We are deep into the spring season, and it is the perfect time for lilac hair! Seasonal color changes can come in all forms, but if you have a taste for fashion hair colors, then consider lilac. This gorgeous light purple tone is fair yet versatile, and it looks pretty no matter how the hair is styled.
In this article, you can find a ton of inspiration for finding that perfect lilac hair color for your personality and taste. Below, we’ve got 55 dreamy photos of all the different ways lilac hair can be done to get you inspired.
1. Lilac and Tangerine Swirl
This blend of colors is rich, sweet, and romantic, especially because of the retro curls into which the lilac hair was styled. Dark roots fade into a vivid lilac that becomes a pale pink at the end, but a few tangerine orange hair streaks punch up the look and add contrast.
2. Cool Lilac Melt
Lilac hair dye is central in this look – quite literally. The center of the hair is a cool lilac, with indigo roots and pale-pink white ends. The balayage technique was utilized to ensure that the transition is natural and seamless, despite the fashion colors.
This metallic look is perfectly streaked with a double layer of lilac hair colors that are gorgeously complex. The top layer of this shiny, curly look is warmer, with red-based purple roots fading to warmer lilac, and with the under layer showing cool purple and lavender hair tones. A touch of copper here and there makes the whole look extra shiny.
4. Dusted Lilac Waves
A natural hair look with a very fashion streaks is not particularly outrageous, but doing the opposite is a surprising and sophisticated twist. The hair was dyed in a mixture of neutral lilac tones, with a few streaks of ash brown here and there making the look a little earthier.
5. Peach and Lilac Hair
The warm touch of peach hair dye nicely offsets the cool lilac tones, making for hair that’ll keep you feeling warm even on snowy winter days. The peach was applied with very subtle balayage streaking over pastel lilac hair ends, while the roots and top part of the hair were kept a deeper lilac tone.
6. Silver Lilac Waves
To get your lilac hair dye looking like this, be aware that you have to bleach the hair down to platinum first! This ultra-pale lilac hair is all feathery glam, with deeper purple tones near the top keeping things voluminous.
7. Purple and Silver Lilac Melt
The contrast between the ultra-vivid yet dark purple roots and the silvery lilac waves is pretty intense, but it’s also a great way of keeping roots healthy while going very light. The effect is neatly floral because of the slow fade.
8. Cotton Candy Lilac Hair
These ultra-light shades of pink and lilac hair dye, applied in clever streaks, are the perfect way to achieve multi-dimensional and super sweet cotton candy hair. It’s the perfect real-life way of doing magical girl anime hair.
9. Cloudy Lilac Hair
These streaks of colors have real presence, making for a look that is dramatic despite the softness of the colors. Deeper lilac hair dye at the roots fades into a variety of pastels like baby blue, pink and silver hair. The silver, in particular, is a great touch because it makes the whole look a little cloudier and dreamier.
10. Deep Lilac Hair Colormelt
This deeper take on lilac hair would be perfect for brunettes looking for a change that won’t take them too light. The roots are a deeper lilac that melts seamlessly into silvery pastel-tones at the bottom half of the hair. A touch of baby blue hair dye and pink at the ends is subtle yet playful.
11. Candied Lilac Hair
Careful, if you look at this sweet hairstyle for too long you might end up with a toothache. Lilac hair dye makes up the base of the look, flowing down from darker natural roots, and cotton candy pink hair makes for the perfect balayage color that lightens the ends and makes the whole look extra girly.
12. Cotton Candy and Deep Lilac Curls
This hairstyle is almost a variation on the previous one, with that same gorgeous mixture of lilac and cotton candy pink tones but with a much more intense contrast. The dark roots are longer, the lilac hair dye is darker, and the silvery cotton candy ends were curled to perfection.
13. Analog Lilac Hair Colormelt
At first glance this might seem like an ombre, but there’s actually a lot more going on. The indigo top part doesn’t melt into simple pink waves – there is a gorgeous bit of lilac hair dye acting as a transition shade, while the pink itself is comprised of smoky pinks and lilac tones.
14. Smoky Pink and Lilac Streaks
There is something deep and smoky about this hair creation, despite the girlish colors used. Streaks of pink and lilac hair are made all the more complex by the addition of silvery gray bits as well as by the near-black roots.
15. Gold-Trimmed Lilac Hair
Sometimes I look at a Guy Tang creation and the first thought is, “ugh his mind!” because these color combinations are above and beyond. Smoky lilac hair dye at the roots gets a little more pastel near the center, but then a golden blonde balayage adds the most unique warm contrast.
16. Vivid Peach and Lilac Locks
This gorgeous long bob, styled into lovely little waves, is a great canvas for some vivids! Intense lilac roots give way to a mixture of lighter lilac near the face and pastel peach towards the back of the hair.
17. Icy Lilac Hair
There is a lot going on with this beautifully icy hair creation. The roots are actually a very warm magenta-auburn tone, which melts easily into silvery lilac waves. The extra unique touch is the under layer of icy blue just peeking out and complementing the lilac hair color beautifully.
