Best Purple Shampoos for Blondes (No Brassy Hair!)
Bye bye warm, yellow, brassy hair! Check out this list of The Best Purple Shampoos for Blondes with the 10 Best Purple Shampoos for Blonde Hair. These purple shampoos for brassy hair will help you maintain beautiful, vibrant, and icy blonde hair!
Best Purple Shampoos for Blondes
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Are you on the hunt for the best purple shampoo for blondes? Or maybe the best purple shampoo for brassy hair? Look no further!
As a natural blonde, I’ve tried and tested a TON of purple shampoos over the years in the search to find the best purple shampoo for my blonde hair.
Today I’m so excited to share the ultimate roundup of the Best Purple Shampoos for Blondes with the 10 Best Purple Shampoos for Blonde Hair.
From the best purple shampoo for natural blondes, color-treated blondes, platinum blondes, and everything in between, this list includes all the best purple shampoos for achieving cool, icy blonde hair.
I’m also including my own personal favorite purple shampoo, purple conditioner, and purple mask that I swear by, with before/after.
Best Purple Shampoos for Blonde Hair At a Glance
- Best for Blonde Balayage – Fanola No Yellow Shampoo and Conditioner
- Best for Color Treated Hair – DpHue Cool Blonde Shampoo
- Best for Platinum Blondes – Paul Mitchell Platinum Blonde Shampoo
- Best for Icy Blonde Hair – Pravana Perfect Blonde Shampoo
- Best for Quick Results – Matrix So Silver Shampoo
- Best for Thick Hair – Eva Nyc Tone It Down! Blonde Shampoo
- Best for Natural Blondes – Sun Bum Purple Blonde Shampoo
- Best for Highlights – Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights
- Best Salon Recommended Purple Mask – Verb Purple Toning + Hydrating Hair Mask
- Best Drugstore Purple Mask – L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Anti Brass Purple Mask Treatment
- Best Purple Shampoo Gloves – Reusable 5 Pack (Small, Medium, or Large Size)
What to Know About Purple Shampoos for Blondes
Whether you’re a natural blonde or a color-treated blonde, you know how difficult it can be to keep your hair looking naturally vibrant, beautiful, and cool-toned.
There’s literally nothing worse than watching your gorgeous blonde color fade away after only a few washes or worse — seeing it turn brassy and dull.
Well, that’s why using purple shampoo for blonde hair is so important in achieving that icy-blonde hair tone that all us blondes love.
What does purple shampoo do to blonde hair?
Purple shampoos eliminate warm, brassy tones from blonde hair and can help keep your blonde locks looking beautiful and vibrant between coloring.
Basically the violet pigments in purple shampoos cancel out the yellow and orange tones in the hair, leaving your blonde hair looking as bright and gorgeous as the day you first colored it at the salon.
It can also help eliminate warm tones in gray hair and hair with blonde highlights.
If you think of a color wheel, purple and blue sit directly across from yellow tones, and therefore cancel each other out.
What are the benefits of purple shampoos for blonde hair?
Purple shampoo helps keep unwanted brassy yellow tones out of your hair and helps extend that beautiful “just left the salon” hair color that everyone loves!
Purple toner shampoo helps color-correct and neutralize yellow, warm tones that appear over time in blonde hair, and the best part is you can do it affordably at home yourself.
Is purple shampoo good for blonde hair?
Yes, purple shampoo is an easy, effective, and affordable at-home solution for eliminating brassiness on blonde hair.
That said, too frequently using purple shampoo can cause your hair to look lackluster, so be sure and follow my recommendations below on how often to use purple shampoo.
Who should use purple shampoo?
People with Blonde Hair, Gray Hair, or Blonde Highlights, and/or those who want to tone down brassiness and warm, yellow tones in their hair.
What causes brassiness in blonde hair?
There are several factors that can cause brassiness in blonde hair including:
- Sun exposure
- Chlorine
- Mineral deposits in your water
- Using the wrong kind of hair dye for your hair
What does brassy hair look like?
Brassy hair is when unwanted warm tones shows up in your hair.
