We love a blonde highlight here and there, and purple shampoo can help you love your look for longer — even if your hair is mostly brunette. While you might think purple shampoo is just for blondes, we’re sharing how brunettes can reap all the same benefits when using purple shampoo.
What does purple shampoo do to brown hair?
If you have any kind of blonde treatment in your brown hair, purple shampoo is for you. Purple shampoo in brown hair works similarly to how it works for blondes; neutralizing brassy tones in lightened sections of hair.
violet pigment infused shampoo
to neutralize brassy hue
reduces brassiness by 24%*
*proven results in a third-party testing lab
So, will purple shampoo lighten brown hair? While it may help color correct your tone, it won’t actually lighten your hair color. It can assist in maintaining a cooler, more balanced tone while enhancing the vibrancy of highlights or balayage in brown hair, providing a fresh and polished look.
Purple shampoo for caramel or bronde hair
In the realm of brunettes, purple shampoo will be most effective for lighter shades like caramel, “bronde,” or brown hair with blonde highlights. That’s because these lighter shades have golden undertones, which means they’re more likely to develop yellow, brassy tones as time passes.
Lighter brunettes can be corrected more easily with purple shampoo thanks to color theory. On the color wheel, purple is directly opposite yellow, meaning hair products with violet pigments will enhance cool tones and eliminate the unwanted brassiness associated with yellow and blonde hair, keeping your bronde looking sunkissed.
When to use purple shampoo for brown hair
While purple shampoo on dark brown hair won’t make much of a difference in the color of your strands, there are a few instances where purple shampoo could be your best friend.
Balayage brown hair
One perfect example of when to use purple shampoo on brown hair is for brunette-blonde balayage. Balayage hair is achieved by hand-painting lightener in the hair in a sweeping, downward motion, giving the hair a natural but dimensional glow. You can also use our Purple Mask which can help revitalize your balayage with the help of açai extract, coconut fatty acids and professional-grade violet pigments so you can maintain your look for longer. Our Purple Leave-in Mist is also a great way to tone in between washes while hydrating and detangling hair. Use the full Purple Collection for best toning results.
Brunettes with highlights
Another common scenario where brunettes can benefit from purple shampoo is in the case of highlights. While there are several different ways to apply them to hair, highlights are simply pieces of your hair that are lightened to create depth and layers.
There are many factors that can contribute to changes in your hair color and the emergence of brass over time, like sun exposure and hard water. To combat brassiness, use our Purple Shampoo which enhances cool tones and neutralizes yellow hues in lightened hair, especially for those with blonde and silver highlights.
Brown ombré hair
While brown ombré hair is a more understated look, it can definitely benefit from purple shampoo treatments between washes as well. Meaning “shaded,” in French, ombré hair gradually blends from brown at the crown to blonde, or another lighter shade, at the ends of the hair.
Because brown ombré hair ranges in warmth, it has a lot of potential for those warm shades to turn brassy — which is why incorporating a purple shampoo into your hair care routine is vital to extending the life of your style when dealing with a lighter brown to blonde look.
Blonde money pieces on brunette hair
Money pieces can range from bright shades of blonde to more natural, subdued shades of caramel brown. These face-framing pieces are lightened strategically to brighten and soften your complexion, and have been seen on Bella Hadid and Jennifer Lopez.
Unlike other lightened styles, money pieces are a bit easier to maintain because they don’t require a full day in the salon to achieve. Our Purple Leave-In Mist is a low-maintenance way to keep your money pieces toned, detangled and hydrated between washes.
verb purple leave-in mist
reduces brassiness by 46%*
and detangles by 69%*
*proven results in a third-party testing lab
Extend the life of your color treatment
The bottom line is that any part of your brown hair that’s been lightened needs purple shampoo — whether it’s a few money pieces or the all-over color of a balayage. Incorporating these products are key to extending the life of your color while also adding shine, cool tones and hydration to your strands.
You can also check out our Purple Leave-In Mist, a three-in-one toning spray that you spritz on damp hair to tone, soften and hydrate strands. With antioxidant-rich açaí extract and color-protecting apple cider vinegar, maintaining brass-free blondes between washes has never been easier.
