Purple shampoo is supposed to help counteract brassiness and add shine to blonde or gray hair. But sometimes it seems to do the opposite, leaving hair darker and duller instead of lighter and brighter.
There are a few possible reasons why purple shampoo turns hair dark. If purple shampoo has made your hair dark, you can fix it easily without bleaching or dyeing your hair.
We have covered some of the easiest at-home techniques to fix hair that turned dark after using purple shampoo in this article, but before that, let’s take a look at the causes.
Why Did Purple Shampoo Turn Your Hair Darker?
The first thing you should know is purple shampoo does not lighten or darken hair permanently. Your hair looks darker due to a buildup of purple pigment.
Purple shampoo is a product that works on post-dyed or post-bleached hair to help tone down brassiness.
If you look at the color wheel, purple is the opposite color of brassy tones like orange and yellow. The pigments in purple shampoo are great at neutralizing any yellow and orange tones from hair.
However, if you overuse purple shampoo, purple pigment can deposit on your hair strands and cause darkening. There can be other causes behind your hair looking darker.
Here are a few reasons why your hair may appear darker instead of brighter after using purple shampoo:
- You are not using natural products on your scalp to avoid any chemical build-up.
- You have hard water in the shower, and the mineral buildup makes your hair dark.
- Purple shampoo makes hair dry. It can increase the porosity in certain spots, which makes your hair appear darker.
Purple Shampoo Made My Hair Darker: How to Fix It
Purple shampoo is great for neutralizing yellow tones, but using it too much or leaving it on for too long can make your hair look dull.
To fix your darkened hair caused by purple shampoo buildup, follow any of the methods described below.
Clarifying Wash
A clarifying shampoo is a deep-cleansing product that can help remove product buildup, including purple shampoo residues.
This is the most effective way to remove purple shampoo buildup, but it can be harsh for your hair and can fade your hair color too.
So apply coconut oil to your hair for about an hour before applying clarifying shampoo to minimize the damage.
Leave the clarifying shampoo in for 3-5 minutes before rinsing it thoroughly with water.
As both purple and clarifying shampoos can dry out your hair, use a deep moisturizing hair mask after a clarifying wash.
Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is a natural abrasive that can help strip away some color from your hair. Mix baking soda with water to create a thick paste.
Apply this paste evenly to your hair, focusing on the areas with unwanted color. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
Be cautious not to leave it on for too long, as baking soda can be drying to your hair.
Use Dish Soap
Although this is less frequently used, those with dyed hair can use dish soap to remove the color from their hair and take out the purple pigment.
Dish soap is a well-known degreasing product that can remove stains from clothes and purple pigment from hair. Use dish soap and work it into your hair for 5-10 minutes to help get out strong purple stains.
Regular Rinse and Wash
Sometimes, your hair may have absorbed more purple color if you did not rinse the product well enough.
An easy and natural way to remove the tone of purple shampoo in your hair is to use regular shampoo and conditioner with your washing schedule for 2-3 weeks.
Hop back into the shower and spend a few more minutes rinsing out the purple color to brighten your hair once more.
Tips to Avoid Further Darkening
If purple shampoo has darkened your hair, discontinuing its use is the first step to prevent any more color changes. It can sometimes have unintended effects on non-blonde or non-gray hair.
Once you have fixed the darker shade of your hair caused by purple shampoo, use a conditioning treatment that can re-moisturize your ends, roots, and shafts.
If you see yellow or brassy tones, you can start using purple shampoo again, but you will have to change the frequency, leave-in time, and concentration of the purple shampoo.
For those who have a high level of dyed hair, like a level 9 or 10 platinum blonde tone, certain purple shampoo types can be too pigmented for your hair strands.
In this case, consider choosing a lighter purple shampoo or using it less frequently.
Leave the purple shampoo in for less time when washing your hair. Use trial and error to see how long you should leave the shampoo on your hair.
Even if the box says to leave the shampoo in for 5-10 minutes, the time frame depends on your hair type and porosity.
So, if your hair is darkened after using purple shampoo, it is due to pigment buildup as purple shampoo doesn’t alter hair color.
To fix the darkened hair, use clarifying shampoo with coconut oil, a baking soda paste, or dish soap. Adjust purple shampoo usage to prevent future darkening, especially for heavily dyed hair.