Just like tinting a tee-shirt in a sink full of water, the more concentrated the pigment, the more intense the results. When you want a stronger, cool, ashy blonde: Lay a generous dollop of Color Balance Purple Shampoo directly onto your hair; spread evenly throughout, and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing.
You'll leave the shampoo on for 5-15 minutes before rinsing with cool water if your colored hair has been recently dyed or is discolored. If it's your first time trying purple shampoo, experiment with leaving it on for only 5-10 minutes before washing it out.
A purple shampoo will not dye your hair but if you leave it on for too long you could find yourself with a little lilac staining. It's easy enough to get rid of – just wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo to reduce the tint!
Purple shampoo is for already bleached hair, so if you're hoping to lighten brown hair with purple shampoo, you'll be disappointed. This is all down to the fact that purple shampoo isn't lightening. Instead, it brightens blondes by canceling out yellow tones, which just happen to be opposite purple on the color wheel.
There's an internet rumour that dry hair absorbs purple shampoo better, resulting in enhanced toning. However, while dry hair is more porous, it can't absorb the shampoo evenly. In short, applying purple shampoo to dry tresses will lead to a patchy hair nightmare.
Start by leaving it on for 2-3 minutes:
Depending your level of brassiness, 2-3 minutes should be enough time for the shampoo to do its work. After the time has passed, rinse thoroughly with cool water.
It's important to note that the pigment in purple shampoo isn't a lightener or hair dye but a gentle toner that works overtime. So it can't darken your hair or make it any lighter. For this reason, if your hair tone is too dark, it won't make it any brighter.
Saying that, it does lather and in turn remove some build up from the hair, but I would advice you wash your hair with a normal shampoo first before purple shampoo, especially if you find your hair needs washing daily or hasn't been washed for a couple of days.
Harwood also adds that purple shampoo can be mixed with regular shampoo to add some of the violet pigment into a regular hair cleansing routine without any risk of going overboard.
This is were the over using it can cause problems. "You want to stop using it two weeks before any lightening service. The purple shampoo can cause build up making the hair look dull and darker if overused." This makes the lightening process more difficult to create a seamless blend.
There's two reasons why your hair is still brassy after toning or colouring. Either the undertone of the toner/colour is wrong, or the product is too light for you.
In this case, a biweekly treatment should be enough to banish yellow pigments, while leaving your golden or caramel blonde Opens in a new tab looking fresh and luminous. However, if your current shade is a cool blonde and warm tones are a big no-go, try a weekly purple shampoo routine to blitz unwanted tones.
OK, so what is the best way to use purple shampoo? Well, for starters, you want to apply it on completely wet hair. (Note: If you have especially dry or brittle ends, we'd also recommend putting a tiny amount of conditioner on just the tips to prevent them from absorbing too much pigment.)
Purple shampoo should be applied in the shower or during a hair wash. While your hair is wet, apply the shampoo and lather it onto your hair. The amount of shampoo that you use will vary depending on your choice of product and how brassy your hair is looking.
The truth is purple shampoo is not going to make your hair any lighter or brighter. Purple shampoo is meant to color correct any yellow tones. So if you're blonde and your hair is starting to get a little more yellow overtime as your toner begins to fade, then you can use your purple shampoo.
Purple shampoo has been used for decades by hairdressers, mostly to help tone and neutralize blonde and gray hair, getting rid of brassy or yellow tones for an overall more cool-toned look.
Purple shampoo neutralises brassiness but enhances blonde pigmentation. To maintain a silver shade, your shampoo requires a stronger colour neutralisation. Silver shampoo is formulated with deeper purple pigments to target yellow tones in a much stronger way.
Some blondes swear by locking in the purple toning with a purple conditioner. However, as the purple shampoo does most of the work, we think it's OK to use any conditioner you like. After rinsing, try a deep moisturizing hair mask to soften your hair, and smooth frizz. This is essential if you have bleached hair.
What Is Purple Shampoo for Brown Hair? Purple shampoo for brown hair is the same product as purple shampoo for blonde hair. The color purple is used because purple sits across orange on the color wheel, so purple hair treatments will neutralize any brassy hair tones and help your strands look fresh.
myth 2: purple shampoo will dye my hair purple
When used correctly, purple shampoo will not turn your hair purple, but will instead color correct and neutralize any unwanted brassy tones. If a toning product is left on too long, that is when you will see hair starting to turn purple.
What is Purple Shampoo? Purple shampoo is a toning shampoo specially designed for blonde hair. It features crushed violet pigments that neutralize style-ruining brassy and yellow tones. On the color wheel, purple is the opposite of yellow, which is why purple pigments cancel out brassy, yellow tones.
Chances are you're familiar with purple shampoo by now. If your hair is on the yellowish, orange end of the spectrum, purple shampoo will fix it. Like blue shampoo, purple shampoo is another at-home option with color pigments that's formulated to neutralize brassy yellow and orange tones in color-treated hair.
While those who are already blonde and have brassy tones in their hair can get away with using a purple shampoo, those who have bleached their hair from a darker shade will have to use an ammonia-based toner.
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.