We may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of our links. The LA Times editorial staff was not involved in the creation of this content. Learn more

Keep Your Blonde Fresh With Best Purple Shampoos

  1. MATRIX Total Results Purple Shampoo
  2. L'Oreal Paris Purple Shampoo
  3. Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo
  4. Pantene Silver Expressions Purple Shampoo
  5. Get Back Gorgeous Purple Shampoo
  6. Redken Color Extend Purple Shampoo
  7. Bold Uniq Purple Shampoo
  8. Buyer's Guide

We all have a certain hairstyle that is quintessentially “us”. We all have a favorite hairdresser who knows exactly how to achieve our desired look. Or, if you’re like me, you do your hair in the comfort of your own home with a pair of kitchen scissors.

Many people often get the urge to change their hairstyle and color on a total whim. Personally speaking, I’ve been through every color of the rainbow. If you are here to find out more about the best purple shampoos in 2022, I am more than happy to assist you.

Generally speaking, washing your hair with purple shampoo adds a purple tint. If you are blonde or have yellow tones in your hair you can use this purple shampoo to cancel out the brassy color and leave the hair looking light and silverish. How does this work? Well, purple and yellow are the opposite of each other. The purple cancels out the yellow color, leaving your hair looking healthier and lighter. If you have lots of unwanted brassy tones, the purple shampoo will create a more natural-looking blonde effect.

Confused? Don’t worry, we have collected the very best purple shampoos in our handy buying guide. We’ve also included some handy tips for picking the right product and using it sensibly.

Best Purple Shampoo Worth Considering in 2022

MATRIX Total Results Purple Shampoo - Best Overall

The Matrix Total Results So Silver Purple Shampoo is the shampoo to get when you want your blonde tones to shine. The company no longer tests on animals unless absolutely necessary after adopting L'Oreal's stance on cosmetic testing, which is great news for any morally conscious individuals with platinum, grey, or blonde hair. For the best results, you should purchase this shampoo alongside the So Silver conditioner and triple-power toning hair mask.

  • Pleasing scent
  • Very effective results
  • Adopted a strict animal testing policy now, which makes them kinder to animals
  • Some vegans will still be put off by the product

L'Oreal Paris Purple Shampoo - Honorable Mention

If you’re looking for a purple shampoo and conditioner set, look no further than the L’Oreal Paris EverPure range. This amazing shampoo and conditioner set contains hibiscus and purple dye, which helps hydrate the hair and neutralize brassy yellow and oranges in a variety of light and treated hair colors. These products keep your hair looking fabulous for up to 4 weeks thanks to their gentle formula.

  • Smells great
  • Very effective treatment
  • Works equally well on a variety of hair types
  • Formulated with vegan ingredients, but L’Oreal is not a cruelty-free company

Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo - Contender

Fanola No Yellow Shampoo is perfect for anybody who wants to tone down those horrible yellows in their hair but cannot afford the more expensive brands. This product leaves your hair feeling silky and smooth while still managing to make it look lighter and more natural as well. This may not be the most exciting bottle of purple shampoo on the market, but it does everything you want it to.

  • Relatively cheap compared to competitors
  • Works well for the price
  • Doesn’t smell particularly appealing

Pantene Silver Expressions Purple Shampoo - Consider

Another conveniently-priced purple shampoo, Pantene Silver Expressions is a wonderful addition to your hair routine if you are looking to turn your grays silver and brighten up your whites. This shampoo is a great way to achieve healthy-looking hair with minimal fuss and effort. Simply massage it into your hair once a day, then let it sit for 5 minutes before rinsing it out. Gorgeous colored hair has never been easier to attain.

  • Fine for chemically treated hair
  • Smells very fresh
  • Great consistency
  • Unsuitable for vegans as Pantene still test on animals in certain countries

Get Back Gorgeous Purple Shampoo - Consider

Get Back Gorgeous may have the most visually appealing bottle of all our recommendations. This shampoo is approved by celebrity stylists as a go-to method for removing brassiness and yellow. The product keeps your hair fresh and fabulous between trips to the salon, all while being housed in a sleek and minimalist container. GBG Purple Shampoo offers UV protection and extends the amount of time between necessary salon coloring. It also uses collagen and a collection of fresh organic coconut oil-derived compounds.

  • Organic materials feel great in your hair
  • Reduces the amount of time spent in the salon
  • Doesn’t tone well every time

Redken Color Extend Purple Shampoo - Consider

This shampoo is perfect for strengthening and toning naturally blonde and highlighted hair. This shampoo uses the typical purple pigments to create a cooler blonde palette. The Triple Acid Protein Complex makes your hair strong and increases elasticity. Trust us — your hair has never felt this good.

  • Simple to use
  • Works great on blonde and highlighted hair
  • Not as effective on colored hair

Bold Uniq Purple Shampoo - Consider

Bold by B Uniq is the only purple shampoo on Amazon which is free from parabens and sulfate. Much stronger than a lot of other blonding shampoos, this product seamlessly produces dazzling silver and blonde tones, leaving you with a radiant color all-round. Not only does it work well on a variety of hair colors, but this shampoo is also completely vegan and PETA-approved. This means no animals were harmed. The packaging is also completely recyclable.

