Those of you with blonde hair know that achieving the perfect shade of blonde is an ongoing process. What looks great in the salon can quickly turn brassy just a few weeks later. That's because bleaching your hair opens up the hair cuticle to UV rays and pollution, which can change your hair color and welcome in unwanted brassy tones. When this happens, don't run back to your hairstylist just yet—instead, try using purple shampoo.
These shampoos work as a kind of color corrector for your hair. Because purple falls on the opposite end of the color wheel from yellow, the pigments will help to tone down any extreme yellow tones or brassiness. Most of these shampoos can simply be used in place of your regular shampoo up to two times per week. Some can even be used daily. Pay attention to the label, though, as going overboard with purple shampoo may turn your blonde hair color a bit too cool or make it look purple-tinged.
And while purple shampoo is ideal for a wide range of people who have dyed their hair blonde, it can also be used on natural blondes, light brunettes, and those with gray or white hair, too. Using purple shampoo on a natural blonde will help brighten and refresh your natural color. For brunettes, it can neutralize any blonde highlights (natural or artificial). And when violet pigments are applied to grey hair, it can help to transform it into a glistening silver shade.
Ready to find your new fave purple shampoo? Here are the fifteen best purple shampoos for blonde hair and beyond.
1. Best Natural Purple Shampoo: THEORIE Purple Sage Brightening Shampoo
This violet, toning conditioner is chock-full of natural ingredients to give your hair a restorative break from all the processing and chemicals. The rich purple pigments in this shampoo come from purple sage oil, which cleanses and brightens, and butterfly pea flower extract, which not only helps to color-correct but also promotes growth and helps to avoid any future breakage. This formula for blonde and silver hair colors also works to repair keratin, hydrates with hyaluronic acid, and smells amazing—like citrus, jasmine, and musk.
2. Best for Daily Use: R+CO Sunset Blvd Blonde Shampoo
R+CO is a cruelty-free, sulfate-free hair product line that's been a colorist favorite since its launch in 2014. This toning shampoo uses natural mineral pigments to color-correct brassy tones in everything from grey hair to bleached hair to cool blonde tones. To cleanse, it uses an Indonesian coconut cleanser, which gently removes impurities without stripping your hair of its good oils.
This is a formula that's gentle enough to be used daily and is ideal for anyone with coarse, dry hair. All of R+CO's products smell heavenly, and this set is no exception. As you lather away, you'll get an aroma of berries, citrus, violet, and dark woods.
3. Best for Damaged Hair: EVA NYC Tone it Down! Blonde Shampoo
This ultra-violet formula uses wild cherry bark extract to neutralize brassy tones while also increasing moisture and shine. To do that, it uses argan oil, which is high in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and vitamin E. This ancient oil helps to fight frizz and makes hair shinier and healthier overall. Rounding out this formula is a Keravis Protein Complex, which delivers optimal anti-breakage benefits to give you your best hair color yet.
4. Most Customizable Purple Shampoo: IGK HAIR Mixed Feelings Leave-In Blonde Toning Drops
Here's a unique take on purple shampoo that allows you to continue using the hair products you already love. These toning drops can be added to your current shampoo, conditioner, or styling product to keep blonde, silver, and violet shades looking their best. In addition to customizing which product you'd like to add it to, you can also customize the dosage. Platinum blondes will typically use fewer drops than brunettes with blonde highlights.
Pro tip: For a stronger toning treatment, try mixing these drops into a leave-in conditioner.
5. Best Shampoo + Conditioner Set: NEON & CO Toning Shampoo & Conditioner
This foamy violet shampoo and conditioner set helps everyone from natural blondes to platinum blondes keep brassiness and yellow tones at bay. It's made to gently cleanse your hair without removing moisture. In fact, keratin and silk proteins work to repair and strengthen every strand. This shampoo will keep your color balanced, your hair hydrated, and will even reduce any irritation or inflammation at the scalp.
6. Best Luxe Purple Shampoo: ORIBE Bright Blonde Shampoo
Turn hair color maintenance into a luxurious shower ritual with this purple shampoo. Made for all hair types (curly and coily hair included), this daily brightening shampoo quickly corrects brassiness and yellow tones, using pure violet. The formula also features reflective pearlized pigments to give your blonde or silver hair a noticeable boost of luster and shine.
