The 9 best purple shampoos that'll banish brassy tones – reviewed by our beauty experts
Our beauty team tested a host of purple shampoos on their own blonde strands – these were the best of the bunch
Buying a purple shampoo to care for blonde or grey hair is, on paper, fairly straightforward process. But the best purple shampoos will offer just the right level of colour-correction you're after in a hair-caring formula that suits your hair's type and needs. Bonus points for a gorgeous scent.
If this kind of shampoo is high on your beauty shopping list, you likely have blonde, grey, highlighted or balayaged hair and want to cool down yellow and brassy tones. Much like the best shampoos for fine hair and best shampoos for curly hair though, the formulas on the market really vary. While all violet shampoos have roughly the same function (toning blonde hair), each has its pros and cons. It's therefore smart to get some expert insights before you buy one.
That's where we come in. With many a blonde – both faux and natural – on our beauty team who have experimented with a whole host of toning products in pursuit of icier strands, we can confidently say that these are the nine best purple shampoos on the market.
The 9 best purple shampoos, reviewed by our beauty team
As mentioned, there are many iterations of purple shampoo, much like any other cleansing or conditioning formula. So, we've rounded up the best of the best from brands like Kérastase and Pureology, all of which have been rigorously tested by our team. (We won't talk about the havoc wreaked upon our bathroom tiles in the process...)
RRP: £30.50 | Features: Hyaluronic acid, can be used frequently, refill available
"This takes the top spot for versatility, effectiveness, and ability to adapt to anyone's needs," says Senior Beauty Editor Rhiannon Derbyshire. "It works just as well on brightening wiry greys as it does to add luminosity to bright new babylights. It also lathers beautifully, so feels more like a traditional creamy wash than a toning product. Plus, it works impressively quickly – adding instant swish and a brighter tone after just one wash."
As for the answer to how often should you use purple shampoo? "While I'd argue against washing with any purple shampoo every day, this feels gentle enough that you could use it most of the time without over-toning or drying your hair out," Rhiannon continues. "Price-wise, it isn't hugely affordable, but as with all of Kérastase's shampoos, the ultra-rich formula means you only need to use a tiny amount for every wash, giving you more bang for your buck."
Pros
- Lathers really well
- Nourishes hair
- Works well on both highlights and greys
Cons
- Pretty pricey for the size
RRP: £9.99 | Features: The PLEX-REPAIR™ ingredient, which strengthens and tones hair
If you bleach your hair, you very likely also battle with breakage, so this reparative formula from Charles Worthington should be on your radar. It may be one of the most affordable purple shampoo options on the market, but it makes big promises. Not only can it banish yellow and brassy tones in one wash, but it also claims to reduce breakage in the hair by 90%.
How? The brand's PLEX-REPAIR™ ingredient is made to strengthen strands from the core, for healthier and stronger hair. This is another one with strong violent pigments, so if you have gloves nearby, we recommend that you use them.
Pros
- Neutralises brassiness
- Staves off breakage
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Doesn't add much shine
RRP: £39 | Features: Removes brass-causing minerals, protects against future brassiness
As well as neutralising violet pigments, K18's impressive formula contains chelating ingredients, which work to lift brass-inducing metals and minerals from your strands. In fact, the brand found that one wash can lift as much as three weeks' worth of buildup.
This, and the results, impressed our Beauty Editor Fiona McKim. "I found that not only did all of my blonde take on a nice, creamy tone, but my (recently grey spotlighted) silver strands at the front were sparkling with shine, which is so tricky to achieve on greys. My whole head of hair felt soft, fresh, and clarified – not easy given the harder-than-Vinnie-Jones water of South-East London." Even better news? These results lasted weeks, meaning the pricey bottle will last you a fairly long time.
