This DIY Is The Secret To Lifted Blonde Locks

Source: Lars Niki/Corbis /Getty Images

Every faux blonde knows the struggle is real when it comes to keeping hair color looking fresh in between salon appointments. It’s an on-going battle against dull, fading colors or brassy tones. Which is why all you blondes or bleached-hair babes need purple shampoo in your life, as it instantly revives your color by toning and neutralizing unwanted yellow shades. The shampoo deposits purple pigment into your hair, which cancels out the brassy, medallion tones because purple is in direct opposition to yellow on the color spectrum. Finally, you’ll be able to maintain those gorgeous platinum locks you paid for!

Some purple shampoos may be a little pricier than others (although there are some amazing drugstore options), but as you only need to use them once a week, they have a much longer shelf life. Plus, they’ll save you money in the long run as you’ll visit the salon less. We also have an epic DIY that will turn almost ANY of your shampoos into your own purple shampoo… AND you only need one ingredient, which will probably last you like ten years!

If you need to rescue your hair quickly, applying it to dry hair as a mask is much more effective. However, if you’ve been using purple shampoo regularly since your most recent color, using it weekly in the shower is fine. Just be careful not to leave the purple shampoo on your hair for longer than fifteen minutes when applied to dry hair or five minutes when applied to wet hair – unless you want lilac tones to show through on your hair. It’s also important to remember that the darker the shade of purple shampoo, the more potent it is. If your hair is feeling a little damaged, look out for shampoos that are sulfate-free too, as sulfate strips your hair of its natural oils, leaving it weak and brittle. Here are our fav purple shampoos.

Best For: Fast Results 

Source: Clairol

This Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Shampoo, $13, will majorly enhance your color as it’s super pigmented and will transform even the brassiest tones. As it’s so powerful, make sure you don’t leave it on your hair for longer than ten minutes when applied to dry hair and three minutes when wet.

Best For: Silver Tones

Source: Bleach

This Silver Shampoo from Bleach London, $9, actually has a violet-blue tint to it, so it’ll help bring out the silver or ashy tones in your hair, which are so on trend at the moment. It also nourishes with wheat proteins and vitamin B5, so you could use it up to five times a week.

Best For: Brassy Tones

Source: Lush

Lush’s Daddy-O vegan shampoo, $9, won’t just color correct, it’ll replenish your hair as it’s enriched with natural ingredients like seaweed and lemon. Plus it’ll leave your hair smelling amazing too, as it’s infused with coconut oil and violets.

Best For: Daily Use

Source: Provoke

The Provoke Touch of Silver shampoo, $3, isn’t as heavily pigmented as the other shampoos, so you can use it more regularly without having to worry about your hair turning lilac! And as it’s so cost-effective, it’s the perfect product for regular upkeep.

Best For: All Blondes

Source: SACHAJUAN

This SACHAJUAN Silver Shampoo, $31, works well on all shades of blondes, and it’s bursting with proteins and minerals that’ll add extra shine while lifting and diminishing warm yellow tones. It also contains UV shielding ingredients, so it will help protect your hair from color fading from sun damage.

DIY Purple Shampoo

You can even make your own purple shampoo by using a gentian violet dye, semi-permanent ammonia, and peroxide-free purple hair color. Start by emptying out a bottle of white shampoo into a plastic bowl (if the shampoo is colored, the dye will not turn the shampoo purple, and therefore, it won’t work). Then add 2-3 drops of gentian violet dye. You can adjust the ratio depending on your desired effect and how severely your color has faded. Stir the mixture until the shampoo turns purple, and then deposit it back into the empty bottle using a funnel. Apply to your hair from root to tip, and wash off 15 minutes later if applied to dry hair and 5 minutes later when applied to wet hair.

We suggest starting off with a less potent mix to avoid a lilac tint to your blonde locks. You can always add another drop if you want a stronger formula. If you’re nervous to try this, take a half-used bottle of shampoo and add one drop of gentian violet and shake vigorously until it’s well combined. You can buy Arctic Fox 100% Vegan Violet Dream Semi-Permanent Hair Dye for $11 here, which will give you a supply of at-home DIY purple shampoo for years!

Let us know in the comments below if you’re already a fan of purple shampoo or if you’re going to try making your own!