10 Best Purple Shampoos of 2019

How Does A Purple Shampoo Work?

As explained above, the purpose of a purple shampoo is to eliminate dull tones that light-colored hair develops over time. This dulling could be a result of several things, including air and water pollution, excessive heat or chemical styling, swimming, product buildup, or even just time.

To understand how a purple shampoo can deal with the yellow, golden, or orange shades, you need to know the most basic tenet of color theory. While there are many theoretical aspects of color theory, practically it is used to understand how colors mix.

The basic tenet of color theory is that when two colors on the opposite sides of the color wheel are mixed, they end up neutralizing each other.

On the color wheel, you’ll find that violet and associated shades are placed diametrically opposite yellow and associated shades. Therefore, if your hair is developing a yellowish or orangish tinge, then putting a purple shampoo with violet pigments can neutralize it.

Who Should Use Purple Shampoos?

Purple shampoos are only useful for people who have light-colored hair. This means people with blonde hair, silver hair, graying hair, white hair, or even people who have darker hair with light highlights.

You’ll also find some blue shampoos in the market designed to counter discoloration in white or gray hair. While these blue shampoos are marketed as better options for white and gray hair, their effectiveness is only slightly more than the standard purple shampoo. Therefore, instead of paying over the odds for these supposedly specialized shampoos, you can also choose a good purple shampoo.

If you’re a brunette, though, a purple shampoo will do nothing to your hair. However, a purple shampoo does have one use for black-haired people. It is known to make black hair shiny.

Even so, we don’t recommend buying a purple shampoo for black hair as other more complete and rounded shampoos in the market also add shine and vibrancy to black hair.

How Often Should You Use Purple Shampoo?

A purple shampoo cannot be your daily shampoo. If you use it daily, you’ll end up dying your hair purple or at least giving it a purple tint. Moreover, you’ll end up dying your skin and your bathroom both purple. More importantly, because of the way a purple shampoo works, you’ll end up with incredibly dry and brittle hair.

At most, you can use a purple shampoo twice a week and that too if your discoloration problem is particularly severe. In fact, using a purple shampoo once a week should be enough for most people looking to counter yellowing or brassiness.

How Dark Should Your Purple Shampoo Be?

The strength of a purple shampoo is generally defined by the amount of violet pigments it contains. In practical terms, the darker a purple shampoo is, the stronger it will be.

With respect to how dark your purple shampoo should be, the answer depends on the color of your hair. Typically, women with platinum, gray, or silver hair would do well to pick a dark and opaque purple shampoo because they’ll need more pigment to achieve the right effect.

However, if you have light blonde hair, then you should favor a purple shampoo that is on the lighter side, i.e. translucent and not completely opaque. Another way to approach the situation will be to take a darker purple shampoo and dilute it with another shampoo.

If you start using a shampoo and find that it is leaving purple tints in your hair, then the first thing you should try is to reduce the amount you’re using. However, if that doesn’t work, then diluting the shampoo comes in handy.

How to Use a Purple Shampoo

Using a purple shampoo is easy. In fact, it isn’t all that different from how you would use a normal shampoo. Even so, there are a few things that are different because purple shampoos have some unique properties.

Focusing on these aspects will ensure that there are no complications with your hair because of the purple shampoo. Here are the steps you should follow when using purple shampoos.