Read our full K18 TripleBright Oxidation Defense Purple Shampoo review for more details
Pros
- Neutralises and lifts build-up from hair
- Leaves hair feeling soft
- Results last weeks
Cons
- Very expensive for the size
RRP: £26 | Features: UV filters; protects, tones and strengthens hair
"As well as an ultra concentrated violet pigment (watch those splatters!), it also contains a UV shield to protect hair from the environmental dulling that causes brassiness in the first place," Rhiannon says. Formulated with natural oils and seed extracts to nourish and undo the drying effects of hard water on hair, whilst ingredients like salicylic acid cleanse oil from your scalp, this shampoo is the perfect all-rounder, both for toning and caring for your blonde strands.
This thick vegan-friendly cream also has the appearance of a low-foam formula but works into a decent creamy lather while depositing plenty of cool-toned toners onto the hair and we can’t get enough of the scent.
Pros
- Hydrating and nourishing formula
- Gorgeously scented
Cons
- On the pricey side for the size
RRP: £8.50 | Features: Works on all hair types, very effective, a little goes a long way.
"The second I notice yellow or brassy tones in my hair, I run to grab this shampoo," says Senior Writer Amelia Yeomans. "Offering some of the absolute best vegan shampoos and conditioners on the market, Bleach London provides affordable and effective haircare for those who love to inject some colour into their look, or just need some extra TLC for colour-treated hair. This particular shampoo gets to work remarkably quickly - just a few minutes in the shower will give you instant silvery tones without any brass.
"I do find it to be slightly stripping on my very dry and brittle hair," she continues. "However, due to the strong toning powers, a once-a-week treatment or every fortnight is more than enough to keep my hair looking its best and feeling hydrated. If you want a cool-toned, icy blonde, this is certainly the best purple shampoo for you."
Pros
- Strong toning properties for icy results
- More affordable option
- Bottle lasts a long time
Cons
- Not the best fit for dry hair
RRP: £6.99 | Features: Silvergloss technology for shine; specialised for grey hair
“It’s refreshing to see a violet wash catering specifically to the grey-haired market and doing it very well," Fiona says of this John Frieda formula. "It contains a pared-back pale violet pigment to gently neutralise yellow tones, whether you're transitioning to grey hair or have been full-blown silver for years. Crucially, the tone is brightened, but without tipping it over into blue rinse territory.
"Toning aside, a decent proportion of the formula is given over to moisturising and gloss-boosting ingredients, which shows in the nice suds-y lather and pleasant shimmer on the hair after drying," she continues. "We found the tone to be ashy rather than ultra-icy, which very warm blondes who want punchy purple pigment may find off-putting. But it's a winner for silver hair or grey-blended colours like herringbone highlights."
Pros
- Ideal for grey hair
- Boosts shine
- Very affordable
Cons
- Pigment is quite pale, making for subtler results
RRP: £24 | Features: pH-balanced formula with wheat proteins
"You'll notice the intense pigment right away, an inky almost-aubergine that requires careful rinsing from the tops of your ears after washing," explains Rhiannon. "The benefit of this is, of course, ultra-effective icy toning with just one wash. The formula is also pH-balancing and boasts wheat proteins for conditioning.
"While I didn't have silky soft hair afterwards, it was manageable and didn't feel remotely brittle. This isn't the cheapest shampoo on the list but that price is for a generous bottle that you only need to use once a week, so it does represent a good deal." Redken products are also widely stocked and used in salons, so if you're looking for an effective and hard-working formula to invest in, this is a great option.
Pros
- Intense results
- Hairdresser-loved brand
Cons
- Requires extra care to really rinse off
RRP: £18.50 | Features: microPROtec complex to restore colour evenly
This professional-grade purple shampoo is formulated to restore cool blonde hair while eliminating yellow undertones. Infused with an innovative microPROtec complex which is made up from dyes, which helps to restore colour evenly.
But that’s not the only stand-out ingredient. Infused with Luminescence, this formula works to transform external UV light into the hair for glowing strands. For best results, leave it in wet hair for up to five minutes before rinsing – and remember it’s recommended to use gloves.
