Blue vs Purple Shampoo: What’s the Difference

What’s the difference between blue vs purple shampoo? This is a very common question that arises when someone starts exploring the world of colorful haircare products. However, it’s not the only question that pops up. To help you decide which one of these color safe shampoo products is right for your hair type, we’re discussing the differences between blue and purple shampoo. Below, we outline the benefits of each one and how to decide which toning shampoo is right for your color treated hair.

What’s the Difference Between Blue and Purple Shampoo? 

Before we answer this question, it’s important to note that all different hair colors present different undertones. Brunette hair typically produces warmer orange undertones, while those with very dark hair can have red undertones. As for blondes and others with light hair color, yellow undertones are what’s present. When these warm undertones start to appear in blonde hair, whether it’s due to color treatment, hair products, or heat styling, it’s referred to as brassiness.

To get rid of this unwanted brassiness, you’ll need to tone it down with the opposite, or complementary, color. If you think of the color wheel you first saw in elementary school, blue falls on the opposite side of the spectrum as orange. In contrast, purple sits across the color wheel from yellow. If you are wondering, “what does blue shampoo do?” and “what does purple shampoo do?” – this is it. The blue pigment cancels out orange, and the purple pigment cancels out yellow.

All this talk about color comes down to two important points. Blue shampoo removes orange tones from brunette or darker hair, while the purple shampoo is a great option when yellow tones appear in blonde or light-colored hair.

Blue Shampoo vs Purple Shampoo: What Are the Benefits?

The biggest benefit of both blue shampoo and purple shampoo is the ability to neutralize unwanted yellow or orange tones at home with a toning shampoo. ‌

Maintains Color Longer

Rather than stopping into the salon more frequently to keep your hair color looking its best, you can help maintain your color just by washing your hair. This is great news for both bright blondes and brilliant brunettes.‌

Ensures Shine & Luster

Helping your color last longer isn’t the only advantage of blue and purple shampoos. They can also help with maintaining your hair’s natural shine and luster, again without having to stop by the salon for special treatments.

Saves You Expensive Trips to the Salon 

One final benefit of blue shampoo and purple shampoo is that they can help you save time and money. They can reduce the number of trips you make to the salon by helping you maintain your hair color longer. Think of it as having the best of both worlds.

How to Decide Whether You Need Blue or Purple Shampoo

As we hinted at above, the undertones that appear in your hair will help you determine whether you should try blue shampoo or purple shampoo.

If you have brassy orange or even red tones, blue shampoo is your best bet. However, blue pigment won’t help with yellow undertones. The reverse is true for yellow undertones. Purple shampoo is great for removing yellowness, but not effective for orange or red tones. 

Determine Your Hair’s Prominent Undertones

What if you have multiple undertones in your hair? You’ll want to pay attention to the undertones in your natural hair color and see which one is the most prominent. For example, if you’re a brunette with orange and yellow tones, you may discover that the orange undertones stand out more. This means you should opt for a blue tinted shampoo.‌

While you should stick with purple or blue shampoo most of the time, you do have the option to use both if you have multiple undertones. However, you’ll want to again think about whether orange or yellow is more prominent in your hair. This is a helpful indicator before purchasing a specialized product and learning how to use purple shampoo or blue shampoo for your shade of hair.

Finding a Universal Color Care Product

If you’ve been searching for hair products online and are becoming increasingly overwhelmed by the idea of trying to decide whether purple or blue shampoo is right for you, opt for our Color Care products instead. Our breakthrough Color Care system makes hair color last 2x longer for both blondes and brunettes. 

When you take a look at our Color Care Shampoo, you’ll notice that it doesn’t have a blue or purple pigment, and there’s a good reason why. Our team of scientists specially formulated the shampoo to address universal issues, including color washout, damage, UV rays, and hard water, that can cause color fading, regardless of whether you have dark hair or light hair. 

Want to add vibrancy to your blonde? You can check out our Color Care Whipped Glaze Light. This whipped glaze deposits temporary dyes to instantly boost vibrancy, keep your color strong and keep the brassy out of your blonde locks. We also offer a Color Care Whipped Glaze Dark to help brunettes protect their hair color too. These products are better than blue and purple shampoo and offer the ultimate color care in the form of an easy-to-use glaze. Try it for yourself and be the living proof.