Blondes and Brunettes: It’s Time to Indulge Your Violet Tendencies with Purple Shampoo

We all know the many benefits of using purple shampoo if you have blonde hair. No matter what tone it is, blonde locks look brighter when you use purple shampoo on a regular basis. But brunettes aren’t left out in the cold. If you have color-treated brown hair, a violet shampoo could still do you some good. Here’s the scoop on why and how. Plus, there are a few products, like a hair detangler, you can use to maximize the benefits you get out of your purple shampoo, blonde or brunette.

Why Purple Shampoo Works

Any pigmented product that’s designed to adjust the tone of your hair is, technically, a toner. That’s why you might hear some people refer to purple shampoo as a toner. What your violet-pigmented shampoo does is pretty simple: it counteracts the unwanted yellow tones in your hair. Remember learning the color wheel in grade school? Purple sits opposite yellow, which means, in hair terms, purple can cancel out or neutralize the yellow.

Obviously, for blonde hair, this means cutting down the brassy tones of the blonde, so you wind up with brighter golds and cooler whites. That’s an important side note: Even if you’re going for golden blonde tresses, you want that gold to shine. Yellow tones actually tend to dull that shine. Think of the difference between gold metallics and actual brass—one’s brighter than the other, right? That’s how purple shampoo is meant to work on your hair too.

If you have natural, dark, brown hair, then purple shampoo isn’t really going to do you any favors. It won’t damage your hair or do anything to your current color—it just won’t have any effect at all. However, if you have natural or chemical highlights or balayage that incorporate lighter brown, golden hues, or blonde tones, then purple shampoo works for you. It does the same neutralizing on your highlights that it would if you were entirely towheaded.

 

How Does Hair Turn Brassy?

To understand what brings on the brass, you have to know what goes into the color treatment process. Bleaching, which is still the typical way to achieve light blonde locks, essentially dilutes the darker pigments in your natural hair color through oxidation. This is what makes it possible for your strands to turn and hold on to blonde color. After a while, though, the natural pigments beneath start to creep back up like a memory. They try to push through the blonde tones holding them down, and that, in turn, gives your light, bright locks the yellowish (if you were darker blonde) or orange and red (for brunettes) undertones.

A lot of other things can cause brassy tones in lighter hair, which is why purple shampoo is handy for both color-treated and natural hair. The most common culprits are UV rays from direct exposure to sunlight, minerals that are naturally present in water, and using heat styling products often. Sunlight causes your color to fade, and the heat of styling products can reduce the natural moisture in your hair, making it more prone to damage, which leads to color fading more quickly. While it’s probably a good idea to use heat styling products as sparingly as possible because of the potential damage in general, and there are potential benefits to washing your hair less often, it’s not always feasible to take these steps just to avoid losing the vibrancy of your salon (or natural) color. No one wants to have to stop going outside, showering, or blow drying your hair just to help your blonde tones last longer, and with summer on its way, no one wants to have to skip the pool or beach! That’s why purple shampoo is such a beneficial product to keep on hand, whether you get your blonde strands from the salon or grow them yourself.

Make Your Violet Shampoo Go Further

 The first step to making your purple shampoo work even better is leaving it on your hair a bit longer than you might an ordinary cleansing product. Because it’s a pigmented formula, it’s best to give it a few minutes to soak in so that the purple has time to latch onto your strands and do its best work. For super cool hues, you can let it sit for up to 15 minutes. Blondes rocking neutral or warm tones need only one to five minutes for the purple pigments to act.

There are other products you can use to protect against the effects of UV and heat styling (which you’re still prone to, even if you can’t see the consequences in brassy clarity). Using a thermal protection productcan minimize the potential damage from blow drying or flat-ironing your hair, and there are plenty of products out there to choose from. Using a blowout or styling crème that’s specifically formulated with thermal protection is a great choice, especially if you use a variety of heat styling products or can go without using them every day.

If you want a high-performing product that will provide heat protection plus a whole lot more, consider a hair detangler like UNITE Hair’s 7SECONDS™Detangler. As its name suggests, it preps your post-shower, tangled hair for more efficient styling in just a few seconds. It will also lock in moisture, defend against UV and heat damage, and—the reason we’re all here—lock in your color. All you need to do is spray it five or six times on your hair after you’ve washed and conditioned, comb it through, and continue on with your normal styling routine.

Another option is a glossing spray that boosts your hair’s natural shine while also ensuring your locks are protected from potential heat-related damage. Use this any time you’re preparing to style your hair with a heat product like a blow dryer or curling iron. You can also spritz it on after styling for a little extra boost to shine before heading out the door.

The last product to consider is a deep conditioning masque. Color-treated hair is prone to dryness, which can cause breakage and frizz. Plus, remember that sunlight can cause any type of hair to dry out, regardless of whether it’s color-treated or not. It’s never a bad time to add a moisture-boosting conditioner to your routine, but with the summer months approaching, it’s a perfect opportunity to start locking in moisture before you head out to enjoy longer, sunnier days. The benefit of a deep conditioning masque is that you don’t need to use it every day for it to perform. Adding it to your hair cleansing routine just once a week will give you an abundance of extra moisture and protection—not to mention shine! Just apply it after shampooing and let it soak in for 10-15 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. You’ll notice the silky soft effects almost immediately.

Violet Shampoo

About UNITE Hair

 UNITE Hair is an award-winning professional haircare brand, designed for stylists and their clients. With more than 40 high-performing, easy-to-use products available for all hair types, consumers can purchase the full collection on UNITE Hair’s website. The brand’s premium haircare products are also available at many salons throughout the world. From versatile styling and finishing products, such as their 7SECONDS™hair detangler, to luxurious shampoos and conditioners, and systems for different hair types, UNITE Hair delivers what you need to get your best look.

Learn more about UNITE Hair and shop their products at Unitehair.com