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If you’ve ever dabbled in blonde hair dye, you know how quickly the blonde can start to turn. Within a few weeks, it may become dull and brassy with unattractive yellow or orange tones that ruin the golden hue.
And it’s not just blonde hair that takes a turn for the worse. White, gray, and silver hair can suffer, too. Even brunette hair with highlights can sometimes look brassy.
Thankfully, brassy tones don’t always necessitate a visit the salon for a color touch-up. By using purple shampoo at home, you can counteract brassy yellow tones so your hair looks fresh again. The key is choosing the right purple shampoo.
Purple shampoo corrects the “off” tones in your hair using the principles of color theory. Purple is opposite yellow on the color wheel. In effect, the two hues cancel each other out. So if you have yellow tones in your hair, a purple-hued shampoo will neutralize the yellow, returning your hair to its initial blonde look.
Purple shampoo is effective whether you have natural, color-treated, or highlighted light tones in your hair. It works best for individuals who are experiencing yellowness or brassiness. In particular, people with blonde, platinum, ash blonde, light brown, silver, gray, white, and pastel-colored hair can benefit from purple shampoo.
Purple shampoos are not all the same shade of purple. They range in hue from light lilac to rich violet.
The darker the shampoo is, the more effective it will be in countering the yellow tones in your hair. Light purple shampoos don’t usually have enough pigment to make much difference. For the best results, we advise potential buyers to choose a shampoo with a deeper, more saturated purple hue.
The shampoo’s consistency is almost as important as its hue. The best purple shampoos have a rich, thick texture that coats the hair evenly and effectively. This consistency makes it easier for the pigment to penetrate the hair and balance out brassy tones.
Purple shampoos can be fairly drying, which can cause damage to color-treated hair. To maintain a soft, shiny mane, opt for a purple shampoo that contains moisturizing or nourishing ingredients to counteract the dryness. Shampoos that contain olive oil, hydrolyzed wheat protein, vitamin E, or shea butter may be suitable.
Some purple shampoos also contain titanium dioxide, which serves as a UV protectant. This can help prevent the sun from discoloring the hair.
Like most shampoos, purple shampoo is often scented. Because fragrance is such a personal preference, you might wish to sniff a shampoo before you buy it – or at least find out what other buyers think of the fragrance.
Fragrance-free purple shampoos also exist. Consumers with sensitive skin may select this type of shampoo to avoid scalp irritation.
You can find purple shampoo for anywhere from $6 to $50.
For a basic purple shampoo, you’ll typically spend between $6 and $12. Lower-tier purple shampoos might have a lighter shade, a smaller bottle, or poorer-quality ingredients.
For a mid-range purple shampoo, you’ll typically spend between $13 and $20. Mid-range purple shampoos tend to have nicer packaging and/or better ingredients than shampoos from the bottom shelf.
For a high-end purple shampoo from a prestigious hair care brand, you’ll typically spend between $20 and $50. For the higher price, expect an effective, quality-made shampoo that smells great.
Before using a purple shampoo, wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo to remove product buildup. Residue from other products could prevent the purple tones from absorbing into your hair.
If you’re new to purple shampoo, ease your way into it. Mix some purple shampoo with your regular shampoo to make sure you don’t overload your hair with purple the first time.
You don’t have to apply purple shampoo all over your hair. If only the ends are brassy, concentrate the shampoo in that area.
If your hair is particularly brassy, follow up your purple shampoo application with a purple toning conditioner.
Allow purple shampoo to sit on your hair for only one or two minutes – unless it’s particularly yellow. To combat serious brassiness, you can leave it on for up to five minutes.
Purple shampoo can be somewhat drying. Consider adding a deep-conditioning mask to your hair care routine when you’re using it.
A. If used improperly, purple shampoo can sometimes add lavender tones to light hair. Avoid leaving purple shampoo on your hair for more than five minutes until you know how your hair reacts to it. If your hair does pick up some lavender tones, you can tone them down by washing with a clarifying shampoo.
A. Purple shampoo has no effect on dark hair. However, if you have highlights in your dark hair, you can use purple shampoo to tone down brassiness in those areas by applying it to individual sections.
A. In most cases, it’s not necessary to use purple shampoo every day. Start by using it every other day. If your hair still looks brassy, you can increase your frequency. If your hair starts to look ashy, you can use it just once a week.
