I’ve been coloring my hair at home for a while now. It’s cheaper, and I find I have more control over the results than if I were to visit a salon. I have A LOT of hair. It’s thinned out since the early days of my youth, but it’s still a thick tangled mane that costs a pretty penny to have professionally dyed. I prefer to spend my allotted beauty bucks in other ways and avoid expensive trips to the hairstylist.
The problem with at-home box hair color is that the color is sometimes unpredictable and getting the right hue requires a bit of trial and error. I’ve dyed my hair nearly every shade from jet black to fire engine red. Each color has its pros and cons. Red was a pain to get out of my hair. The red pigment stuck around for a while. Jet black faded quickly and left me with dull looking locks. My favorite shade to dye my hair is platinum blonde, but my hair is naturally dark blonde bordering on brown, so it’s always a challenge to get that sparkling white blonde look from a drugstore box brand. I’ve experienced the frustrating orange hued results that leave people scared to dye their hair blonde. I’ve managed to succeed at getting that coveted color only to find the shade had dulled or changed to a pee-colored yellow after a few washes.
Upkeep for dyed hair can be annoying, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. A few years ago, I discovered purple shampoo and haven’t attempted to change my hair color since. I wait longer between touch up jobs because I want to avoid damaging my hair too much and I try to use dyes without ammonia and ultra-harsh ingredients if I can, but when I realized the power of the purple bottle, there was no going back!
Who is Purple Shampoo For
Purple shampoo isn’t just for box blondes like me. One day, I hope to have the natural white-blond hair of my mother. Her naturally blonde mane skipped straight to platinum white as she aged. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be so lucky. But even my naturally blonde mom could benefit from weekly washes with some purple goo. Here are some instances where purple shampoo might be beneficial.
- Natural blondes – Over time, even naturally blonde hair may lose its white shimmer and yellow due to environmental conditions. A weekly shampooing with purple shampoo can keep the yellow away. Likewise, if you have natural straw-blonde hair and want a lighter hue, consider trying purple shampoo before skipping straight to box dye.
- Box blondes – The obvious reason to use purple shampoo is if you’re dyeing your hair blonde and can’t seem to get rid of brassy tones. Box blondes will require more frequent shampooing with this type of product.
Anyone who has dyed their hair and is noticing a yellow or orange hue – A bit of purple shampoo can help tone down that unwanted color. - Those going grey (or white) – As more greys take up residence on your scalp, you may notice that your locks are yellowing for whatever reason (sun exposure, for example). Purple shampoo can help remove that nasty yellow tone.
- Swimmers – Chlorine is awful. It helps keep pools, especially public ones, sanitary, but it will wreak havoc on your skin and hair. Swimmers need to be a lot more careful than the rest of us because chlorine dries out hair and can cause it to yellow over time. Pair a swimmer’s shampoo with a purple conditioner to minimize damage and keep your locks looking good after a pool swim.
- Frequent tanners – If you’re continually laying out in the sun or you work most of the day outdoors, it’s a good idea to wear a hat to protect sensitive skin on the scalp from UV and UVB rays. The sun can also yellow hair. Light haired individuals are more likely to be affected. We suggest keeping your scalp protected, of course, but using purple shampoo during the summer can help with the tone change.
- Purple hair – If you’ve recently dyed your hair a lavender hue, a purple shampoo can help you keep the color for longer.
How Does Purple Shampoo Work?
This seemingly magical product isn’t a trick. There’s a good reason this purple product has the color it does. Take a quick look at a color wheel, and you’ll notice that yellow and purple sit at opposite ends. Purple shampoo the best option for toning down yellow in the hair because the cool tone mellows out yellow hues.
Don’t Forget Conditioner!
If you can, try to find a purple hair care set that includes a shampoo and conditioner. It’s incredibly important not to skip the conditioning process, especially for color treated hair.
Tips for Using Purple-Hued Products
Using purple shampoo is pretty straightforward but here are a few tips to help you get the best results:
- Start small. Use a small amount of product. Purple shampoo tends to be more expensive than regular shampoo, so use the stuff sparingly.
- Experiment with wait times. Most bottles will warn you not to wait longer than 10 or 15 minutes before rinsing out the product. I tend to wait a little longer, leaving the product in like a mask. This isn’t a perfect strategy, leaving it on too long can dry out hair, so I tend to wait longer when applying a conditioner than a shampoo. Don’t leave product in overnight. It can damage hair and make a mess. Waiting too long may leave light-colored manes looking purple.
- Rinse thoroughly. Leftover traces of purple shampoo may stain clothes, pillowcases, and towels.
- Use once a week. The results you’ll get from using purple hair products will eventually fade. Once a week application will ensure you see lasting results and you won’t waste product. I tend to shampoo two or three times a week with purple shampoo.
- Use a high-quality purple shampoo. This is an item to splurge on. If you’re saving money by not visiting the salon, it’s entirely worth it to spend more on this kind of shampoo. I’ve tried super cheap options and expensive ones, and the pricier ones beat out the competition by a mile. They leave my hair lighter and brighter but also feeling soft and manageable.
Wait, What’s Blue Shampoo?
Blue shampoo is a better option for those with darker colored hair, like brunettes with chestnut brown locks. You’ll notice, though, that some purple shampoos look bluer than others. Very blue shampoos are not ideal for platinum blonde hair because they tend to leave a greenish tint behind.
My Favorite Purple Shampoos
I’ve tried so many purple shampoos over the years that I can barely remember them all. But there are a few that continue to pop up on my shower shelf because I believe they’re the best available.
Fanola No Yellow Shampoo – This is by far the best purple shampoo I’ve tried. The 1000mL bottle lasts me a long time and results are immediate and apparent. It’s expensive, but it’s a quality product that leaves my hair feeling so soft. I feel like a movie star after washing with Fanola.
Bed Head Tigi Dumb Blonde Purple Toning Shampoo – I like the pump design of this shampoo bottle, and it’s one of the more affordable purple shampoo options out there. When I run out of Fanola and don’t have the budget to replace the bottle, this is my next go-to product.
John Frieda Sheer Blonde – Even more affordable than the Bed Head brand, this shampoo is another suitable option for banning brass. I found my hair noticeably brighter and less brassy with this shampoo, but the bottle is pretty small and doesn’t last very long. I found I needed to wash more frequently with this product than with other brands.
