To purple shampoo, or not to purple shampoo... THAT is the question.
To be or not to be… Just kidding, I won’t go all 6th grade theatre nerd on you all. I’ll stick to hair. Have you ever wondered what the deal is with purple shampoo? Like… You either are unsure if it works, or maybe you know it works, buuuuut you really have no clue how? I mean, there IS alot of magical shit that happens in hairdressing, but i’ll let you in on one more secret- it’s a TON of science. And lucky for you hair enthusiasts i’ve replaced my love of Shakespeare festivals with becoming a color theory geek. Just a nerd here at heart either way. Okay, let’s dive in.
PURP SHAMPOO 411:
If you’re a blonde or even if you have highlights on darker hair, you know that over time the color can turn a hot shade of mellow yellow. Now, I am a big fan of warm blondes. I think there is something natural and sun kissed about the sunshine tones… BUT, I know it’s not for everyone and if you read my blog about skin tones, it doesn’t suit everyone. SO- when the warmth is not intentional, say your highlights have faded to the
”yellow” shade that may be undesirable to you, this is usually because your glaze/toner has faded. Toner is basically a semi-permanent color that either corrects or cancels out unwanted tones, or it enhances tones. Toner also seals down the cuticle of the hair after the process of lightening. There are many pluses in my opinion.
I suggest that my clients come in for a glaze about every 4-6 weeks depending on their lifestyle. If you are not able to get to the salon in that amount of time because of lifestyle or financial reasons, purple toned shampoo can be a great addition to your shower routine.
It’s hard to get excited about your hair when the tone is off. (Drumroll) Enter purple shampoo. I’ve been using various purple shampoos on my clients for many years. I can tell when someone blonde/highlighted uses it vs. someone who doesn’t and the ones who do, tend to come in less often and are happier with their color for a longer period of time.
What’s the reason it’s purple colored? HERE’S WHY: Purple is exact opposite of yellow on the color wheel, which is why it cools the gold/brass tones down. It’s often that I have clients express their skepticism about whether it works or not. It does, but it’s really important to research and find the right one. The best purple shampoos tend to be so densely pigmented that using it the first time can actually be a little scary.
THIS IS IMPORTANT: I suggest to most of my blondes to wait until your “glaze or toner” is faded COMPLETELY before marking on your toning shampoo. A good purple shampoo will be dark purple, not light purple, and it shouldn’t be transparent. You should always consult your stylist for the right formula, product and usage suggestion for your custom hair color, because, not two heads of hair are ever the same.
Purple shampoo T I P S:
When you first start using purple shampoo, use it every other time you shampoo and then adjust your usage from there. If you find that it’s still too warm, start using it every time you shampoo. If you see it starting to get just a touch too ashy, slow your usage. I have clients who use it once a week and some who use it every time they shampoo. It really depends on the type of hair you have (and the amount of yellow you’re trying to combat.)
KEEP IN MIND: Purple shampoo can’t lighten your blonde, it just combats warm yellow tones. No amount of purple shampoo can “fix” hair that hasn’t been lifted properly or enough!!
If you’re all over blonde, apply a good amount of purple shampoo to the root and let it run out through the ends as you lather and rinse. Typically the top of your hair is more golden/brassy than the ends (if you’re blonde) so you’d want the most concentrated amount up top. The ends are more porous and will grab the color faster so it doesn’t need to stay on the ends as long. Just let it drizzle through the ends and they will catch the color.
If you’re not a blonde but have blonde or caramel highlights on hair that’s darker, you’ll want to only apply purple shampoo where you have lightened hair. You can always shampoo your hair with something else up top and then apply the purple toning shampoo to the lighter bits that tend to get brassy. KEEP IN MIND: If you are light brunette or dark blonde- purple shampoo WILL NOT WORK on your tone of hair. Blue shampoo or conditioner MAY help (consult your stylist to be sure!) because blue combats ORANGE which is the primary shade in gold and brunettes…
If your hair gets really yellow, let the purple shampoo sit on for 5 min. If you’re just fighting a minimal amount of warmth, a minute or two will be sufficient.
If you have a medicated scalp shampoo or just a shampoo that you can’t live without, you can always shampoo twice– once using your regular shampoo to get your hair clean or your scalp taken care of and then once with the purple to tone. I’ve always shampooed my (and my client’s hair) twice to get a super clean canvas for styling. So when I was blonde, I would shampoo once with a cleansing shampoo and then once with purple to tone. Typically purple shampoos aren’t known for their cleansing properties so if you need to get your scalp really clean, try using the two shampoo method. I’m also a big fan of combining the two!
If you ever over-do it and take it one shampoo too far, don’t worry… Just hop back in the shower and shampoo with a non-purple shampoo and it will fade off. But, do keep in mind that purple shampoo buildup is real. Buildup can make your blonde seem dingy and dull - especially while paired with hard water. So, be mindful!
Brunettes and beyond: Like I touched briefly on above, there are toning shampoo and conditioners for you as well. If you are in the “brassy, gold-ish AKA orange tones… You will want to search for a blue shampoo or conditioner. Feeling too red? You’ll need green undertones to cancel that out. Now, definitely consult your stylist before trying these, because it can potentially make your color “muddy” or an undesired tone and just like purple shampoo, it can leave a buildup.
Let me know in the comments or on my IG page if you have any questions! & Happy Shampooing, babes!