How To Use Purple Shampoo

by ABBEY WILSON / MAR 21, 2024

Reading Time: 7 Minutes

Index

    Wave goodbye to unwanted yellow and brassy tones in your hair with Cliphairs new Silver Linings – Purple Toning Shampoo. The essential DIY toning product that helps to maintain a clean and cool blonde in between professional colour services. Our customers often reach out for advice on toning their blonde hair or hair extensions so today we are going to share with you all the secrets to achieving the perfect results when using purple shampoo at home.

    Purple shampoo bottle

    What Is Purple Shampoo And How Does It Work?

    Blonde, grey and lightened hair often has warm undertones especially if the natural base is very dark, this can cFause the hair to look brassy and yellow over time and lose its ashy, cool appearance. Purple shampoo works to counteract this by depositing a small amount of the opposite colour.

    Let’s get scientific! On the colour wheel, yellow is opposite to purple, this means adding purple to yellow or vice versa will balance out the strength of that unwanted tone. This method is used in all manner of creative processes that include colour work such as make up, art, decorating and dying. Makeup artists often use concealers pigmented with green tones to counteract redness on the skin as they are opposite each other on the colour wheel!

    A common misconception of Purple Shampoo is that it can lighten hair, this is not true. It simply removes and reduces unwanted tones which can help the hair to appear less dark, but it technically does not lift the hair at all.

    colour wheel

    Can You Use Purple Shampoo On Hair Extensions?

    As Purple Shampoos are technically a toning product, they can be a little harsh on the hair and even more so for extensions, so we only recommend using it occasionally in between professional colour services. Hair extensions are also more porous due to the harsh processing they go through during manufacturing so they will behave differently to the purple shampoo than natural hair. To avoid any disappointment when using purple shampoo on human hair extensions, stick to our detailed guide below.

    Best Purple Shampoo For Hair Extensions

    The beauty of Cliphair’s Silver Linings Purple Shampoo is the controllable intensity and gentle formula. Unlike other purple toning shampoos that are stronger in concentration, our formula is buildable meaning you have more control over the strength of the tone and end result. This is especially important when using on hair extensions as they tend to grab onto purple shampoo faster than natural hair. We’ve listed below how to correctly build the toning power to suit your specific need and how to adapt the method when using on Clip-in extensions.

    model before and after using purple shampoo

    How To Use Purple Shampoo 

    Purple Shampoo can be used in a variety of methods depending on the type of hair you are using it on and on your desired finish. For example, if using on hair extensions, you should use the Shampoo Bath method which you can find full instructions for below. For use on natural hair, follow these steps and use the intensity guide for soaking times. In short, the longer you leave the shampoo on the hair the darker and ashier it will go.

    purple shampoo infographic

    How To Use Purple Shampoo On Hair Extensions

    The shampoo bath or colour bath method is the safest and easiest way to tone hair extensions. Not only does it reduce the risk of a patchy, uneven colour result it also dilutes the strength of the toner giving you complete control over the intensity.

    Simply fill a bath or sink with warm water and mix in a few squirts of the Purple Shampoo. Once fully combined submerge your extensions into the water (piece by piece) soak for up to 30 seconds then check the colour by rubbing the product off with your fingers. If your happy with the instant result, great! Simply rinse and condition the hair in a separate bowl and dry as normal. If you're looking for an ashier finish, simply repeat the dipping and checking process until you are satisfied with the final colour.

    Here’s how it's done!

    This method is the best way to tone any human hair extensions including professional systems such as Tapes, Nano Rings and Weaves. For these professional varieties this method should be carried out before the extensions are attached.

    Stylist Advice: Using Purple Shampoo On Permanent Extensions

    Our resident stylist gives us some expert insight into why you should avoid using purple shampoo on permanent extensions when they are already in the hair…

    Using Purple Shampoo on hair extensions when they are attached to natural hair is risky as the extensions and natural hair will develop at different levels making it very difficult to control the intensity and can result in an uneven finish. Purple Shampoo tends to grab mostly to the bonded area of hair extensions when applied directly in a normal wash method so you risk being left with purple tinged extensions at the root with lighter ends on your natural hair. Usually, once the hair has been dried and styled this is not noticeable however its best to stick to the bath method to avoid any disappointment.

    If you must use whilst the extensions are attached, follow these steps below to reduce an uneven finish.

    1. Wet hair thoroughly.
    2. Separate the extensions from the natural hair using a clip.
    3. Use half purple shampoo and half normal shampoo to dilute the strength.
    4. Start shampooing the natural hair areas first and focus mainly on the ends.
    5. Move onto the hair extensions area last and again focus on the ends first moving to the scalp area at the very end of the wash just before rinsing.
    6. Rinse well and finish with Cliphair’s Deep Conditioning Mask.

    How To Get Purple Shampoo Out Of Hair?

    If you find yourself with over toned or uneven coloured hair or hair extensions, don’t panic! This can be reversed by washing the hair with a clarifying shampoo, you may need to do more than one wash if the hair is very over-toned. Clarifying Shampoo is a strong cleansing agent that will leave the hair feeling dry so its super important to treat it afterwards with deep conditioning treatment such as the Cliphair Deep Moisture Mask. Learn more about the magic of clarifying shampoos and how to safely use them here!

    Purple Shampoo Dos & Dont’s

    Do’s 

    DO test your purple shampoo first before using all over your hair or hair extensions. This is the best way to gage the strength and test the outcome. For extensions, use the smallest piece to test first then use this valuable insight to apply to the rest!

    DO dilute the strength of the shampoo if you are looking for a subtle tone. Do this by mixing some normal moisturising shampoo in with the purple shampoo.

    Deep moisture shampoo

    DO condition the hair well after every use with a deep conditioning mask. This will restore the hydration and moisture taken away by the toning shampoo.

    Deep moisture hair mask

    Don’ts

    DON’T expect the purple shampoo to lighten your hair. It works to remove yellow and brassiness, not to lift or lighten.

    DON’T apply to dry hair. This will cause patchiness and stains, always apply to thoroughly wet hair.

    FAQs: Purple Shampoo For Hair Extensions

    How To Get Purple Shampoo Off Hands?

    Purple Shampoo can stick to skin just like hair colour does! Especially under the nails the purple pigment has a habit of showing here. To remove the stains, you can use a professional stain remover or lemon juice will also work well. To avoid this some people prefer to use gloves.

    How Often Should You Use Purple Shampoo?

    Purple Shampoo is still a form of hair dye even if it is weaker than most dyes, therefore it's still not great for your hair. It should only be used as a quick fix in between professional colour services to keep unwanted tones at bay. We would advise using no more than 3 times per month and with hair extensions even less.

    Can Purple Shampoo Make My Hair Darker?

    Yes! If left on for too long or used incorrectly purple shampoo can cause the hair to look darker and duller. This is why its super important to stick to our instructions.

    Collage of models before and after using purple shampoo

    Conclusion

    To conclude, Cliphair's Silver Linings – Purple Toning Shampoo offers a gentle yet effective solution for combating unwanted yellow and brassy tones in your hair. With its subtle formula and controllable intensity, achieving the perfect cool blonde has never been easier. By understanding the science behind purple shampoo and following the provided guidance, you can maintain a clean and cool look between professional color services. Say farewell to brassiness and hello to vibrant, ashy locks with Cliphair's Purple Toning Shampoo.

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