What Does Purple Shampoo Do?

Purple shampoo can be a little surprising to see if you’re not a regular user. When you pop the lid and squeeze, you’ll see what it says on the label – purple shampoo. Don’t freak! This is the miracle-worker that’s designed to neutralise brassy tones in blondes for that beach blonde look you’re after (a little something Aussies are known for). We’ve got some Aussie secrets to share, but keep them hush-hush, we don’t want everyone knowing. So c’ya brass, and hello bright blonde!

What is purple shampoo?

Salon fresh blonde tones don’t last without proper care. Just like with any colour, you need colour protecting products and to curb the heat styling a little. Why? Because colour can fade. Or, in the case of blondes – change colour. Cool tones become warm and what was once a fresh blonde look has a brassy tint to it. Cue purple shampoo!

What does purple shampoo do and why is it purple?

Purple by name and purple by nature, it’s the hero of our Aussie Blonde Hydration collection and soon to be hero to those blonde locks. Purple shampoo works to counteract yellow, orange and brassy tones in blonde hair. And that’s why it’s purple…

Thinking back to those high school art classes and what was the opposite of yellow on the colour wheel? You got it, it’s purple! So, when trying to get your blonde from brass to brilliant, purple shampoo combats hair hues to restore it to its former glory. There’s truth to the science that when opposites attract great things happen.

What does purple shampoo do to brown hair?

As it says on the packet, purple shampoo is widely used on bleached, blonde, silver, platinum, grey, pastel or white hair types, as these colours are more likely to see the effects of neutralisation. But for brunettes, mousy brown or highlighted hair, purple shampoo still has its uses.

If you have a dark mane of sheer brown hair, purple shampoo isn’t likely to be very effective, as purple and brown are relatively close to each other in colour so there isn’t much counteracting to be done here. But if you’re a brunette with highlights, you’ll want to tune into this…

Purple shampoo works to neutralise the brassy or orange tones in brown hair to cool the overall look so highlights pop.

If you have brown tresses with a few highlights, you can definitely use purple shampoo to keep those lighter tones fresh. It won’t make a difference to darker strands, so if you have sections of hair that you want to rid of that brassy appearance, apply purple shampoo to those sections, avoiding the rest.

Does purple shampoo damage hair?

The cool violet pigment in purple shampoo won’t damage hair, but if you leave it on strands too long, those purple pigments will take their job a little too far and could turn tresses a purple-violet colour. Eeek! Not the look we’re going for!

So, be mindful of how long your leave your purple shampoo on for. If you’re a first timer – apply for 1 minute to gauge your hair’s reaction. You can leave it on longer once you’re familiar with the product and how it reacts on strands.

If your hair’s dry and porous, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on the colour correction because it’ll be more sensitive to the effects of purple shampoo. The good thing about our latest collection for blondes, is it has a dual effect to colour correct and intensely hydrate. Winning!

How to use purple shampoo

There are endless factors which cause your beloved tresses to become brassy, such as the UV rays on your monthly trip to the beach. Your excessive love for styling doesn’t help either and even the minerals in your shower water can cause tones to change. Sorry, blondes… there’s no avoiding the causes. Good news is, we can prevent the effects, and we have just the thing to keep you and your tresses top of the blonde hair game.

Revamp your haircare routine with Aussie Blonde Hydration collection, uniquely designed to deeply nourish strands, while keeping blonde hues fresh and light.

Step 1. Lather up! 

At the ready, get set, blast those brassy tones! Squeeze a coin-sized splodge of Aussie Blonde Hydration Purple Shampoo into the palm of your hand and work through tresses. This kick-brass purple shampoo’s designed to neutralise those yellow tones to leave blonde and silver hair boosted and bright. Infused with Australian wild plum, it’s an A-mazingly sweet treat for your senses, too!

Step 2. Spread the love 

If you’re a bleached blonde, make sure you cover strands equally for even results.

Step 3. Let the magic happen… 

Once you’ve lathered, leave it. How long you leave this beauty on for is up to you, but remember, if you’re a purple shampoo newbie, try for around a minute to gauge your hair’s reaction. You can always leave it on longer the next time around.

Step 4. Rinse, baby! 

Rinse hair thoroughly and you’re done! You’re a purple shampoo natural. And now, a more natural looking blonde without the brassiness. Woop!

Purple shampoo tips and tricks

The blonde hair care doesn’t stop there. Once you’ve treated tresses to Aussie’s neutralising miracle worker, there are a few A-beauty hacks to make sure that salon-fresh look lasts longer.

Tip 1. Hydration’s your best friend (alongside purple shampoo) 

Moisture is key to keeping coloured hair happy. It helps hold colour longer, makes hair appear shinier, makes it easier to manage and prevents hair breakage. Moisture is king! Aussie Blonde Hydration Conditioner can be used as an everyday deep treatment to restore lost moisture and help protect strands against damage caused by styling.

For beautiful locks that WOW, treat tresses with Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Blonde Deep Treatment. It works in as little as 3 minutes, or can be used as a hair mask and left on overnight. The perfect post-salon remedy to help hydrate dry, brittle locks so blondes stays bright.

Tip 2. After shower care 

Make sure those blonde strands get a moisture kick at every step in your haircare routine. Once you’re out of the shower, spritz towel dried tresses with Aussie Blonde Hair Hydration Conditioning Spray and let hair dry naturally. Leave-in conditioner will work wonders on those freshly coloured strands helping hair bounce back to its best. Add a little Blonde Hydration Lightweight Oil to the tips before styling for added protection, moisture and shine.

Tip 3. Style savvy 

Blonde hair’s been through a lot and it can take time to get it looking and feeling healthy again. Alternate styling days to avoid everyday use of hot tools, like straighteners. Opt for a messy up do or let hair dry naturally to give it a breather. This will help rejuvenate your hair’s natural levels of hydration so there’s less breakage and more shine.

How often should you use purple shampoo?

This all depends on your strands! Some blonde’s find the brassiness sneaks up a little quicker, while others find the cooler tones last longer so purple shampoo is needed less often.

So, there you have it, your purple shampoo beauty bible, to be cherished and abided by at all costs. If ‘what does purple shampoo do?’ is not your only unanswered question, explore our other blonde hair tips.