They say that blondes have more fun, but there’s nothing fun about brassy tones
There’s nothing quite like a beautiful blonde mane. Which is why brassy tones are the devil. Brassiness dulls the hair, when really what you want is bright vibrant colour that sparkles in the sun. If you’re not sure if you fall into this camp or not, take a look in the mirror and if your blonde is quite yellow and buttery, then you need to get your hands on the best purple shampoo.
Considering peroxide-mania has no sign of slowing down, the only way to keep your hair colour in check is by washing it with a great purple or silver shampoo. Nothing brightens the hair like it.
What is purple shampoo?
Think of the colour wheel from art lessons.
Just like you would counteract ruddiness in your skin tones with a green colour corrector, that rule applies here as well. Why? Because they’re opposite to each other on the colour wheel. Yellow and purple are also opposites on the colour wheel, so a cool toned violet shampoo will counteract any warm gold tones that start to shine through dyed blonde or bleached hair after a while.
When you wash with this particular shade of shampoo, it deposits purple pigment into your hair, negating brassiness and brightening the silver tones throughout your hair. Don’t believe us? Have you seen the results of the Redken Blondage Shampoo?
The best part? You only have to use it once or twice a week for maintenance. So one bottle will last you until you visit your hairstylist for a colour top up. Be careful not to let the shampoo sit on your hair for too long, as it can turn the hair slightly violet. Which actually looks pretty amazing, if you’re game for it. Be sure to use a the best shampoo for dry hair in between uses as purple shampoo can be a little drying.
Purple shampoo vs silver shampoo
Purple shampoos are often called silver shampoos, and the two are pretty much the same – in fact, most products labelled ‘silver’ are actually purple in pigment.
We’ve pulled together the cream of the crop to help you find the best purple shampoo. And there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for the best shampoo for oily hair or one that will give you more grit for styling. And that’s not all. We’ve also pulled together some natural options, so if you have a sensitive scalp, you’re in luck.
Best purple shampoo for blonde and brassy hair
Kerastase Blond Absolu Bain Ultra Violet Shampoo, £16.10 Look Fantastic
When Kerastase launched their Blond Absolu range earlier this year, it took the blonde world by storm. It consists of five hardworking products that promise to banish any brassiness, whilst nourishing each strand simultaneously. It was created with skincare as the inspiration, using a combination of hyaluronic acid – to hydrate and full and repair the fibre from within – and Edelweiss Flower, which protects the hair from daily external damage. We love the above shampoo, but we’re loco about the whole range as well, which works on balayage, highlights, full on bleach and grey-blondes.
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Scroll through our list to find the best purple shampoo for your bottle.
Bye-bye, brassy blonde…
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Bed Head Tigi Dumb Blonde Toning Shampoo, £10.77 Amazon
Ok, so the name isn't exactly inviting, but the effect that this shampoo has on blonde hair certainly is. It not only gets rid of brassiness, it increases the cool tones in your hair for that silvery blonde look.
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Charles Worthington Toning Ultra Violet Shampoo, £7.99 Boots
This shampoo has a salon strength toning formula, so you know you're going to get the good stuff.
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John Frieda Sheer Blonde Tone-Correcting Shampoo, £5.99 Boots
They claim that you'll see results in one wash and they weren't wrong.
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Provoke Touch Of Silver Brightening Shampoo, £3.99 Boots
This shampoo will lightly adjust your colour, so you won't run the risk of leaving it on too long and adopting more purple tones than you bargained for. It's also quite a thick texture, so works throughout your hair easily, getting into every section of your hair. If you've gone grey, then this will make your hair sparkle.
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Mr Smith Blond, £34
OK, so not TECHNICALLY a shampoo. But if you really want to get rid of every last speck of brassiness from your hair, then this is a shower essential. You use it after your shampoo and before your conditioner. Squeeze a big dollop into your hand and coat your hair, tie it up and leave it on for a good five minutes. Hair will be so ashy, it'll almost look silvery blue. You have been warned.
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Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo, £32.40 Fabled
A few weeks after you've been to the salon your hair can start looking a little dull. But the best purple shampoo will keep the colour fresh - whether you've had a full head of hightlights, balayage or a few bleached strands. Try Aveda's Blue Malva shampoo to tone down any brassy shades and brighten up lost shine. Blonde hair back to its full glory. It's not the strongest of formulas and so isn't too harsh on your hair, meaning you avoid damaging it in the long run.
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Lush Daddy O Purple Shampoo, £6.25, lush.com
When you've forked out goodness knows how much for a blonde 'do, you want to keep it looking its best for as long as possible. For a fresh and uplifting choice, try Lush's Daddy O purple shampoo, enriched with lemon for zingy-smelling hair. It will counter that yellow, golden tone that's far from modern.
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Sachajuan Silver Shampoo, £20 Fabled
If you've gone for platinum blonde à la Jennifer Lawrence or, more recently, Cara Delevingne, then no doubt you want to keep your hair's silvery look fresh in between getting your roots done. Sachajuan's Silver Shampoo not only works in the same way as your regular purple shampoo by neutralising brassiness, but it adds silvery, ashy tones for the perfect peroxide blonde. An absolute must-buy if you're all about the bleached look.
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Maria Nila Sheer Silver Shampoo, £16.75 Amazon
Perfect for both blondes and brunettes who like to keep it cool, this one's also colour -safe, sulphate-free, and 100% vegan.
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Bleach London Silver Shampoo, £6.50 Cult Beauty
The shade of this shampoo is more of a blue/purple, which is great for brightening silver tones and it doesn't dry out your hair, so you can use it more than once or twice a week.
