What happens if you use purple shampoo on natural hair?

Author: Ettie West  |  Last update: Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Purple shampoo works on natural blonde hair like it does on dyed or bleached blonde hair. Incorporating it into your blonde hair care routine will help protect your natural color and reverse any discoloration caused by chemicals, UV rays, and heat damage.

Can I use purple shampoo on my natural hair?

Sure! Purple shampoo won't harm non-color treated hair, it's just like any other shampoo. The purpose of the slight purple pigment is to add a cool tone shine to contrast brassy tones that come out of color treated blondes and keep them looking healthy, but it will add cool tone shine to any color hair.

What does purple shampoo do to undyed hair?

Purple shampoo contains violet pigments that help neutralize these unwanted yellow hues, making the hair look brighter and more vibrant. Enhanced Shine: By removing brassy tones, purple shampoo can also enhance the overall shine and luster of gray or white hair, making it look healthier.

What happens if you use purple shampoo on normal hair?

Whether blonde or brunette, many tones can benefit from a purple shampoo. The unexpected hue may just be the secret to keeping your color fresh and vibrant. Using a purple toning shampoo is a key step in keeping your hair color looking fresh, vibrant, and like you just left the salon.

What happens if you put purple shampoo on natural brown hair?

No. A purple shampoo is used to eliminate orange/yellow/brassy undertones that show up in dyed blonde hair after sometime. It will have no effect on brown hair.

Redken Blondage Purple Shampoo Review on Natural Blonde

What happens if I leave purple shampoo in my hair for 30 minutes?

If you leave purple shampoo in your hair for 30 minutes, the risk of over-toning increases significantly. While purple shampoo is designed to neutralize brassy or yellow tones, leaving it on for an extended period can lead to overly cool or even purple-tinted hair, especially for those with light or porous hair.

How to lighten brown hair without bleach?

The easiest way to lighten hair is to use a clarifying shampoo or a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice. These methods are gentle and can gradually lighten the hair over a few washes. For more immediate results, a professional toner or hair lightener can be used.

How damaging is purple shampoo?

The cool violet pigment in purple shampoo won't damage hair, but if you leave it on strands too long, those purple pigments will take their job a little too far and could turn tresses a purple-violet colour. Eeek! Not the look we're going for! So, be mindful of how long your leave your purple shampoo on for.

Should you put purple shampoo on wet or dry hair?

Visually, this will make your hair look darker, and if you just went through the trouble of getting it colored blonder, this is probably something you are going to want to avoid. Purple shampoo should be applied in the shower or during a hair wash. While your hair is wet, apply the shampoo and lather it onto your hair.

What does brassy hair look like?

Brass usually shows up as yellow or orange tones in blonde hair and orange or red tones in brunette hair. Brassy hair is caused by an overabundance of warm pigments in your hair, usually caused by bleaching and the hair coloring process.

What happens if you use purple shampoo on natural grey hair?

From sun exposure to colour and toner wearing off, grey hair is (sadly) just as prone to brassiness as blonde locks are. There's no need to panic though! Using a purple shampoo on grey hair can help to remove brassy yellow shades, leaving you with a flattering silver undertone.

How to remove brassy tones from brown hair?

Just as a purple shampoo neutralises brassy tones on blondes, using a blue shampoo on brown hair neutralises orange and red tones for brunettes.

Does purple shampoo make your hair darker or lighter?

Purple shampoo cannot lighten or darken your hair color. However, if you leave your purple shampoo on for too long, you may notice that your hair has a slight violet tone. This is more common with those that have silver and white hair colors rather than warm blondes and slightly darker hues.

Can natural hair be brassy?

HOW TO GET RID OF BRASSY HAIR. Unwanted brassy tones can appear in any hair color, affecting those with both color-treated and natural hair. To fix brassy hair, you need to understand what it is your hair needs. The simplest way is to picture the color wheel.

Does lightening shampoo work on natural hair?

Use Hair Lightening Products

There are a lot of lightening hair products that can help you achieve that lighter shade. Try opting for blonde lightening shampoo, conditioner, and spray. This trio is safe to use on natural and color-treated hair, that can take your blonde up to 2 shades lighter.

What will purple shampoo do to natural red hair?

Purple Shampoo on Red Hair:

If you have naturally red hair a purple shampoo may not make much of a difference but it can help those with chemically dyed red hair. Purple shampoo will not fade or remove red color but can impact its visual effect. A purple shampoo used sparingly can help remove bronzy and brassy tones.

How long do I let purple shampoo sit in my hair?

If you have naturally blonde hair, you'll generally let the purple shampoo sit for about 2-3 minutes before rinsing it with cool water. However, some brands may recommend leaving the purple shampoo on for 5 minutes if your hair is naturally blonde, so pay attention to the directions on the bottle.

Do you rub in purple shampoo?

Ready to use your purple shampoo? Dispense into your palms, then rub your hands together before applying onto the hair. Massage in from root to tip, lathering the shampoo as you go. Focus on the areas that are particularly brassy to knock out those unwanted yellow tones.

Do you wash your hair once or twice with purple shampoo?

Purple shampoo is most effective if used as needed to reduce visible brass. Typically, you'll want to incorporate purple shampoo into your haircare routine up to twice a week in place of your usual shampoo for color-treated hair.

Does purple shampoo work on natural hair?

Yes! Even natural blondes have underlying brassy hues. Excessive heat styling, too much sun exposure, and even the hard minerals in your water can bring these undertones out, leaving your blonde looking dull and discolored. Purple shampoo works on natural blonde hair like it does on dyed or bleached blonde hair.

What happens if you leave purple shampoo in to long?

If you leave purple shampoo on for too long, you may find yourself with a little lilac hue. This color is not permanent and is more likely to happen if you have very light blonde hair or if your hair is dry and damaged. To remove the purple hue, switch to regular shampoo for your next few washes.

Is purple shampoo bad for brown hair?

If you've ever wondered, "Can brunettes use purple shampoo?", the answer is yes. Purple shampoo helps to neutralize unwanted warmth on brown hair the same way that it does on blonde hair. But before we get into further detail, it's important you understand why purple shampoo is used in the first place.

How do you get caramel highlights on dark brown hair?

Caramel highlights on dark brown hair can be achieved through hand-painted balayage or foils to lighten the base subtly. When the color is evenly distributed and placed in the right areas, it should mimic what the sun does naturally: give the hair a more dimensional look.

Can I buy a toner for my hair?

Palladino adds that toners aren't one specific product, and you can't go out and just buy a “toner.” Demi-permanent colors, glosses, tinted shampoos, and conditioners can all be considered toners because they all contain pigments that adjust the tone of your hair.

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