It's important to understand that purple shampoo will work differently on all hair types. This is particularly the case if you have dry, bleached, or color-treated hair. Considering many people in the market for purple shampoo have chemically processed hair, it's important to know that you can actually overuse the shampoo, resulting in more of a purple tinting rather than a toning. The best way to avoid this? Start slow and work up from there if you find your hair needs it. Purple shampoo is great for anyone with light hair (natural or salon-treated). So if your hair is blonde, platinum, very light blonde, grey or bleached with cool pastel colours, purple shampoo is for you. It won't work on brunettes, but if you're a brunette with blonde highlights, you can use purple shampoo to keep your highlights looking fresh. What purple shampoo should I get? Come summer, bottle blondes know the importance of preserving hair color at home. This is where the best purple shampoo for your hair, whether it’s a traditional cleanser or a deep conditioning treatment, comes into the equation. “Blondes have more fun, but the fun doesn’t last long!” jokes colorist Richy Kandasamy. “Blondes have a very light palette—and delicate, clean blonde color tends to fade faster, lose shine, and can look brassy or yellow very fast.” Below, find a breakdown of how purple shampoos work to keep hair color bright and vivid, as well as how best to work them into your routine. What is a purple shampoo? For our lab test, we used a spectrophotometer. It's a colour measurement device that we used to analyse the improvements in the yellow tones of the hair after a one-week testing period. Find out which is the best anti-brass shampoo below...

Mondo warns that because purple shampoo deposits pigment onto the hair, if you use it too often, or keep it on too long, your hair can turn a little too purple, especially if it's particularly dry or damaged. To avoid this, he recommends using the product until the desired level of tone is achieved, and then "weekly, or every other week, for maintenance." What should you use after purple shampoo? Those who bleach their hair and live in hard water areas (which creates more mineral build-up on strands), should only use it once a week. Meaning, one bottle will last you until your next colour appointment, if not longer. So when you wash with this particular shade of shampoo, it deposits purple pigment into blonde hair, to counteract any yellowy tones that start to shine through. What causes brassy hair?

How does purple shampoo work? 

If you can’t avoid it, coat the ends in conditioner first to create a hydrating base and to dilute the shampoo. Then apply your purple shampoo in an 's' shape on mid-lengths and work it in with your fingers to deposit the pigment evenly." For how long should you leave purple shampoo in?

As with any shampoo, you want to look for a high-quality one that is sulfate free," he says. "A good rule of thumb is that the lighter it is, the more subtle of a tone it’s going to be. The brighter the purple, the more drastic the results will be." And fun fact: Purple shampoo works on a variety of light colors, including classic blonde, as well as balayaged and highlighted hair, and even gray, silver, and white shades, says Mondo. Is it OK to use purple shampoo every day?It’s very common for colour treated hair to change tone, especially through exposure to the sun, environmental pollutants and water with high mineral levels or chlorine,' says Gina. 'When hair is lightened, the natural colour is removed to accommodate the new colour, but as all hair colour has an underlying warmth, this will eventually start to show through. Using a purple shampoo will balance the yellow and orange tones in the hair.' How many times do you use purple shampoo?

They work best on silver or icy blonde hair as they neutralise brassiness, giving a clean tone to the hair,” says master colourist Louise Galvin. “Platinum blondes will see improved brightness and shine, while bleached hair will lose its nicotine tones, restoring purity of colour.” It all depends on the instructions on the specific bottle, but not overdoing it is key. "If you leave a purple shampoo on for too long, your hair will have a blue-purple tinge to it," Irwin cautions. There are a lot out there - we've just rounded up ten of our favourites but there are plenty more. The type you get really depends on your budget (because they can be exxy) but also what kind of hair you have. Purple shampoos can be a little drying, so if you have dry hair, you want one that has hydration added into it. Some are also more intense than others and some are better suited to brightening grey than dulling brass. It's best to read the label carefully before you choose, but you can't really go wrong - if you have blonde hair, any purple shampoo is better than none at all. Hairstylist Kevin Kelly adds that purple shampoo is only really a good fit for people with light hair. "You cannot use purple shampoo on caramel highlights," he says. "It will not do anything. It’s not light enough for the color to grab on to." He also adds that purple shampoo works wonders "if your hair isn’t light enough or your hair was highlighted or colors in properly." If you’re in any doubt, it’s always a good idea to read the label. Leaving it on for too long runs the risk of drying out the hair and making it look patchy. There is also a risk of actually dying your hair bluish-purple, which, unless you’re going to a fancy dress party, is probably not what you’re after.

