Purple and Blue Shampoo Celebrity hairstylist Peter Butler says violet- and purple-based shampoos, such as Kérastase Blond Absolu Bain Ultra-Violet Shampoo and L'Oréal EverPure Sulfate Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo, are super helpful in keeping gray, silver, white, and blonde hair bright and manageable.
Purple shampoo uses purple pigments to neutralize yellow tones and keeps blondes brighter and ashier. Purple shampoo is also great for silver/white hair as well. Blue shampoo uses blue pigments to neutralize brassy orange tones in the hair.
SACHAJUAN Silver Shampoo
To counteract and neutralize any brassy tones, this shampoo, like others, uses pigments, but instead of purple, it uses silver, like the Philip Kingsley shampoo, to better work with gray hair.
What does purple shampoo do? Yellow is the opposite of purple on the color wheel. So when your gray or lightened hair has unwanted yellow tones, purple shampoo acts as a toner and can cancel out brassy hues. Purple shampoo works to help fix brassy tones with a pretty simple approach.
The best way to use purple shampoo on gray hair
Some hair types are more porous than others, meaning that if you use a purple shampoo too often, you could end up with a slight purple hue to your hair. So, with that in mind, we would suggest using it once or twice a week and slowly building up from there if needs be.
Both silver and purple shampoo are designed to neutralise yellow and brassy tones in blonde, silver and grey hair. If you've used either one, you'll have noticed that bright purple hue when you pop the lid and squeeze. Silver shampoo and purple shampoo use purple pigment to lighten and brighten.
While it's typically used on blonde hair, it can also get rid of yellow or orange undertones in gray, white, or silver hair. But don't worry. When used correctly, it won't turn your hair purple! All it will do is bring out the cool tones of your hair, creating the illusion of brighter, shinier locks.
You can go up to 15 minutes next time if you notice little to no difference after drying your hair. If you have platinum, gray, or silver hair, you can leave the purple shampoo on for up to 30 minutes, depending on how brassy or discolored your hair is.
Purple shampoo doesn't remove the yellow color but is designed to tone down the yellow in gray and white hair. It tones the color in your hair from warm tones (yellow) to cool (silver).
When someone with yellow-y gray hair uses a blue shampoo, guess what color you are going to get? That's right. GREEN! Blue shampoo is not designed to be used on gray hair; its function is to neutralize orange tones in brown hair.
The most suitable shades for dyeing gray hair are considered to be natural shades, which are able to 100% cover white hair. These are usually marked N or 0 (5N, 5NN, Natural, 5, 5.0 or 5.00). All other shades, especially fashionable shades, are less suitable.
According to hair biology experts and styling experts alike, grey hair is more resistant to color than younger hair because of its texture. The relative lack of natural oils in the hair compared to younger hair make it a rougher surface that tends to reject the color being applied, especially around the roots.
Use a purple-hued shampoo once every other week.
There are a number of shampoos that are formulated especially for white hair. They usually have a purple, silver, or blue tint that helps counteract the yellow tone that white hair can sometimes have.
As we mentioned, gray hair's lack of sebum can make it feel dry. To reduce further dryness, you'll want to wash it as infrequently as possible. "Washing every other day or three to four times a week can help with this," says Mazzei.
DON'T use purple shampoo on very dry hair
It's important to get the hair into a healthy condition before drenching it in purple shampoo to make it less porous.
The purple shampoos are a life saver. They keep gray and/or white and/or blonde hair from looking kind of yellow and brassy. Keeps the whites and lights more true to the color they are supposed to be.
The acidic elements of apple cider vinegar can make the yellow tones in your locks lighter, which is why it's so effective at removing yellow from gray hair or blonde hair. Fill up a large basin or bottle with 1 gallon (3.8L) of water. Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, then mix. Rinse your hair with the mixture.
A deep conditioning hair mask once or twice a week will bathe your hair in softness and moisture. A few drops of argan oil can help with shine while also adding a little weight and control to wiry strands. A leave-in conditioner will help tame gray flyaways and make wiry gray hair feel softer.
To enhance your grey and get the most out of its beautiful color, you have to take good care of your hair. Maintain your naturally grey hair with clarifying or color balancing shampoos. You can also enhance it with highlights, lowlights, or even a touch of color here and there.