7. Best Strengthening Purple Shampoo: AMIKA Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Repair Shampoo
Damaged, parched locks will absolutely love this reparative, strengthening purple shampoo. The paraben, phthalate, and sulfate-free formula is packed with bond cure technology, quinoa protein, plant butters, and ultraviolet pigments, to keep your color looking good and your strands silky and strong.
Pro tip: Try using it with the AMIKA's Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Intense Repair Hair Mask if your hair needs all the reparative help it can get.
8. Best for Frizzy Hair: BUMBLE AND BUMBLE Illuminated Blonde Shampoo
If all that processing has left your strands looking particularly frizzy, try this multitasking shampoo. While a special polymer keeps blonde tones brass-free, hydrating glycerin teams up with other science-focused ingredients to moisturize hair and reduce frizz. Blonde silky strands comin' right up!
9. Best Purple Shampoo for Curly Hair and Natural Hair: SHEAMOISTURE Purple Rice Water Strength & Color Care Shampoo
If you're rocking bleach-blond curly or coily hair, you'll want to be extra selective about the color-depositing shampoo formula you use. You'll need something that can tone your blonde color and hydrate those super thirsty strands without disrupting your unique curl pattern. Enter: this option from SHEAMOISTURE. While purple rice, wild orchid, and violet extracts cleanse and eliminate orange tones in color-treated hair, organic shea butter, argan oil, and jojoba oil hydrate and nourish your curls for healthy, hydrated ringlets.
10. Best for Cool Blondes: KERASTASE PARIS Bain Ultra-Violet Purple Shampoo
If you're sporting bleach-blonde locks or an ashy blonde shade, this toning shampoo can instantly neutralize brassy hair and yellow undertones to refresh and revive cool blonde shades. While highly concentrated pigments do the color-correcting, hyaluronic acid protects against breakage and antioxidant-rich Edelweiss flower keeps the hair protected from pollution and sun damage.
11. Best Shine-Boosting Shampoo: DRYBAR Blonde Ale Brightening Shampoo
Whether you're prepping for a blowout or just letting your blonde locks air-dry, this brightening shampoo will help you achieve salon-level hair after every use. The deep purple pigments and lemon extract in this formula work great to refresh blonde, gray, white, or highlighted hair. Plus, it's gentle enough for all hair types. This shampoo even features chamomile extract which also boosts blonde tones while giving it a glossy effect.
12. Best-Smelling Shampoo: LUSH Daddy-O Shampoo
This mostly natural formula uses violet extract to balance brassiness, fresh organic lime juice to add shine, and seaweed to make stiff strands super soft. Did we mention it also smells divine? A blend of violet leaf absolute, rose absolute, and bergamot oil creates a fresh floral scent that you'll catch whiffs of throughout the day.
13. Best for Dry Hair: MORROCANOIL Blonde Perfecting Purple Shampoo
As you refresh brassy blonde tones with this purple shampoo, you'll also cleanse and hydrate dry hair. In this formula, deep violet pigments counteract yellow and orange tones while the brand's signature ingredient, argan oil, leaves the hair softer, shinier, stronger, and healthier. Seriously, argan oil is a bit of a miracle worker on dry hair. This purple shampoo is also sulfate, phosphate, and paraben-free.
14. Best for Natural Blondes: CHRISTOPHE ROBIN Shade Variation Mask
If you are lucky enough to have blonde tresses without a visit to the hair salon, you might still want to use a purple shampoo occasionally to refresh your natural color. This hair mask is perfect for a gentle, quick reset once a week. Apply it to freshly shampooed hair and let it soak in for 5-30 minutes. Rinse it out and you just might be amazed by how vibrant your natural blonde shade can get.
15. Best for Grey Hair: ORIBE Silverati Shampoo
While this is *technically* a blue shampoo, this formula deserves a special mention as it's formulated specifically for gray hair and white strands. The secret is a blend of blue and silver pigments that brighten silver hair without infusing it with too much pigment. These luminous strands are also treated with ORIBE's Signature Complex which defends against environmental elements, oxidative stress, photoaging, and the deterioration of natural keratin.
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