L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Purple Shampoo

When it comes to hair, there’s nothing better than fresh color. The challenge? Maintaining that just-left-the-salon level luster until your next dye job. Blondes in particular may notice signs of brassiness over time. This yellow or orange cast can be caused by a number of things, including "your color oxidizing over time, exposure to UV light, chlorine and even traces of copper in your water,” explains Meri Kate O’Connor, celebrity colorist at Loft 647 in West Hollywood, California. This is where a purple toning shampoo can help. What is purple shampoo good for and what happens when you use it? Like its name suggests, a purple shampoo is a shampoo that contains purple pigments. Think of it as a colour corrector for your hair that helps counter-balance warm yellowish tones with cool lilacs. It’s for your Anya Taylor-Joy blonde bombshell moment. How often you use it depends on the level of toning needed and health of your hair," says Mondo. He explains that the shampoo can be used as a regular shampoo, or it can be left on for longer if you want a stronger toner effect. First, determine how much toning your blonde hair needs and go from there. I decant half my purple shampoo into half a bottle of Oribe Shampoo For Moisture Control," she says.

The more you use purple shampoo, the more it makes your blonde look dull, because you are continuously depositing color shampoo," Kelly points out. So, while it's important to keep a bottle on hand, that doesn't mean you can eschew your hair appointments altogether. What To Look For in Purple Shampoo Make sure to use a purple conditioner after your purple shampoo," says Mondo. (Two of my favorites? Bumble and Bumble's Illuminated Blonde Purple Conditioner and Morrocanoil Blonde Perfecting Purple Conditioner.) "Shampoo is mainly focused on the root area, so you want to make sure you're also covering those ends with that violet pigment to ensure even results from roots to ends." Morgan agrees, explaining that sometimes these shampoos can be drying to some hair textures, so he prefers to follow up with a hydrating hair mask. How to find the best purple shampoo Understand how it works It's a simple process, explains Morgan. "Massage the shampoo in your hands until it suds up, and then apply it to wet hair," he says. "Massage the product throughout the hair and leave on for one to five minutes depending on the level of brassiness." Still unsure of where to start? Don't worry—we've got you covered. Below, the best purple shampoos to keep your shade of blonde hair bright. The Best Purple Shampoos But Zoe Irwin, creative director at John Frieda Salons, advises clients to be careful as purple-based products can be drying.

Blonde hair can turn yellow with time for two reasons. The first is salon-applied toner rinsing out over time to reveal a yellow undertone. The second is the hair shaft absorbing minerals and chemicals from the environment, which can cause yellowness. Chlorine from swimming pools and even sunlight can be major culprits for introducing yellow tones to blonde hair. This is particularly true of bleached hair, which is more porous. The violet tones in purple shampoo counteract any brassy tones in the hair, giving a more silvery finish that appears brighter and more vibrant. Beauty Works provide luxury hair enhancement’s that inspire confidence and empower you to look and feel your very best. Including easy clip-in solutions and exclusive collaborations. Our hair extensions and stylers have earned recognition amongst the beauty press and up and down the red carpet. This shampoo is marketed for people with blonde, gray, and highlighted hair, and boasts a strong color-depositing formula. Indeed, multiple reviewers write about how impressed they are with it, saying that they noticed a marked improvement in their hair color after just one wash. Because it’s so highly pigmented, the brand recommends using gloves when applying this shampoo to wet hair before lathering well and rinsing as thoroughly as possible. If you find that your hair is in even more need of anti-brassy TLC, repeat the process and leave the formula on for three to five minutes before rinsing. Ro Morgan is a New York-based hairstylist who specializes in natural hair, wigs, and hair extensions. Morgan works with celebrity clientele such as Naomi Campbell, LionBabe, Precious Lee, and more. NBD, right?! What Katie says: "This is the product I never knew I needed. The Olaplex system is the ultimate product range for protecting and caring for bleached hair. So the idea of a toning shampoo with the Olaplex technology inside is mind-blowingly exciting. It has become a must-have for me, as I use it alongside the rest of the range. I particularly like to use it straight after I've had my colour done when my hair is at its most vulnerable. If you're looking for a product that you can 100% rely on, this is that product."