tones for a gorgeous metallic sheen is easier than you think. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the science of how to fade purple hair to silver step-by-step.
You’ll learn about critical considerations beforehand, the tools and products needed, techniques for lightening and toning, and tips on maintaining your new icy color. Soon you’ll be rocking stunning silver and purple hair dye with confidence.
The Science Behind Hair Color
Understanding the process of how to fade purple hair to silver and the best practices for fading purple hair dye, helps to first understand hair color on a molecular level.
Your hair is made of a protein called keratin that contains pigment granules. These granules consist of melanin that gives hair its natural color. There are two types of melanin:
Eumelanin – Brown and black pigments
Pheomelanin – Red and blonde pigments
When you dye your hair purple, synthetic pigments are deposited that coat the hair shaft with bright violet hues. However, since the artificial color isn’t within the keratin, it will eventually fade with washes.
As the vivid purple begins to fade, the lighter undertones of hair color start to show through. So faded purple hair dye takes on a lighter, silver or ash-blonde-like appearance as the artificial pigment molecules gradually wash out over time and bleach.
What to Consider Before Fading Purple Hair into Silver?
Before embarking on your hair metamorphosis, here are key considerations regarding the process:
- Current Color – Is your hair a light, medium or darker purple? Darker shades may require more lightening first.
- Desired Results – How light do you want the silver to be? Pale icy white or soft shimmering gray? This impacts timing.
- Hair History – Is your hair healthy or damaged from previous dye jobs? The condition will influence processing.
- Skin Tone – Do cool undertones in your skin contrast well with silver hues? Warm complexions my clash.
- Time Commitment – Transitioning purple into faded silver hair requires patience over weeks and months for the shift.
- Maintenance – Keeping bright silver hair color requires diligent toning to reduce brassiness.
Assessing these elements will help lead to your ultimate hair goals when taking the prerequisite steps to fade purple hair dye.
How to Fade Purple Hair to Silver Step-by-Step
Now let’s get into the exciting process of how to transform purple hair into a gorgeous icy silver:
Tools and Products You’ll Need
Before starting the fading purple hair dye process, gather the salon-quality supplies. Color-protecting shampoo Toner and developer Gentle cleanser Purple hair dye (if re-touching roots). Mixing supplies and foil Bleach and activator Gloves, applicator, and cap. Having the right hair dye fading products will make all the difference in the health of your hair when lifting color.
Step 1: Assess Your Current Hair Color
Examine your current shade of purple first before deciding on the approach. Vibrant, fresh dye jobs likely only need regular washes for the color to fade gradually.
If the purple hair dye fading has already begun and your hair is a pale lilac, you may only need to tone to icy shades.
However, if months have passed and your purple hair silver is a deeper, muddy faded purple, bleach may be required to help lift and lighten pigment stuck in the hair further. this is why assessing the current tones and timing is key.
Step 2: Lighten Your Hair (If Needed)
For those with darker faded purple hair dye still lingering, bleach is necessary for removing stubborn underlying pigment. Pre-lighten with bleach to a pale yellow first before attempting silver. This prevents unseen warm tones from polluting the icy shades.
- Use a 20-volume developer with powder lightener for gentler lifting on already porous hair.
- Check every 5-10 minutes until desired pale blondness then rinse thoroughly.
- Deep condition afterwards to minimize dryness and damage from lightning.
Step 3: Preparing Your Hair for The Color Change
Now that you’ve prepped your hair to a brighter baseline by growing out your purple hair dye, washing repeatedly or lightening as needed, it’s ready to be recoloured.
Some tips before applying silver hair dye:
- Use a clarifying shampoo to remove residue
- Rough up hair fibres with a scrub brush for toners to grab better
- Blow dry to maximize silver hair dye absorption
- Separate into four sections & wear gloves for neat application
Step 4: Selecting the Right Hair Dye
When deciding which formulas are best for dyeing hair silver purple, it’s recommended to go with professional salon-quality toners that neutralize brassy tones and provide cool, shimmering results.
