Purple is the new black - at least when it comes to hair colour.

Forget conventional hues like brown and red because the likes of lilac, lavender or violet are fast catching on.

It is a look celebrities like singer-actress Demi Lovato, reality TV star-fashion designer Nicole Richie, TV host Kelly Osbourne and model Ireland Baldwin have sported in recent times.

And it looks like the trend has reared its (purple) head here.

Just ask HOT FM 91.3 DJ Charmaine Yee, who co-hosts HOT 30 Countdown with DJ Jillian Lim on weeknights.

Yee decided to jump on the bandwagon and dye her locks purple last week.

Having turned 27 yesterday, the bubbly radio personality told M it was "to mark a new beginning".

But more seriously, she said: "It was to conceal the green moss on my head! I previously dyed my hair green, blue, red and brown, and it was starting to fade.

"So I thought purple would do the trick."

Yee, who has even experimented with rainbow colours in the past, took four hours to colour her tresses.

"I'm happy with how it turned out actually, and I've been getting positive reviews from listeners about it," said Yee.

Salon Vim director John Tham said the local hair salon has seen more than 60 per cent of clients requesting purple hair in the last year.

TREND ON THE RISE

Mr Tham, 27, agreed that it is a trend that is on the rise, especially among women.

Most of them are in their late teens or 20s, from students to flight attendants.

Mr Tham said clients ask a range of styles from ombre hair to dip dye to a full-head dye job.

At times, they also ask for purple to be mixed with other colours like blue or turquoise.

Celebrity hairstylist Shunji Matsuo said Singaporeans are now more adventurous in experimenting with hair colours.

While purple is a popular choice, blue comes out tops in his salons, especially at his Shunji Matsuo Hair Studio.

Still, Mr Matsuo, 63, observed that the Hollywood influence is strong here when it comes to purple tresses.

He said: "I've had people in their 40s and 50s keen on purple hair. In fact, they even go for purple-blue and purple-orange combinations.

"These days people like change and have a greater sense of freedom, so anything goes."

Experts' top 5 tips

1. While lighter shades of purple work with most skin tones, darker purple hues work better with fairer skin.

2. Choose shades that suit your natural personality and lifestyle.

3. Wash your hair once daily and use sulphate-free shampoo.

4. Avoid swimming to retain the colour.

5. Go for sections of hair instead of full head when it comes to purple for a less severe look.

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This article was first published on July 2, 2014.
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