Can You Use Purple Shampoo on Brown Hair?

Are you wondering if it’s safe to use purple shampoo on brown hair? Read on to learn what purple shampoo is, how to use it effectively, and discover the benefits of using purple shampoo on brown hair.

Considering Purple Shampoo for Brown Hair?

While many of us go to hair salons to achieve the perfect hair color of choice, it can be a costly process. Therefore, it’s crucial to maintain your highlights as long as you can afterward.

Hairdressers use toners to get rid of unwanted yellows or brassy tones from your hair. But what can you do at home to save money, reduce salon visits, and achieve the same effects?

Purple shampoo is a low-cost alternative for use between salon visits to maintain your natural color. It contains specially formulated purple pigments to reduce the appearance of unwanted brassy tones in your hair.

Although purple shampoo is more popular among blonde-haired users, did you know it can also be effective on brunettes? Here are some proven benefits purple shampoo has for brunettes:

• Works on brown hair with brassy highlights, balayage, or ombré to help turn the blonde sections into ash-colored streaks.
• Purple shampoo doesn’t change the natural brown color but can cool down brassy tones and highlights.
• You can extend periods between hairdresser visits since your hair will look good for longer.
• It keeps natural ash and grey undertones from turning yellow or brassy
• Balances out color-treated brown hair
• Regular use of purple shampoo makes hair look fresher

If you are considering using purple shampoo, read on to find out more about how it works and to discover the tips and tricks of using purple shampoo on all hair colors, including brown hair.

How to Use Purple Shampoo on Brown Hair

Using purple shampoo is the next best thing to maintaining your salon-achieved highlights. Are you wondering why the pigment is purple, though?

Well, if you think of the color wheel, you might remember that purple is opposite yellow on it, meaning that purple balances out yellow. Simple as that! 

Regular use of purple shampoo is also beneficial in restoring your natural PH balance and keeping your hair healthy and vibrant. Follow these five steps when using purple shampoo to achieve the best results.

Step 1: Choose the Right Purple Shampoo for You

There are several brands of purple shampoos out there to choose from. Take your time to select the shampoo that is right for your hair color and type. Before making your purchase, make sure to read the product descriptions and compare customer reviews and feedback. 

If you have recently had your hair colored at the salon and you are just looking to maintain it, perhaps you could use a milder purple shampoo.

You can switch to a darker purple shampoo to use once a week to provide extra toning for when your hair starts to show signs of yellowing or brassy tones. Regular use of purple shampoo suitable for your hair type can keep your hair looking salon fresh.

Step 2: Always Protect Your Skin

Because most purple shampoos contain purple pigments, it’s important to wear gloves before use to prevent staining your hands purple. It’s also a good idea to put a small layer of petroleum jelly or face cream around your hairline to avoid staining your face.

If you have shampoo drip onto your face or the skin on your neck or chest, wipe it off with a warm damp facecloth to prevent staining.

Step 3: Apply Your Purple Shampoo 

With your gloved hands, squirt a small amount of purple shampoo into your palm. Gently massage it into your scalp, down the length of your hair, and onto the ends. Pay close attention to areas of your hair that are extra brassy or yellowing.

Then, apply heavier amounts of shampoo to these needed areas. Once you’ve covered all your hair with purple shampoo, relax and let it sit in your hair for a while.

Step 4: Let the Purple Shampoo Sit in Your Hair

For best results, it’s better to leave your purple shampoo sitting in your hair for at least 5 minutes. Leave the purple shampoo in even longer before rinsing out with warm water if you want a more dramatic color change. 

Most purple shampoos are safe to leave in your hair for up to 15 minutes. It’s always a good idea to read the directions on your particular brand because each shampoo may vary slightly.

Step 5: Use a Conditioner

Although purple shampoo can be great for taking the brassiness out of your highlights, it also has the ability to dry your hair out. Therefore, it’s essential to apply a good conditioner to your hair after using your purple shampoo to maintain healthy, nourished hair. 

You can use your regular conditioner or buy a purple conditioner. A purple conditioner will hydrate your hair while neutralizing any yellow or brassy tones. There are several brands of these conditioners on the market to choose from.

But the most important part is that you hydrate your hair sufficiently. When applying conditioner, start at the middle of your hair and down to your ends. Make sure to pay close attention to the ends as they tend to get the driest after using purple shampoo.

The Tips and Tricks of Using Purple Shampoo on All Hair Colors

Although purple shampoo comes highly recommended for use on blondes, even natural brunettes may have brassy or golden tones hiding beneath the surface of their lovely head of brown hair.

