5 Best Purple Shampoos

When Emilia Clarke rocked long, silvery locks as Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones, silver and gray hair staged an uprising and took the beauty world by storm.

We were all so used to viewing gray hair with disdain that it wasn’t unusual to spend hundreds of dollars on salon trips to cover up faded strands. But the whole Granny Hair trend did turn things around.

Icy gray hair got the recognition that it wholly deserves for being such a fail-proof head turner. And with it, purple shampoos have become more relevant than ever.

What used to be a product that’s mostly associated with blonde hair—whether natural or not—is now a staple for a broader range of heads. Purple shampoo, which helps preserve the tone of blonde, silver, and gray hair to prevent it from turning dull and brassy, truly is the best weapon to keep your hair looking great in between salon visits.

Whether you’re new to the world of purple shampoos (as someone who just recently jumped into the silver/ashy hair bandwagon) or an old-timer who’s looking to learn more about this staple, this guide is for you! We’ll help you pick the right product and share expert advice on how to get the most out of your pick. Let’s jump right in!

Picking the Right Purple Shampoo for Your Hair

Yes, there are tons of purple shampoos available on the market. They come in various tones, price points, and formulas, but this doesn’t mean picking the right one should be a struggle. The following tips to help you narrow down your choices and find “the one.”

• For platinum, silver, or grey hair, choose a dark purple shampoo. The lighter your ideal tone is, the darker your shampoo should be. Products that verge on indigo or even blue will work wonders.
• For normal blonde hair, you should pick a shampoo that’s bright purple in color. Using a dark purple shampoo can oversaturate your hair and give it a lilac tone.
• If the unwanted tones on your hair are on the yellow side, stick to purple shampoo. However, if the color you’re looking to counteract is more orange than yellow, it’s best to go for a blue shampoo. Remember the color wheel? Yellow and purple are complementary colors, and so are orange and blue.

Using Purple Shampoo According to Your Hair Type

For natural blonde shades, you can get away with using purple shampoo for a shorter time. You should generally leave it on for less than three minutes to avoid over-toning your hair. If particular spots are yellower in tone, simply apply more product on those target areas to color-correct them.

For platinum blondes, leave the shampoo on for up to 15 minutes after evenly distributing it all over your locks. Rinse. Don’t forget to give your hair extra love (that is, condition it diligently) to prevent it from becoming too dry.

If you want silver hair, over-toning is critical to counteract any yellow undertones. Use a generous amount of purple shampoo and leave it on for up to 30 minutes.

Porous hair is prone to catching purple stains because it quickly absorbs pigments. To remedy this, dilute your purple shampoo with water or mix it with regular shampoo to tone down its intensity.  

How to Use Purple Shampoo: A Step-By-Step Guide

New to the world of purple shampoo? You might mistakenly think that it works just like regular shampoo—simply lather up, rinse, and you’re good to go. Unfortunately, it’s a bit more time-consuming than that.

On the flip side, you only really need to use the purple shampoo once a week in most cases. It could be less or more frequent than that depending on your hair type and the type of blonde you’re sporting, among other things. But one thing’s for sure: you don’t have to do the whole shebang every single day.

So what steps, exactly, should you follow to use purple shampoo effectively? Here’s a detailed guide to help you take care of those beautiful blonde locks and ensure that it remains in tip-top shape.

Step 1: Wash your hair with regular shampoo.

Purple shampoo works best with clean hair. Using a regular shampoo as the first step will remove all the oils, dirt, and product buildup that could hinder pigments from being appropriately deposited onto your hair strands.

Step 2: Wear gloves.

Pigment-rich purple shampoos can stain your hands and nails if you’re not careful. If you have somewhere important to be in later in the day, you might want to wear a pair of hand gloves to avoid unsightly stains.

Step 3: Apply your purple shampoo.

Now that your hair is clean and your hair cuticles are open, you are in a prime spot to receive color deposits from your purple shampoo. Apply a generous amount all over your hair, paying particular attention to parts that need the most toning.

Each brand comes with its usage instructions. Leave the shampoo on your hair for as long as the instructions tell you to (or follow our guide above!). Generally, the longer you leave it on, the more intense the toning effect will be.

Step 4: Use a conditioner or apply a hair treatment mask.

Because most purple shampoos tend to dry out the hair, using a conditioner or a treatment mask right after is essential. Any nourishing product will work, but if you have a matching purple conditioner or mask, even better.

After applying, leave it on your hair for a few minutes or as instructed on the product’s label. This should give your hair enough time to soak in all the nutrients and hydration it needs.

Step 5: Use a leave-in treatment.

You might think that this is an unnecessary step—but trust us, your hair will thank you for it. The whole process of lightening your hair color is massively stressful for your locks, so lavishing it with lots of TLC is needed. Even if you’re a natural blonde, purple shampoo tends to dry out your hair, too.

The best leave-in treatments will tame frizzy hair and make your hair soft and shiny. Glossy and healthy-looking hair will always trump dull and lifeless locks.

Step 6: Apply a heat protectant before using hot tools.

If you didn’t already know, heat is a significant contributor to fading and discoloration. The more heat you use on your hair, the more likely it will develop brassy or orange tones.

It only makes sense, then, that you minimize using hot styling tools. If it’s unavoidable, never skip a good heat protectant spray.  A heat protectant spray should also be treated as an indispensable addition to your routine on days when you’ll be getting a lot of sun exposure. Think of it as an SPF, but for your hair.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Purple Shampoo

If you feel like you’re not getting adequate results from your purple shampoo, this is what you should do to boost its effectiveness.

Chelating your hair is the process of removing all the deposited minerals and metals that your hair may have gotten from years of bathing using hard water from the tap. If the tap water in your neighborhood contains high levels of chlorine, your hair probably suffers because of it, too.

These deposited metals and minerals prevent your hair from effectively absorbing all the moisture, pigments, and nutrients that you’re feeding it. Removing these deposits will help eliminate brassy tones and make your hair shinier and softer.

One popular way to chelate your hair involves lemon juice. Take a lemon and squeeze it all over your scalp—making sure to cover your roots with the juice. Leave it for a bit (maybe a couple of minutes) and then rinse thoroughly. You can then proceed to apply purple shampoo afterward.

This technique is also helpful if you want to achieve the same results while using a smaller amount of product than usual.

Use Purple Shampoo On Dry Hair

If the whole process of chelating your hair sounds too daunting to you, you may also opt to use purple shampoo on dry hair to boost its effectiveness. Severely brassy hair will significantly benefit from this technique.

It’s relatively simple to accomplish. First, apply the shampoo and massage it into dry hair. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and then rinse with cold water. That’s it!

Overtoned Your Hair? Here’s How to Fix It

With each use of the shampoo, you continue to deposit purple pigments onto your hair. It only takes one session of leaving the shampoo on for far too long for you to end up with overtoned hair.

But fret not! You can always use regular shampoo to wash away some of the pigments. Remember: the purple is just a temporary color—not a full-on dye—and it can still be removed.