  • No animals harmed to make this shampoo
  • Works very well
  • Only Amazon purple shampoo free from parabens and sulfate
  • A little pricier

Buyer's Guide

Purple Shampoos Buyer's Guide

We have made it our mission to bring you the very best purple shampoo recommendations. In fact, our list of suggestions provides a comprehensive overview of the very best products on the market today. However, you may prefer to make your own decisions or simply want to expand your knowledge before making your next trip to the beauty store.

To be completely certain of your decision, consider the details we list below. We have also taken the time to break down the average price of some of the popular purple shampoos, as well as our method when it comes to including a particular shampoo in our list.

Things to Consider Before Buying Purple Shampoo

Purple shampoo is not only useful for DIY hair projects — it is also highly recommended for the upkeep of salon-bleached hair. If your hair starts to turn yellow in time, you will often see improvements in color after the first purple shampoo wash.

We recommend having some purple shampoo at the ready if you have chosen to use any kind of lightening product on your hair. If the items on our recommendations list are not available to you, or you want to do some more research yourself, read on for some tips on what to consider when choosing the right shampoo for you.

Silver, Violet, or Purple

You may have noticed that as well as “purple” shampoo there are silver and violet shampoos also available. Confusingly, all three of these variants are classed as purple shampoos. But which tone should you choose? Well, it all depends on the tone of your hair.

Silver shampoo falls on the blue end of the purple shampoo spectrum. If you have orange tones in your hair, the silver shampoo will gradually remove them, leaving you with a luscious head of blonde hair with dark blonde tones.

Violet shampoo is at the other end of the spectrum and is usually used to tone down the yellow. It is also great for upkeep once you have achieved the level of blonde you desire.

Thickness

If you can open a product in-store without removing any hygienic seals (or being forcibly removed from the premises), take a peek inside the bottle. The best purple shampoos have a thick consistency and will be a beautiful dark color. If the shampoo is runny and light in color, it probably won’t do much for your hair. If you're browsing online products, looking through customer reviews. Photos can also be especially helpful.

Vegan

There are some vegan purple shampoos available, most of which you can find online. Unfortunately, many retailers simply do not sell any in-store. Thanks to vegan purple shampoo, you can enjoy looking as fabulous as Bridget Bardot while knowing no animals were harmed in the making of your alluring locks.

Scent

There is no point in having beautiful hair if you do not like the scent of your shampoo. Nothing makes me feel more attractive than when my hair smells great. If I smell unpleasant, I just can’t feel beautiful or sexy.

Don’t be afraid to smell the purple shampoo in-store before making your purchase. Take the time to find a scent you enjoy. If shopping online, read customer reviews or consult FAQ pages.

Protein

When hair is bleached it becomes porous, which means the hair is less capable of maintaining moisture. Because of this, you may find your hair becoming frizzy after bleaching. Luckily, protein-rich shampoos will help repair your hair. Using a purple shampoo that contains the protein known as Keratin will fill in porous gaps and smooth broken hair cuticles.

Baobab Oil

If you want to add a bit more luster to your hair, baobab oil is a wonderful conditioning ingredient found in many purple shampoos.

Baobab oil is a natural moisturizer that contains vitamin E, vitamin A, and omega fatty acids. Many people use the oil alone to reduce frizz. As such, the presence of baobab oil in your purple shampoo can only be a good thing.

Aloe Vera

Coloring your hair too often can cause scalp irritation. Aloe vera will soothe your scalp and reduce some of the damage done by peroxide.

Ginger

Ginger can be found in shampoos as a ginger root extract or oil. Ginger is known to reduce hair loss and reduce dandruff. If your hair has become thin after using peroxide, ginger is a great way to revitalize it.

Purple Shampoo Price Range

Purple shampoo can range in price from $6 to $65. Always check the price of your shampoo per fluid ounce.

How We Choose Our Purple Shampoos

We choose our purple shampoo based on a variety of different factors. We make sure we consider everything in our article, as well as price and overall customer impressions. We only ever include products we would use ourselves.

Purple Shampoo FAQ

Q: How long should I leave the purple shampoo in before rinsing?

A: This depends on what shade you are trying to achieve. For the best results, follow the instructions on the bottle, as instructions can vary between brands. As a general rule, if you want to achieve warm blonde tones, you should rinse after 1-3 minutes. For cool blonde tones, leave the shampoo for up to 15 minutes. For a neutral blonde tone, leave the shampoo for 3-5 minutes before rinsing.

Q: How often should I use purple shampoo?

A: Do not use purple shampoo to replace your regular shampoo, unless you only wash your hair once or twice a week. Using purple shampoo more often will not give you the color result you desire.

bestcovery team.jpg
Our research team searches out the best of everything so that you can confidently pick the perfect products and services for your needs.
Related Content
Go to top