If you have fair hair, things will be somewhat easier on your strands, since semi-permanent dyes (the kind most purple dyes happen to be) often just coat your hair, as opposed to lifting it the way permanent dyes do, according to Livestrong. In general, they contain little or no developer (AKA peroxide or ammonia) which makes them much more gentle and and much less damaging — in fact, as celebrity hair stylist Rita Hazan explained to Teen Vogue, semi and demi permanent hairs are "definitely not harsh on the hair."
Another bonus? Dyes like these (think Manic Panic, Special Effects, and the like) are generally pretty easy to find at your local beauty supply store, and are similarly easy to apply at home — especially since there's so much less risk of damaging your hair. Of course, you should still use caution and be careful not to overdo it — some semi-permanent dyes contain harsher ingredients like ammonia, after all — but as long as you follow the directions, and keep up on your conditioning treatments, things should be fine.
[next]
Now, people with darker hair, on the other hand, aren't going to have a whole lot of luck dyeing their hair purple without first lifting and/or bleaching their hair, which is where most of the damage comes in, unfortunately. Vibrant purples in particular are hard to achieve without a heavy dose of bleach (and the accompanying heavy dose of hair-damage).
[next]
That said, there are always ways around it — if you're looking for a more subtle purple wash, henna can be a great, damage-free option. Or, you can always go with streaks, or maybe even a dip-dye to make sure the bulk of your mane stays bleach-free.
[next]
And hey, even if you decide to go whole hog with it, there are a ton of great tips for dyeing brown hair purple out there — just be sure to do your research, and consult with professionals when necessary, and you shouldn't have to worry about all your hair breaking off at the roots.
By Rosie Narasaki
By Rosie Narasaki
