Can You Use Purple Shampoo on Red Hair?
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase.
Ask any blonde their secret in maintaining their hair color, and they’ll tell you one thing: purple shampoo.
Purple shampoo is the holy grail in maintaining cool tones or neutralizing brassy tones.
But it’s not only blonde hair that has yellow tone problems.
Highlighted hair or dark hair that’s been bleached will always lift warm, showing tones like yellow. Different environmental factors, such as chemicals in the water you wash your hair with, can also play a role in unwanted brassy tones.
So if you’ve bleached your hair before coloring it red, you may have to deal with brassiness.
Plus, no matter what you use to color your hair, it will fade too. And one of the fastest hair colors to fade is red.
So if you have red hair and want to prevent it from looking brassy or dull, you might ask, “Can I use purple shampoo on red hair?”
In this article, we’ll discuss what purple shampoo does to red hair. We’ll also share the best purple shampoos for red hair that you can try.
Table of Contents
Can You Use Purple Shampoo on Red Hair?
Yes, you can! If you want to get your color as fresh as when you’ve just dyed it, use purple shampoo.
This product can tone your red locks. And you don’t need to worry about it fading your beautiful red color.
As you continue reading, you’ll understand why a purple shampoo won’t cancel out your red dye. Instead, it will make the color more vibrant.
Furthermore, you might think that a purple shampoo will turn your hair purple. No, it won’t.
Purple shampoo won’t drastically change your hair color like a hair dye because it isn’t the same as a color-depositing shampoo.
What Is Purple Shampoo?
Purple shampoo is a product that gets rid of brassy yellow tones.
Its active ingredient is a violet dye, which is responsible for neutralizing yellow pigments.
This product is commonly used by people with light blonde hair.
Since it’s technically a shampoo, it can still lather and cleanse the hair. However, it shouldn’t be used to replace your regular shampoo because it can dry your locks.
And as we’ve mentioned above, it’s different from a color-depositing shampoo. That means you can’t use it to color your hair.
What Does Purple Shampoo Do to Red Hair?
Now that you know that purple shampoo isn’t only for blonde or platinum hair, let’s see how using purple shampoo can benefit your fiery tresses.
Is purple shampoo good for red hair? What will purple shampoo do to red hair?
Cancel Yellow Tones
Purple shampoo can help tone your red locks. You see, as red hair fades, yellowish or copper tones begin to show.
As much as possible, you shouldn’t keep coloring your hair red every time the fading happens. So let’s think of other ways to get rid of that unwanted brass.
One way to do that is by using purple shampoo. That’s because purple shampoo will neutralize the yellow tones on your red hair, just like how it works in blondes.
And it’s not through magic but through science, which is explained in the color theory.
The color theory is based on the color wheel, which is literally a wheel of 12 colors that are divided into warm and cool tones.
The main purpose of this wheel is to know which colors to mix to get a target color or which colors complement each other.
Now when it comes to neutralizing tones, complementary colors are key. Complementary colors, when mixed together, lose their hue and make a neutral, grayscale color.
If you look at the color wheel, you’ll see that purple is placed on the opposite side of yellow.
In that case, they are complementary and will cancel each other out. Thus, you’ll get rid of your unwanted yellow tones.
Make Hair Look Vibrant
Have you ever noticed that when your colored hair starts to fade, it becomes dull?
Well, when you use purple shampoo, you can make your locks appear brighter. You see, when the brassiness is removed, the fade becomes less noticeable.
This makes the color look vibrant and fresh.
Not only that, but purple shampoo also evens out the hair color and makes the overall shade look its best.
How To Use Purple Shampoo on Red Locks
Using purple shampoo on red hair is pretty much the same as how you would use it on blonde or silver tresses.
- First, apply the shampoo to your wet hair, making sure that you lather it through your hair and reach all areas.
- When the product is spread throughout your locks, leave it on for 2 to 3 minutes. If you leave it for longer, it can give a purplish effect to your original color.
- Then rinse your hair thoroughly.
Since purple shampoo can be drying, you can also use a purple conditioner.
Use this once a week for the best results.
3 Best Purple Shampoos for Redheads
So we’ve now established that you can definitely use purple shampoo on red hair.
If you’re ready to try that, we’ll help you more by giving you the best products that will make your faded red color look bold and bright.
When it comes to purple shampoo, it’s hard to find one that won’t dry your hair. That’s why this product is a rare gem.
Because it has no harmful chemicals, it’s safe to use on any color-treated hair type. It also contains natural nourishing ingredients that moisturize the hair and make it stronger.
