Best Purple Shampoo for Highlights: How to Keep Your Blonde Bright & Brass-Free

Want to keep your blonde highlights looking fresh, bright and brass-free in between salon visits? Purple shampoo can help. Its violet pigments work to neutralize unwanted yellow tones, helping blonde hair look cooler, cleaner and more vibrant for longer.

But finding the best shampoo for highlighted hair isn't just about finding the most violet pigment possible. You want a formula that targets the unique concerns we see in lightened strands, from dryness to the build-up of dulling metals. So, let's break down how to maintain your highlights with the right purple shampoo, plus how to use it for every shade, from golden honey to icy platinum...

Why Highlighted Hair Turns Brassy – and How a Purple Shampoo Helps

Highlights can turn brassy for a whole range of reasons, but the biggest one to watch out for is color fade. As a toner starts to wear away, underlying yellow or brassy tones can be exposed. While some level of color fade is normal, certain stressors can speed it up, causing brassy hair to appear much sooner than you'd hoped.

Here are the common culprits:

• UV rays: Sun exposure can contribute to color fading so unwanted warmth is gradually exposed. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, protecting your hair from UV exposure can help your highlights stay fresh.
• Heat styling: Frequent use of hot tools – including hair dryers, straighteners and curling irons – can contribute to dryness and damage, which leaves blonde hair more vulnerable to lifted cuticles, through which color can escape.
• Too-harsh shampoos: Frequent cleansing with a shampoo that isn't designed for color-treated hair can contribute to color fade. A color-protecting shampoo can help you care for your highlights during regular wash days, while purple shampoo can be reserved for when you need a tone refresh.
• Metals in hair: Metals such as copper can enter the hair from water during washing and build up over time. That can distort your blonde shade, making metal-managing technology a useful part of a blonde hair care routine.
• Chlorine: Swimming pool water can affect the appearance and condition of blonde, color-treated hair, leaving it dull and dry without the right protective steps.

So, How Does Purple Shampoo Work?

Purple Shampoo vs. Professional Toning: Which is Right For Me?

When brassy tones take hold, how do you know if purple shampoo will work or if you're due a salon trip? Here's how to decide...

Try Purple Shampoo For:

• Maintaining blonde highlights in between salon visits.
• Cooling down brassy tones that appear yellow or golden.
• Brightening up faded, overly warm blonde hair.

Book Professional Toning If:

• Brassy tones are leaning orange or red.
• It's been seven weeks or more since your last salon visit.
• Color looks uneven and in need of a more intensive correction.

What Makes the Best Purple Shampoo for Highlights?

Not all purple shampoos are made the same. While they're all packed with purple pigments, new technology means you can expect more than just toning from the latest formulas. Look for:

1. Neutralizing Pigments

Violet pigments will help to cool down yellow tones in blonde hair, so they're essential in a purple shampoo. But they're not the only neutralizing pigments that can help; for extra cool, clean, bright results, look for a boost of Activated Charcoal, as found in ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Onyx Shampoo.

2. Anti-Metal Technology

One of the biggest culprits behind faded highlights and brassiness is metal build-up in the hair. Metals are transferred from the water you wash with, leaving blonde hair with a dull, dry, brassy look. So, choose regular shampoos and purple shampoos with anti-metal technology. The ULTIMATE COLOR and ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE ranges harness Metal Purifier to protect your color's vibrancy for longer.

3. Moisturizing Ingredients

Moisture is key to beautiful highlights, and not just because hydrated hair looks healthier. It's also more resistant to the dryness and damage that can speed up brassiness. So, the best purple shampoo for highlights will tone and moisturize your hair in one, just like ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Onyx Shampoo, which contains Glycine to seal in moisture from roots to ends.

If your highlights are looking more yellow than you'd like or you want to maintain a cool result, ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Onyx Shampoo could be a great option. It combines neutralizing pigments with moisturizing Glycine and the protective Metal Purifier, so you get toning, protection and moisture in one brass-defying formula.

But whether you need purple shampoo – and how often you should use it – depends on your particular highlights. Here's how to figure out if, when and how purple shampoos come into your regimen...

For Blonde Highlights That Have Turned Yellow:

Use it? Yes. Purple shampoo was virtually made for hair like yours, and ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Onyx Shampoo's neutralizing pigments will help to tone down the yellow in five minutes or less.

When? As soon as you notice brassy tones or yellow tones, use purple shampoo. Depending on the level of toning needed, leave the lather on your hair for up to five minutes.

For Platinum or Icy Blonde Highlights:

Use it? Yes. ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Onyx Shampoo is the dream for bright, white blondes, as the Activated Charcoal adds extra coolness for a cleaner, crisper result.