In blondes, brassiness most often appears as a warm yellow hue, but can also show up as orange or red tones, depending on your hair’s natural color.
My blonde hair is naturally warmer in tone, which is why I counterbalance that with using purple shampoo in my hair routine.
The photo below shows what my hair typically starts to look like when I haven’t used purple shampoo for several weeks/months.
The before and after photo below shows how my hair used to look years ago before I started using purple shampoo in my haircare routine.
As you can see in the after photo, using purple shampoo drastically reduced all the warm, brassy, yellow tones that builds up over time, and my blonde hair is now a beautiful cool-tone.
I also love how purple shampoo really brings out my icy blonde highlights making them appear more vibrant.
How do you fix brassy blonde hair?
Use Purple Shampoo
Purple shampoo is a knight and shining armor when it comes to fixing those warm, brassy tones that occur over time.
If you have brassy blonde hair, first use purple shampoo and conditioner as needed for correcting, then use once a week or once every 2 washes to maintain your cool-toned hair color.
Visit A Professional Salon
If you have some serious brass going on with your hair, I recommend making an appointment with your hairstylist.
Although purple shampoo can help correct low to moderate brassiness in blonde hair, more serious levels of brass can be the result of a bad hair dye job, and will best be corrected by a professional.
Use a Conditioning Purple Mask to Tone Hair
Another great option for correcting brassiness, is using a purple hair mask.
I absolutely love using this purple hair mask 1-2 times a month in between salon visits to keep my blonde hair looking icy, shiny, and beautiful!
Purple Shampoo Before and After
And in case you need any more proof on how awesome purple shampoo is for getting rid of brassy blonde hair, check out my before and after below!
This was after just one wash using this amazing purple shampoo and conditioner.
The results are pretty incredible, right?
Purple Shampoo for Blondes FAQ’s
What to Look for in a Purple Shampoo for Blonde Hair
There are many purple shampoos for blonde hair out there, but not all purple shampoos are created equal. Here are 2 things to look for when selecting the best purple shampoo for your hair.
1. Purple Tone
Purple shampoos come in a ton of different shades/levels of intensity, so make sure you choose one that will help you achieve the desired effect.
In general, the lighter the purple shade, the more subtle the results will be, while deeper purples will achieve more noticeable results.
Not sure what your tone is? Check out this helpful guide from Verb: What’s the best blonde hair color for your undertone?
2. Hydrating/Nourishing Ingredients
Toning shampoos tend to be drying on the hair, which is why I recommend looking for purple shampoos that have added ingredients in them such as argan oil, shea butter, or keratin to hydrate and nourish the hair.
Bonus points if your purple shampoo is sulfate free!
How often should I use purple shampoo for blonde hair?
How often you use purple shampoo ultimately depends on how often you wash your hair, the color and health of your hair, and the product itself.
That said, in general you shouldn’t use purple shampoo on your hair more than once a week, and a best practice is to use it every other wash.
If you use purple shampoo too often, you can risk over-toning your hair, which can make your hair look dull.
Furthermore, depending on the ingredients in your purple shampoo, you also risk drying your hair out and making it more brittle and susceptible to heat damage.
I personally use purple shampoo every other wash or sometimes will even go 2 washes between uses, and have found that my blonde hair still looks great in between.
How long should you leave purple shampoo on blonde hair?
The answer to this question again, is not a one-size-fits-all type of situation.
As a whole, there are several things you should consider when deciding the amount of time you should leave purple shampoo on your hair.
This includes:
- The type of purple shampoo (and concentration level) you are using
- Your hair’s tone (warm, natural, or cool)
- The desired effect you want to achieve
First, check the instructions of the purple shampoo/conditioner you are using.
Some purple shampoos are more concentrated than others, and this will ultimately impact the toning effect it will have on your hair.
It also of course depends on what your hair’s natural tone is.
If you are a warmer blonde you won’t need to keep purple shampoo on your hair nearly as long as someone who is a cool blonde.
In general, most hair stylists recommend the following wait times when using purple shampoo:
Warm Blondes: Wait 1-3 minutes before rinsing
Neutral Blondes: Wait 3-5 minutes before rinsing
Cool Blondes: Wait 5-15 minutes before rinsing
Should you put purple shampoo on dry hair?