18. Cotton Candy and Smoked Lilac Hair
This colormelt gives us another sophisticated take on mixing lilac and pink tones. The roots are brown, which gives the subtlest warm contrast to the ultra-cool and smoky lavender, which melts beautifully into the brighter pink ends.
19. Creamy Berry and Lilac Streaks
Looking at this hair, a berry smoothie is the first thing that comes to mind. Pink, lilac, and violet fruits blend together with a touch of milk to make the coldest, sweetest beverage that is somehow still healthy – that’s exactly what these wavy streaks look like!
20. Dark-Rooted Pink and Lilac Hair
Pink and lilac hair colors are extremely well suited for hairstyles with grown-out roots. The darker roots, instead of looking sloppy, actually add some maturity to the feminine and bright colors.
21. Tri-Layer Lilac Melt
I’m really loving the use of color in this melt. Letting icy blue at the roots fade into a silvery lilac hair color would be awesome look all on its own, but a little thread of white in between the two layers adds dimension and separation.
22. Tanzanite Lilac Colormelt
The amount of colors subtly melting into each other in this look reminds me of all the different tones you can see glimmer in a tanzanite stone. Silvery roots are a daring choice, which fade into an indigo. The end is comprised of streaks of pink and lilac hair dye with a few pops of indigo here and there to tie things together.
23. Floral Indigo and Lilac Balayage
Take a close look – the inspiration for this lilac hair look clearly came from the blouse! This balayage has a vivid indigo base with a balayage of metallic lilac hair dye brightening things up, to match the floral print on the shirt.
24. Silver and Lilac Gradient Streaks
The mixture of warm and cool silver streaks, combined with warm and cool lilac streaks, makes for a complex look. It’s so unique you can almost miss the fact that the roots were kept natural!
25. Dusted Pink and Lilac Fringe
There are a few elements that make this hairstyle a little earthier: natural brown roots, a wash of warm pink at the center, and really soft-looking waves. Lilac hair colors still reign here, particularly at the fringe and framing the face.
26. Gleaming Peach and Lilac Hair
When lilac hair gets this shiny, you need to be careful not to blind anyone! These gorgeously gleaming locks had to be bleached to nearly platinum in order to achieve these metallic tones of peach and lilac. The roots, however, were kept dark and healthy.
27. Suede and Velvet Lilac Hair Colormelt
Hair can look just as beautiful and healthy when it’s kept matte. The top half of the hair was kept a natural color, with lilac hair dye only used to brighten the bottom half. This kind of contrast could easily look sloppy, but using rose gold hair dye as a transition shade perfectly gets around that, making for one of the more sophisticated looks on this list.
28. Superhero Lilac Hair
This vivid mane would be most suitable for a woman with serious super powers. The bright lilac hair is touched with warm pink tones at the ends, while the roots were kept dark. It’s an electrifying look straight out of a comic book!
29. Braided Lilac Locks
We’ve seen a few variations on the combination of indigo, pink, and lilac hair dyes, but this styling is totally new. The multiple braids add a ton of texture, and they also make it easier to see the indigo underlayer and how it fades into lilac and then pink.
30. Lilac Princess Waves
While princess hair is usually super long, this lob still fits in. The lovely curls and girlish colors make it a fit for any fairytale princess. The incredible amount of tones of pink, purple, and lilac hair dye blend together to make a very multi-dimensional look.
31. Electric Smoke Lilac Hair
This is a totally cyberpunk take on lilac hair colors, with a dark and smoky underlayer that starts at the roots balancing out the bright lilac and pink tones. A pop of electric blue really reinforces the futuristic feel of this hair.
32. Electric Pastel Lilac Hair
Pastel hair does not have to be sickly sweet! This stunning look features cotton candy and pastel lilac streaks, but they are made a bit more interesting by the addition of a few threads of electric blue.
33. Amethyst Lilac Hair Colormelt
This subtle lilac hair is as shiny as an amethyst gemstone, with the same unique interplay of colors. The natural roots transform into a smoky lilac, which then melts into a metallic pinky-lilac tone that reflects a lot of light.
34. Silver to Lilac Gradient
Lilac hair dye is perfect as a transitional shade, especially if you have a stylist that understands color theory. This silver to lilac gradient was done as a way of turning mint hair silver – the virgin roots were turned a gorgeous silvery-blue shade, while the mint ends were dyed over with lilac. As the lilac hair color fades, it will have neutralized the mint, giving the wearer chic granny hair.
35. Sleek Lilac Bob
Nothing is fiercer than a sleek, straightened bob. It’s a great styling choice if you don’t want your lilac hair colors looking overly sweet. This look, in particular, is a great gradient with darker roots, silver-blue mids, and lively pale lilac ends.
