If you've ever noticed unwanted yellow or brassy tones in your blonde, gray, silver, or highlighted hair, you've probably heard of purple shampoo. This specialized shampoo is a game-changer for maintaining cool, vibrant tones between salon visits. This article will cover everything you need to know about purple shampoo, from what it is and how it works to how often you should use it and tips for choosing the right formula.
Purple shampoo is a toning shampoo designed specifically for blonde, silver, bleached, or brassy hair. It contains crushed violet pigments that neutralize brassy and yellow tones, leaving you with a dazzling, fuss-free blonde or silver shade.
Thinking about the color wheel is helpful when discussing the reasons for color care. Blonde hair turns brassy because it soaks up everything.
Purple shampoo works based on color theory. Purple sits opposite yellow on the color wheel, meaning it neutralizes warm, brassy tones that often appear in light-colored hair due to sun exposure, hard water, or heat styling.
When you use purple shampoo, the violet pigments cling to the surface of your hair, counteracting yellow and orange hues. The result is a cooler, brighter, and more balanced tone that keeps your hair looking fresh between salon visits.
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Hair stylists often tone bleached or blonde hair to neutralize brassy yellow and orange tones on bleached hair with a purple color. Purple shampoo is a great at-home solution for toning hair and preventing brassiness.
Purple shampoo and conditioners are best for those with lighter strands, whether your blonde strands were born in a salon or grew naturally from your scalp. You can use purple shampoo on gray hair or even platinum locks. It can also be used on red hair to counteract brassy tones for color that stays fresh week after week.
If you have naturally white or gray hair, purple shampoo can be used in the same way as with bleached hair to remove yellow tones and revive vibrant color.
Even brunettes with dyed or naturally light brown hair looking to reduce unwanted brassiness can use a natural purple shampoo bar once a week as a gentle, eco-friendly way to maintain a cooler tone without harsh chemicals.
Using purple shampoo the right way makes all the difference when it comes to toning your hair without overdoing it. Whether you’re using a liquid formula or a natural purple shampoo bar, the steps are simple, but timing and technique matter.
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Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Start with Wet Hair: Thoroughly wet your hair with warm (not hot) water. Warm water helps open up the hair cuticle so it can better absorb the toning pigments.
Lather and Apply Evenly: If you're using a purple shampoo bar, rub it between your hands to create a rich lather, or gently glide the bar directly over your scalp and strands. For liquid shampoo, squeeze a small amount into your palm. Apply the lather evenly, focusing on the areas where brassiness is most visible-usually mid-length to ends for color-treated hair.
Let It Sit: Leave the purple shampoo on your hair for 1 to 5 minutes, depending on how much toning you need. The lighter or more porous your hair, the quicker it absorbs pigment, so start with less time if you're new to it. Leaving it on too long can lead to a slight purple or grayish tint.
Rinse Thoroughly: Rinse out the shampoo completely using cool or lukewarm water. This helps seal the cuticle and lock in the cool tones.
Read also: Color-Treated Hair Shampoo Guide
Follow with Conditioner: Since purple shampoo can be a bit drying, follow up with a hydrating conditioner or conditioner bar, especially one made with natural oils or butters. This helps restore moisture and softness. You can also use the Nexxus Blonde Assure Purple Conditioner if you’re looking for an intense, vibrant result. Leave this in for a few minutes before washing out to lock in your color and give dull locks a hit of nourishment.
When you use shampoo that has rich pigments in its formula, it’s a good idea to apply the product from root to tip to ensure even distribution and toning.
After rinsing out purple shampoo, for extra moisturizing and toning benefits, follow up with a purple conditioner. Apply to freshly cleansed hair, gently massaging it from root to tip.
For an extra boost, use a toning mask on damp hair once a week, in place of your conditioner, or as needed depending on toning desirability.
The frequency that you use purple shampoo and conditioner depends on many things because no two blondes are exactly alike!
Purple shampoo is powerful, but more isn't always better. Overusing it can leave your hair looking dull or even slightly purple-toned. For most people, using purple shampoo once or twice a week is just right.
If you’re noticing strong yellow or brassy tones, you can use it twice a week until your desired tone is achieved. After that, scale back to once a week or as needed for maintenance. If your hair is very light, porous, or gray, start slowly, just 1 minute of contact time may be enough.
Remember, purple shampoo is a toner, not a daily cleanser. Use a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo on non-toning days to maintain overall hair health and moisture.
If you’re wondering “how often should I use purple shampoo?” there isn’t one set answer. No two blondes are the same, and neither are their hair routines! How frequently you apply purple shampoo for bleached hair depends on just how platinum you want to go. The more you use, the whiter your locks will become. If it’s your first time using purple shampoo, it’s best to stick to just once a week. Use a color-safe shampoo like our Color Assure Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner Set for Colored Treated Hair the rest of the week and slowly increase how many times you use it until you find your perfect shade.
