If you’re not a natural blonde, chances are you’ve spent a lot of time, money and effort achieving a lighter hair colour. It can be a challenging colour to maintain and keeping the exact shade you’re happy with, without looking too yellow or brassy, is a common concern. This is where the best purple shampoos can help and to narrow it down to the top picks, I’ve spent months testing a variety of purple shampoos in my hair-washing routine.
I consulted an expert too – Hadley Yates, celebrity hairdresser, colour and hair extension specialist – who told me that the purpose of purple shampoo is to neutralise unwanted yellow or brassy tones in the hair. When applied to blonde, grey or lightened hair, it helps cancel out warmth and restore a cooler, cleaner, more polished tone. “It’s essentially a maintenance product that keeps colour looking fresh between salon visits,” he says.
However, purple shampoo is not just a cleansing product to keep your hair clean and blonde colours bright; there are some myths that Yates warns against: “The biggest misconception is that it’s a fixing product rather than a maintenance one, it won’t replace a toner or correct major colour issues. Another is that more is better; overuse can leave hair dull, flat or with a slight purple cast.
“There’s also a belief that all purple shampoos are the same, when in reality formulas vary hugely in strength and quality. Lastly, people often overlook hair health – if the hair is dry or damaged, no amount of toning will give that glossy, expensive-looking finish.”
With that in mind, I set about testing the biggest names in haircare to see which purple shampoo deserves a spot in your shower, whether you’re hair is highlighted, an all-over colour, platinum or buttery blonde.
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The best purple shampoos for 2026 are:
- Best overall – L'Oréal Paris elvive colour protect anti-brassiness purple shampoo: £6.99, Lookfantastic.com
- Best for smoothing frizz – Davines heart of glass silkening shampoo: £25.75, Davines.com
- Budget buy – Aussie SOS blonde & hydrate purple shampoo: £8, Boots.com
- Best luxury pick – K18 triplebright oxidation defense purple shampoo: £39, Spacenk.com
- Best for cool blondes – Kérastase blond absolu bain ultra violet shampoo: £30.50, Lookfantastic.com
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L'Oréal Paris elvive colour protect anti-brassiness purple shampoo
Rating: 5/5
Best: purple shampoo overall
Why we love it
- Affordable
- Works just as well as expensive competitors
- Keeps cool-toned blonde hair ashy and bright
Take note
- Don’t leave it on too long or the pigment can leave a tint
Most purple shampoos fall in the luxury camp, but I understand that it’s not always feasible to spend more than £20, especially if you’ve already spent a fortune getting your highlights done in a salon. This L’Oréal Paris option is a brilliant budget pick for less than £10 and the best purple shampoo I tested.
It performs just as well as products three times the price, lathers well, smells great and keeps cool-toned blonde hair ashy and bright. My only tip would be to not leave it on longer than instructed (1-3 minutes) as if the pigment is left too long, it can process further and leave a slight tint.
Key specifications:
Buy now £6.99, Lookfantastic.com
Aussie SOS blonde & hydrate purple shampoo
Rating: 4/5
Best: budget purple shampoo
Why we love it
- Very affordable
- Fresh scent
- Good at detangling and smoothing frizz
Take note
- Leave on for longer for best results
Aussie’s SOS blonde & hydrate is a strong high-street contender and one of the best budget purple shampoos I tested, with cooling yellow and orange tones. It works quickly – after two uses, I started to see a difference, although I would suggest leaving it on longer than a couple of minutes.
I found that washing it out after 5-10 minutes made the most noticeable improvement. If you have very knotty hair, this is a good detangling shampoo and it’s effective at smoothing frizz, too.
Key specifications:
Buy now £8, Boots.com
Davines heart of glass silkening shampoo
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: purple shampoo for smoothing frizz
Why we love it
- Smells amazing
- Improves dryness
- Leaves hair silky soft
Take note
- Doesn’t come with a pump so is easy to overuse
Designed for blonde hair, natural or not, Davines’s heart of glass silkening shampoo was a great treatment for improving the overall condition of my hair. Not only did it soften yellow tones, especially around the money pieces at the front of my hair, but it also softened and smoothed heat-damaged strands, helped detangle them, and left them silky soft.
It didn’t strip my blonde hair of its luminosity, nor did it stain my scalp, ears or the sides of my shower, either. It has a beautiful woody, musky scent, and is sustainably made – the purple/blue tinge comes from a natural indigo blue extract sourced from Jagua fruit in Colombia, which is a plant-based alternative to synthetic dyes and is what keeps blond hair vibrant.
Key specifications:
Buy now £25.75, Harveynichols.com
K18 triplebright oxidation defense purple shampoo
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: luxury purple shampoo
Why we love it
- Lightweight
- Doesn't stain
- Good all-rounder
Take note
- Pricey
Unlike the other traditional formats on our list, K18’s triplebright oxidation defense purple shampoo is a foam. As a result, it’s very lightweight, easy to massage into every strand and washes out without staining your scalp or your shower.
It’s excellent at reviving blonde hair that’s beginning to look dull, as it boosts vibrancy, neutralises yellow tones and helps remove product buildup - especially if you like to use as much dry shampoo as I do. It’s expensive of course, but if you have a bigger budget, it’s a fuss-free option that’s worth the investment.
