How to Do Chocolate Mauve Hair

If you have brown hair, then you may have thought about changing up your hair color to help give it the look of body and movement. While traditional blonde highlights could certainly help you achieve that look, there’s one color trend of the moment that can be seriously stunning when paired with brunette locks—we’re talking about chocolate mauve. Chocolate mauve hair, a hybrid of dark brown and the super-popular rose gold shade, could be the perfect way to test-drive rainbow-colored hair. Chocolate mauve hair isn’t very bright—in fact, the end result typically looks pretty subtle. So, it could be the perfect color choice if you want to spruce up your look without making too dramatic of a change. Here, learn about how to get a chocolate mauve hair color and how care for your new hue.

What to Expect When Getting Chocolate Mauve Hair

Chocolate mauve hair is created through a combination of bleaching and adding pastel rosy tints through the process of balayage. Unlike the brunette version of mermaid and unicorn hair that is traditionally created with much lighter ends that really pop against your natural dark brunette hair, chocolate mauve hair is much subtler. That being said, the darker the base color you’re starting with, the more bleaching you may require to achieve chocolate mauve hair—you may even need multiple sessions in the salon chair. And because chocolate mauve hair utilizes balayage—and hand-painted highlighting technique—this is one color trend that is best left to the professionals. If you’d like to get chocolate mauve hair, find a colorist who specializes in balayage, and bring in photos of how you’d like your hair to look at the end of the process. The good news is, since balayage highlights are generally concentrated from the mid-lengths to the ends of hair, there shouldn’t be a harsh line of demarcation when your roots start growing in. That means you won’t have to worry about frequent touch-ups. A pretty chocolate mauve hair color without a ton of upkeep? Sign us up!

How to Take Care of a Chocolate Mauve Mane

Changing up your hair color can definitely require a time commitment—and that commitment shouldn’t end as soon as your dye job is over. Color-treated hair requires special care, so you’ll want to switch up your hair care routine to help keep your mane looking and feeling its best. Follow the below tips for caring for chocolate mauve hair.

1. Use a system of shampoo, conditioner, and mask formulated for color-treated hair. Say bye bye to your regular shampoo and conditioner. Make room in your shower for products that are specifically formulated for color-treated hair. Try the L’Oréal Paris Hair Expert Color Vibrancy Intensive Shampoo, L’Oréal Paris Hair Expert Color Vibrancy Intensive Conditioner, and L’Oréal Paris Hair Expert Color Vibrancy Intensive Ultra Recovery Mask. Swap out the conditioner for the mask once or twice a week.

2. Turn down the heat in the shower. Speaking of washing your hair, pay attention to how hot the water gets in your shower. Super-hot H20 can strip your strands of essential oils, so try shampooing and conditioning in lukewarm water instead.

3. Spritz on a heat protectant before styling. Want to give your chocolate mauve hair an at-home blowout? Don’t forget to apply a heat protectant before picking up your styling tool! Spray on the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle BOOST IT Blow Out HeatSpray before blow-drying. If you’re planning on using your flat iron, apply the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle SLEEK IT Iron Straight Heatspray first.

4. Air dry your tresses. Go ahead and pair your chocolate mauve hair with your gorgeous natural texture! After towel-drying your hair, apply the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Wave Swept Spray, L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Ruffled Body Mousse, or L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Undone Style Cream, then sit back and let your chocolate mauve hair air dry. Yep—you can still create stylish-looking waves or curls without picking up a heat tool!