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17 Best Purple Shampoos to Get Rid of Brassy Hair Color

These specialized cleansers work to keep blonde and silver strands bright.

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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?

Purple shampoos deposit a sheer violet tint on strands that helps cancel unwanted yellow or brassy tones according to color theory: “Shades sitting opposite one another on the color wheel, called complementary colors, neutralize each other,” explains Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D. Since purple is yellow's opposite, when you wash your hair with a purple shampoo, it lessens any appearance of yellow or orange brassiness. They can also help keep blonde strands from losing their shine. Violet-tinged formulas “work best on blondes that prefer a more cool or neutral tone,” O’Connor says, but they're also great for light brown, silver or highlighted hair.

How often should you use a purple shampoo?

First, you don't want to use a purple shampoo every day. Our experts suggest swapping one in for your regular shampoo once every few weeks, or when you want to brighten your shade or minimize brassiness or yellowing. As for how to use a purple shampoo, for best results, allow it to sit for three to five minutes before rinsing to fully penetrate the hair.

Here, the best purple shampoos to keep your hair color looking vibrant, including drugstore, sulfate-free and Amazon picks, plus formulas for dry, brown and gray hair.

1
Best Overall Purple Shampoo

Kristin Ess The One Purple Shampoo

Editor’s Choice
The One Purple Shampoo

Pros

  • Sulfate-free
  • Cancels brassiness for cooler blonde tones
  • Brightens color

Cons

    Celebrity hairstylist Kristin Ess is known for her work on blonde icons and her purple shampoo is a favorite among blonde and highlighted GH beauty editors. The sulfate-free formula is affordable and really works. "Absolutely the best purple shampoo on the market," an Amazon reviewer raved.

    2
    Best Drugstore Purple Shampoo

    Clairol Shimmer Lights Purple Shampoo

    Shimmer Lights Purple Shampoo

    Pros

    • Neutralizes brassiness
    • Brightens hair color
    • Works on highlights
    • Good value

    Cons

      One of the original purple shampoos, Clairol’s classic bargain formula will banish any brass but maintain ashy tones, keeping your hair color looking fresh out of a salon. It’s great for highlights and is available in brunette and red formulas. "Makes my hair look like I just got it re-highlighted," a reviewer reported.

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      3
      Best Sulfate-Free Purple Shampoo

      Drybar Blonde Ale Brightening Purple Shampoo

      Blonde Ale Brightening Purple Shampoo

      Pros

      • Made without sulfates
      • Neutralizes brassiness
      • Boosts shine

      Cons

        If you're looking for a sulfate-free formula that's salon-quality, Drybar is the perfect purple shampoo for you. It eliminates brassiness while leaving your hair bright and shiny. It's also cruelty-free and formulated without parabens and phthalates. Pair it with its matching conditioner for a deep, lush hydration.

        4
        Best Purple Shampoo on Amazon

        Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo

        Color Balance Purple Shampoo

        Pros

        • Corrects tones in blonde color
        • Works in one use

        Cons

          Joico's purple-powered solution is made with a tone-correcting and peptide complex to prevent future damage. It's also the most popular pick on Amazon, amassing over 9,600 reviews from reviewers who swear it "got rid of all the brassy tones & left me with the ashy color I was looking for," and "it worked instantly."

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          5
          Best Purple Shampoo for Dry Hair

          Amika Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Purple Shampoo

          Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Purple Shampoo

          Pros

          • Cancels brassiness
          • Made with softening ingredients

          Cons

            This shampoo not only busts your brass, but it also contains sea buckthorn, an ingredient that offers a range of haircare benefits. While some purple shampoos can dry out hair, this star ingredient is known to nourish, strengthen, repair and protect strands.

            6
            Best Purple Shampoo for Brown Hair

            L’Oréal Paris EverPure Brass Toning Purple Shampoo

            EverPure Brass Toning Purple Shampoo
            Now 33% Off
            Credit: L'Oréal Paris

            Pros

            • Tones brown hair
            • Sulfate-free
            • Affordably-priced

            Cons

              Purple shampoo is a must-have for blondes, but brunettes can use some color-toning action too. L’Oréal’s bargain purple shampoo is perfect for cooling down warm tones in brown hair. And with a sulfate-free formula, it won’t strip your hair dry. You can also feel good coming out of the shower knowing that it’s vegan and cruelty-free.

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              7
              Best Purple Shampoo for Gray Hair

              Nexxus Blonde Assure Purple Shampoo

              Blonde Assure Purple Shampoo
              Now 29% Off
              Credit: Nexxus

              Pros

              • Tones brassiness in gray and silver hair
              • Strengthens and softens strands

              Cons

                Nexxus haircare, including this purple shampoo, is created with keratin protein (the building blocks of healthy hair) to help strengthen strands. Often times, gray hair becomes wiry and bleached hair becomes brittle, but this fortifying formula keeps silver strands feeling soft and looking shiny.

                8
                Best Color-Correcting Purple Shampoo

                Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo

                Editor’s Choice
                No Yellow Purple Shampoo

                Pros

                • Strong toning effects
                • Can correct brassy color

                Cons

                • Can stain hands
                • May dry out hair

                To fix a dye job gone wrong, turn to an intensive purple shampoo like Fanola's formula. "I had a round of highlights that went very badly and my whole head was this awful shade of orangey yellow," says GH Beauty Assistant Katie Berohn. "This was the only purple shampoo that actually worked for me: It lifted unwanted brassy tones out of my hair after the first use."

