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Brassy tones in your hair can leave you wondering what to do. You may have heard of blue shampoo as a potential solution. If you want to know, “what is blue shampoo used for,” continue reading to find out.
What Is Blue Shampoo Used For?
Blue shampoo is a shampoo with blue-violet pigments for people with color-treated brunette or dark hair. It neutralizes any shades of orange or red and prevents them from showing, and it cools the warm tones.
The color blue is opposite of red on the color wheel, and it is the best option for getting rid of brassiness in brown and brunette hair. If you have experienced brassiness in your hair, it is likely that you have a lot of questions.
You might want to know any of the following:
- What is blue shampoo?
- How does it get rid of brassiness?
- Is blue shampoo different from purple or silver shampoo?
- How often should you use blue shampoo?
We researched these questions, and we have the answers for you. Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about blue shampoo and what it’s used for.
What Is Blue Shampoo?
Blue shampoo is a shampoo that is made with blue-violet pigments. When you use it, they are deposited into the hair, and it neutralizes the brassy tones, or orange and red, that can appear when your hair is lightened.
Blue shampoo is formulated for people with brunette or dark hair. It will remove the warm tones and replace them with cool or neutral tones. This is preferable to having color added, as the same problem will happen over again.
How Does Blue Shampoo Get Rid of Brassiness?
When you use blue shampoo, the blue-violet pigments in the shampoo are deposited into your hair, and they neutralize the brassiness in your hair.
When you color your hair, including highlights and ombre, you bleach the hair to remove the color pigment. Then your new color is deposited onto the strands of hair, and a toner locks the color in.
As your hair grows out and you wash it, brassy tones of orange and red start to appear. This process is pushed forward when you are out in the sun and expose your hair to other elements.
If you add more color to darken the base, it will also fade and more orange will show up. Using blue shampoo helps to maintain your color longer. Blue is opposite red and orange on the color wheel.
When you use the blue shampoo, it neutralizes the unwanted red and orange shades, and it cools the warmer tones. For this reason, blue shampoo is ideal for people with brown and brunette hair.
Read Next: What Is Brassiness in Hair?
Is Blue Shampoo Different From Purple or Silver Shampoo?
Blue shampoo is different from purple or silver shampoo, but they all do the same thing. The main difference lies in where the colors fall on the color wheel. Color science shows that blue lies opposite red and orange on the color wheel.
Brunettes get red and orange tones when they lighten their hair, so blue shampoo is ideal for them. Purple shampoo is formulated for people with blonde hair.
Purple lies opposite yellow, and brassiness in blonde shows up as yellow tones. When they use purple shampoo, it neutralizes these warm tones by cooling them.
Silver shampoo is made for people with silver or gray hair, and silver is also opposite a shade of yellow. When brassy yellow tones start to show, this shampoo restores the color of gray hair.
Why Does Brassiness Occur?
Brassiness is the result of color chemistry. When people color their hair lighter than their natural or original color, they start by bleaching the hair. This strips the color pigment from the hair. Once this process is complete, you can add color to the strands.
However, the color will fade over time. Each time you wash your hair, it fades. It also grows and is exposed to the elements. Brassy tones start to show up.
Blue color molecules are smaller, so they break down more easily and fade quickly. When you use blue shampoo, you are building the blue pigment back up again. As your blue tones fade, orange and red tones show up.
You can use toning shampoo to neutralize the reds and oranges and add blue pigment back to your hair. This allows you to make your color last and go longer without having to color your hair.
How Often Should You Use Blue Shampoo?
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You may be tempted to use blue shampoo every day, but that can actually darken your hair. You should alternate it with your regular shampoo.
If you use blue shampoo once or twice a week, it will help you keep the brassiness from showing up. It neutralizes the red and orange tones so that your hair looks great. You should use a color-safe shampoo on the other days.
Blue shampoo coats each hair shaft and cools warm tones while adding shine to your hair. When you use it, you should start by getting your hair wet.
Massage the blue shampoo into the wet hair and make sure that you get it worked in evenly throughout. Once you lather up your hair, let it sit and absorb into the hair for a few minutes. Then, you can rinse it.
If you are using it to treat brassiness, you can use it daily until the brassiness is gone. However, if you are using it preventatively, you should use it once or twice a week and alternate it with your normal shampoo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if you leave blue shampoo in for too long?
You should only leave blue shampoo in for two to three minutes. If you leave it in too long, you run the risk of darkening your hair. You may see a blue tint to your hair.
What happens if you use blue shampoo on blonde hair?
If you use blue shampoo with blonde hair, it can leave a blue tint in the hair. You should use purple shampoo for blonde hair.
Can you use blue shampoo right after dyeing your hair?
You should wait at least three days after coloring your hair before you wash it with blue shampoo. This allows time for the cuticle to close and the color to set in the hair.
So, What Is Blue Shampoo Used For?
Blue shampoo is used to neutralize brassiness in brown or brunette hair. It is easy to use, and it will help combat the red and orange tones that rise after you have your hair colored.