Okay, as those of us blessed with blonde hair would know, purple shampoo can be the saving grace between rusty, coppery tresses and a fresh-out-the-salon blonde look. Of course, knowing which of the best shampoo and conditioners that really suit your hair can be hard to find, so we've locked down the best shampoos with purple tints out there to really make the most of your hair 'do.
Getting vibrancy and freshness from your hair doesn't have to be so hard - and it definitely doesn't have to include a 'spenny trip to the hairdressers, that's for sure. Enter: the purple shampoo to grace your showers and hair wash days. Trust us, they'll even work as shampoos for greasy hair because they're so effective.
Clue's in the name with this one, but all you need to do with these purple shampoos is pop them in your hair during your regular hair routine in replacement of your everyday shampoo, and you'll start to see your hair in no time. Depending on how intense your choice is, results can be as fast as when you dry your hair afterwards.
heat's best purple shampoo at a glance:
Best overall purple shampoo: Olaplex No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo, £28 on Lookfantastic
Best hairdresser-recommended purple shampoo: Kérastase Blond Absolu Bain Ultra Violet Shampoo, £23.08 on Lookfantastic
Best high street purple shampoo: L'Oréal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Anti-Brassiness Purple Shampoo, £5.39 on Lookfantastic
So, ready to crack on with the best purple shampoos on the market? Well, luckily, we've found the top choices, including bestsellers from Olaplex, Kérastase and L'Oreal. Get ready for fresh locks in a jiffy.
SHOP: The best purple shampoo to buy
Best overall purple shampoo
www.lookfantastic.com
When it comes to knowing your purple shampoos well, chances are you'll want to snap up the Olaplex No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo. When Olaplex brought this bestseller in, it was a total game-changer. Known for repairing bleached hair from the inside out, so those dry strands will be nourished whilst also keeping the vibrancy of your blonde every day.
Customer review: "This shampoo does not stain your hands or hair. It’s perfect for use once a week when you’ve got blonde hair that’s coloured. Doesn’t dry your hair out either. Don’t need a lot, it goes a long way."
Pros
- Easy to add to your everyday hair routine
- Bestselling brand is renowned for repairing blonde hair
Cons
- Can stain hands if you're not careful
| How to use: | Apply to wet hair, distributing evenly. Lather fully and leave on 1-3 minutes. Rinse. For more intense toning, leave on hair for up to 5 minutes. |
- Suitable for blonde, lightened, and grey hair
- Visibly brightening and moisturising
- Vegan
Best hairdresser-recommended purple shampoo
www.lookfantastic.com
If your hair is silver, white or icy, you'll want to invest in a strong purple shampoo that will actually sustain those bright locks. That's where the Kérastase Blond Absolu Bain Ultra Violet Shampoo comes in. Recommended by professionals including hairdressers and stylists, this shampoo uses hyaluronic acid and edelweiss flower to cleanse and hydrate.
Customer review: "I’ve used this for years. My hair has never looked so good since using these products and I wouldn't use anything else now."
Pros
- Ultra-violet tones are strong on brassiness
- Cleanses and moisturises at the same time
Cons
- Can make blonde ashy
| How to use: | Wet hair then thoroughly remove excess water before applying a quarter-sized amount of shampoo touch by touch onto 5 key zones of the hair. Add water and emulsify. Leave it on between 2 to 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. |
- Hyaluronic acid and edelweiss flower
- Suitable for lightened, cool blonde or grey hair
Best high street purple shampoo
www.lookfantastic.com
Sometimes, we just want something that's affordable and effective. If you're looking for an option on the high street that is actually going to get the job done, this L'Oréal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Anti-Brassiness Purple Shampoo will zap the rust tones out of your hair whilst being great value for money.
Customer review: "I've tried a lot of purple shampoos that leave your hair feeling like straw but this one is amazing! It really keeps my blonde hair free from brassy colours and super soft. I would buy it again."
Pros
- Great value-for-money
- Violet pigments counteract discolouration
Cons
- Can be drying
| How to use: | Use the shampoo once a week to complement your regular Elvive Colour Protect routine. Massage into hair and leave for 1-3 minutes before rinsing well and follow with the Purple Conditioner. Apply on damp hair and leave for 5 minutes before rinsing well.<br>Expert Tip: On grey hair, rinse shampoo after one minute. Optimise the effect on highlighted brunette hair by leaving for up to 10 minutes before rinsing. |
- Suitable for highlighted, grey, silver, blonde, platinum and metallic hair shades
Best purple shampoo for dyed hair
www.asos.com
You may be familiar with Bleach London for their popular hair toners, including shades of pink, rose and silver. Well, now the brand has ventured into the purple shampoo game with its BLEACH LONDON Purple Reincarnation Shampoo. Being vegan and Peta-approved, you know you're getting high standards with this one.
