One celebrity at the 2015 Grammy Awards showed up with a hairstyle so bold but, at the same time, so, so pretty, that she stunned us -- in the best way imaginable. Katy Perry's purple hair was more posh than punk, and it left us wondering whether we'd be able to pull off a similar look. Who cares that Katy's purple locks turned out to be just a wonderful wig -- perhaps you're inspired to go for the "real" thing because of it. We spoke with two hair experts and got the lowdown on this magical shade.
Eva Scrivo, Master Colorist and celebrity hairstylist at Eva Scrivo Salons in New York City, cautioned that, as amazing as Katy looks in amethyst, purple is a cool-toned hue that doesn't suit all skin tones.
"It's easy to see if you think it could be complementary by going to a wig store and putting up different colors next to your skin," Scrivo said. "You'll know if lavender is good for you if you're typically more suited for cool-toned blondes as opposed to a warm-toned blonde." The same rule applies for brunettes and redheads.
If you're a product of the '90s -- or any girl who has ever experimented with Manic Panic -- you probably already know that rich, bright colors like purple aren't going to show up on very dark hair. Scrivo reminds us that, if you plan to commit to the color and your natural hair color isn't blonde, you'll have to be ready to bleach your hair first so that purple dye can be applied to light strands.
Don't be discouraged. When purple works, oh boy, Scrivo shows us just how well it works:
Oh my goodness, dream hair!
Perhaps you're sitting there thinking: okay, I'm convinced. I need more purple in my life, but which shade of purple is ideal for me?
Sheena Little, owner of LOF Salon in Austin, Texas, says women with red tones in their complexions should stick with dark, royal purples, those with fair skin (like Katy!) look best with lilac or dark purple shades, and darker complexions stand out in plum and dark purples.
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As far as what you can expect when it comes to maintenance, well, if you thought red was difficult to pull off, you ain't seen nothing yet. Little says the hue isn't ideal for anyone who washes their hair daily because purple is notorious for fading quickly. Expect to visit your salon every four weeks for a touch-up and don't even think about washing with ordinary shampoo and conditioner -- you're going to want to invest in quality color-pigmented products.
Personally, I love purple on Katy, but I'm not sure how doable this shade would be for your typical woman. Still, on the right skin tone, it looks feminine and fresh. I can see this shade becoming as popular as red one day.
What do you think of purple hair? Would you try it?
Image via Splash News