Key specifications:
Buy now £39, Spacenk.com
Kérastase blond absolu bain ultra violet shampoo
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: purple shampoo for cool blondes
Why we love it
- Luxurious packaging
- Adds shine and hydration
Take note
- Pricey
Kérastase’s blond absolu bain ultra violet shampoo purple shampoo delivers near instant results, with less brassiness visible after just one use. While there is a limit to how much a purple shampoo can improve your hair's condition, I was impressed by how soft and hydrated my hair felt after blow-drying; it had a shine that often goes dull when I’ve gone overboard with bleach.
This is a good option if you’re a cool-tone blonde and want to avoid any yellowness at all costs. While it is undoubtedly expensive, when used once a week, it will last you ages so you can get your money’s worth.
Key specifications:
Buy now £30.5, Lookfantastic.com
Lush daddy-o shampoo
Rating: 4/5
Best: purple shampoo for all-over dyed blonde hair
Why we love it
- Fresh lemon and violet scent is long-lasting
- Boosts vibrance after just a few uses
Take note
- Very pigmented, so can stain ears if not careful
Lush’s daddy-o shampoo is a great pick if you are entirely blonde rather than just having blonde highlights, and it worked well to keep the lightest parts of my hair brighter and more vibrant. I found it helped to extend the time between washes, too, as it gives hair a thorough cleanse, so I would reach for this when my hair is on its last legs.
I love the violet and lemon scent, it’s fresh and uplifting, and last for hours after you step out of the shower. Keep in mind, however, that this is a very richly pigmented shampoo, so make every effort to clean your ears and scalp thoroughly before turning the water off to avoid any staining.
Key specifications:
Buy now £18, Lush.com
Olaplex no. 4P blonde enhancer toning shampoo
Rating: 4/5
Best: purple shampoo for brightening
Why we love it
- Brightens hair
- Tones brassiness
Take note
- Can stain skin
- Pricey
Another sweetly scented purple shampoo is this one from Olaplex. My favourite feature is how well the formula lathers into a luxuriously frothy foam that can be worked into every strand. The intensely deep purple colour provides a good guideline for knowing when you’ve properly washed it all out, too.
After two weeks of use, I definitely noticed my hair looked brighter. One thing to note, however, is that this can stain the skin on your ears and the shower door if you’re not careful to wash it all off.
Key specifications:
Buy now £30.01, Spacenk.com
Oribe bright blonde shampoo for beautiful color
Rating: 4/5
Best: purple shampoo for warm blondes
Why we love it
- Hydrates hair
- Doesn’t strip colour of warmth
- Smells lovely
Take note
- The most expensive on our list
You’ll struggle to find chicer packaging than Oribe’s line-up of shampoos, and its brightening blonde option is no different, with an embossed, chunky pink bottle. It’s the best purple shampoo for warm or golden blondes as it neutralises brassiness and yellow tones without cooling them, and is gentle enough to have only a subtle impact on colour. It also slightly improved the condition of my hair, leaving it feeling more hydrated and smooth, with added shine.
It’s not a price tag that’s for everyone, but it is the most luxurious shampoo I've tried, with a lovely formula that matches the packaging. It’s quite strongly fragranced - which I loved - with notes of bergamot, jasmine and sandalwood that add to the sensory experience.
Key specifications:
Buy now £47, Spacenk.com
Your questions about purple shampoo answered
What is the best purple shampoo?
My top pick is the L'Oréal Paris elvive colour protect anti-brassiness purple shampoo. It lathers well enough to coat every strand with minimal effort, brightens and hydrates, and is budget-friendly, especially compared to pricier products I tested from the likes of Oribe and Olaplex.
How I tested purple shampoo
When putting purple shampoos through their paces, these were the main factors that I kept a close eye on:
How often should you use a purple shampoo?
According to celebrity hairdresser Hadley Yates, this depends on your hair and how quickly it turns brassy. For most people, once or twice a week is enough to maintain tone without over-depositing pigment, he says.
“If your hair is particularly prone to yellowing due to heat styling, hard water or sun exposure, you might use it slightly more often, but it’s best alternated with a regular, hydrating shampoo to keep the hair balanced and healthy,” he explains.
Is purple shampoo only for blonde hair?
Put simply, our expert says no; it can be beneficial for anyone with lightened hair, including highlights, balayage, and grey or white hair. Yates notes, however, that purple shampoo is not a one-size-fits-all: “Very porous or over-processed hair can grab too much pigment and appear slightly lilac if overused, while warmer blondes (like golden or honey tones) may not want to neutralise warmth too much. It’s about choosing the right strength and using it appropriately for your tone and condition.”
Meet the expert
Hadley Yates is a celebrity hairdresser, colour and hair extension specialist and co-founder of his eponymous salon in London’s Covent Garden. He is also the brains behind CURATED, a premium, ethically-sourced hair extension line. His A-list clients have included Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Millie Bobby Brown.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Louise Whitbread is one of our go-to beauty experts, covering everything from skincare to hair care and make-up for IndyBest since March 2020. Her product reviews are expansive and detailed, from the best heat protectant sprays to the best shampoos for oily hair. When it comes to haircare, Louise is well-placed to guide your purchases after testing which purple shampoos made a difference on her blonde hair.
The wider IndyBest team also offers more in-depth insight on the best haircare products out there. From the best dry shampoos to the best shampoo bars and the best vegan shampoos, you can rest assured that you will find the best course of action to take care of your hair.
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