Looking for a unique hair color? Or, perhaps you want to shake up your look? Try a pastel hair dye! There are plenty of shades for you to express yourself with, from icy blue to gentle bubblegum pink. For extra nourishment, some dyes include moisturizing ingredients to keep your hair soft and healthy.
Don't know what pastel hair dye works for you? Take a look at our list of the eight best pastel hair dyes. 'N Rage's Demi-Permanent Hair Color won first place on our list thanks to its ultra-hydrating formula and highly-pigmented teal color. We've also compiled a buying guide and had it reviewed by a licensed cosmetologist to help you quickly figure out which product is the best for your hair.
Quick List - Top Pastel Hair Dyes
L'Oreal Paris
A Vegan Formula That Creates a Subtle Peach Color
Iroiro
Natural Formula That Moisturizes Your Hair
Denise is a licensed cosmetologist who advises people on certain products they should get. She formally worked at Ulta and is now headed into a salon.
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In this section, we'll walk you through some crucial factors to think about before you buy a pastel hair dye. You'll need to consider the type of the dye, its color, and its ingredients.
Some common hair dye types include permanent, semi-permanent, demi-permanent, and temporary. So, consider what they all offer to see which one meets your needs.
If you want your pastel color to stay for a while, opt for a permanent hair dye. It often contains strong chemicals, such as ammonia, to permanently change your hair's natural color. The color produced by a permanent dye lasts quite for a while, usually from six to eight weeks.
If you have weak, damaged hair, be careful with permanent hair dyes! The harsh chemicals usually found in permanent products might dry out your hair and can even induce allergic reactions to those with sensitive skin.
Still, if you're looking for a dye that can lift your hair color or give you the best gray coverage, a permanent dye is the way to go!
If you have weak hair and want to avoid harsh chemicals, you might be better off with semi-permanent or demi-permanent products instead. They only deposit color on the surface of your hair shafts and don't do a lot of damage to your hair.
However, these dyes only last for about six to 12 washes. So if you want the color to stay a bit longer, make sure to wash your hair with a color-safe shampoo and protect it from UV rays.
And while both types are quite similar to each other, you use them differently. With a semi-permanent dye, you can just use it straight out of the bottle. However, a demi-permanent dye needs to be mixed with developer.
When it comes to pastel hair colors, there are tons of options for you to choose from. But, choosing the wrong hue might end up making you look sickly or washed out. Therefore, you should pick a pastel color that compliments your skin's undertone and skin's tone.
Understanding your undertone might be a bit difficult. But we have an easy trick for you! Check the color of the veins on your wrist. If they look blueish or purplish, you have cool undertones. Meanwhile, if they appear greenish, your undertones are warm.
For those with fair skin and warm undertones, cool pastels, such as light blue and purple, will help accentuate your features. If you have medium skin and warm undertones, your skin will look gorgeous with warmer shades like rose gold or pink-purple.
For those with dark skin and warm undertones, bold colors will make your features pop. Punchy colors like orange or turquoise will do the trick. If you have dark skin and cool undertones, you can pull off any pastel hue!
Do you have fair skin and cool undertones? Pick warm pastel colors, such as pink, orange, and red. If you've got medium skin with cool undertones, colors like fuchsia and magenta will compliment your skin.
If you want to achieve a vibrant color that looks just like the product photo, you'll need to make sure your base hair color matches the manufacturer's recommendation. Since pastel colors are very light, they will barely show up on brunettes and darker hair colors. So, you'll need to pre-lighten your hair to the lightest blonde or platinum color.
Most semi-permanent and demi-permanent hair dyes require your hair to be platinum. On the other hand, a demi-permanent dye might work for light brown to dark blonde hair if it contains lightening ingredients that slightly lift your hair color.
However, to be on the safe side, you should still bleach your hair beforehand. If your hair becomes brassy, you might have to tone your hair a few times.
Hair dyes usually contain many strong chemicals like alcohol, ammonia, and peroxide. Although they are generally safe to use and help the color last, these chemicals might dry out your hair and lead to split ends or breakage.
However, by picking a nourishing formula infused with moisturizers, you can keep the damage to a minimum. Some of the most effective moisturizers include oils and plant-based butters, such as coconut oil, avocado oil, and shea butter. They are rich in fatty acids and vitamins to help soften and strengthen your hair.
Another great moisturizer is aloe vera. It's super hydrating for dry hair and contains proteolytic enzymes to promote hair growth.
Keratin and hydrolyzed silk are frequently found in hair dyes as well. They are proteins that make up your hair, so they can help accelerate hair regeneration for healthier locks. These ingredients can also add shine to your hair and leave it feeling silky.
If your hair is fragile and damaged, consider products that come with a separate after-treatment conditioner or pre-treatment serum. They give your hair an extra boost of nutrients and can repair damage caused by the hair dye.
Nowadays, there are vegan and cruelty-free hair dyes for those who follow a vegan lifestyle or are concerned about animal testing.
Vegan hair dyes are usually free from strong chemicals that might be drying, like ammonia or peroxide. So if you are looking for a product that is less likely to dry out your hair or irritate your scalp, a vegan dye is a great choice.
