Purple shampoo is a hair care staple for all those with lightened hair. Whether you’re platinum, California blonde or even Bronde, everyone with lightened locks can benefit from a quality purple shampoo to neutralise unwanted warm tones.
So, what does purple shampoo do for blonde hair? Read on as we explore how purple shampoo works and how it can be used before walking through our expert purple shampoo routine using professional blonde hair products from our Blond Absolu Hair Care Range.
What is purple shampoo?
Purple shampoo is an incredibly effective at-home solution to help maintain your blonde hair between salon visits. Named for their characteristic violet pigments, purple shampoos deposit concentrated pigment into the hair with every use.
How does purple shampoo work?
These ingenious shampoos are designed to banish brassiness – the unwanted warm yellow or orange tones that often emerge within lightened hair colours over time. The key culprits for brassiness are widespread, including heat styling, chlorine, product build up and general environmental exposure.
Fortunately, colour theory means purple shampoos have an impressive ability to cancel out brassy yellow tones. Purple and yellow are exact opposites on the colour wheel, meaning they’re complimentary colours that can neutralise each other.
How to Use Purple Shampoo:
Using purple shampoo is your secret weapon for keeping that vibrant blonde or silver hair looking its best. It's a breeze to use and can replace your regular shampoo with ease. Here's your simple guide:
Wet Your Hair: Begin by thoroughly wetting your hair in the shower, ensuring it's completely saturated.
Apply Purple Shampoo: Take a small amount of purple shampoo and gently massage it into your hair, focusing on areas with unwanted brassiness or yellow tones.
Leave it On: This is where the magic happens! Let the purple shampoo work its wonders for about 3-5 minutes. Adjust the timing based on your needs and the extent of brassiness.
Rinse Thoroughly: After giving the shampoo some time, rinse it out thoroughly to ensure no residue remains in your hair.
Condition: Follow up with a quality blonde hair conditioner to keep your locks soft and manageable.
How often should you use purple shampoo?
The frequency of using purple shampoo depends on your hair type, brassiness level, and the specific purple shampoo you're using. Here's a general guideline:
If you have blonde or silver hair and aim to maintain that cool, ashy tone, incorporating purple shampoo into your routine once a week is typically effective. If stubborn brassiness persists, a temporary increase to twice a week can help.
For brunettes with blonde highlights or balayage, the use of purple shampoo should be more sparing. Consider applying it once every two weeks or as needed to tone the highlights without significantly affecting your base color.
If you have hair of different colors but occasionally encounter warm tones, purple shampoo can be used as required. However, exercise caution to avoid excessive use, as an abundance of purple can lead to an unintended lavender tint.
Remember, less is often more with purple shampoo. Start with a small amount and adjust based on your hair's response.
What to Do If You Leave Purple Shampoo on Too Long:
Mistakes happen, but don't worry if you've left purple shampoo in too long. It won't permanently color your hair, as it only contains pigments. Here's what you can do:
Rinse Immediately: If you haven't already, rinse the product out immediately with lukewarm water, washing out the shampoo thoroughly.
Assess the Color: After rinsing, check your hair color. It might look slightly cooler or even have a hint of purple, but it's not permanent.
Use a Clarifying Shampoo: If your hair still appears overly purple or gray, use a clarifying shampoo in your next wash to remove excess purple pigment and restore your natural color.
Adjust Your Timing: Be more mindful of timing when using purple shampoo in the future. Start with the recommended duration and gradually increase it if needed. Remember, it's easier to add more toning than to remove it.
Condition: Follow up with a good conditioner to restore moisture to your hair, as purple shampoo can be drying. A little extra TLC can go a long way.
Create an effective purple shampoo routine
The results you achieve from purple shampoo are highly dependent on your product choice, preparation and technique. Follow our recommended routine to ensure you see optimal benefits from your purple shampoo. We’ll also help you avoid hair habits that could create warm tones in the future.
1. Cleanse with your regular shampoo
Start by using your regular colour safe shampoo as a first wash to remove environmental pollutants, impurities, product build up and excess oil from your scalp and strands. Applying your purple shampoo to already clean hair will allow the pigment to deposit more effectively to neutralise brassy tones. Gently lather and rinse to prep your hair for purple shampoo.
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2. Blond Absolu Bain Ultra-Violet Purple Shampoo
After thoroughly cleansing your locks, it’s time to utilise the intense neutralising properties of an expertly formulated purple shampoo. If you’re looking to banish unwanted warm tones from your hair, we recommend our Blond Absolu Bain Ultra-Violet Purple Shampoo. Designed specifically for lightened hair, this potent formula provides a powerful, instant shot of anti-brass neutralisation while simultaneously restoring softness and shine.
This iridescent purple shampoo is enriched with a unique combination of hydrating ingredients and Ultra Violet neutralisers – super concentrated pigments that immediately deposit colour within the hair fibre. Hyaluronic acid brings advanced benefits from the skincare world into the realm of hair. This intensely hydrating acid repairs hair fibre wounds from the inside out to strengthen each strand and prevent future breakage. Meanwhile, Edelweiss flower works to calm and soften sensitised hair fibres.
How to Use: To use, remove excess water from wet hair and apply a quarter-sized amount on the five key zones of the hair. Add water to emulsify and let the formula work for between two and five minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
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3. Blond Absolu Ultra-Violet Hair Mask
Next, reinforce the neutralising benefits of your shampoo by treating your locks to an indulgent purple toning mask. Our Blond Absolu Ultra-Violet Hair Mask is perfect for those times when your hair needs a little something extra in terms of nourishment and banishing brassiness. Designed to combine powerful neutralising ingredients with the ultra caring qualities of a mask, this formula works to reconstruct the hair fibre while also maintaining a flawless blonde shade. Just as with the shampoo, hyaluronic acid for hair and edelweiss flower take the stage alongside Ultra Violet neutralisers.
How to Use:To apply, massage through the lengths and ends of your shampooed, towel dried hair. Allow the restorative formula to neutralise and nourish for at least five minutes, or longer for a more intense effect.
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4. Follow up with a heat protectant
Considering that excessive heat exposure can create yellow tones in blonde or grey hair, following up on your purple shampoo routine with a heat protectant spray is a non-negotiable addition. Our Blond Absolu Huile Cicaextreme Hair Repair Oil protects sensitised coloured and lightened hair from heat styling, while also enhancing softness and shine. As a bonus. this oils also helps seal split ends and scales on the hair fibre.
How to use: To apply, smooth one to two pumps into the lengths and ends of damp hair or use one pump on dry hair.
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Now that you have purple shampoo downpacked, learn more on how to care for your blonde hair.
Complete Your Routine
Blond Absolu Ultra-Violet Purple Shampoo
Purple shampoo with Hyaluronic Acid neutralises brassy hair.
Blond Absolu Cicaflash Conditioner
Conditioner for blonde hair with Hyaluronic Acid. Suitable for all blonde hair types.
Blond Absolu Ultra-Violet Purple Hair Mask
Purple hair mask with Hyaluronic Acid to neutralise brassy hair.
Blond Absolu Heat Protecting Cicaplasme Primer
Heat protectant with Hyaluronic Acid for all blonde hair types.
Blond Absolu Night Serum
Intense overnight recovery hair serum for all blondes.