1. You should begin by rinsing your hair in lukewarm water. Warm water is beneficial because it will not only take away dirt and grime from the hair but also make your hair more open to receiving the violet pigments in the shampoo.
2. Take an appropriate amount of purple shampoo and rub it into your head. If you’re a first-time user, it is always better to err on the side of caution and take as little of the shampoo as possible.
3. When rubbing the shampoo into your hair, focus especially on the problem areas, i.e. areas with more discoloration. If you’re trying to tone highlights or streaks, focus on the colored hair only. By using the shampoo on the whole scalp, you’ll only be wasting it.
4. Also, when rubbing it in, start at the roots and work outwards. Roots will always take longer to respond to topical applications while the tips of your hair will always be most porous. Therefore, by starting at the roots, you’re ensuring even distribution.
5. You can’t just put purple shampoo in your hair and wash it off right away. It is always advisable to allow the lather to sit in your hair. However, the time you leave it on will vary on the basis of your particular scenario.
6. If your hair color is natural, then you won’t need to leave the purple shampoo in for more than five minutes. In fact, some products may only advise two to three minutes. On the other hand, if you have colored hair, then you may need to leave the shampoo in longer. Even so, you shouldn’t leave it in for more than 15 minutes at one time as that could cause purple tinting in the hair.
7. If you have silver, gray, or white hair, though, you can leave the shampoo in for as long as 30 minutes. However, you should only do this is your hair discoloration problem is particularly severe. If it isn’t, then you’ll be able to get the desired results more quickly.
8. The final step is to rinse off the purple shampoo and condition your hair the way you would with a normal shampoo. However, we do recommend using a stronger conditioner than you may be used to normally.

10 Best Purple Shampoos Comparison Table

Top 3 Budget Purple Shampoos: Detailed Reviews

1. Paul Mitchell Platinum Blonde Shampoo

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0

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If you think that all purple shampoos are expensive, then you have not yet seen the Platinum Blonde Shampoo from Paul Mitchell. This is easily one of the most pocket-friendly purple shampoos you can find in the market.

Its low price, however, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work as well as its more expensive brethren. In fact, this is an incredibly effective shampoo that not only removes brassiness efficiently but also gives it a nice shine and makes it softer.

It is suitable for virtually all types of hair except for those that are extra-dry or heavily damaged. It is also not fit for people who have a very sensitive scalp. The reason for this is that this shampoo’s formula contains artificial substances that can irritate the skin.

It contains alcohols, sulfates, and silicones. While alcohols and sulfates can irritate the scalp and skin by taking away moisture in the short term, silicones can dry out hair in the long term and make them very brittle.

On the positive side, the presence of sulfates means that this shampoo lathers and cleanses very well. Similarly, the silicones in this shampoo seal off the hair from excess moisture and pollutants in the surrounding environment.

Since artificial substances dominate a large part of this shampoo’s formula, we weren’t surprised that it had an artificial smell. In fact, its artificial smell is quite divisive with as many people hating it as those that loved it.

One of the best qualities of this shampoo, however, is that it doesn’t leave a stain. Purple shampoos, typically, are known to stain both hands and the tiles in the bathroom but this product bucks that trend.

You can get this shampoo in two differently sized bottles – 10.14 ounces and 33.8 ounces.

Who’s it for: If saving money is your priority, but you still want a purple shampoo that doesn’t leave a stain, then you won’t find one more pocket-friendly than this one from Paul Mitchell.

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2. Fanola No Yellow Shampoo

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0

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This is possibly the most popular purple shampoo in the industry. In fact, it is so popular that “no yellow” is quickly becoming a byword amongst blondes. The main reason why this shampoo is so popular is its strength.

The strength of this purple shampoo is incomparable and not many competitors can offer the kind of violet intensity that this one can. In fact, it is so strong that you’ll have to get gloves to use it. If you don’t, you’ll end up with violet hands.

Moreover, some of you may even find this purple shampoo a bit too strong for your hair. You’ll know if it’s too strong by the purple tints in your blonde hair. If this does happen to you, try reducing the amount of purple shampoo you’re using or even diluting it with another shampoo.

You should also know that this shampoo doesn’t lather as well as mainstream shampoos even though it contains sulfates. However, the sulfates seem to work just fine when it comes to removing all the moisture from the hair.

So, we advise you to stock up on a good, strong conditioner to balance the drying effects of this purple shampoo. Also, make sure that your chosen conditioner has a strong scent that you like. The conditioner’s scent will have to cover up the overpowering and incredibly sweet scent of this shampoo.

This purple shampoo is available in three different sizes, with the largest one being the most economical. The sizes are 33.8 ounces, 11.83 ounces, and 3.38 ounces. You can use the smallest bottle for trying out this product and seeing if it works for you.

Who’s it for: If you’re looking for the strongest purple shampoo without any frills, get the Fanola No Yellow.

