Purple shampoo is primarily used to neutralize and reduce brassy, yellow, or orange tones in lightened or blonde hair. It contains violet pigments that counteract these unwanted warm tones because purple is opposite yellow on the color wheel, effectively canceling out yellow hues and helping to maintain a cooler, fresher blonde shade
. It is especially beneficial for people with bleached, highlighted, or naturally blonde hair, but can also be used by brunettes with lightened sections such as balayage or ombré to tone down brassiness
. Additionally, purple shampoo is useful for gray, silver, or white hair to eliminate yellowing and keep the color vibrant
. To use purple shampoo, you typically wet your hair, lather the shampoo in, leave it on for a few minutes (usually 2-5 minutes depending on the level of brassiness), then rinse thoroughly. It is often recommended to follow with a conditioner to nourish the hair
. Purple shampoo should not replace your regular shampoo but can be used once or twice a week to maintain tone without over-darkening the hair
. In summary, purple shampoo is a toning shampoo that helps maintain cool, bright blonde or lightened hair by neutralizing brassy, yellow, or orange tones through the deposition of violet pigments