Here are top-rated toner and developer choices:
Colour Toner: The gold standard for achieving white-silver hues. The blue-violet base neutralizes yellow perfectly.
Enhancing Purple Shampoo: For softer silver with a subtle lavender pearl finish. Less abrasive for fragile hair.
20 Volume Creme Developer: Lower volume prevents over-lifting while still evening out porous regions.
Be sure to carefully combine your decided toner recipe per the instructions to avoid haphazard mixing and uneven results.
Step 5: Bleaching the Hair
If your hair wasn’t pre-lightened earlier and still needs lifting of deeper pigment, bleaching is required before applying silver hair dye to avoid muddy outcomes.
Here is how to brighten properly with bleach:
Separate hair into four quadrants securing with clips Use 30 vol developer to activate the lightener Quickly apply lightener evenly from root to ends Process for 25-30 minutes checking frequently Rinse with lukewarm water thoroughly Condition and air dry hair before toning A pale yellow is the target for bleach lifting when wanting an anti-brassy canvas for icy silver and purple hair dye brilliance later.
Step 6: Toning the Hair
This is where the magic of neutralizing happens to transform faded purple into sensational silver:
Prep your custom toner recipe based on brand instructions Section hair into four parts clipping up three. Start applying the chosen formula liberally on the first section Process for 20-30 minutes based on porosity. Repeat until glossing the entire head then smooth with a wide-tooth comb.
Leave on for full development time. Rinse with cool water and towel dry be extremely diligent about keeping an eye on the clock throughout toning to prevent unwanted overtones.
Step 7: Dry and Style
Almost finished! Now it’s time to showcase your exquisite handiwork and dazzling new silver-purple hair dye!
Here are the last steps for styling and setting up your icy makeover:
Always air or blow-dry hair rather than towel drying to reduce abrasion Style as desired with curling or straightening iron if heat won’t damage Use protective serum/oil for amplified shine and silkiness Show off your metallic mane with pride in this chic new hair era!
Maintaining The Silver Color
Preserving the crisp silver hair fade vibrancy requires diligent upkeep to prevent dulling or brassiness.
Be sure to incorporate these practices:
- Use sulfate/chlorine-free shampoo and cold water
- Deep condition 1-2 times weekly
- Re-tone with violet gloss every 2-4 weeks
- Avoid chlorinated pools or hot tools excessively
- Use bonding and sealing treatments
- Get trims regularly to snip off dry ends
- Use bonding and sealing treatments
Following a strict silver hair color maintenance regime reduces fading issues between touch-ups.
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FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about transitioning purple into sensational silver hues:
Does purple hair color fade fast?
Yes, vivid purple dyes tend to fade quicker than darker shades since lighter pigments wash out easily. Expect pastel hues in 4-6 weeks.
What color does purple hair fade to?
Vibrant purple heads towards lighter lilac or lavender hues first before completely fading to reveal natural undertones like blonde, brown or red pigment.
Will purple hair fade to silver or gray naturally?
No, purple will not organically fade silver without removal via washing, bleaching or toning out the layers of color first for icy results.
How long does silver hair dye last?
Silver hair dye can last 4-6 weeks but tends to fade faster than darker colors. Maintaining toner richness is required for anti-brass upkeep between applications.
Does faded purple hair turn green over time?
Yes, color theory shows purple and yellow combine for muddled olive green results. This makes brassiness prevention so key with silver upkeep.
Conclusion
Transforming vibrant purple hair to stunning silver is within reach using the techniques outlined. Now that you know the science behind how purple hair dye fades and how to speed up the removal process, you can unlock dazzling icy makeovers.
Just be sure to assess your current tone, lift if necessary, use professional toners, process meticulously, and maintain religiously. Soon you’ll have show-stopping silver and purple hair color that shines as beautifully as your inner diva!
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