No, this is a popular trend that I would NOT recommend. Purple shampoo is best applied to wet hair.
While dry hair absorbs more pigment, applying purple shampoo to dry hair will result in uneven absorption, and may result in stained spots on certain areas of your hair.
This holds especially true for those with highlights or bleached ends.
Can you use purple shampoo everyday?
No, I wouldn’t recommend daily use with purple shampoos. As with everything in life, moderation is key when it comes to purple shampoo.
Can purple shampoo damage hair?
Yes, but only if you excessively use it daily or something crazy like that.
If you’re following the guideline of using purple shampoo weekly or every other hair wash, then it’s fine.
It’s also important to use a purple shampoo with good ingredients.
If you find your current purple shampoo is causing breakage or drying your hair out, try switching to a sulfate-free purple shampoo or one free of parabens.
Do you need both purple shampoo and conditioner?
I personally recommend using both, and this affordable set is my favorite!
While you can use purple shampoo and conditioner by themselves, using both purple shampoo and conditioner together will definitely help achieve more noticeable and longer-lasting results.
Both purple shampoo and conditioner work to counteract brassiness in blonde hair and they do work best when used together.
Purple shampoo first cleanses, tones, and eliminates brassiness, while purple conditioner helps smooth, protect, and lock in the toned color until your next wash.
Should you use gloves when using purple shampoo?
Yes! Take it from someone who had purple hands a couple of times – you should definitely use gloves when using purple shampoo.
I love this 5 pack of reusable ones.
10 Best Purple Shampoos for Blondes
So which are the best purple shampoos for blondes? Well, I’m glad you asked!
These best purple shampoos for blondes are sure to keep your blonde hair looking beautiful and vibrant and with so many great, affordable options on this list, you’re sure to find the best purple shampoo for you!
Best Purple Shampoo & Purple Conditioner for Blonde Balayage – Fanola No Yellow Shampoo and Conditioner
This affordable set is hands down the best purple shampoo and purple conditioner I’ve ever used, and was recommended to me by my amazing hairstylist.
I’ve been using it for a few years now for maintaining my blonde balayage, and it keeps my blonde hair looking beautiful.
The conditioner also smells SO good and is super nourishing.
Best Purple Shampoo for Blondes with Color Treated Hair – DpHue Cool Blonde Shampoo
This cool blonde shampoo is another favorite of mine and gives you noticeable, salon-type results in just one use.
It’s also free of harmful ingredients and helps nourish and hydrate the hair for smooth, sleek, and beautiful blonde locks.
Best Purple Shampoo for all Blondes – Paul Mitchell Platinum Blonde Shampoo
If you want a great purple shampoo that works for all blondes, then this is it!
Whether you have all over color, highlights, balayage, or you’re a natural blonde, this purple violet shampoo banishes brassiness, softens strands, and adds a gorgeous sheen to the hair.
Plus you only have to let it sit for 5 minutes!
Best Purple Shampoo for Icy Blonde Hair – Pravana Perfect Blonde Shampoo
This purple shampoo is one of the best all around and what I personally used for years on my blonde hair.
The magical formula completely eliminates yellow brassiness and gives your hair a gorgeous icy blonde tone without drying it out.
Best of all, you only have to use a small (quarter-sized) amount of product.
Best Purple Shampoo for Blondes with Quick Results – Matrix So Silver Shampoo
This was the first purple shampoo I ever tried and it is still one of my all-time favorites.
You get amazing results after just one wash and it’s perfect for achieving that gorgeous icy-blonde tone.
The formula is also super strong, so there’s no wait time required. Just lather, wash, rinse, and done.
Best Purple Shampoo for Blondes with Highlights – Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights
This affordable drugstore purple shampoo is an oldie but a goodie, and a total beauty fan favorite.
The strong formula works wonders on brassiness in blonde or gray hair and only has to be left on for just a few minutes.
The best part? It’s under $10!
Best Purple Shampoo for Blondes with Thick Hair – Eva Nyc Tone It Down! Blonde Shampoo
If you have long or thick locks, then this is the best purple shampoo for you!