36. Hues of Lilac Hair
It’s hard to believe how soft hair can look when it’s dyed slowly and healthily. The mixture of cooler lilac streaks and smoky, neutral pink-lilac streaks works together beautifully to make a hairstyle that seems somehow natural despite the unusual colors.
37. Half Bun Lilac Sombre
Baby blue and lilac hair dyes are so lovely when combined into a sombre. This half updo shows off the style beautifully, with a contrast that is sweet and youthful.
So simple yet so beautiful! This is an example of when solid lilac hair color is sophisticated and beautiful, thanks to the muted metallic tone. The gentle waves the hair was styled into add another level of maturity and glamour.
39. Festival Lilac Hair
Spring and summer are festival seasons, when hairstyles that combine fashion colors with rustic updos are a must! This mixture of colors is lovely and delicate, combining shades of blue, silver, pink, and lilac hair dyes that are oh-so-youthful. A crown braid gives this look a romantic twist.
40. Smoky Pink and Lilac Sombre
The sombre technique was used to make this smoky hairstyle that is quite unique. The roots are a little grown out, but they were kept natural, as they give the mid-layer of pink a dark twist, while the more vivid lilac bottom half is special next to the lighter mid-color.
41. Shiny and Sleek Lilac Hair
This shade sits somewhere between pink and lilac hair colors, and because of how it was enhanced with a bit of hair oil it looks shiny and metallic. Styled sleekly, this is a glamorous and sophisticated take on fashion colors.
42. Feathery Pink and Lilac Hair Colormelt
This is another perfect take on the lilac hair colors for festival season, this time as a simpler sombre. The roots are an ashy gray that melts into a dusty lavender that becomes a pastel pink for the bottom half. Feathery waves and bow-tied half-braid give that rustic touch that is a great fit for Coachella.
43. Voluminous Lilac Waves
Windswept hair is probably the sexiest, especially when it comes dyed with lilac hair color! The hair was styled to be voluminous, but the effect was magnified by the dark natural roots and the subtle variation in lilac tones.
44. Vivid Lilac Waves
If you’re feeling dramatic, then opting for a more vivid and warm lilac hair color is the way to go. These shiny waves were primarily dyed a lilac that leans a little towards magenta, but a touch of metallic pink adds a volumizing highlight.
45. Ashy Lilac Waves
While we usually think of lilac as a cool hair color, this take on it is more neutral. Since it features some ashy pink tones along with the neutral lilac hair color, the overall effect ends up being quite warm and cozy.
46. Burnt Candied Lilac Hair
Burnt sugar is one of my favorite flavors, because the smoky, bitter flavor somehow enhances the sweetness. That’s exactly what’s happening here with this mixture of dark, smoky lilac hair color at the top, which slowly melts into a bright pastel pink.
47. Short Indigo and Lilac Waves
One of the great ways to make sure you feel ultra-feminine in your bob haircut is to dye it a girlish color and to style it in some delicate waves. This look features darker roots that were dyed a vivid indigo – a perfect match for the pink and lilac streaks that decorate the bulk of the hair.
Gunmetal is a great complement to any vivid fashion color, as it adds drama and danger to the look. The transition from natural roots to a gunmetal and lilac balayage here is exquisite yet edgy.
49. Lilac and Peony Waves
Almost to counter the last look, here is a soft and floral take on lilac hairstyles. The top half is a bright lilac hair color that transforms into a warm peony peach. Styled into romantic waves, this is the kind of look little girls dream of.
50. Hand-Painted Cotton Candy and Lilac Hair
It’s hard not to frown when colorists make it clear that they hand-painted hair in a calculated way. This look would be lovely if it was simply lilac roots fading into a cool pink that turns into a warmer peach at the ends, but the way threads of warmer color already start at the top makes the whole thing experimental and avant-garde.
51. Two-Tone Lilac Hair
This simple long bob elegantly showcases the hard-to-resist combo of cool lilac and pink tones, this time in a form of a sombre. True lilac hair dye looks great next to the darker roots, and the way that its undertone matches the bottom pink ensures that the transition seems subtle.
52. Oil-Sleek Lilac Hair
The oil-sleek effect of this look is owed to the warm brown roots and the way they blend with the thin streaks of cornflower blue and warm lilac hair dye. The transition towards light blue at the ends brightens the whole look with an opalescent touch.
53. Holographic Lilac Hair
The way washes of cool and warm lilac hair dyes were applied to the hair creates a holographic illusion that is totally enchanting. The warm metallic lilac tone at the top and at the ends, with a cooler lilac at the center, is the secret to the wonderful effect.
54. Lilac Opal Hair
These shiny, light shades of pink, blue and lilac hair colors combine to give the effect of an opal stone. The effect comes from the randomized way colors are distributed throughout the hair, along with the mixture of thinner and thicker streaks.
55. Jewel Toned Lilac Hair
Let’s end on a slightly darker note, to show you that lilac hair colors can absolutely be deep and edgy. This jewel tone mixture of blue, silver, purple and lilac hair dyes is elegant and multi-dimensional.
Photos via Instagram