But don't just choose any products advertised to be vegan or cruelty-free, since it's sometimes just a strategy to attract customers. Instead, opt for those that are certified by an accredited organization like PETA or Leaping Bunny.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 'N Rage Twisted Teal Demi-Permanent Hair Color | ![]() | Keratin and Quinoa Prevent Breakage | |
2 | L'Oreal Paris Peach Colorista Semi-Permanent Color for Blonde Hair | ![]() | A Vegan Formula That Creates a Subtle Peach Color | |
3 | Iroiro Bubble Gum Pink Premium Natural Semi-Permanent Hair Color | ![]() | Natural Formula That Moisturizes Your Hair | |
4 | Adore Sweet Mint Semi-Permanent Hair Color | ![]() | A Moisturizing Mint Green Dye | |
5 | Lime Crime Neon Peach Unicorn Hair Dye | ![]() | Nourishing Dye With Baobab Seed Oil | |
6 | Redken Shades Eq Color Gloss|Pastel Aqua Blue | ![]() | Demi-Permanent Dye That Doubles as a Toner | |
7 | Arctic Fox Neverland Semi-Permanent Hair Color | ![]() | Non-Staining Dye That Imparts a Light Mint Color | |
8 | Garnier Light Cool Denim Nutrisse Ultra Color Nourishing Color Creme | ![]() | Oil-Based Formula Moisturizes Your Hair |
This hair dye features an ultra-moisturizing formula infused with keratin, quinoa, and Verbascum flower extract to prevent moisture loss and enhance your hair's elasticity. Plus, this product is crafted with UVA and UVB inhibitors to protect your hair against fading caused by sunlight.
Some buyers noticed that the color bled and stained a lot. On another note, many reviewers were impressed with the bright, pigmented color and suggested mixing the dye with conditioner to get a lighter shade. The staying power of this product also received many compliments from buyers.
This peach dye has a gentle vegan formula that's free from ammonia and peroxide, two chemicals that might irritate sensitive scalps. You can use it straight out of the tube without having to add developer. But keep in mind that this product only works for those with light blonde, bleached, or highlighted hair.
One downside of this hair dye was that it faded significantly after every wash. Regardless, the majority of reviewers praised its subtle peach color and noted that the dye doesn't have an overwhelming chemical smell.
This pastel pink hair dye from Iroiro boasts an all-natural formula free from potential irritants, like petroleum-based chemicals or synthetic fragrances. It's infused with coconut oil, which is great for moisturizing dry and damaged hair. It also contains hydrolyzed soy protein that adds shine.
A few buyers mentioned that the product didn't take to their hair. For the dye to work, you will have to pre-lighten your hair to the lightest blonde possible.
On the other hand, its soft bubblegum pink color and lasting power earned praise from reviewers. They were also pleased that it left their hair feeling silky smooth.
With this vegan hair dye from Adore, you'll get a vibrant mint green color. It's formulated with aloe vera and glycerin to moisturize your hair. The addition of hydrolyzed collagen further fortifies your hair, preventing split ends and breakage.
Some buyers complained that the color faded quickly, while others said that the dye didn't take to their hair. So, make sure you bleach your hair first. Nonetheless, many reviewers loved its pigmented pastel color and easy application.
This peach dye touts a conditioning formula with baobab seed oil to fortify and smooth your hair. While it works for most base hair colors, it delivers the most vibrant result on hair that has been lightened to a medium or platinum blonde. On dark blonde and light brown hair, you can expect a subtle tint.
Some buyers said that the color faded quickly. Nevertheless, most were impressed with the super-pigmented pink-orange shade and suggested mixing the dye with conditioner to get a pastel color. They also found the scent quite pleasant and said the dye made their hair quite soft.
This hair dye from Redken delivers a pastel icy blue color. It's demi-permanent, so it won't permanently lift your hair color. Instead, it will change the tone of your hair and give it a glossy shine. Its formula is also gentle on hair.
Many reviewers complimented the glossy, cool-toned blue color and found the formula nourishing. It provided great gray coverage and canceled out brassy tones. Buyers also successfully used this product as a toner.
This vegan hair dye from Arctic Fox delivers a pastel mint color without using strong chemicals like ammonia, alcohol, or peroxide. For the color to pop, make sure you pre-lighten your hair to a platinum blonde. On darker hair colors, you might only see a slight tinge of green.
Reviewers liked that it didn't bleed or stain their skin or bathrooms. They also noted that it smells candy-like. Many recommended mixing this dye with the aquamarine dye from the same brand to get a light aqua shade.
This light blue hair dye has a conditioning formula that contains grape seed oil and sunflower seed oil to keep your hair hydrated after dyeing. There's also a fruit oil concentrate package and a conditioner to further moisture your hair, leaving it soft and healthy.
A few buyers noted that the color came out a bit darker than the product's image. But, most still loved the color, saying that it faded nicely into a silvery blue. Many also vouched for this dye's nourishing properties, mentioning that their hair felt soft and silky after application.
It's fun to dye your hair, but your hair might get damaged and dried out. Don't worry! We have plenty of recommendations for products that can nurse your hair back to health.
This expert reviewed the contents of the buying guide for accuracy and provided factual corrections when necessary, as well as extra tips and advice. They did not participate in the product selection process, nor are they affiliated with any of our choices unless explicitly stated so.
No. 1: 'N Rage|Twisted Teal Demi-Permanent Hair Color
No. 2: L'Oreal Paris|Peach Colorista Semi-Permanent Color for Blonde Hair
No. 3: Iroiro|Bubble Gum Pink Premium Natural Semi-Permanent Hair Color
No. 4: Adore|Sweet Mint Semi-Permanent Hair Color
No. 5: Lime Crime |Neon Peach Unicorn Hair Dye
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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