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3. Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Shampoo (Best Budget)

Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0

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This purple shampoo is our pick of the bunch in the budget market segment. This shampoo is special because it does more than just neutralize dull yellows and brassiness in light-colored hair.

It not only corrects the hue but also offers slight anti-dandruff and anti-hair loss benefits. It can offer these extra benefits because its formula also incorporates salicylic acid.

Therefore, if you’re a natural blonde or color your hair and have dandruff problems, then you could hit two birds with a single stone by buying this purple shampoo.

However, you need to be careful if you have a sensitive scalp because this is a very strong purple shampoo. In fact, it is strong enough to leave stains behind. This means you’ll need to wash it down the drain quickly to prevent stains in your bathroom and wear gloves to prevent stains on your hands.

Its strength translates into its scent too. Apart from being overwhelming, its scent is also unpleasant since it is fairly artificial. Moreover, most users describe this scent as “that old lady smell.”

This shampoo cleanses the hair well. It’s cleansing action comes from its sulfates content, which allows it to lather heartily. At the same time, the sulfates mean that this shampoo may end up stripping your hair of its natural oils and leaving them excessively dry.

Fortunately, you won’t end up using too much of this shampoo by mistake because it comes with a pump. The pump will allow you to have better control over how much shampoo you take. You can control how much you buy too since this shampoo is available in three sizes. The available sizes are 31.5 ounces, 16 ounces, and 8 ounces.

Surprisingly, this shampoo isn’t very environment-friendly because it contains phosphates. Phosphates are known to create an imbalance when it comes to flora and fauna close to water bodies.

Who’s it for: If you want to solve hair discoloration and deal with dandruff, get this Clairol purple shampoo.

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Top 3 Value Purple Shampoos: Detailed Reviews

4. TIGI Bed Head Dumb Blonde Purple Toning Shampoo

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0

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One of the problems of using purple shampoos is that they leave a stain everywhere, including your hands and bathroom tiles. However, all purple shampoos don’t do this. Some purple shampoos are developed specifically to avoid the staining problem.

This purple shampoo from TIGI is the perfect example. This shampoo doesn’t leave any stains behind mainly because it isn’t as strong as other purple shampoos.

Its mild nature is also beneficial in one other way. If your hair discoloration problem isn’t severe and all you need is gentle re-toning, then this shampoo’s mildness will help greatly.

For instance, if you usually have the problem of purple tints in your hair, then this shampoo will ensure that you don’t have to measure the amount of shampoo you use minutely.

However, even though this shampoo may not stain, it can still dry your hair like most other purple shampoos. If you think that this happens because it contains sulfates, you would be wrong. The moment you try to lather this shampoo up, you’ll realize that it doesn’t have any sulfates.

Instead, the problem of dryness is a result of this shampoo’s alcohol content. To be fair to the developers, though, the shampoo does try to balance the problem of excessive dryness with polyquaternium-10 and several silicones.

These substances are useful in conditioning hair and eliminating problems like frizz and flyaway hair. However, because they’re artificial, they do have side-effects. Silicones particularly can make the hair brittle in the long term.

In terms of smell, this shampoo scores over competing products. It has a distinctive fruity or floral, sweet scent. While most users find this better than the artificial smells other purple shampoos have, a few still don’t like it because they find it too sweet.

You can get this purple shampoo in two differently sized packs. These include a double-bottle pack of 13.5-ounce bottles and a pack with a single bottle.

Who’s it for: If you want a mild purple shampoo and want to be free from the problem of stains, get the Bed Head from TIGI.

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5. L’Oreal Paris EverPure Blonde Sulfate Free Shampoo (Best Value)

Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0

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L’Oreal is a well-known global name in the hair care and cosmetics industry. Their products always seem to do well, so it’s not surprising that their purple shampoo is our pick of the rest in the value price bracket.

The unique thing about this purple shampoo is that it contains Iris Florentina extracts. Iris Florentina can be hugely beneficial for the hair since it contains multiple isoflavones that fortify the hair from the inside.

Further, it helps hydrate hair and is largely responsible for this shampoo’s ability to deeply moisturize hair. While Iris Florentina moisturizes the hair from the inside, silicones present in the formula seal off the hair strand and prevent all that moisture from escaping.

