Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
PureWow
The 20 Best Purple Shampoos to Maintain Blonde Hair and Banish Brassiness
By Katherine Gillen,
3 days ago
PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here .
Whether you’re a born-with-it blonde or from-a-bottle blonde, you know that brassiness is your hair’s kryptonite. Which is why you should regularly suds up with purple shampoo in between visits to your colorist. FYI, those violet pigments neutralize yellow tones, restoring lustrous platinum shades and reviving ashy balayage highlights. As someone who brightens up her natural blonde with highlights , I know the struggle of looking a little too orange, which is why I alternate every few washes with a purple shampoo. But it can be a struggle to find one that isn't too drying , or worse, makes your hair a little to bright or violet. Luckily, you've come to the right page to discover the best purple shampoos for every blonde.
How I Chose the Best Purple Shampoos
To pick the best purple shampoo, I started with the bottles that are in my and other PureWow editors' showers. From there, I determined the best features of each and any specific key ingredients that would be beneficial for hair health. Then, I diligently researched other options, paying close attention to reviews and any before and after photos of improved blonde pigment.
Here are 20 of the best purple shampoo brands that will bring your blonde hair back to its former glory.
More lilac than violet, this creamy shampoo subtly refreshes highlights and corrects brassy undertones without any risk of overdoing it, so it’s safe for daily washes. It also boasts natural, coconut-derived cleansing agents and strand-soothing aloe, with a scent that’s a blend of juniper, blood orange, rhubarb and leather accord. "It's great for daily washing because it's not quite so violet-hued," says Katherine Gillen , PureWow senior food editor. "I prefer a golden tone so I like that it doesn't turn my hair ashy, but still keeps it from going orange."
The Matrix So Silver shampoo contains direct dyes that neutralize yellow tones specifically, so it’s best for platinum, silver and extremely light blonde hair. Heads up: Since the pigments are concentrated, you only need to use it two or three times per week to see results. Just don't overdo it or you might get some purple twinges in your hair. "So silver from Matrix is hands down the best purple shampoo I've ever tried," says Madeline Merinuk , assistant editor of branded content. "My hair stylist recommended it when I first started dying my hair a brighter blonde, and I haven't even looked at another brand since."
The entire line of L’Oréal’s EverPure hair care is formulated without harsh surfactants (aka those sudsy cleansing agents), and this blonde-friendly shampoo is no exception. A combination of subtle purple pigments and iris botanicals neutralizes brass for quick results, while the gentle formula cleanses without stripping natural moisture—at a budget-friendly price, no less. PureWow Editor-in-Chief Jillian Quint raves, "L’Oréal EverPure is my secret weapon. My stylist recommended it to me as a budget version of a salon toner and she’s so right. I use it about once a month to tone brassy highlights back to the ashy look I prefer."
Oribe’s brightening blend of lemon, ginger root and chamomile extracts helps to optimize blonde tones while making them luminous, while lavender extract aids in repairing dryness and damage while locking in moisture. And despite being sulfate-free, this shampoo lathers easily and is generously pigmented, so a little goes a long way. (Oh, and it looks damn fine sitting in your shower.) "I've also tried Oribe," adds Gillen. "While I think it's a little drying for my hair type, I only have to use it like once a month for the toning effect (and one bottle lasts forever, offsetting the price)."
As someone who has used the entire Olaplex line for my frizzy, curly stands, I knew I needed to give the brand's purple shampoo a try when I got my seasonal blonde highlights. Similar to the popular shampoo, it hydrates with the bonus of making my hair brass-free. It also helps make my other natural blonde strands pop. A little goes a long way with this one, and I'll use it once a week now for maintenance.
The pigments in this shampoo are deeper and stronger than your average bottle of purple shampoo, so it can actually extend the time between salon visits, all in about five minutes. It’s also packed with UV filters to prevent sun damage and fading, plus it’s cruelty-free and comes in fully recyclable packaging, per the brand. "If you are looking for a strong purple hair mask to remove brassy tones from blond hair quickly, I highly recommend this one. With just one application, I see a noticeable improvement in my brassy tones. I have purchased this stuff multiple times now and it's a staple in my haircare routine," writes one of the shampoo's more than *36,000* 5-star reviewers. Just note that you don't want to apply this shampoo too often, as shoppers say the pigment is very intense and can leave hair looking purple with too much use.
If you’re dealing with unwanted orange undertones but hoping for champagne hues, the violet pigments in Redken’s Blondage line will get you there. It contains citric acid, which may help to strengthen strands and increase elasticity, meaning it's great for weak, damaged strands. Don't believe me? Here's what one of its many fans has to say: "This shampoo is THE BOMB. It is potent, yes, but that is a good thing because it cancels out the yellow tones very well. I did not get any staining on my hands or anything else, as I just soap them up right after lathering with this and voila! Purple gone. The scent is nice, not overpowering or icky. And the best thing of all? My hair feels soft and healthy after shampooing. No dryness or frizziness whatsoever."
Thanks to the silk proteins and hibiscus flower extract in this purple shampoo, you’ll strengthen the hair cuticle while cancelling out brassy tones at the same time. And while some highly pigmented shampoos are too much for daily use, this one deposits just the right amount of color, so it can be used as often as needed without turning your hair violet. "I have dark brown, fine highlighted hair. Other purple shampoos have either made my hair greasy or dry," writes one Amazon reviewer. "This shampoo leaves my hair feeling great and tones down unwanted brassiness. Love!" Pro tip: Mix it with a hydrating shampoo for even sleeker, shinier results.
Aside from banishing brassy tones in blonde hair, this highly rated shampoo promises seven times more repair and 55 percent less breakage after just one use, particularly when used with the accompanying conditioner . Add to that ingredients like mango butter, shea butter, borage oil and vegan proteins, which the brand claims provide the same benefits as keratin, and you can expect shiny, healthy hair with the perfect blonde tint. As a bonus, buyers say it smells fantastic.