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                9
                Best Purple Shampoo for Silver Hair

                Unite Hair Blonda Purple Shampoo

                Blonda Purple Shampoo

                Pros

                • Tones and enhances silver hair

                Cons

                • Fruity scent is polarizing

                This purple shampoo from Unite is a hair pro go-to for enhancing silver strands. "My hair is many shades of gray and this tempered the yellow," an Amazon reviewer said. "Even my husband noticed [how] shiny my hair looked." Note that the grape-like fragrance may be polarizing.

                10
                Best Purple Shampoo for Curly Hair

                Redken Color Extend Blondage Purple Shampoo

                Color Extend Blondage Purple Shampoo

                Pros

                • Tones hair color
                • Helps soften and fortify curls

                Cons

                • Pricey

                Curly hair calls for special maintenance. This purple shampoo from Redken contains hydrating and strengthening ingredients to keep curls bouncing and healthy as it deposits violet pigment onto each strand. If your bleached hair suffers from brittleness and breakage, this would also be the pick for you.

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                11
                Best Purple Shampoo for Platinum Hair

                John Frieda Violet Crush for Blondes Purple Shampoo

                Violet Crush for Blondes Purple Shampoo

                Pros

                • Strong toning and brightenin for platinum color
                • Fast-acting

                Cons

                  So, you’ve finally decided to give the silver hair trend a shot…let us introduce you to your new best friend. John Frieda's richly pigmented formula is great for toning platinum hair, and reviewers rave about how effectively it brightens after just one wash.

                  12
                  Best Smoothing Purple Shampoo

                  Tigi Bed Head Dumb Blonde Purple Toning Shampoo

                  Dumb Blonde Purple Toning Shampoo
                  Credit: TIGI Bed Head

                  Pros

                  • Counteracts brassiness
                  • Softens and smooths hair
                  • Easy to use pump

                  Cons

                    This softening shampoo from Tigi Bed Head puts a stop not only to brass, but to frizz and flyaways. "Other options worked at taking the brassiness out of my hair, but also left it super dry no matter how much conditioner I used after," GH's senior editor noted. "This leaves my hair looking brighter and feeling just as nice as a 'normal' shampoo." Bonus: The pump dispenser makes it easy to use.

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                    13
                    Best Moisturizing Purple Shampoo

                    Kérastase Blond Absolu Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo

                    Blond Absolu Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo

                    Pros

                    • Tones brassiness
                    • Softens and strengthens hair

                    Cons

                    • Pricey

                    Gone super light blonde? Kérastase is your pick. Bleaching unavoidably increases hair's porosity (hello, split ends!), so a strengthening formula is a must. Besides eliminating all traces of brassiness, this smart shampoo protects delicate strands from daily damage, thanks to moisturizing hyaluronic acid, a hydrating hero that replenishes hair fibers.

                    14
                    Best Purple Shampoo for Everyday Use

                    R+Co Sunset Blvd Blonde Shampoo

                    Sunset Blvd Blonde Shampoo

                    Pros

                    • Lightly tinted for daily use
                    • Gentle formula

                    Cons

                    • Pricey

                    Unlike other deep purple shampoos, R+Co's naturally pigmented option “is light purple, making it perfect for everyday use,” says O’Connor says. “Plus, it has a coconut cleanser to help remove buildup, while keeping strands soft.” This conditioning shampoo is so mild and effective, it's safe for both blonde and silver strands.

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                    15
                    Best Brightening Purple Shampoo

                    Oribe Bright Blonde Shampoo

                    Bright Blonde Shampoo

                    Pros

                    • Illuminates and tones blonde hair
                    • Protects against color fading

                    Cons

                    • Pricey

                    It's worth it to splurge on a shampoo that extends time between salon visits. This beautiful Oribe bottle is chock-full of benefits: It's made with the brand's signature complex to defend against oxidative stress, and lemon and chamomile to brighten highlights. It also provides UV protection to shield strands from fading and sun-damage.

                    16
                    Best Customizable Purple Shampoo

                    Function of Beauty Reduce Brassiness Shampoo

                    Reduce Brassiness Shampoo
                    Credit: Function of Beauty

                    Pros

                    • Reduces brassiness
                    • Can be tailored to specific hair needs

                    Cons

                    • Pricey

                    Have it your way. Function of Beauty, a bespoke hair care brand, is all about creating a tailored formula for what your hair actually needs. Their violet shampoo is no exception. Take the quick quiz to customize your personalized bottle (literally with your name on it), selecting "reduce brassiness" as one of your goals; then, add additional benefits like deep conditioning or shine to treat your strands your way.

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                    17
                    Best Purple Shampoo Drops

                    IGK Mixed Feelings Leave-In Blonde Drops

                    Mixed Feelings Leave-In Blonde Drops

                    Pros

                    • Can be added to shampoo to tone blonde hair
                    • UV protection

                    Cons

                    • Doesn't cleanse hair alone

                    With IGK's leave-in purple toning drops, there's no need to swap out your favorite shampoo. Just mix in a few drops and watch the brassy tones vanish. Another great perk: it provides UV protection, helping keep your color true and hair healthy.

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