Pros
- Noticeable brightening effect
- Techy formula designed to yield even results
- Glosses
Cons
- Brightens more than neutralises brassiness
RRP: £28 | Features: Vegan formula, free from sulphates, parabens and silicones; refillable
This salon-first brand boasts a vegan and natural formula and is one of the best purple shampoos for a gentle cleanse that will leave strands glowing. The formula removes brassy tones using purple sweet potato extract, a natural (and vegan) source of violet pigment that not only works against any brassiness but acts as a protecting antioxidant for your hair.
And that’s not even the best part – because of the natural pigment, you can use this purple shampoo as often as you need to. So, if you regularly battle greasy roots and have to alternate the days you use purple shampoo, you can use this one as often as you like and it will continue to cool yellow undertones and give you radiant hair, in one wash. With a spicy and fruity scent, it's certainly one of the best-smelling options out there, too.
Pros
- Natural and vegan formula
- Can be used frequently
Cons
- Not especially affordable for the size
How we tested the best purple shampoo
Two of the purple shampoos that we tested for this guide
The woman&home beauty team includes members with various unnatural blonde hairstyles. This includes brunette with balayage, naturally mousy blonde packed with ultra-bright and fine highlights, and bleached, warmer-toned blonde that's prone to brassiness.
To see which purple shampoos really worked, we each tested a selection of products. We looked at factors like how our hair felt after washing and if it did a good job of cleaning as well as toning, paying attention to the kind of toning effect it had – silver, white or champagne, for example. All of the following factors were taken into account during our assessments and the review-writing process.
- Tone of the results: Did the formula neutralise brassiness softly for a creamy blonde, or result in something all-out icy? Was it in line with what the bottle promised?
Longevity: We took note of how long the neutralised, brass-banishing results lasted through subsequent washes. - Usage guidelines: How often could the formula be used – gradual enough for all washes, or as an occasional treatment? Was this practical in line with how long results lasted?
- Price: Regardless of whether the product was high street or ultra high end, its performance needed to offer good value for money in line with the results.
- Packaging: It's all about the formula inside, but pretty packaging is always nice to have. Bottles and tubes needed to be fuss-free and easy to use, too.
Generally, we find that most purple shampoos yield visible results after a single wash, but we tested these shampoos over multiple washes to be able to assess their true toning abilities. After seeing the results, these are the purple shampoos we would recommend to anyone to help grey or blonde hair look its best.
How to pick the best purple shampoo for you
While it's predominantly marketed for neutralising bleached blondes, purple shampoo also works well on grey hair, balayage hair and highlights. (In the same way, cool-toned brunettes should seek out blue shampoo for brown hair.)
First of all, choosing the best purple shampoo for your hair requires considering its texture and needs. Have you got frizzy hair or a long hairstyle that needs extra nourishment to stave off split ends? Or are you a regular swimmer and need a shampoo to answer how to get chlorine out of hair? Some purple formulas include hydrating or reparative ingredients, while others focus purely on packing in as much pigment as possible.
They can also vary hugely in price, but does spending more really get you the best purple shampoo? The short answer is not necessarily – where your product sits on the price scale will most likely be reflected in the extra ingredients and luxurious packaging, but rarely in the strength of pigment. If all you want is to tone down warmth in the hair, affordable purple shampoos can be as effective as more luxury options in doing so.
What does purple shampoo do to hair?
As hair expert Michael Shaun Corby, formerly Global Creative Director for haircare brand Living Proof, explains, the premise is simple. "Purple is on the opposite side of the wheel from yellow, which means they are complementary colours," he explains. "You might remember from school that complimentary colours cancel each other out. Purple shampoo neutralises any yellow tones in your hair, leaving hair looking cleaner and brighter."
Does purple shampoo make your hair lighter?
The idea that purple shampoo lightens your hair is a common misconception; this isn't possible without bleach. "Even the best purple shampoo isn’t a lightener," Michael Shaun Corby says. "Instead, it neutralises brassiness in light-coloured hair. Purple shampoo pushes these yellow tones aside to reveal a cleaner, brighter hair colour, which may be why it appears lighter.
"Another benefit of purple toning shampoo is its ability to do away with dull hair," he continues. "A hair toner can give hair back its lustre and natural sheen."
