Purple shampoos and purple toners are among those hair care products that naturally elicit a lot of questions. After all, for the uninitiated, shampoo is just something you use to wash your hair – why would its color matter? And even if you’ve used a purple shampoo or toner and you know their purpose, chances are that you still have quite a few questions without an answer about them.
So, in this article, we thought we’d go ahead and make sure that every question on purple shampoo and toner is answered. How does purple shampoo work, how long to leave the purple shampoo for orange hair in, how to remove purple toner from hair, where to buy purple shampoo, and more – we’ll try to go over all of them.
First things first – why would you use purple shampoo? What does purple shampoo even do?
If you’ve never had to use purple shampoo or toner it’d be understandable for you to wonder “What is purple shampoo?” And we admit, it does sound funny when you think about it. If you’re blond, however, whether naturally or not, you’re most probably very familiar with the yellowing or dulling of your hair color that can sometimes happen.
Unlike darker hair, light hair is very susceptible to discoloration. Darker hair can get discolored too but not as much and not as easily. Things such as heat styling, swimming, pollution, the build-up of standard day-to-day hair care products, and so on, can all have a drastic and visible effect on lighter hair types.
Another problem a lot of people face is brassiness after hair bleaching – it’s very common for both blond and brunette hair types to end up with an unpleasant, patchy, and pale orange or yellowish color after bleaching that isn’t at all what they have been looking for.
And when that happens and your golden locks turn into pale stalks with no shine whatsoever, purple shampoo and purple toner are some of the best solutions out there. Purple shampoo is essentially a “toner” shampoo that’s designed to counteract the brass and discolored hair that can sometimes befall us.
What about purple toner?
Purple toner is simple a toner that’s specially designed for pale yellow or blond hair. More blueish toners are usually better for orange hair so that’s worth keeping in mind as well. Generally, toner is meant to be used only from time to time and not several times per week like a toner shampoo.
How do purple shampoo and purple toner work, exactly?
Purple shampoo and toners work on a very simple principle – opposing colors. If you take a look at a standard color pie chart, i.e. a color wheel, on it, blue opposes orange and purple opposes yellow. In the same manner, green neutralizes red but that’s less commonly used. In other words, using purple toner shampoo on your pale yellow hair will neutralize the unpleasant yellow color and will turn it into a much richer and shinier blonde color that you’d be proud to flash around.
Who should consider using a purple shampoo or purple toner?
Virtually anyone who isn’t happy with the condition of their blonde or orange-colored hair can use purple shampoo or purple toner. The most common reasons to use these products are 1) after bleaching or 2) after wear and damage on a naturally blonde hair.
So, if for whichever reason, you’re not happy with the condition and shine of your yellow or brassy orange hair, a single treatment with a purple toner or a continuous treatment with a good purple shampoo can offer a great solution.
How to properly use purple shampoo?
Now that we know why you should use a purple shampoo, let’s target some other questions such as “How often to use purple shampoo?”, “How long to leave the purple shampoo in for silver hair?”, “What purple shampoo should I use?” and so on.
Leaving purple shampoo in your hair for an hour or more is something that a lot of people try and almost all of them end up regretting. It may seem, at first, as an easy way to give your hair a fascinating and intense gorgeous purple color, but the only thing you’ll end up doing is leave your hair with horrible blueish and purplish leftover hues.
So, the way how to use purple shampoo to get white hair, orange hair, or pale yellow hair, depends on the exact color you have:
- For naturally blonde hair you should use a brighter purple shampoo and apply it for just 2-3 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
- For brassy or color-treated hair you should use a darker purple shampoo and leave it on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing it off.
- For grey, silver, or platinum hair you should also use a darker purple shampoo and leave it on for 20-30 minutes.
Doing this 2-3 per week and following it up with a standard conditioner is typically the best way to go about it.
How to apply purple toner?
Purple toner is used just like any other type of toner – after bleaching or dyeing your hair, or at any other time, you find the desire and ~30 free minutes. The toner must be applied evenly on your hair and be left on it for anywhere between 5 and 30 minutes, depending on your hair’s porosity and the result you desire. If you’re worried you might overdo it, it’s best to consult with a professional hairstylist first as they’ll be able to take a look at your hair type and color and give you a personalized advise.
Are purple shampoos and purple toners safe?
The quick and simple answer is – “Yes, if used correctly.” Hair toners and shampoos can have a certain straining and tiring effect on your hair when they are left for too long, when they are of a poor quality, or if you’re using them too often, however, they are no way near as harmful as bleaching or dyeing – those are the chemical procedures you should be actively wary of. Toning or shampooing, however, can be perfectly safe if you do it right.
