Purple vs. Blue Shampoo: What They Do and How to Choose Between Them

Purple and blue shampoos serve different purposes in maintaining the appearance of color-treated hair. Here's a concise overview of what they do and how to choose between them:

Purple Shampoo:

• Neutralizes yellow tones in lightened hair, specifically blonde, silver, or white hair.
• Uses purple pigments, which counteract yellow tones through the color wheel principle where purple and yellow are complementary colors.
• Effective in brass reduction for blonde, gray, or silver hair, which may develop yellow or brassy tones due to oxidation, styling, environment, or minerals in water.

Blue Shampoo:

• Neutralizes orange or red tones in darker hair, which may become brassy due to lightening or fading.
• Contains blue pigments to counteract brassy undertones by cancelling out oranges using the color wheel principle.
• Suitable for brunettes, darker hair, or those with balayage or ombré highlights that shift towards brassy tones.

How to Choose:

• If you have yellow or brassy tones in lightened hair, use purple shampoo.
• If you have orange or red tones in darker hair, use blue shampoo.
• For hair with multiple undertones, consider which tones are most prominent and choose the appropriate shampoo accordingly.
• Both purple and blue shampoos can be used interchangeably every few washes; they act as a toner and can subtly tone down warm hues to cooler, brighter hues.
• Avoid daily use; both purple and blue shampoos are designed for periodic maintenance rather than daily cleansing.

These two shampoos work by depositing color-correcting pigments onto the hair when used on wet hair, helping to restore color intensity and vibrancy without fully replacing the everyday shampoo.