Mane Changer: 5 Ways to Sport Trendy Mauve Hair

Mauve hair color is the harmonious mingling of purple hair color and gray hair color. When you think of mauve, think of a subdued, cool-toned violet color with ribbons of silver, gray, berry and pink that create a hybrid, ashy shade. It’s a hue that’s rebellious, punchy and it just so happens to look good on all skin tones.

If you’re craving a mauvelous makeover with your winter hair color, we’re here to share some perfectly-timed inspo. Ahead, see our favorite ways to sport mauve hair for all different hair types, plus, discover all the products you’ll need to properly care for this icy purple hue.

Lived-In Mauve Highlights

Why we love it: Highlights are a great way to add brightness and dimension to your color. When complete with mauve ribbons of color versus the typical caramel or blonde shades of highlights, the hair has a cool-toned pop in a striking, gray-purple hue that proves to be ultra-flattering on dark hair colors.

How to get the look: To create your mauve highlights, you’ll need to start with a lightened base. If you have naturally dark hair, use an at-home bleaching kit, like the L’Oréal Paris Féria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System Bleach to help you achieve the look. As an alternative, you can also use the tried-and-true L’Oréal Paris Frost and Design. 

Once you’ve created the highlights, give them a mauve makeover with the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Purple. To add some temporary silver color into the mix, use the L’Oréal Paris Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Silver.

Dark Mauve Dip-Dyed Ends

Why we love it: Dip-dyed ends are a great way to make over your color without having to worry about outgrown roots. With a dark, mauve color, the dip-dyed ends get a dimensional pop with rich tones of berry and gray color that will stand out on light or dark hair.

How to get the look: Using the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Purple, focus the dye on the ends of your hair, only. This temporary color lasts until your next shampoo so it’s perfect for giving mauve hair color a test-run.

Asymmetrical Bob With All Over Mauve Color

Why we love it: An asymmetrical bob isn’t your standard short haircut and when you pair this daring ‘do with all over mauve color, it gives the style an instant, eye-catching upgrade. 

How to get the look: To commit to a full head of mauve tresses, DIY the look with the L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Dusty Mauve. This at-home color kit delivers shimmering, multi-faceted highlights so your hair never looks dull or lackluster.

Mauve Gemini Hair Color 

Why we love it: Gemini hair color is hot for 2023 and includes a mix of neutral and vibrant colors like black and blue, blonde and pink or in this case, mauve and dark brown. If you have a Gemini in your life, chances are you know about their infamous split personality and this hair color trend gives a nod to just that. The mauve gives a gorgeous, icy pop against the depth of a dark brown hair color and together, the two create a multi-tonal hair color.

How to get the look: Split your hair in half, down the back of your head to create two even sections, just like you would if you were creating pigtails. Then, add temporary mauve color to half of your hair, using the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Purple and Pastel Lavender.

Berry Mauve Underlights

Why we love it: Underlights are a great way to play with color without having to commit to an entirely new shade. The reason is thanks to underlights' strategic placement under your hair, at the nape of your neck. When you want to show off your color, wear your hair up and when you want to keep it hidden, wear your hair down. It gives a versatility that most hair color techniques don’t have. We love this berry mauve take on underlights and it pairs beautifully with a dark brown or black base.

How to get the look: Part your hair horizontally across the back of your head, about two inches up from where your hair ends — give or take depending on how drastic you want your underlights to be. Clip the top half of your hair up and spritz your strands with the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray in Purple. If you want to rock the look with a more permanent finish, use the L’Oréal Paris Féria Midnight Bold Multi-Faceted Permanent Hair Color in Orchid Glow to create your berry mauve color.

How to Care for a Mauve Hair Color

To keep your mauve hair color as icy as it is vibrant, lock in the right products and hair care practices. Check out three tips to help you maintain your mauve hair color.

1. Use a Hair Care System for Color-Treated Hair

On wash days, reach for a sulfate-free system, like the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Shampoo with Citric Acid and L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Conditioner with Citric Acid. 

Not only will it help to keep your color from fading, but this strengthening duo uses citric acid to penetrate the hair cortex and rebuild weak bonds. Use it to improve hair damage from bleaching, coloring or heat styling.

2. Add a Toning Treatment to Your Weekly Hair Routine 

Mauve hair color is bound to fade. Slow down the process with an in-shower glossing treatment, like theL’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss in Silver Opal. In five short minutes, this glossing treatment corrects lackluster and brassy color and leaves hair with a glossy, luxurious finish.  

If you’re sporting mauve hair with silver tones, don’t be surprised if your color gets brassy. Banish those warm tones in a single wash with the help of a purple shampoo and conditioner, like the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate-Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo and the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate-Free Toning Purple Conditioner. This toning duo contains purple pigments to neutralize warm tones in color-treated silver, blonde, brown and highlighted hair.

3. Air Dry Your Strands

Excessive heat styling can lead to damaged strands and faded hair color. For this reason, we recommend going the au natural route and air drying your hair whenever possible. If you have curly hair, we recommend the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls Non-Stop Dreamy Curls Leave-in Conditioner to shape and define your natural spirals without weighing them down. Those with straight hair can rely on the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate Free Simply Clean Midnight Color Care Serum to smooth hair and tame frizz.

 

If you plan on picking up your hot tools, always prime your strands with a heat protectant, like the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate-Free Weightless Blow Dry Primer, Heat Protectant, a smoothing treatment that protects wet hair. If you’re heat styling dry hair, try the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Frizz Killer Serum Leave-In to tame frizz and static.

Next: 7 Tips on How to Hide Gray Hair

Photo Credit: IG @/looksbylillie, Photo Design: Sarah Duvivier