Why You Should Use Purple Shampoo, Even If You’re Not Blonde

Whether blonde or brunette, many tones can benefit from a purple shampoo. The unexpected hue may just be the secret to keeping your color fresh and vibrant.

Using a purple toning shampoo is a key step in keeping your hair color looking fresh, vibrant, and like you just left the salon. A lot of people don’t know, you can fix your brassy hair at home! Ahead, everything you need to know about how to use purple shampoo.

What is purple shampoo good for?

To get why the tinted product is so crucial to hair color maintenance, you first have to understand brassiness.
Brassiness describes the unwanted warm, yellow tones that emerge in lightened strands, especially blonde hair. A whole host of things—UV rays from the sun, chlorine, mineral impurities in the water—can all mess with your hair color and cause brassiness. That's where purple shampoo comes in. As it cleanses strands, it dispenses purple pigment that helps return your hair color to a cooler tone.
But why purple? Think back to the color wheel hanging in your elementary art school class: Purple falls directly opposite yellow, meaning it will work to counteract and neutralize yellow-y tones that— especially cool or icy— blondes definitely don’t want. Regular usage of the vivid-hued liquid will help keep brass under control while refreshing your hair color. It's a simple step that can make a big difference over time.
In sum, whether you have lightened dark hair or blonde hair, purple shampoo is an easy way to eliminate brass. Make it a part of your regular hair care routine so your hair color stays fresh and cool-toned.

Can you use purple shampoo on dark hair?

While typically you may see purple shampoo for blonde hair, brunettes who lighten, such as with balayage or ombré can benefit from the toning formula too, since they often deal with the same type of brassiness and color changes. In other words, a blonde hair, purple shampoo can also help brunettes with sections of lightened hair.

What should you look for in a purple shampoo?

With so many similar products on the market, finding the best purple shampoo for blondes or those with darker hair can be a challenge.
Enter the Strength Cure Blonde Shampoo. This purple shampoo addresses multiple issues that tend to occur with color-treated, lightened hair.
“The purple color comes from a temporary dye molecule that stays on the surface of the hair, helping to fight brassiness and maintain those cool, blonde tones,” explains Pureology Artist Emily Alders. (But don’t worry, it won’t turn your hair purple.)
Strength Cure Blonde Shampoo is also sulfate-free, so there’s no need to worry about it stripping color or moisture. Yes, this purple shampoo on dry hair has thirst-quenching properties as well.
Strength Cure Blonde Shampoo even beefs up strands that have been weakened by the hair color process. It contains Strength Cure Asta RepairTM, a strengthening antioxidant ingredient that helps repair damage and prevent further breakage and split ends.
With so many benefits, there's no need to use any other type of shampoo.

Is purple shampoo a toner?

Any product that dispenses pigment to adjust hair tone can be considered a toner, and that includes purple shampoo. Its pigments work to neutralize brass.
Hair glosses, which boost shine and strengthen strands, and demi-permanent hair color, which refresh hair color or enhance your natural shade, are also considered toners. The Color Fanatic Top Coat + Tone Purple specifically acts as a purple toning treatment for brassy hair that you can use less frequently. If you love Hydrate shampoo and conditioner, this is a great way to stick with the cleansing product you love but still get toned whenever you feel your hair color starts to turn. Major bonus – it doubles as a shiny glossing treatment!

How often should you use purple shampoo?

How often you use purple shampoo is totally up to you. You can either use it daily or swap it in place of your standard shampoo whenever you feel like your color is starting to go a little brassy or needs a quick refresh, suggests Alders. Use it just as you would any other shampoo— yes, it’s that simple.
Strength Cure Blonde Shampoo is gentle enough for daily use. And again, you won't accidentally end up with grape-colored hair. But do expect your blonde to look more cool toned and brighter.
After wetting your hair, massage a quarter-sized amount of Strength Cure Shampoo. Once your hair is all lathered up, rinse out the product.
According to Alders, you should follow it up with Strength Cure Miracle Filler Treatment, meant to be used before any other products or stylers. The hair repair treatment contains Keravis, a vegetable-derived protein to help strengthen strands, plus an AntiFade Complex to further lock in your color.
For incredibly soft strands, apply Strength Cure Shampoo's soul mate, Strength Cure Blonde Condition, afterward. The purple-tinted conditioner is for all shades of color-treated blonde, highlighted and lightened hair. By further strengthening strands and brightening hair color, it enhances the effects of both Strength Cure Blonde Shampoo and Miracle Filler Treatment.

How long should you leave purple shampoo in for?

In general, the cooler the blonde, the longer you should let your purple shampoo remain on your hair before washing it out. See below for specifics.
• Warm Blondes: Wait 1-3 minutes before rinsing
• Neutral Blondes: Wait 3-5 minutes before rinsing
• Cool Blondes: Wait 5-15 minutes before rinsing