Followers of my blog will know from a previous post that I have been engaged in an epic search for the ‘best’ purple shampoo for my blonde highlights.
Yesterday I took the plunge and had my roots bleached completely, rather than having woven highlights, so it is now more important than ever for me to find my ultimate weapon against brassy yellow tones.
Coincidentally, I am currently using a product which I believe may signal the end of my search...
First a quick round up of the purple shampoos I have already tried:
L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Silver shampoo and L’Oreal Professionel Serie Expert Shine Blonde Shampoo
Both of these shampoos are meant to remove brassy tones. The L’Oreal Professionel Serie Expert Silver shampoo (grey bottle) definitely packs the bigger punch out of these two. You can tell this from the colour of the actual shampoo itself. The Silver shampoo is a deep dark Cadbury purple, whereas the Shine Blonde (pink bottle) is more of a lilac colour.
These were hairdresser-recommended, and before I found my current favourite, the L’Oreal Silver shampoo was the one I regularly used. It definitely does kick out a lot of the brassiness but I did have to leave it on for a couple of minutes to get an effect. The Shine Blonde shampoo made no difference to my hair, but this was no surprise given the gentle pigmentation. I imagine it would be good as a general shampoo for blonde hair, but not if you are trying to keep your blonde really white.
I wasn’t a massive fan of the smell or finish of either shampoo. The Silver one is definitely drying and I had to use a moisturising shampoo for the second wash otherwise my hair was dry and tangly with that horrible squeaky finish which makes it a nightmare to brush. My hair was always really matted after using this. But for colour, the Silver shampoo is good for brassy tones.
Provoke/Schwarzkopf Touch of Silver Sensations shampoo
I used the weekly treatment version of this, but they also do a daily maintenance shampoo and (unusually) a conditioner version. I’ve heard a lot of blonde people rave about this range, and I mainly think this is due to the price. It comes in under a fiver and is probably the only purple shampoo that does. I also thought the effects were good. The shampoo itself is a really dark purple, but also quite thin in consistency. It doesn’t feel like a luxury shampoo, it feels more like a toner type treatment. It definitely kicks out the brassy tones, but I found the effects to be somewhat uneven. If you want a cheap shampoo that whitens your blonde then I probably would recommend this for results, but it is definitely a basic shampoo which only works to de-brass your hair. I found it a bit harsh and again my hair felt dry and tangled after use.
Lee Stafford Beach Blondes Shampoo
This is the only high street offering I have ever tried, after I noted a blogger used it who has really white hair. I was quite impressed with the results, as it did remove the brassy tones, all be it not quite so effectively as the two above. The purple colour reduces significantly when you lather the shampoo up, and I did leave it on for ages (about 5-6 minutes). I was a big fan of the smell of this one (not so chemical as the others) and it didn’t leave my hair quite as dry. Initially I would say it is quite a good high street version, but then when you notice the price is around £7, it loses a bit of its appeal. At £7 it is marginally cheaper than the L’Oreal one, but if you are concerned about price, I’d say go for the Schwarzkopf version. It gives a stronger result and the Lee Stafford version doesn’t offer any additional benefits other than the scent.
KMS Colour Vitality shampoo
My Mum bought me this for Christmas and I hate it. The colour of the shampoo is a pale purple, but with blue undertones. It definitely doesn’t look the same kind of ‘hue’ as all the other purple shampoos I have used. In terms of reducing brassiness, I noticed no difference at all. I also didn’t rate the shampoo generally. It left my hair dry, difficult to manage, and with a strange rough texture. This one is definitely at the bottom of the list for me.
La Riche Directors White Semi-Permanent Hair Colour (used as toner)
After reading a few blogs, I also dabbled with a semi-permanent toner. The hairdressers always tone my hair, so I figured why not try it myself. This one was only £3.49 from Amazon (bargain!) but they did keep sending me the wrong one. They sent me the blue hair dye a couple of times so make sure you check the label before you use it!!
This does give really good results but the only experience I had of it was when it dyed my highlights lilac!! It didn’t help that I was off to a BBQ with my boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend at the time. The lilac was subtle, but it looked like I’d had a purple rinse. It faded after a couple of washes, but it put me off using toner again. Having said that, it left my hair softer than the purple shampoos did - maybe because I used my own normal moisturising shampoo afterwards. I have seen people advise that they mix a toner like this into their normal shampoo to keep brassiness at bay. I’ve never tried it personally but logically I can see how it would work. This product is definitely a cheap and easy way of getting rid of your yellow tones, but be careful how long you leave it on. I think I left mine about 15 minutes...
So...up until recently that has been my purple shampoo history. I have googled this tirelessly and the reviews of different shampoos seem mixed. You clearly have to find the product that suits your particular hair and requirements. Anyway...! I have found mine! (Drum roll please...)
Fudge Clean Blonde Violet Toning shampoo
I LOVE this shampoo. The first thing that struck me was the density of the purple pigmentation of the actual shampoo. It is so strong, and even when you lather it up, the lather is a deep purple. I also love the consistency and feel of it. It lathers into such a soft, rich foam and feels quite luxurious. The smell is also divine in my opinion. It has a sweet, almost nutty scent which is SO unusual for purple shampoos. I thought it was a given that you had to sacrifice scent for results.
With regard to effectiveness, this was brilliant at keeping brass at bay. I used it the whole time in between highlights appointments and even my hairdresser commented on how white my highlights had stayed. The deal-clincher for me though is the fact it doesn’t strip my hair. My hair feels soft and manageable after using it, and I don’t have any qualms about using it on its own, without using a moisturising shampoo after.
For me, this shampoo is the best all-rounder. It ticks the box on effectiveness (probably the most effective I have tried), it ticks the box on scent, it ticks the box on softness and manageability of my hair. I did pay about £11 for this, but it has lasted well, and for the results it gives I would say this is worth every penny. Hoorah for Fudge!!
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