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.
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Florescent 'Fro
Bleaching textured hair may seem like dangerous territory to delve into. However, with the right precautions and processes, you could look as stunning as French rapper Lean Chihiro with her magnificent magenta 'fro.
The biggest tip hairstylist Lacy Redway has shared with Allure is keeping heat styling to a minimum before and after coloring your hair. "Keep in mind that bleaching your hair can also alter your curl pattern," she added. Amping up the hydration treatments you slather on your bleached (and newly magenta) coils will bring them back to their former glory.
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Multi-Toned Mullet
With mullet madness still in full effect, you might as well combine the throwback haircut with a magenta dye job. At the Dolce & Gabbana fall 2021 show, the look got a high fashion seal of approval when a model walked with the runway with a magenta mullet streaked with violet for a multidimensional take on the 2021 haircut trend.
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Magenta Money Piece
You don't necessarily have to go magenta all over. The bold hue can be used as an accent, Friedman says. Take cues from K-pop star Jamie (and a major 2021 hair color trend) by coloring strips around your face and leaving the rest of your hair its natural color to frame your face in an unexpected way.
The money piece is "a great way to change up your color with less maintenance (and less damage) than doing a full head of highlights," Madison Reed manager of education and product development Rachael Thomas previously told Allure.
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Dip Dye
Florence Pugh's current color also offers up another low-key take on magenta hair. The actor only added hints of pink to her ends, and for a recent movie premiere, she even matched her makeup to the dynamic hue.
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Top Heavy
Focusing magenta on just the tips of textured hair is another amazing option. When doing so, hairstylist Felicia Leatherwood, who has worked with Issa Rae, highly recommends conditioning — and conditioning even more. "When you have color on your hair, you have to keep it hydrated so that it doesn't dry out and break off," she previously shared with Allure. Her go-to products are Olaplex's No. 4 and No. 5 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and Conditioner to strengthen post-dye job hair.
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Playful Pigtails
K-pop star AleXa recently colored her hair magenta to fit the Y2K theme of her new song “Xtra.” She took the throwback hair vibes one step further in the most fitting of ways: sassy, high pigtails with bangs clipped back with neon barrettes.
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Bold Buzz Cut
If you caught the season premiere of the Gossip Girl reboot, you might have noticed the stunning buzz cuts on Evan Mock and Jordan Alexander. Well, before Mock made his silver-screen debut, his signature pink hair was a vivid shade of magenta that just kept getting cooler the longer his hair grew.
Just because your hair is super short, doesn't mean you can slack on your hair-care routine, though. "Condition the hair and scalp as though you have a full head of tresses so that as your hair grows out, it will be well-nourished," hairstylist Derick Monroe previously told Allure. A hair oil or leave-in treatment is sure to do the trick.
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Middle-Parted Lob
Blunt ends plus a middle-parted magenta lob equals the perfect storm of, well, perfection.
Julien Farel, creative director and owner of the Julien Farel Restore Salon and Spa at New York City's Regency Hotel, recently told Allure that blunt ends are taking over hair cuts this summer. "The messy texture is gone and what has arrived is the polished look," he said. "Bedhead hair has morphed into more sleek styles of all lengths. We’re seeing more blunt, thick lines in haircuts."
Team up the look with a lob, and you can't go wrong. Farel says this length flatters all face shapes and hair types.
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Shaggy Bob
If you're still into the tousled look, though, consider a magenta shaggy bob instead. After coloring your hair, ask your stylist to add lots and lots of layers, “which help to create the texture for a cool, lived-in look,” beloved hairstylist Sally Hershberger previously told Allure. And while you're at it, you might as well match your brows to your bob, too, à la K-pop star Eunha.
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Vibrant Roots
Italian singer Roshelle has made magenta her color for years. Her Instagram is a wealth of hair inspo, but we particularly love her ombre take on the brilliant shade. Her roots packed the most intense magenta, and the color faded down to her tips. Consider her look a tangible timeline of what the fade-out process looks like.
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Good Dye Young Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Ex-Girl
Allure's very own Nicola D swears by dyeing her hair at home the citrus-scented Good Dye Young Semi-Permanent Hair Color. "This is hands-down the longest-lasting direct-deposit hair dye I've ever used," she's shared in her official review. It's stuck around for her for about two and a half months.
$18 at Sephora
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Overtone Extreme Magenta Coloring Conditioner
The Overtone Extreme Magenta Coloring Conditioner makes your upcoming hair transformation as easy as washing your hair. Slather the pigment-packed formula onto dry hair like a hair mask, wash it out after 10 to 15 minutes, and you'll be in the pink.
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