Best Magenta Hair Color Ideas | Photos & Tips

Ah, nostalgia… In the early 2000s, nothing was more satisfying than flipping open a Motorola Razr, throwing on a Paris Hilton-inspired slip dress, and swiping on a lip gloss — and the most amazing iteration of each came in splashy magenta. After an arduous year, we’re craving the cheery Y2K shade once again. Magenta hair color seems like the way to go.

“To paint your hair magenta, you must desire to be noticed,” New York City-based colorist Aura Friedman tells Allure. “This will definitely [start] conversations.” For the most part, magenta is universally flattering, she adds. The fun hue suits fair complexions and deeper skin tones alike.

Bleaching your hair is absolutely necessary before dyeing it the pinky-purple shade. A golden tone is most desired for the brightest magenta finish, Friedman says. However, if your hair is naturally quite dark, lifting your color to orange is suitable for “less damage and better color retention,” she adds.

From there, your colorist will mix together red and blue to get the right variation of magenta for you, Friedman says. (But if you’re more of an at-home color person, keep scrolling for our favorite products for going the DIY route.)

Once all is said and done, and your hair is marvelously magenta, you’ll want to definitely want to mask up with a leave-in formula, like the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask, which Friedman recommends for making your hair “feel like a virgin,” she jokes. Also, Friedman suggests cleansing with the sulfate-free Hairstory New Wash to keep your color from being stripped when washing your hair. Also, be sure to do so with cool water, stylist Sierra Kener from Nine Zero One adds.

As your magenta dye job fades, Friedman says it will go from a hot pink to a lighter shade, depending on how vivid you go. Touchups for restoring brightness are needed about every six to eight weeks, she adds. To upkeep color at home in a pinch, Kener mentions you can add a couple of drops of dye to your conditioner — or a pre-mixed color conditioner — to keep your color vibrant until your next appointment.

Need some cut and style inspiration to coordinate with your soon-to-be magenta hair color now? We’ve got you covered.