At my second job at Sally Beauty Supply, I talk to people about hair products every day. Purple shampoo is a pretty big seller, but it’s a common misconception that it makes your hair lighter. It does enhance blondes, but not by making them lighter. Let me explain…
How Purple Shampoo Works:
This is a color wheel. Notice that purple and yellow are across from each other. This means that they are complimentary colors, which means that they can neutralize each other.
Basically, what that means is that if your hair is starting to turn yellow, and you add purple pigments to it, the purple will cancel out the yellow.
If you have blonde (or grey) hair, the odds are that it went through a yellow phase to get where it is now. After a while, the color dulls and turns more yellow in between touch-ups (from smoking, the sun, environmental factors, etc.). Using some purple shampoo, even once or twice a week, will cancel out the yellow tones. However, it does not lighten your hair. In other words, purple shampoo works as a toner.
It’s a great idea for any blonde to use purple shampoo. However, be careful if your hair is overly porous, because it may grab on to the purple pigments..
Now you know…