Purple shampoo is the go-to option when brassy tones creep into your hair. While it’s effective, using too much purple shampoo could dry out your hair and cause more problems.
Understanding the best practices of using purple shampoo and the side effects of its overuse will help you prevent brassiness and protect your hair’s health.
How Often Should You Use Purple Shampoo?
It’s advisable to use purple shampoos once a week. Although using it twice wouldn’t pose a problem, doing it more than that increases the risk of purple stains on your hair, darker hair than you intended, product buildup, and dry and brittle hair.
Some people use purple shampoo regularly due to persistent brassiness. If this is the case for you, incorporate color-safe hair care products into your routine to help minimize the chances of overusing purple shampoo.
Natural blondes might experience regular brassiness due to environmental conditions. Depending on how brassy it gets, you may need to use purple shampoo up to three times a week.
The best way to determine the frequency of applying purple shampoo should be to test how your hair responds. Start with once per week and adjust based on how your hair responds.
How Long to Leave Purple Shampoo in Hair?
Depending on your hair color, the level of brassiness, and the concentration of purple pigment in your purple shampoo, you may need to leave it on your hair for as little as 2 minutes to as long as 5- 15 minutes.
It’s recommended to leave the purple shampoo in for 2-3 minutes for natural blonde or slightly brassy Hair: This duration is usually sufficient to neutralize minor brassiness without over-toning.
If your hair is bleached or has significant brassiness, leaving the purple shampoo in for 3-5 minutes can be more effective. This allows for deeper toning to correct stronger yellow or orange hues.
Those with yellowish gray or brassy platinum-blonde hair may benefit from leaving the shampoo in for 5-15 minutes. This longer duration helps maintain the cool, ashy tones that are characteristic of these hair colors.
Some people leave purple shampoo overnight on hair but it is actually very damaging to your hair.
Here are some general guidelines to determine how long to leave purple shampoo in your hair:
- The concentration of purple pigments varies among different purple shampoo brands. Always start by reading the instructions on the purple shampoo bottle. Different formulas have different recommended times.
- For most purple shampoos, a common recommendation is to leave it on for about 3 to 5 minutes. This is usually enough time for the shampoo to neutralize brassy tones.
- If your hair is very yellow or brassy, you might leave it on a bit longer, but be cautious. Overuse or prolonged exposure can lead to unwanted purple or blue hues in the hair.
- If you have very porous or damaged hair, it’s best to start with a shorter duration as your hair might absorb more color.
The best way to find the perfect duration is trial and error. Start with the lower end of the recommended time and increase in future washes if needed.
Leaving purple shampoo for too long will damage your hair and depending on its lightness may leave purple stains on your hair.
What Happens if You Overuse Purple Shampoo?
Using too much purple shampoo might have the following effects:
Hair Turns Purple
When used right, purple shampoo should neutralize the warm tones in your hair, but it should not leave your hair purple.
You might notice the purple tint when you look at your hair up close. The purple hue signifies that you should reduce the number of purple shampoo sessions per week.
High porosity hair could turn purple, even if you use the right amount of purple shampoo. In this case, saturate your hair with water before using purple shampoo.
This reduces the amount of pigment the shampoo deposits into your mane. Alternatively, you could dilute the shampoo with your regular shampoo to reduce its intensity.
Dry Hair
Purple shampoos contain ingredients that dry out your hair by stripping it of its oils. Overusing purple shampoo dries out your hair, which can quickly turn into hair damage.
Another way purple shampoo dries out your hair is through product buildup. When you use purple shampoo, the color pigments deposit into your hair.
If you overuse it, more pigments build up, preventing water or moisture from reaching your hair. Without moisture, your hair dries out and is at a higher risk of breakage and damage.
Ease up on the purple shampoo routine if you notice your hair drying out. Instead, incorporate more conditioning and deep conditioning treatments into your hair routine to re-moisturize your hair.
Hair Becomes Dull and Lifeless
Your hair is at risk of becoming dull and lifeless from using too much purple shampoo. This happens partly due to the purple pigments in the shampoo.
When deposited on hair with brassy undertones, purple shampoo neutralizes the undertones, leaving your hair a vibrant blonde.
However, the color loses its vibrancy when overdone, leaving you with dull-looking hair. In most cases, the pigment deposits unevenly throughout your hair, resulting in an uneven look.
You can reverse the dullness using a clarifying shampoo, which removes the buildup of purple shampoo from your hair. Follow this step with a deep conditioning treatment to restore the moisture that the clarifying shampoo strips from your hair and scalp.
Blonde Hair Looks Darker
Purple shampoo adds toner to your hair to neutralize brassy tones. However, it could also make your blonde hair look darker.
The darker blonde doesn’t come from purple shampoo alone. It occurs due to mineral deposits, air pollution, and sunlight.
As you layer purple shampoo into your hair, it deposits color on the existing blonde and the mineral and pollutant deposits in your hair, eventually darkening it.
You can minimize the darkening by installing a filtration system in your shower. The shower filtration system reduces the number of minerals that shower water deposits onto your hair.
How to Use Purple Shampoo the Right Way
You prevent the negative effects of purple shampoo by using it correctly. Adhere to the following tips when toning hair with purple shampoo.
- Always follow the directions on the purple shampoo.
- Rinse the purple shampoo from your hair within three to five minutes of application.
- Wet your hair thoroughly with warm water, especially if you have highly porous hair. Soaking your hair hydrates it and prevents over-absorption of the purple pigment.
- Use a purple conditioner (you can also use other conditioners) after using purple shampoo to restore moisture in your hair.
- Find a purple shampoo that’s right for your hair type to avoid drying your hair out. Also, incorporate hydration into your hair care routine to prevent dryness after applying purple shampoo.
Even after maintaining these tips your hair may look darker or get purple stains. However, you can easily wash out the buildup with a clarifying shampoo. So, avoid overusing purple shampoo to protect your hair from damage.