Image credit: Instagram/angelcandices

If you’re a blonde (natural or otherwise), chances are you’ve heard that purple shampoo is the ideal product to implement in your hair care routine. While using a purple-coloured shampoo might seem odd, the benefits it can provide are numerous. To maintain the beautiful colour of your hair (and the cost, mind you), purple shampoo should absolutely be included in your arsenal.

What Is Purple Shampoo?

Purple shampoo is a straightforward product that comes with purple pigments. These pigments are designed to neutralise the yellow tones in your hair so it appears bright and clean. While it’s designed specifically for natural or lightened blonde hair, it can be used by anyone with a lighter hair colour, which includes such hues as blonde, white, platinum, pastel, and silver.

To understand how it works, we can look to the colour wheel: purple is located on the opposite side of yellow, so purple shampoo will work to get rid of the the yellow, brassy tones that come about as colour fades. There are many reasons why your hair could be turning yellow in certain areas. For instance, environmental damage has been known to wreck havoc – everything from smoke and pollution to the chlorine that gets in your hair when swimming can cause brassiness. In the future, you can avoid these issues by wearing a swim cap or a hat, or drenching hair with fresh water before you dive in to prevent absorption. Various styling products can also cause your blonde to take a turn. Hair sprays, shampoos, waxes, and conditioners can form yellow deposits. In this instance, try using a clarifying shampoo before you switch over to a purple shampoo.

How Does Purple Shampoo Brighten Blonde Hair?

Most hair stylists will add a toner during a salon visit, but unfortunately they fade, which is why at-home options are so great to maintain a bright, clean colour. For the best result, it’s important that you keep the shampoo in your hair for a certain amount of time before rinsing. If you have warm blonde hair, keep the shampoo in for about two minutes. Neutral blondes should wait for around four minutes, whereas cool blondes can wait anywhere from seven to 15 minutes, depending on the individual product.

You can use purple shampoo in any way you see fit with your hair care routine – it’s very much the case of trial and error. While some blondes use it in place of their primary shampoo, some might wait until things start to discolour. However, it’s important to understand that you can over-tone, and hair might look darker if you overdo it. Consider mixing it into your standard shampoo if that’s the case.

How To Buy The Best Purple Shampoo? 

Blonde shampoos are a dime a dozen, but a good rule of thumb is to look for something with really punchy violet pigment (no washy lilacs) and sulphate free. Shop some GRAZIA favourites below.

Christophe Robin Baby Blond Shade Variation Care Hair Mask, $67. SHOP NOW

This mask is super effective. Apply once a week for a creamy colour without a hint of brassiness. It actually works quite well at removing the warmth from lighter brown tones, too.

 

Evo Fabuloso Platinum Blonde Colour Intensifying Conditioner, $40. SHOP NOW

Evo Fabuloso is a beauty editor favourite for its hydrating properties as well as ability to expel yellow tones. It’s pretty powerful, so use it as a treatment-style product and keep white towels away.

 

Fudge Clean Blonde Violet Toning Shampoo, $24. SHOP NOW

Fudge Clean Blonde shampoo is a drugstore favourite for it’s efficacy mixed with affordability. It’s a really great cleansing shampoo with excellent colour correcting, so mix it into your routine once or twice a week.