The silicones, of course, also help if you style your hair with hot tools often. However, they can sometimes seal off the hair strand from the right nutrients too. Therefore, you should avoid using this purple shampoo too frequently.

This purple shampoo can handle all types of hair, including extremely processed and over damaged hair in addition to fixing hair discoloration. The result of all these benefits and capabilities is that this purple shampoo leaves hair soft and shiny with just the right color.

The best part is that this shampoo does all this despite being very mild. This shampoo lathers up really nicely too. This is a rarity in shampoos that don’t contain sulfates, so it’s a big plus for this shampoo.

The one area where most users found this purple shampoo too strong is its scent. Its smell has been described as very overwhelming. Therefore, unless you can handle strong smells or particularly love a minty, floral smell, this shampoo may not be for you.

You can get this purple shampoo in a single 8.5-ounce tube or a pack of two 8.5-ounce tubes.

Who’s it for: If you want to fix dull, yellowing, and brassiness in your hair without the problem of excess dryness, get this L’Oreal purple shampoo.

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6. Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo

Editor’s Rating: 4.0/5.0

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Joico is a hugely popular choice amongst women looking for purple shampoos. This shampoo’s popularity can be attributed largely to the fact that it has very intense violet pigmentation.

It is capable of eliminating brassy color tones from both blonde and gray hair while simultaneously slowing down color loss in the future owing to its “Multi-Spectrum Defense Complex”.

Because this shampoo has such intense pigments, it tends to leave behind stains. Therefore, we recommend using gloves while applying it to your hair and washing it down the drain quickly to protect your bathroom tiles.

We also suggest not using this purple shampoo too frequently. Not only will this cause purple tints in your hair but may also strip away your scalp’s natural oils. The shampoo contains sulfates which are well known for their oil-stripping properties. Despite its sulfates content, though, this shampoo doesn’t lather that well.

If you don’t overuse this shampoo, you can get good benefits from it. For instance, this shampoo is quite accomplished at repairing damaged hair. It does this on the back of the company’s proprietary Bio-Advanced Peptide Complex. This Complex contains proteins that mimic the primary protein in the hair, i.e. keratin to strengthen hair from the inside.

Further, this shampoo has a nice scent that can be described as fruity or flowery. Since scents are subjective, make sure you like this kind of smell before buying this shampoo.

Who’s it for: If you want a super-strong purple shampoo that is also good at strengthening damaged hair, get this one from Joico.

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Top 4 Premium Purple Shampoos: Detailed Reviews

7. Pravana The Perfect Blonde Purple Toning Hair Shampoo

Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0

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The majority of purple shampoos you’ll come across will contain one or more artificial chemicals and compounds. Some contain multiple silicones, others contain alcohols, while most contain sulfates.

The Perfect Blonde from Pravana, however, has no such inherent formulaic flaws. While it does contain polyquaternium-7, its ingredients list is dominated by naturally occurring ingredients such as jojoba extract, rosemary extract, horsetail extract, arnica extract, sunflower extract, vitamin B5, and coconut oil.

In addition, this purple shampoo is flush with various types of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Amino acids you’ll find in this purple shampoo originate from keratin, wheat, and silk.

This mix of naturally occurring ingredients allows this shampoo to strengthen hair strands from the inside out and deliver that rare elasticity and shine that you’ve always hoped for.

These naturally occurring ingredients are also responsible for this shampoo’s scent. It has a very distinct fruity or floral smell, but the best part is that the scent is not very overpowering.

In terms of brassiness and dull yellow neutralization, this purple shampoo contains what the company calls the “dual ultra-violet dye system”. This exclusive system makes this shampoo very effective at dealing with hair discoloration. The shampoo’s formula also contains built-in optical brighteners that further help in toning your hair color to the right shade.

The biggest problem here, as is the case with all purple shampoos, is that this product can leave your hair too dry. This is usually a side-effect of purple shampoos since this shampoo contains no sulfates.

The absence of sulfates, though, creates another problem. This purple shampoo doesn’t lather well. If you’re one of those people who like their shampoos to lather, then we can only tell you to look elsewhere.