Customer review: "OH MY GOD my hair feels amazing so soft and shiny and love the lightly scented smell, I cannot get over how my hair feels! I will be buying the full-size bottles as I’m so impressed with them, I wish I had used it sooner."
Pros
- Vegan and Peta-approved
- Trusted brand
Cons
- Can stain skin if not careful
| How to use: | Suitable for everyday use. Massage into wet hair, rinse. Follow with Bleach London Conditioner. |
- Vegan and Peta-approved
- Designed to gently cleanse, strengthen and brighten blonde hair
- Ideal for all hair types
- Formulated with bond-restoring technology
- Product is non-returnable for hygiene reasons
Best purple shampoo with Triple Acid Protein Complex
www.lookfantastic.com
If you really want to protect your blonde in the long term, look to Redken's Color Extend Blondage Shampoo. Made with an exclusive Triple Acid Protein Complex, it cleanses, nourishes and strengthens all in one. Triple whammy.
Customer review: "This is a great as far as purple shampoo's go. Purple shampoo's are very drying but this one is by far the best I have found. Not as drying as others I have used and I have used a lot."
Pros
- Keeps your hair moisturised
- Cleansed, nourishes and strengthens all in one
- Non-drying
Cons
- Can be too powerful if not careful
| How to use: | After shampooing, apply and distribute through hair. Rinse. |
- Professional solution for blonde hair
- Ultraviolet pigment and triple acid protein complex to tone, strengthen and brighten all in one for a brighter, stronger blonde
- Conditions and tones natural and colour-treated blonde hair
- Keeping your colour protected and bright
- Contains Triple Acid Protein complex and violet pigment
Best sulfate-free purple shampoo
The Moroccanoil brand is known for keeping hair super moisturised and fresh no matter the style or quality. To keep your hair particularly light and bright, grab the Moroccanoil Blonde Perfecting Purple Shampoo which is both colour-safe and sulfate-free.
Customer review: "My hair turns brassy very easily because I have extensions however this stuff is amazing!! Leave it for 5-7 mins and it’s such a nice blonde. Removes all brassy tones!!"
Pros
- Sulfate and paraben-free to keep your hair in good quality
- Strong violet pigments for immediate colour repair
Cons
- Packaging isn't good quality
| How to use: | Massage through wet hair and scalp, leave on for 3–5 minutes, rinse well |
- ArganID™ Technology: positively charged micro-capsules are attracted to the negatively charged hair fiber
- Violet Pigments
- Sulfate-free
Best purple shampoo popular on social media
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
As seen across TikTok and Instagram, Amika is known for its funky packaging and ultra-smoothing hair products. Look to the Amika Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Repair Shampoo for an easy-to-grab purple shampoo that will cool off any warm tones whilst cleansing your hair. Get the matching Bust Your Brass Purple Mask if you really want to up your game.
Customer review: "This toning shampoo is really nice. Has a pleasant scent, doesn’t irritate my scalp and cancels yellow tones really well even when left on the hair for little time."
Pros
- Smells great
- Easy-to-apply, just like any shampoo
Cons
- Can be drying
| How to use: | Use bust your brass shampoo + conditioner every other wash |
- Colour safe
- Leaping bunny certified
- No gluten contributors
- Keratin safe
- Certified vegan
What is purple shampoo?
Now, if you're still a bit apprehensive about getting your hands on this stuff, fret not. To put it simply, purple shampoo is a specialized type of shampoo designed to neutralize unwanted yellow or brassy tones in blonde, silver, or grey hair. It usually has a purple or violet tint (hence the name), which colour corrects the warm tone - leaving it looking cooler and more natural.
A top tip is to remember that purple shampoo is usually used on light-coloured hair to combat brassiness. If you have darker hair, it may not have the same effect, and you may want to explore other hair care products to get the look you want with things like dry shampoo or even blue shampoo.
How do I use purple shampoo?
Getting down to the nitty-gritty, purple shampoo is super easy to use and won't be that difficult to figure out. We'd recommend wetting your hair thoroughly in the shower or bath, applying your shampoo evenly and massaging in, focusing on yellow or brassy areas. After a few minutes (or however long the bottle says), rinse with lukewarm water. Follow with conditioner. Use once or twice weekly - but avoid overuse to prevent a purple tint. Because, that's the last thing we want.
Caitlin Casey is a Senior Beauty & Fashion Products Writer for heat, Closer, and Grazia. She covers shopping, women’s lifestyle, popular culture as well as all things trending.