It quickly gets rid of any warm, yellow tones in your hair, and is made with gentle ingredients that won’t dry your hair out.
It also smells AMAZING!
Best Salon Recommended Purple Mask for Blondes – Verb Purple Toning + Hydrating Hair Mask
I started using this amazing hair mask awhile back and it’s hands-down my favorite!
Not only does it get rid of any warm, yellow tones in your hair, but it has ingredients in it that makes your blonde hair appear more bright and vibrant.
I usually let it sit on my hair for 5 minutes 1-2 times a month, and I’m always amazed at the before and after. It’s awesome!
Best Drugstore Purple Mask for Blondes – L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Anti Brass Purple Mask Treatment
If you’re looking for a purple hair mask that’s a bit more budget friendly than the one above, this one is the best I’ve found at the drugstore.
The deep purple pigment in this mask does an incredible job of cancelling out yellow tones in the hair, and you only have to let it sit for 5 minutes.
Plus it’s only $10!
Best Purple Shampoo for Natural Blondes – Sun Bum Purple Blonde Shampoo
This purple shampoo is perfect for natural blondes and those who are looking to maintain vibrancy in their blonde color-treated hair in between salon visits.
It’s made with gentle ingredients that won’t dry your hair out and it even has UV protection to help prevent fading.
P.S. Don’t forget the gloves!
Purple Shampoo Maintenance Tips for Blondes – How Can I Prevent Brassy Hair?
After selecting a purple shampoo to correct and tone brassy blonde hair, it’s also important to make changes in your haircare routine to help maintain your results.
In addition to using purple shampoo once a week or every other hair wash, here are a few other things you can do to prevent brassy blonde hair.
Tip #1 – Wear a Hat
Protect your locks from brassiness and wear a hat!
Sun exposure not only causes your hair color to fade more quickly, but it can also cause your hair to turn brassy and warm toned.
Wearing a hat is also great for protecting your skin when in the sun, so it’s a double-win.
This cute fedora hat is one of my favorites for year round, and I love this cute straw fedora hat for summertime.
Tip #2 – Use a Swim Cap
Chlorine can be really damaging to your hair and can unfortunately cause your hair to change colors.
I recommend using a swim cap like this to protect your hair when swimming.
Tip #3 – Use a Shower Filter
Lastly, minerals, sediments, and even chlorine in your water can be especially harmful to your hair, which is why I recommend using a shower filter on your water at home.
We personally use this amazing shower filter, and it’s made such a difference in my hair!
Not only is my hair softer now, but I’ve found it definitely gets less brassy in between washes.
More Hair Tips You’ll Love:
I hope all of my fellow blondes found today’s post on the Best Purple Shampoos for Blondes super helpful! Have you ever tried any of these purple shampoos for brassy hair?
Let me know in the comments and share your favorite purple shampoo below!
Thanks for stopping by! – Cara
I just read about the Kerastase products recently. I’m going to have to check those out. I love their Elixir line!
They’re really good! They give your hair a pretty sheen too.
I use the Clairol one for when I have blonde highlights, I love it!!! Works great for the money! People always comment how it looks like I just got my highlights done when it’s been months!
Ah I love to hear that! So many people swear by that one and you can’t beat the price!
This is such a helpful post! Have you ever tried the Pravana Perfect Blonde purple masque? It is amazing! Even better than just the shampoo. That and Matrix So Silver are my go-to’s. I’m also anxious to try the Kristin Ess purple shampoo – I’ve heard great things, and bonus that it’s cruelty free!
Just sayin’,
Karly @ What Karly Said
Thanks girl! I haven’t tried the masque yet but I remember you recommending it and I’m definitely planning to give it a go very soon, as I’m obsessed with the shampoo. And yep I’ve heard great things about the Kristen Ess one too. I think I’ve seen it at Target!
I’m definitely not a blonde, BUT working at the salon for 5 years…yes, Privana is the most recommended. Good tips and information girlfriend!
Thank-you! That’s great to hear. It’s been a miracle worker on my hair- love it!