Yes, while it’s tempting to use purple shampoo every wash, restraint is key. Too much purple pigment can build up on your hair and leave it with a lavender tinge. When used properly, purple shampoo is a powerful tool. But overuse may lead to dry, dull hair or unwanted staining, especially if your strands are damaged or porous.
Bleached hair is very porous and can soak up purple shampoo or conditioner in a heartbeat. If you leave it on for too long and don’t like the result, don’t panic. Simply wash your hair again with a clarifying shampoo, and it should dull down the silver tone from even the best purple shampoo for silver hair. Remember to always condition your hair after washing, especially when using a clarifying product.
If you’ve accidentally over-toned your hair or it looks a bit too ashy, don’t panic! Here’s how to get purple shampoo out of your hair and restore your color balance:
Wash With a Clarifying Shampoo: Clarifying shampoos are designed to remove buildup, including excess pigments from toning shampoos. One or two washes with a clarifying shampoo will often remove the unwanted color cast.
Use a Gentle Regular Shampoo: If you don’t have a clarifier on hand, wash your hair a few times with your regular shampoo. Over time, the purple pigment will fade naturally.
Deep Condition Afterwards: Clarifying or multiple washes can dry your hair, so follow up with a deep conditioner or a nourishing conditioner bar to restore softness and moisture.
DIY Baking Soda Rinse (Optional): If the stain is stubborn, you can mix a small amount of baking soda with your shampoo and gently lather through your hair. Be cautious, as this can be drying, so don’t overdo it and always condition well after.
Let It Fade: The purple tint is temporary. If it's light, it will usually wash out within a few days or shampoo sessions on its own.
If you’re a brunette, you might be wondering what purple shampoo will do to brown hair. While purple shampoo is most commonly used by blondes and silver-haired individuals, it can still offer benefits for certain types of brown hair, especially those with highlights or balayage.
Purple shampoo neutralizes yellow tones, so if your brown hair has lightened sections that tend to get brassy, purple shampoo can help cool them down and restore a more balanced, salon-fresh look. Think ash-brown, caramel highlights, or ombré styles-these are all prime candidates for purple shampoo.
However, if your hair is solid dark brown with no lightened areas, purple shampoo won’t do much. The violet pigments won’t be visible or effective on darker shades that don’t reflect warm tones. In this case, a blue shampoo, which targets orange tones, might be more appropriate.
Highlights are beautiful, but over time, they can start to turn brassy or yellow, especially with exposure to sun, heat, or hard water. That’s where purple shampoo comes in. It’s a toning essential for maintaining the brightness and balance of your highlighted hair.
Whether you have subtle babylights, bold streaks, or balayage, purple shampoo helps to neutralize the yellow and golden tones that creep in between salon visits. The violet pigments in purple shampoo cancel out these warm tones, restoring a cooler, more vibrant appearance to your highlights.
Here’s how to use it effectively on highlighted hair:
Purple shampoo balances the color in your hair by neutralizing unwanted warm tones, especially yellow and brassy hues that often develop in blonde, silver, platinum, or highlighted hair. On the color wheel, purple is directly opposite yellow, which means the cool violet pigments in the shampoo cancel out those warm, golden shades, restoring a more natural, cooler tone to your hair.
Here’s how the balancing effect works:
Not all purple shampoos are created equal. While many conventional formulas may include harsh sulfates for extra foaming power, sulfate-free purple shampoos offer a much gentler, hair-friendly alternative, especially for those with color-treated, dry, or sensitive scalps.
Sulfates (like SLS and SLES) are common cleansing agents used in many shampoos to create lather. But for color-treated or bleached hair, sulfates can strip away not just dirt and oil, but also the color you’re trying to preserve. This can lead to faster fading of your salon color, increased dryness and frizz, and irritation for sensitive scalps.
That’s why sulfate-free purple shampoo has become the go-to choice for people looking to maintain bright, brassy-free blonde, silver, or highlighted hair without damaging it in the process.
Yes, purple shampoo is a type of toner, but it works a little differently than traditional salon toners.
Toners are products used to adjust the tone of the hair, usually after bleaching or coloring, to get rid of unwanted hues like yellow or brassiness. Traditional toners are often applied by professionals in a salon and can contain stronger ingredients for more dramatic results.
Purple shampoo, on the other hand, is a gentler, at-home toning solution. It contains violet pigments that sit on the surface of your hair and help cancel out yellow or brassy tones over time. It doesn’t permanently change your hair color, but with regular use, it helps maintain a cooler, more balanced tone, especially in blonde, silver, gray, or highlighted hair.
In most cases, purple shampoo replaces your regular shampoo on the days you tone. There’s no need to double-wash unless your hair has heavy product buildup or oil.
Here are a few scenarios to guide you:
Always follow purple shampoo (whether used alone or after a regular shampoo) with a conditioner to lock in moisture and keep your hair soft and healthy.
