As someone who dyes their hair platinum blonde, I know the struggle of that expense, and trying to maintain the colour it was when Ieaving the salon.
Spending hundreds of pounds to get the blonde I want though is not ideal. This is where purple shampoo comes in. Instead of booking a hair appointment every eight weeks, sometimes six, I can lengthen the time between the trips by using a good, quality purple shampoo that works just as well as a toner in the hairdressers.
There's nothing I hate more than yellow, brassy tones that blonde hair can turn to if left and not managed right. I'm often told it's all in my head (no pun intended) when I say I can see yellow in my hair (I can), but nevertheless I'm someone who wants to keep that colour a pure, white blonde for as long as possible.
When your hair is brassy, or when the term ‘brassiness’ is used, it basically refers to the unwanted warm tones that can show up in lighter hair tones, making your hair look at best unnatural and at worst unhealthy.
According to hair experts, purple shampoos work by counteracting the yellow and warm tones that can appear in blonde hair. It tones blonde hair as it contains crushed violet pigments that neutralise brassy and yellow tones.
There's one purple shampoo I always turn to, which we will come onto later, but I thought I would try a version that can be picked up from Boots, Superdrug and other high street stores, rather than online (although you can buy this online too). John Frieda is a shampoo you've probably seen on the shelves.
The hair brand has a range of shampoos and conditions to suit various hair colours and types, from frizzy to blondes, curly and more. Very recently they have added the version of a purple shampoo to their range.
I got my hair done back in March so it's not been that long since I've had a colour boost. However I've started to notice the occasional yellow tinge to some parts of my hair. I thought I would try John Frieda's Violet crush for blondes shampoo and conditioner.
Their daily purple shampoo with crushed violet pigment, promises to gradually neutralises unwanted yellow tones without over-toning to restore bright blonde between salon visits. Both the shampoo and conditioner smelt amazing and there was a real lather, foam produced when rubbing it into my scalp, which I was surprised at because normally with a purple shampoo it doesn't produce this effect.
Afterwards my hair smelt amazing but I wasn't impressed with the result. I noticed, if anything, that my hair had almost turned even more yellower than before. My hair felt soft but not the colour I wanted. I know the shampoo and conditioner is supposed to be used gradually with promised results happening over time , but on the other hand the more you use purple shampoo the more risk there is for damager and possibly giving your hair an almost purple tint.
I was a little disappointed with the colour and overall if I were to want quick results to transform my blonde from brassy to clean I probably wouldn't use this. However it's a good option to have for when you haven't got a more powerful toning purple shampoo in.
After this experience I decided to stick with what I knew. I bought the purple shampoo that's always my go-to. Fudge. Fudge clean blonde shampoo aims to restore vibrant, salon-worthy locks by using their cleansing and refreshing formula that targets unwanted brassy tones in colour-treated hair.
Fortified with violet pigments and hydrating Guarana Extract, the purple shampoo promises to effectively eliminate impurities and product build-up, whilst reviving radiance and neutralising yellow hues in blonde hair. Innovative FragranceFuse technology delivers a long-lasting scent to leave locks feeling fresh and healthy from root to tip, Fudge says.
The difference between Fudge and the John Frieda version is that you only need to use a small amount on the hair. It also doesn't produce a lather foam either. It comes out as a thick purple consistency which can be off-putting at first but it's designed to fully soak the hair. The bottle informs you to leave it on for five minutes but I always leave it on for less because it's very, very strong.
I've used Fudge before in the past and left it on for just that little too long and it tinted my hair purple in places, a good look if it's at the ends of your hair but not half-way up your head. I leave it on my hair for around two to three minutes. I fully coat my hair with the shampoo from root to tip and then wash of like normal. I then use a normal shampoo and conditioner to give my hair a good wash afterwards.
The shampoo can also stain too so you may want to apply it using rubber gloves in the shower. The water as you rinse will be purple but don't be alarmed by this. I took a picture of my hair after using Fudge (see below) and I immediately noticed a difference. My hair had subtle ashy look, which is what I wanted. And looked less brassy in places.
Overall, if I wanted fast results I would choose Fudge rather than John Frieda. I paid just £5 for Fudge on LookFantastic but it was only a 50ml bottle, but you do not need to use loads and I only use this once a week too. It's £14 for a 250ml bottle or £24.65 for a 1000ml. Both products do not test on animals. John Frieda cost £9 from Superdrug for both the shampoo and conditioner.
Get the top stories straight to your inbox by signing up for one of our free newsletters .