Primary Benefits: Removes brassy and yellow tones prevents breakage and split ends, tames frizz, improves your hair’s shine and enhances elasticity, reduces scalp irritation
Features:
- Contains silk proteins
- Safe for any color
- No parabens, glutens, and sulfates
- Cruelty-free
Extend time between your salon visits by reviving your red hair using Natural Riches Purple Shampoo.
Natural Riches is definitely living up to its name because this purple shampoo is rich in natural ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Coconut oil
- Shea butter
- Asparagus
- Bletilla striata extract
These work together to repair colored hair and prevent more cell damage. This unique formula preserves your vibrant hair color and leaves hair feeling silky smooth and luscious.
Additionally, it cancels out yellow and not red tones, so you’re sure to keep your red hair. It also doesn’t stain, and it has a pleasant scent.
All in all, this shampoo can help give you longer-lasting, healthier red hair.
We know the product is really powerful when it can show you noticeable results on the first use.
That’s what this purple shampoo delivers. With just one wash, your faded red hair can go back to its vibrant shade, as if you’ve just got it done.
Primary Benefits: Can be used in natural or color-treated hair; tones down brassy hair; doesn’t leave residue; can even out hair color
Features:
- Enriched with protein
- Sulfate-free
- Recommended by hair stylists
Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Shampoo is a part of a five-step hair care system from the best maintenance product for blonde or colored hair.
Yes, we know that this product is well known for brightening and refreshing blondes, highlights, and silver hair. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use it for hair that’s dyed red.
It made our top list because it’s actually good for any hair color. It can enhance and even out the tone of your hair and neutralize yellow tones.
Moreover, it isn’t as drying as other brands, so you can use it up to twice a week.
This shampoo is a real value for money because it can work even better than other expensive brands.
Joico banishes unwanted yellow and warm tones to protect the hair color’s vibrance.
Primary Benefits: Repairs and protects dyed hair; eliminates brassy tones; gently cleanses the hair; boosts shine and controls frizz
Features:
- Has green tea extract, UV absorbers, and antioxidants
- Smart release technology using liposome delivery system
- Paraben-free
Use Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo together with its conditioner for 2x stronger and more beautiful hair.
This purple shampoo’s color-protecting formula not only preserves cool blondes and silvery grays but also strengthens and defends your strands against harmful environmental elements.
It also uses a smart release technology wherein liposomes are used to carry rosehip oil, arginine, and keratin.
In this method, those substances are continuously released by the liposomes, which makes for better absorption of the hair strands. That’s why this technology makes the product work better.
Additionally, the purple shampoo also has violet pigments that attach directly to the strands, so you can see the results in one wash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Purple Shampoo Combat Orange Tones in Red Hair?
No. Blue shampoo fights unsightly orange tones in red hair, not purple shampoo. This is because blue neutralizes orange, according to color theory.
So if you want to get rid of orange tones, try a high-quality blue shampoo like the Joico Color Balance Blue Shampoo.
Will Purple Shampoo Fade Red Hair?
Through the study of color theory, it’s safe to say that purple shampoo will not fade your red hair.
Since it’s a toning shampoo, what it would do instead is tone your hair and make the color vibrant.
Can I Use Purple-Depositing Shampoo on My Red Hair?
Yes, you can use a purple depositing shampoo, but it won’t have the same effect as a purple shampoo that’s used for toning.
To be precise, a purple depositing shampoo is a product that has stronger pigments to actually change your hair’s color.
Meanwhile, purple shampoo only has a little amount of violet dye and is only left on the hair for 2 to 3 minutes, so it won’t deposit color into your strands.
That said, if you use a purple depositing shampoo on your red hair, you might end up with prominently red-violet locks.
Can I Use a Regular Conditioner After Using Purple Shampoo?
Yes! You can use a regular conditioner because purple shampoo actually does the toning while conditioner boosts and moisturizes hair or takes away some of the extra pigments if you left the purple shampoo for too long.
The conditioner can work as a hydration treatment because hair is particularly dry after using a purple shampoo.
Purple Shampoo and Red Hair
Many people with red hair want to keep the color fresh for a long time. That’s why it can get frustrating when yellow or brassy tones start to appear.
But when your red hair dye starts to fade, use high-quality purple shampoo.
This will remove the unwanted tones to make the fade-out less visible. Turn your orangey red hair into luscious, red locks.
What other shampoos can you use?
Check out these suggestions:
- 6 Best Protein-Free Shampoos for Low-Porosity Hair
- 8 Best Shampoos for Blue Hair to Make Your Color Last Longer
- 9 Best OGX Shampoos to Try for Healthier Hair