What Does Purple Shampoo Do?

If you pay attention to hair trends on Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest, you’ve no doubt heard the phrase “purple shampoo.” Often touted as a secret weapon in color corrective hair care — mainly by blondes and those with lighter-toned hair — this hair care category can help you keep your locks the ideal hue for longer. But what is purple shampoo and how do you use it? In this guide, we’ll go over how you can use it alongside the rest of your professional hair care products for long-term color maintenance.

What Is Purple Shampoo?

Purple shampoo is a hair care product designed to neutralize yellow, brassy tones on light-colored and blonde hair. Contrary to popular belief, purple shampoo does not refer to a specific brand or line of shampoo. It refers to any enriching color correction shampoo that contains purple pigments. Naturally, the shampoo itself — and, often, the bottle — will be purple to indicate this purpose.

So why is it purple, you ask? It’s simple, but to understand it, you have to know a little bit about basic color theory. Purple sits directly across from yellow on the color wheel, indicating that the two are complementary colors. When you add purple to yellow, the mix creates a more neutralized gray tone, which helps tone down any brassiness that might be causing your blonde hair or highlights to err on the yellow or gold side.

Getting Rid of Brassiness in Blonde Hair

Today, light-colored hair is all about coolness rather than warmth. We see it all the time with the icy white and gray looks rocked by celebs like Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Gigi Hadid and Megan Thee Stallion. The problem is that many people’s hair wants to revert to warmer tones, so keeping that icy-white blonde look can be challenging.

PRAVANA THE PERFECT BLONDE Cleanse

Over time, even the best professional hair color may fade into a brassy tone. This happens for a few reasons. For one, light-colored hair is quite porous and it may absorb outside minerals and pollutants that could cause it to change colors. At the same time, the environment and time causes the toner in the hair to fade. This color shift tends to happen faster in people who have naturally warm or yellow undertones.

Because of its ability to neutralize the brassy hues, purple shampoo is a great option for blondes looking to maintain that icy white look in between visits to the salon. With that said, the best way to maintain the perfect color is to stay on a regular, frequent schedule with a professional stylist. Nobody understands hair color theory and maintenance quite like a hair pro.

The Best Purple Shampoo and Mask

If you’re looking to maintain your blonde locks, there’s no reason not to integrate a purple shampoo into your routine a couple of times per week. Always use top-rated formulas by trusted salon brands for the best results. Make sure to closely follow the instructions on the bottle, as you may need to leave the product in your hair for longer depending on whether it’s warm, neutral or cool to start.

PRAVANA The Perfect Blonde Masque

What is the best purple shampoo for you or your clients? We recommend using PRAVANA The Perfect Blonde Cleanse and Conditioner a couple of times per week and using the PRAVANA The Perfect Blonde Masque to further seal in the color and block out brassiness. Better Natured® also makes a neutralizing Color Refreshing Cream to help rid your strands of hues that are skewing too warm.

Stock Up on Purple Shampoo for Your Clients

As your go-to source for the latest and greatest professional hair care, SALONORY is here to help you find the right solutions to use yourself and recommend to your clients. We sell exclusively to licensed salon professionals and strive to help support your business with excellent rewards programs and more. Stock up on wholesale purple shampoo from our store to fill your retail displays and keep clients happy.