"I've been highlighting my hair for as long as I can remember and always stayed a golden blonde. I always wanted that platinum ashy white blonde mixed with lowlights of a darker blonde, and I could never achieve that! But a few years back a hairstylist suggested to me to try this shampoo and use it a couple times a week. Well.... i did that and I could not get enough," attests one Ulta shopper about this shampoo. What it lacks in glamour (i.e., its grandma-floral smell), this Clairol formula makes up for in effectiveness. A once-weekly wash is enough to keep highlights looking true to color—just wash your hands right after because it’s so pigmented.
Cancelling out warm tones is old hat for this Drybar shampoo, which relies on lemon and chamomile extracts to brighten things up a notch, in addition to keratin for strengthening and the usual purple pigments to nix the brass. The brand says it can be used on all hair types, from straight to coily, and reviewers tend to agree. Plus, it even helps to brighten up white and gray hair. "I have completely white, non-pigmented hair. I have used other purple shampoos, but none of them fully brighten my hair like the Drybar," says one regular user of the stuff.
Philip Kingsley is best known for its Elasticizer hair mask , but it also excels at blonde haircare, as proven by this weekly shampoo. It’s gentle, hydrating and made with lavender oil, which promotes scalp health (we all know a healthy scalp means healthy hair). The formula also purports to reduce static and smooths the cuticle, so it’s great for frizzy hair made worse by dyeing.
Sulfate-free? Check. Violet pigments? Double check. Infused with argan oil? Of course! This formula is extremely hydrating, making it ideal for parched, stressed-out blonde strands. The argan oil (which is packed with vitamins A and E) helps repair and seal the hair’s cuticle while locking in color and imparting plenty of antioxidants. According to an independent consumer study, 100 percent of users said that their hair felt softer after using the shampoo, while 96 percent confirmed that their hair did not feel stripped or dry.
This vegan shampoo contains time-released botanicals and natural plum extracts to protect and strengthen your hair while boosting its cool blonde color. Grape seed oil adds a ton of shine while also locking in hydration and color. Just take it from this buyer who writes, "The grape seed oil in this is actually super efficient. It hydrated well and made my silver hair pop!"
Regardless of whether you’re an icy blonde or lean on the honey side, this purple shampoo will keep unwanted tones in check. "As a natural blonde that likes to keep my hair from getting brassy, I've used purple shampoo for ten years now. Started using this one two years ago and will never go back to the others," raves one Ulta reviewer. "[It] lightens my blonde so nicely and doesn't leave my hair feeling dry and brittle after using it like the other shampoos would. My hair actually feels soft and hydrated after use." Leave it on for as little as one minute for a quick tone down, or let it hang for five when things are looking a bit brassier.
Notes of pear, rose and sandalwood make this shampoo smell salon-fresh—unlike some color shampoos which can smell chemical-y. It’s also rich in astaxanthin, an antioxidant that fends off free radicals and promotes new growth, along with keravis, a protein that may help to prevent strand breakage, per the brand. The fact that it has thousands of 5-star reviews across retailers just makes me even more confident in its best-smelling, brass-busting formula.
Italian-born Davines uses only naturally derived surfactants, so this shampoo isn’t just sulfate-free, it’s also super gentle on both natural and color-treated hair. It’s never drying and won’t strip moisture, but it will impart tons of shine and light-reflecting particles to make your blonde hair look its best and brightest. The brand also prides itself on a sustainable business model (it’s B Corp certified), so you can feel good about the impact of your purchase.
Got a big event coming up and need a hair fix ASAP? The crushed violet pigments in this John Frieda shampoo purport to absorb UV light and give off a white-blue glow, making brassy hair look cooler and brighter after just one wash. It’s highly effective but can be slightly drying, according to users, so pair it with the matching conditioner for best results.
Celebrity hairstylist Kristen Ess didn’t just set out to create a toning shampoo for blondes—she wanted one for brown hair too. This shampoo returns brassy blondes back to their former ashy glory, and it works on brunette shades just as well. "I got this to help my light brown/graying hair which was turning yellow. I definitely see a difference after using this product! I don't find it especially drying, although I do condition well after each use. It's lasting a good long time (I've been using it about once a week)," writes a happy reviewer. It relies on a proprietary strengthening complex that mends split ends and prevents color fade all at once. As a bonus, the shampoo comes included with the corresponding conditioner in this wallet-friendly set.
Frequent shampooing and environmental pollution can highlight unwanted yellow tones in blonde hair, but this purple shampoo takes care of them with ease. Beyond that, the delicate formula contains milk protein and berry extracts to increase volume, repair weakness and improve elasticity in brittle locks. Hey, there's a reason this pick is a cult favorite among blondes (and grays!). As one shopper explains, "I leave it in my hair for two minutes and then rinse well. [It] gives my gray/white hair body and lots of shine. Takes away any brassiness."
PureWow editors have used several purple shampoos, and the best one for you has to do with your hair type and needs. However, I think that R+Co Sunset Blvd Daily Blonde shampoo is great for most people because it's not as harsh or drying as some other options, meaning you can use it every day if needed. It won't turn your hair purple in the process either.
What to Look for in a Purple Shampoo
The two big things to look for in purple shampoo are the color and consistency. Start with the shade: darker purple shampoo is best to maintain platinum, gray or silver hair, while a brighter shade of purple will improve that true blonde hue. The shampoo itself should have a thicker consistency that will lather, but you need to read the bottle to see how long you need to leave it in to remove brassiness. Stronger formulas should be used less often, while less intense purple shampoos can be applied every few days or even daily.
PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Most Popular
Comments / 0