When? “I would advise using ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE once or twice a week, as it will reduce brassiness and add moisture,” says Wella Professionals Creative Director ANZ Renya Xydis.

For High Porosity Hair:

Use it? Yes, if your highlights appear yellow or brassy, but only occasionally. High porosity hair is ultra-absorbent, so it may cling on to violet pigments, resulting in an ashy cast.

When? Only when hair is brassy – not routinely – and leave the lather on for a short period of time. Start with two minutes to see if that achieves your desired result, and adjust next time if needed. Alternatively, instead of using a purple shampoo, you could try a purple conditioner. ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Conditioner veils hair in soft lilac tones for subtler neutralization.

For Freshly Highlighted Hair:

Use it? Only as needed. If you love your new color as it is, hold off on purple shampoo until you start to notice yellowing or brassy tones.

When? Everyone's hair color fades at different speeds, depending on porosity, your care routine and the color product used. Use a color-protecting shampoo at first, like ULTIMATE COLOR Sulfate-Free Shampoo, then start using purple shampoo around two weeks in, on a once-weekly or as-needed basis.

For Golden or Honey Blonde Highlights:

Use it? It depends. Honey and golden blondes rely on warmth, so adding coolness could alter your shade too much. But, if you find the tone has gone too warm, using purple shampoo may help to gently tone it down.

When? Only when your warm blonde appears brassy. You should also only leave the lather on for a short amount of time. Try leaving it on for just two minutes to achieve a subtler toning effect.

How to Use Purple Shampoo on Highlighted Hair

Using purple shampoo on highlighted hair is simple. Follow these three steps:

1. Massage ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Onyx Shampoo into wet hair.

2. Leave the lather on for 3-5 minutes, depending on the level of toning required, then rinse thoroughly.

3. Follow with ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Conditioner for added toning, softness and moisture. Then style hair as usual.

3 Purple Shampoo Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Highlights

1. Using it as a regular shampoo. Purple shampoo isn't for every wash day, as overuse can result in an ashy cast. Use it just 1-2 times per week if you're maintaining an ultra-cool hue, or on an as-needed basis if your blonde only needs occasional toning.

2. Treating the 'wrong' kind of brassiness. If your highlights are looking more orange than yellow, a purple shampoo may not be as effective. Head to the salon instead, where your Wella colorist can help correct stubborn orange or red warmth.

3. Not prioritizing moisture. Highlighted hair can be prone to dryness, so moisture is your friend. Choose a purple shampoo with hydrating ingredients to keep blonde hair bright and healthy. ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Onyx Shampoo is your moisturizing pick.

Purple Shampoo on Highlighted Hair: FAQs

What Does Purple Shampoo Do for Highlighted Hair?

Purple shampoo helps to neutralize yellow or brassy tones in blonde highlights, giving your hair a cooler, cleaner finish in between salon visits.

How Often Should I Use Purple Shampoo on Highlighted Hair?

If your highlights are prone to brassiness, use purple shampoo 1-2 times per week. But if your color tends to retain its tone well, apply it only when needed as a treatment wash.

Can Purple Shampoo Damage Highlighted Hair?

No, purple shampoo shouldn't directly damage highlighted hair, as the pigment is only deposited on the surface of hair strands. However, some purple-toning formulas can be drying – something we've counteracted with the dose of Glycine in ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Onyx Shampoo.

How Long Should I Leave Purple Shampoo on Highlighted Hair?

It varies from product to product. If you're using ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Onyx Shampoo, we recommend leaving it on for 3-5 minutes. The longer you leave it on, the cooler the finished result will be.

Will Purple Shampoo Work on All Types of Highlights Including Caramel or Balayage?

Purple shampoo is ideal for cooler-toned highlights and balayage looks, from ashy to cashmere to platinum ribbons. But if you're using it on warm-toned highlights, like a golden or caramel blonde, only use it if your hair is fading overly warm, and leave it on for the shortest recommended time.

What is the Best Purple Shampoo for Highlighted Hair?

Choose a purple formula that goes beyond neutralizing brassy tones. ULTIMATE COLOR BLONDE Onyx Shampoo also protects strands against shade-distorting metals, while locking in moisture from roots to ends.

Keep Your Highlights Brass-Free with Wella Professionals

Whether you're dealing with brassiness through root-to-tip highlights, balayage or ombre hair, the right color care routine can help you maintain your dream color in between salon visits. If you're unsure which approach is right for your hair, head to your nearest Wella salon, where your stylist can offer professional, tailored advice on maintaining your highlights.