Many brunettes may also have achieved blonde or caramel highlights through trips to the salon. Purple shampoos are proven to be beneficial in neutralizing these brassy tones in all shades of brunettes, whether light or dark.

They also add glimmer and shine at the same time. Here are some recommendations to ensure that your natural or salon-fresh highlights look their best for as long as possible.

Tip 1: Make Sure to Keep Your Hair Hydrated

One of the most important factors to keep in mind when using purple shampoo is to use conditioner afterward. Plenty of moisture is essential to holding your color longer and preventing breakage and split ends.

A good conditioner can also save you trips to the salon and protect your hair against fading and damage from styling. A leave-in conditioner is also an excellent option for providing extra moisture to freshly purple shampooed hair.

Tip 2: Let Your Hair Dry Naturally

Avoid blow-drying your hair after you have used purple shampoo. Allowing your hair to dry naturally will help to prevent breakage and add extra moisture to your freshly shampooed hair.

Using a reputable heat protector is also beneficial for maintaining your color longer and adding luster and shine to your freshly shampooed hair.

Tip 3: Avoid Daily Use of Heat on Your Hair 

Try the natural look more often. Preserve longer-lasting color and prevent damage to your hair from using hot tools such as curling irons and straighteners.

Instead, try putting your hair up in a bun or ponytail or scrunch it and let it dry naturally at least every second wash. By following these simple tips, your hair will not only look better but will also help to maintain your color longer.

In addition, purple shampoo will help you avoid unnecessary trips to the salon, making it an excellent alternative to saving some money while still looking fabulous.

Frequently Asked Questions

Purple shampoo is increasingly becoming more and more popular among many happy customers who are looking to improve their hair color and extend the time between salon visits.

Best of all, purple shampoo is also FDA-approved and safe to use on any hair type. Here are five frequently asked questions regarding using purple shampoo.

Can I use purple shampoo on my brown hair?

Sure, you can use purple shampoo on your brown hair. Not only are purple shampoos great for your hair, but they can also prevent fading between visits to the salon or fading caused by too much time in the sun.

Purple shampoos work to decrease brassiness in natural highlights or salon-created blonde, grey or golden highlights. However, if your highlights are red, you might benefit from experimenting with blue shampoos. 

What happens to brown hair that isn’t highlighted?

After using purple shampoo on brown hair without highlights, you will notice that your brown color will not change. It may appear more shiny and healthy looking after using purple shampoo.

However, the shade of your hair will remain the same as before. The only colors that will be affected by the use of purple shampoo are lighter highlights found throughout your head of brunette-colored hair.

Can I apply purple shampoo to dry hair?

Professionals do not usually recommend using purple shampoo on dry hair. However, sometimes it depends on how badly your hair needs to be toned. If your hair is really brassy, leave the shampoo on your hair for up to half an hour, then wash it out and use conditioner.

If your hair is pretty well maintained and you have been using purple shampoo regularly, you should use it on wet hair as a regular weekly shampoo and conditioner.

How often should I wash my hair with purple shampoo?

Hairdressers typically recommend that you use the purple shampoo once a week. It depends, though, on how brassy your hair is. So when you first start using a purple shampoo, try it out for a month and see if washing your hair weekly reduces the yellowing and brassiness.

If your hair still looks brassy, try it twice a week to see if it does the trick for you. Don’t forget to keep your hair well-conditioned after shampooing to prevent dryness and split ends.

How long does it take to see results from using purple shampoo?

When using purple shampoo, you should see immediate results after the first use. If you can’t notice any change in your brassy tones, then perhaps you haven’t used enough shampoo or haven’t left it in your hair long enough.

Try putting extra shampoo in your next hair wash and see if it makes a difference. If not, you might require a different brand of shampoo for darker or lighter shades of hair. 

So, Can I Use Purple Shampoo on Brown Hair?

In a nutshell, yes. You can use purple shampoo on brown hair. Maintaining the perfect salon-colored hair might look effortless. But, it requires plenty of at-home maintenance to preserve its beautiful color.

Whether you are a blonde or a brunette with blond highlights, the key to preventing your streaks from turning brassy or yellowing is to use purple shampoo regularly. 

Purple shampoo is a cost-effective alternative between salon visits. Recommended for all hair colors, even brunettes, you can’t go wrong with trying purple shampoo to maintain your desired color, luster, and shine.

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