Who’s it for: If you want a purple shampoo that is free of all artificial compounds, get this one from Pravana.

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8. Get Back Gorgeous Purple Shampoo

Editor’s Rating: 4.25/5.0

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It is very rare for a purple shampoo to have a neutral smell. Most purple shampoos either have a strong and clean but artificial smell or a strong but flowery or fruity smell. This purple shampoo from Get Back Gorgeous, though, is quite different.

Its scent is not only light and clean but also very neutral. Even more impressive is the fact that the scent doesn’t linger after you’ve rinsed off the shampoo. Therefore, if you’re very sensitive to scent and fragrances, then this purple shampoo is one of few that can help you.

Having a neutral scent, though, would be pointless if the purple shampoo doesn’t perform its primary function. Fortunately, this shampoo does. It is very effective at neutralizing brassiness and that yellowness that you’ve been noticing in your hair.

Like most premium purple shampoos, this one is not only effective on blonde hair but also other light-colored hair such as ash, gray, and silver. In other words, this is a purple shampoo that works well as a blue shampoo too.

Despite being so incredibly effective and versatile, though, this shampoo doesn’t leave behind a stain. Therefore, you don’t have to fuss about with a glove or worry about how long the shampoo lather is floating on your bathroom tiles.

Speaking of lather, though, you’ll have to work hard with this shampoo. It will not give you the same lather that you may be used to with mainstream shampoos. At the same time, it isn’t as bad as many purple shampoos available in the market right now.

This purple shampoo’s lack of sufficient lather is surprising for us because it does contain sulfates and sulfates are responsible for the suds in most shampoos. The downside of those sulfates is still evident since this shampoo can dry out your hair considerably.

This is especially true if you use too much of it or use it too frequently. Some of you may even be sensitive to the parabens in this shampoo’s formula. The only way to know is to try this shampoo out.

Luckily, the company does offer a very impressive 100 percent money-back guarantee. You can buy it, try it, and if it doesn’t suit you, return it. You can even use the money-back guarantee if you feel that the shampoo doesn’t merit its price. As it is, this shampoo is priced on the higher side so some of you may end up using the guarantee.

Who’s it for: If you can’t handle all the strong-smelling purple shampoos and are financially flush, get this neutrally and lightly scented option from Get Back Gorgeous.

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9. B Uniq Purple Shampoo

Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0

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In the premium market segment of purple shampoos, there aren’t many products better than this one from B Uniq. In fact, we’ve only found one that beats this one and it is unbelievably expensive. In many ways, this shampoo is one of the best amongst all its competitors.

This is a strong purple shampoo. It contains “intense violet pigments” that can handle the toughest of brass shades and the most difficult yellows. Further, the pigments make this purple shampoo perfect for more than just blonde hair.

You can use this product for gray hair, bleached hair, and even hair with highlights. The fact that this shampoo contains such strong violet pigments means that it is very capable of leaving strong stains on your fingers, palms, and bathroom walls and floors.

This is why the company offers disposable gloves with this shampoo for free. In addition to the gloves, the company even offers a free e-guide. The e-guide contains instructions, tips, and tricks on the best way to use this shampoo and can be quite useful. You’ll receive the free e-guide in your inbox straight after your purchase.

This purple shampoo not only does well against yellows and brassiness in the hair but also nourishes the hair to a certain extent. It can do this because its formula incorporates vitamin B5, which is specifically known for its hair strengthening qualities.

In terms of its smell, the scent of this shampoo isn’t very strong. It has a floral smell that should appeal to most women out there, particularly since it doesn’t linger to interfere with their existing perfume routines. However, its smell may not appeal to women who don’t like the excessively floral scent and the men, for obvious reasons, won’t want their hair smelling feminine.

The health-conscious amongst you will appreciate this shampoo even more for being completely free of sulfates and parabens. The absence of sulfates, though, means that this shampoo isn’t the best at lathering.

Unfortunately, this purple shampoo does contain alcohols. However, it still doesn’t dry hair as excessively as other purple shampoos with alcohol content. Other qualities of this shampoo include the fact that it is vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.

