Thinking about using purple shampoo? Discover what's the best one to use, what it does to your hair & how to use it properly

Can you use it if you aren’t blonde? And all your other purple shampoo questions answered

Whether your hair is platinum blonde, warm blonde, cool blonde, ash blonde – or any other type of blonde for that matter (and – yes, any highlighted or balayage babes are included in that too), purple shampoo should be a staple in your hair routine. And if it’s not? Well, why not?

It’s no secret that purple shampoo is something of a wonder product for blonde hair; and while it was once a professional, in-salon secret, times have changed and now you can buy it for at-home use in order to help keep your hair looking fresh.

But what exactly is purple shampoo used for, how does it work and what’s the best way to use it? Well, if you’re wondering what the answers to those questions are – or if there’s anything else you want to know – keep reading, because we’ve covered all the information you need below…

What is the best purple shampoo?

Obviously we’re answering the most important questions first, and in our opinion Nexxus’s Blonde Assure Color Toning Purple Shampoo is the best of the best. Made by the experts in haircare, it doesn’t just banish brassy yellow tones from your locks. It’s suitable for blonde, silver, and bleached hair, and as well as soothing dullness, it also adds moisture and provides optimum hydration. It contains keratin protein paired with violet pigments. That means you can keep on top of your hair color while ensuring it’s as healthy and as strong as possible.

What is purple shampoo used for?

For the uninitiated, purple shampoo is formulated specifically for use on blonde, bleached, silver or brassy hair and it works to help neutralize any unwanted orange or yellow tones that can occur. It’s formulated with violet pigments and is best used in place of regular shampoo every few washes or whenever your hair needs a refresh.

Can you use purple shampoo if you aren’t blonde?

It’s the eternal question – and the answer really depends on what your hair color is. External elements, like sun exposure, pollution and chemicals (like chlorine in swimming pools) can cause every type of hair (including virgin hair that’s never been colored) to become brassy, and in those cases, using a purple shampoo every so often will help tone down those unwanted hues. In brunette hair, purple shampoo can get rid of any red-colored tones that appear – but don’t worry, it won’t actually alter the overall shade of your hair, it’ll just make it look much fresher.

How long should you leave purple shampoo in for?

Unlike using regular shampoo, which can be applied into damp hair, quickly massaged in and then rinsed out, purple shampoo can do its best work when it’s left in for a few minutes. But, just how long you leave it depends on the color you want your hair to be. For warm blondes, let it penetrate for around 1-2 minutes, neutral blondes around 3-4 minutes and cool blondes can leave it on for up to 5 minutes.

What is the best way to apply purple shampoo?

Most of the time, you can apply purple shampoo in the same way you do with your regular shampoo. Start by wetting your hair, and then apply a blob of product onto hair and massage it in, making sure you catch every strand of hair. You can massage it more on parts that you know are particularly brassy for a better penetration. You might also be tempted to try applying it onto dry hair, but that’s something we think is best avoided – dry hair is more porous, but it won’t be able to absorb the shampoo evenly, so will result in unwanted patchiness, which – if you ask us – is definitely worse than brassy locks. Right?

How often should you use purple shampoo?

The answer to this question really depends on the shade of your hair and personal preference, and really, it’s often a case of trial and error. We would suggest using it once a week to start with and seeing how you go – you can always then build up to twice weekly if needed, or reduce it to once every fortnight. The choice really is all yours, and the best part is that there’s no right or wrong way to use purple shampoo.