Flaunting your grey hair – maybe for the first time?
You go girl.
Now rather than hide it you have to learn to how to make it sizzle and show it off.
And dingy isn’t sizzling.
Wait what? Yeah hair with yellow tinge ain’t what you want.
Besides is there any worse feeling than looking in the mirror and see drab greys?
But there’s a fix you may have heard of. Purple shampoo. Okay but …
What Does Purple Shampoo Have To Do With Brassy Gray Hair?
Yeah we know blondes rely on this stuff to cool down the warm tones that eventually creep into their lightened strands. Easily turning even the dullest, brassiest hues into shimmering curtains of blondness.
Well guess what? Those same violet pigments can work their magic on grays too.
Leaving you with hair that’s been restored to those more desirable silver undertones rather than sickly yellows.
Okay. So that’s the fix. Yet you may still be wondering
Is It Blue Or Purple Shampoo For Grey Hair?
Really the answer depends on what tones you want to get rid.
If yellow then purple is it!
If things are tending towards orange then blues for you.
Going a step beyond that what’s your natural color? That can determine which is better too.
Before the greys appeared were you blonde? Then you’re likely a more natural fit for the purple-hued toners.
But hey! Even though graying now, you might benefit from our look into how to make purple shampoo work better. It’s written for those with bleached blonde tresses that they want to keep icy. But it can help you too.
While if you’re a natural brunette then blue-hued ones may work better. Given your God given undertones lean toward warm oranges.
Of course if you’re curious about what purple shampoo does for darker hair … you can find out more on how to fix brassy brown hair. That article of ours includes four options to try.
Then again one glance at the color wheel may help to clear things up further.
As you can see purple is directly across from yellow. That’s why it’s best at neutralizing yellows.
While blue lies across from orange. Making the ideal color to take out oranges tarnishing your greys.
Easy peasy, right?
With the basics out of the way here’s what’s coming up:
Quick Section Navigation
- Why Use Purple Shampoo For Grey Hair?
- Why Does Grey Hair Turn Yellow In The First Place?
- How To Use Purple Shampoo On Gray Hair
- How Long Should You Leave Purple Shampoo On
- How Often Is Best To Use Purple Shampoo
Why Use Purple Shampoo For Grey Hair
It’s simple really.
It’s how to brighten gray hair.
Generally it deposits the least bit of color inside your cuticles. (This is also why it can be drying cause they have to be chemically lifted.) Yet it does nothing to change the underlying color of your hair long term.
Good to know if you’re transitioning.
Now for those wondering what does purple shampoo do to grey hair … well, basically it gets rid of the brassiness leaving you with a cooler, more ashy shade.
This is why purple is usually the shampoo of choice for fixing gray hair turning yellow.
Why Does Grey Hair Turn Yellow In The First Place?
Any number of things can cause grey hair to look dingy. Technically I guess it’s brassy. At least in the world of blondes that’s what it would be called.
One big culprit is what comes out of your shower head. If you live in a hard water area then you’re subjecting your locks to a steady stream of minerals and chemicals that cause brassiness. Like iron.
And unless you are filtering it, which you really should be if you aren’t, you’re just asking for trouble.
The sun is another. UV rays do a number on our hair. It can be drying and cause discoloration too.
There’s also cigarette smoke. Hmmm. Bad for you on so many levels.
To a lesser extent it might be product build up. Which is a good idea to cure anyway with a clarifying rinse or shampoo.
Then for avid swimmers chlorinated pool water or residue left over from a dip in the ocean can be problems.
That’s just names some of the more common causes.
So while purple shampoo isn’t the cure-all it can still help extend the life of your color you paid good money for.
And for those
Wondering How To Use Purple Shampoo On Gray Hair?
Using it with gray is really no different than with any other color of hair.
- Lather up
- Give it time to work
- Rinse out
- Deep Condition
Now if this is your first time and that deep, near black in some cases, purple has you nervous don’t be.
Yeah no one trying to get rid of the brass from their gray wants purple haze.
The best way to ease yourself into this new routine is to carefully control how long you leave the product on.
Rule followers will also want to read the label and adhere to the recommended time.
While the really scared can leave it in for less than that and see what happens. Adjusting the time on hair from there.
NEWS FLASH: You’re likely going to have to play around with the how long part anyway.
The take up also depends on how much damage you’re looking at.
If your hair has been truly wrecked you should expect it to soak up more purple. Cause it’s more porous – if that makes sense.
Worst case if you get some lilac tinting that will wash out quickly with your regular shampooing.
Just try to keep in mind this is designed to tone your hair. Taking it from warmer to cooler. Not color it.
Anyway that’s how to brighten gray hair in a nutshell.
And if it’s not crystal clear here’s a video that I’ll bet answers some of the questions you may have.
What she does is share her personal experience using purple shampoo on her gray hair. Passing along valuable tips you can use. From how often she uses it, to how long she leaves it on, to what it does it to the texture of her hair.
Although I would hasten to add I don’t feel using blue shampoo will turn your hair green as she suggests. Just saying.
How Long Should You Leave Purple Shampoo On Gray Hair
Like I said you should expect some trial and error here.
The first suggestion would be to do what the label says.
But fact is many go off label. Because doing so works better for them.
That said, your hair may brighten up in less time. Like two to three minutes.
Others find it takes five to 10 minutes or more.
Fact is grey hair lacks for pigment. So it tends to pick up color easier than you might suspect. Which is why caution is a good thing.
Which is also why leaving it sit for an hour or more is temptation a lot give into. Thinking longer is better. Most end up regretting it. At least in the short term. Until the purple washes out.
This isn’t rocket science. Not to mention a little common sense goes a long ways.
How Often Is Best To Use Purple Shampoo On Grey Hair?
This is a common question for those looking at purple shampoo for grey or white hair that’s turning kinda yellow on them.
The best answer is no more often than you need to.
Obviously you won’t be using it daily. Too hard on your hair.
Besides there’s likely little need to break it out that often.
It also depends on your hair and everyone’s is different.
Some find once a week a week does the trick.
Others twice a week – maybe.
Others figure out every other week is often enough to bring their locks back from dull gray that’s looking kinda meh to dazzling silver.
Again the big idea is to find the least often routine that is most effective. And unfortunately no one can tell you what that will be for your hair.
Does Purple Shampoo Cover Grey Hair?
Not so much. That’s because it’s a color depositing shampoo. One that transforms dull and dingy yellowish color into hair that’s more of a shiny, ashy silver.
Essentially the purple neutralizes the brass. Leaving you with gray hair that looks more vibrant and dimensional.
This is color science in action. Using bold purple pigment to fend off yellow, brassy tones. Leaving you with brighter, more vibrant hair grays.
Is Blue Or Purple Shampoo Better For Gray Hair?
Again, it depends.
If your natural color tends towards blonde purple may be your better choice.
If you have a decent amount of your natural underlying brunette color then blue it is. Since the unwanted tones will be more orange, or even reddish.
And if you’re looking for more coloring ideas to keep your mane looking stunning, please follow our cute hair color ideas Pinterest board where we share all kinds of extremely useful tips and hacks!
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