The Dark Side of Purple Shampoo

​Purple shampoo, it's basically every Blonde's best friend, right?

​Yes! …but also no. Let’s talk about purple shampoo.

FIRST, THE GOOD STUFF – WHAT DOES IT DO TO HELP OUR HAIR?

Purple shampoo is an in-salon and at-home toning treatment for blondes. The pigmented formula works to counteract those dreadful unwanted yellow tones that we start to see as toner fades from regular washing and heat styling (make sure you are using colour-safe shampoo + conditioner plus a heat protector every time you style to extend the life of your toner!). Purple shampoos are highly pigmented and are a safe and easy way to maintain blondes at home.
​

THIS ALL SOUNDS GREAT! SO HOW IS THIS AMAZING PRODUCT ALSO BAD FOR YOUR HAIR?

As mentioned above, purple shampoos are highly pigmented and, when overused, purple shampoo can lead to a huge amount of buildup in your hair. This can lead to the appearance of unwanted tones, such as blues or purples or even a muddy tint. Additionally, the buildup can cause hair to become dry and brittle, which leads to breakage – bad news for your blonde locks!
​

Luckily, it is easy to avoid causing damage with purple shampoo – you just have to remember a few guidelines:

 1. DON'T RUSH

​You should not use a purple shampoo in the immediate days or weeks following your blonding service. The toner your stylist used on your hair is fresh and doing its job – no need to add other pigments to the mix just yet! Also, immediately following blonding your hair is in a more fragile state, what it needs right now is hydration, nutrition, and protection. You should only start using purple shampoo a few weeks after a blonding service, after the toner has had a chance to fade. 

​When you may need to start using a purple shampoo also depends on how frequently you wash your hair and if you are heat styling. If you start thinking you need to use a purple shampoo more than once a week then that is a sign you need to see your stylist for a tone or another blonding service.
​

2. REMOVE BUILDUP

Over time product, chlorine, and oils can start to buildup on the scalp and hair fibre. It is important to remove this buildup so your hair can absorb the good and have the flexibility to be more cooperative.
​
To remove buildup, I recommend using a clarifying shampoo – my fave is the Kevin Murphy Maxi Wash. Which brings me to my next point...
​

3. USE QUALITY SALON SHAMPOO!!

​I cannot stress this enough. Drug store products may feel affordable in the moment but in the long run they can cause so much damage to your hair, scalp, and colour which in turn has you coming into the salon more frequently for maintenance plus often the damages can make your appointments cost more to colour correct or reverse.

If you are using drugstore products we cannot guarantee your colour lasting or the integrity of your hair so please Please PLEASE make the switch to a shampoo that will serve your hair goals!
​

4. NOT ALL PURPLE SHAMPOOS ARE EQUAL

There are all sorts of purple shampoos out there (and even some blue shampoos). An easy obvious difference between brands and types is the concentration of pigment. You can tell how heavily a purple shampoo is pigmented by how dark the colour of the shampoo is on your hands. It is important to consider how much pigment is in your purple shampoo because they are not one size fits all!
​
For example, if you have a lighter purple shampoo but have dark blonde hair the chances of the shampoo being capable of counteracting unwanted pigment will be slim. This is the kind of scenario where a client may overuse a purple shampoo and end up causing damage. Instead, lets work smarter not harder and find a purple shampoo that fits your needs – just chat with your stylist to see which product they recommend for you!

5. DO NOT USE PURPLE SHAMPOO BEFORE A BLONDING SERVICE

Please do not use a purple shampoo right before your next blonding appointment – you will just be adding more pigment buildup on your hair and it can actually make it more difficult for us to break through, possibly resulting in minimal lifting, plus it can make it harder to create a beautiful blend!

​Instead, before a blonding service use that clarifying shampoo and remove that buildup.

​So that is the tea on purple shampoo!

​It is an incredible tool for our blondes to maintain their gorgeous results, but it does need to be used properly. At your next appointment, be sure to chat with your stylist about which purple shampoo would best suit your needs.


Some of my faves to recommend are Olaplex No. 4P Purple Shampoo, Kerastase Blond Absolu Bain Ultra-Violet, and the Kevin Murphy Blonde.Angel.Wash!

---