Why Use Purple Shampoo For Your Blonde Hair?

What does purple shampoo do for blondes? It helps keep your hair color looking fresh-from-the-salon blonde by neutralizing and removing brassy and yellow undertones. In practice, a purple shampoo is a way to maintain the tone of your blonde – one that you can easily apply to your hair at home. Do you want to learn more? Then read on!

What Is Purple Shampoo?

What’s a purple shampoo? It’s a way to tone hair that works wonders for blondes. It's designed to neutralize the yellow undertones that could make your hair look brassy, keeping your blonde color looking vibrant and fresh.

Ever wondered why purple shampoos even exist? It's all about its placement on the color wheel and its toning properties. To neutralize yellow undertones, you need to use the opposite of yellow on the color wheel, and purple is exactly that. This is why purple shampoo is a great choice for blonde hair but not necessarily recommended for other colors. Understanding this can help you make the best choices for your hair care routine.

What Does Purple Shampoo Do for Blonde Hair?

When coloring your hair blonde, you are likely to find yourself with two major undertones: orange and yellow. This is why colorists usually apply a toner when coloring your hair, letting you enjoy a more natural-looking hair color. But adding a toner just once is not enough to sustain your color for long. 

A toner applied by the colorist will eventually fade away, causing the unwanted undertones to show through and become visible again. That’s where the purple shampoo comes in – it’s your solution to keeping those undertones in line even weeks after you colored your hair.

How Often Should You Use Purple Shampoo for Your Blonde Hair?

Knowing what purple shampoo does for blondes, you might be excited to use it as often as possible, but that is not recommended. While it neutralizes the yellow undertones, overusing it might cause your hair shade to become darker or possibly even too dull and flat-looking, which often isn’t the desired result, right? So, how to fix brassy hair without using your purple shampoo too frequently?

The answer is: it may vary depending on the brand you are using. For purple shampoos that are more heavily pigmented, you may only want to use it every three to four times you shampoo. If the shampoo uses a softer amount of pigment, then you may be able to use it every time you shampoo. Just follow the directions on the bottle.This way, you’ll keep the yellow and orange undertones hidden without going too dark.

Is Blue or Purple Shampoo Better for Blonde Hair?

One of the most common questions about toners for blonde hair is: should you pick blue or purple? Let’s chat about this.

Blue is close to purple on the color wheel, but not exactly the same. Blue shampoos work best against orange undertones which are typically present in brunette hair, while purple corrects the yellow ones that live in blonde hair. So, in general, purple shampoo is a better choice over blue when maintaining blonde hair.

What Is the Best Purple Shampoo for Blonde Hair?

So, what is the best purple shampoo for blondes? Madison Reed ColorSolve™ Shampoo and Conditioner with Blonde Color Shot!

Made with ingredients you can feel good about, our ColorSolve Shampoo and Conditioner system allows you to choose your color shot – in this case purple for blonde hair – and then mix it into the shampoo formula that best suits your hair’s needs. You can choose from Daily Moisture, Bond Building, Total Volume, and Frizz Away. This will not only neutralize the yellow undertones, but also leave your hair feeling healthier, making it the ultimate toner for your beautifully blonde hair!

Is Purple Shampoo Good Only for Colored Blonde Hair?

While we covered everything you need to know about purple shampoo for color-treated blondes, we didn't address natural blondes. So, does purple shampoo work if your hair isn't colored?

Yes, it does! Colored hair gets brassy mainly due to the coloring process, but there are many other factors that can cause this, ones that also apply to natural hair. These include: 

• Sun

• Hard water

• Heat  

So, if you’re a natural blonde exposed to any of the above, you will also benefit from using a purple shampoo, as it will alleviate the impact of these conditions on your hair. 

The Takeaway

What is a purple shampoo and how does it work for blonde hair? It’s a method of toning that neutralizes yellow undertones, helping you fix brassy hair and keep your color looking fresher for longer. While it’s a great hair maintenance product, be sure to read the product usage directions – you may not want to use it every time you shampoo in the event that the pigment will over-deposit, leading to a darker color than expected. Also, remember purple shampoo not only works for colored-treated blondes – it’s also a great pick if you’re a natural blonde. 

You might also read: How to Dye Hair Blonde at Home Without Going Green?