If you are or have been a bottle blonde, you'll understand the lifelong struggle against yellow tones. After getting out of the salon, it might take 4 or 5 weeks until those brassy tones sneak back in. But we've found the holy grail of blonde haircare, and it is so simple.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8GwB8GAbeB/
What is purple shampoo?
Stating the obvious here, but it is simply shampoo that is purple. It is a shampoo that contains purple pigments, to be precise. These purple pigments work to fight the brassy tones in blonde hair.
Why do I need purple shampoo?
It all comes down to toner. In order to be blonde in the first place, your stylist must bleach you hair, which removes any colour pigment. This creates the freshly bleached blonde that can be littered with yellow tones (this can be thought of as the 'base blonde'). In order to create the natural looking, more quality blonde, your stylist will then use a toner which neutralises the brassy tones and creates the richer colour.
Toners, however are not permanent and can ware off in 3-6 weeks, depending on your hair type and condition. This means after a few weeks, the toner will fade and that more yellow toned 'base blonde' will start to be more apparent in your hair. When this happens and your next top up toner appointment at the salon isn't for another few weeks, bring in the purple shampoo. It's like a mini at home toner that will get rid of any yellowy/orangey undertones and brighten your blonde.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-r7H_QDywu/
How does it work?
It's all to do with the colour wheel. The colours that are opposite each other in the wheel can be used to cancel each other out. On the colour wheel, purple is opposite to yellow. This means we can use purple to cancel out yellow tones in blonde hair to create a cooler, ashier blonde. The purple shampoo neutralises any warmth with minimal effort!
How often should I use purple shampoo?
We would recommend only using purple shampoo once or twice a week. Once you see the results, it is easy to go overboard but there is a such thing as too much purple shampoo. With excessive use on platinum blondes, some of the purple shampoos can create a lilac tone on the hair.
Purple shampoo can also be mixed in with your normal shampoo once or twice a week to prevent going overboard.
How do I use purple shampoo?
Each brand of purple shampoo will have specific instructions on the bottle. Generally, you should spread the product out evenly on your hair and let it develop for 3-15 minutes. For your first time using the product, we would definitely recommend washing the product off after 5 minutes max, just to see how your hair has reacted and to prevent any over-purple toning.
If you struggle with brassy tones in particular areas of your hair, you can apply purple shampoo to just these areas and leave the rest of your hair out. This gives those areas a chance to catch up with the rest of your hair. For example if you struggle with more yellow tones towards your roots, apply purple shampoo to those areas and leave out the ends of your hair.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBiMfdrH-iO/
Can it replace my toner?
In a short answer, no. Purple shampoo is there to maintain a neutral/ashy blonde between toner appointments. It can give you some extra time between toner appointments, but eventually you will need a toner at the salon.
What about purple conditioners?
We have been rattling on about purple shampoo, however there are also purple conditioners and conditioning treatments available. Some purple shampoos can dry out the hair, so a purple conditioner is a great replacement/follow up. A purple conditioner is equally effective as shampoo, so try it out and see what feels best for your hair.
Where can I buy purple products?
There is an incredibly limited selection of purple shampoo available in UK shops. We do not recommend shopping drugstore and the products are of less quality and can exceptionally dry out hair, but nobody knows your hair better than you! There are a selection of salon approved purple shampoos and conditioners that should give maximum results without leaving your hair feeling dry and brittle. You can always ask your stylist what they recommend, here's a few of our favourites:
Goldwell Dualsenses Anti Yellow Shampoo
Goldwell Dualsenses Anti Yellow Conditioner
KMS Colour Vitality Blonde Shampoo
KMS Colour Vitality Blonde Conditioner
Our online shop is currently offering free delivery on orders over £20!
Do you have any more questions about purple shampoo? Let us know, we'd love to help!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-_rgo7AkeK/