With respect to pricing, this is one of the more expensive purple shampoos out there. Its cost can be very difficult to swallow unless you consider aspects that balance it. For instance, a little of this shampoo will go a long way. Since you’ll be using very little of this shampoo in every application, the bottle will stay with you for a long while.

Moreover, you’ll even have a safety net to fall back on after purchasing this purple shampoo in the form of a money-back guarantee. If for some reason, the shampoo doesn’t work for you or you want to return it because you don’t think it’s worth it, you can use this money-back guarantee.

The company, by the way, is very honest when it comes to honoring their guarantee. They’ll not only honor it without fuss, but there are reports of them sanctioning refunds without customers even asking for it. These customers say that they posted a negative review and the company contacted them offering a refund.

Who’s it for: If you’re financially capable and want a great purple shampoo with loads of benefits, get this well-rounded product from B Uniq.

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10. ORIBE Bright Blonde Shampoo (Top Pick)

Editor’s Rating: 4.85/5.0

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Oribe’s Bright Blonde Shampoo has to be considered the caviar of purple shampoos. It is just that refined and effective. In fact, if you don’t find this product at the top of all best purple shampoo lists, then you can say that the list is either defunct or completely biased.

When it comes to purple shampoos, Oribe is a class apart. It is so good that it has won awards. For instance, it has won the Brighten 2015’s Beauty Award from the Self Magazine.

More importantly, though, Oribe is a favorite of customers. There are very few users of this shampoo who haven’t found it everything that they wanted their purple shampoo to be.

This purple shampoo is incredibly effective at dealing with yellow and orange tones in blonde hair. However, it doesn’t only take away the brassiness but also strengthens the hair and protects it from future damage.

This protection comes from its silicones content and is effective enough for this purple shampoo also to be considered as a smoothing shampoo. However, silicones are the only artificial substance that this shampoo contains since there are no sulfates or parabens in the formula.

There are multiple hair strengthening and nourishing ingredients inside this purple shampoo, though. These ingredients are highlighted by the brand’s proprietary and exclusive blend called the Oribe Signature Complex.

The Complex consists of edelweiss flower extracts along with extracts from watermelon and litchi. This complex performs multiple functions ranging from countering oxidative stress to combating the natural deterioration of keratin in the hair.

Additionally, this shampoo’s formula contains a Brightening Complex, coconut and corn-based cleansers, purple orchid extract, and Swiss Garden Cress Sprout extract.

The Brightening Complex supplements the work of the violet pigments in this shampoo. The coconut and corn-based cleansers are good for creating lather and taking away any kind of buildup in your hair. Still, you should know that the lather these ingredients will create will be nowhere close to what you may be used to from sulfates-based shampoos.

Further, the purple orchid extract has been included in this formula to repair damaged hair while the Swiss Garden Cress Sprout extract is there to ensure better protection from external stress.

One of the most interesting things about this purple shampoo is that you can use it daily. If the company is to be believed, using this shampoo daily will cause no side-effects whatsoever. We’re not completely sold on this idea for two reasons.

The first is there are reports that this shampoo can dry hair excessively. Even if it doesn’t dry your hair or if you find a good conditioner to deal with the dryness, there is still the problem of overexposure to violet pigments.

Repeated exposure to these pigments can cause purple tints in the hair. Gray or white hair is particularly susceptible to taking on purple tints with overexposure to the shampoo.

In fact, if you have gray or white hair, we recommend avoiding this shampoo and instead using Silverati from the same company. Silverati is specifically created for this type of hair.

Coming back to the Bright Blonde Shampoo, you will be happy to know that it has a very good smell. In fact, its smell has the rare distinction of being appreciated universally. There aren’t any users who didn’t like this shampoo’s smell.

The biggest problem with this purple shampoo from Oribe is its cost. In one word, it is exorbitant. You’ll be paying over $5 for every ounce of this shampoo. People who have used this shampoo, though, say that it is more than worth the cost. If you’re looking for advice from us, we’d suggest you try it.

Who’s it for: If you’re one of those people who don’t like anything short of stellar brands and are willing to pay over the top for super-star performances from their chosen products, get this one from Oribe.

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