Who said blondes get to have all the fun? For years, blondes have used purple shampoo to cancel out brassy orange and yellowish tones. Now, brunettes have a secret weapon all their own—blue shampoo!
Just as the purple pigments in purple shampoo neutralize brassy tones in blonde hair, the blue pigments in blue shampoo cancel out the unwanted orange, red, and copper tones that brunettes often battle—especially color-treated brunettes.
So if you love dressing up your brown locks with cool caramel highlights or a trendy balayage, blue shampoo is just the thing for you!
“Just as the purple pigments in purple shampoo neutralize brassy tones in blonde hair, the blue pigments in blue shampoo cancel out the unwanted orange, red, and copper tones brunettes often battle—especially color-treated brunettes.”
How Does Blue Shampoo Work? Blue Shampoo: Before and After
Like purple shampoo for blondes, blue shampoos are formulated to ditch brassiness in color-treated brunette hair. All brunettes have underlying orange and red pigments that combine to form their hair color, from deep chocolate to golden brown. When you lighten brunette hair, those underlying pigments can show through after weeks of sun exposure, heat styling, and shampooing. It’s necessary to combat them with a different color to get rid of them.
Dust off that elementary school color wheel, and you’ll see that darker orange and red shades are opposite blue. That’s why the blue pigment in blue shampoo works to cancel out dull, brassy tones in brunette hair. Instead of turning your hair blue, it removes brassy tones so your beautiful brunette shines through.
Washing several times a week with a blue shampoo and conditioner like our Blue Crush shampoo and conditioner helps keep your beautiful brown locks shiny, toned, and fresh. Even natural brunettes can benefit from blue shampoo every once in a while. Blue shampoo can subtly alter warmer, coppery tones in your virgin brown locks to cooler, ashy shades.
How is Purple Shampoo Different From Blue Shampoo?
The difference between purple and blue shampoo can be understood by looking at the color wheel. Purple and violet can be found opposite of yellow and light orange. These yellow and light orange hues are often found in blonde hair, so purple shampoo eliminates those brassy tones.
On the other hand, blue is opposite of darker orange and red on the color wheel, which are the brassy tones often found in brunette hair. As a result, blue shampoo is the best fit for getting rid of brassiness in darker hair.
How Often to Use Blue Shampoo
They say you can never have too much of a good thing, but that doesn’t necessarily apply to blue shampoo. Using too much blue shampoo too often can leave you with a darker shade than you desire. One way to avoid over-use is to alternate blue shampoo with your regular go-to shampoo.
The blue pigment in blue shampoo can be a powerful surface toner. Shampooing once or twice a week with blue shampoo should be enough to keep any orange or red tones from showing through. If you need to wash in the meantime, use a nourishing, color-safe shampoo like our anti-frizz shampoo to keep your locks soft and healthy-looking.
“Shampooing once or twice a week with blue shampoo should be enough to keep any orange or red tones from showing through.”
How to Use Blue Shampoo
Blue shampoo works by coating the hair shaft, neutralizing brassiness, and adding gorgeous shine. Here’s how to properly use blue shampoo to neutralize brassy tones and keep the cool brunette color you crave
Step 1: Gently massage blue shampoo into your wet hair. Make sure to incorporate evenly throughout your hair to get the desired effect.
Step 2: Lather and leave it to absorb for two to three minutes.
Step 3: Rinse. Use the blue shampoo daily until brassiness disappears. Then, alternate with your regular shampoo to maintain the results.
Blue shampoo works by coating the hair shaft, neutralizing brassiness, and adding gorgeous shine.
Follow Up with a Blue Conditioner
Conditioner is especially important for dehydrated color-treated locks. Dying and highlighting your strands strips them of their natural moisture. Hydrate your strands with a moisturizing conditioner after every shampoo.
Double up on the toning power by using a blue conditioner after each wash with blue shampoo. In just one use, you’ll see a brighter, fresher, cooler brown.
Seal In Your Color
Finish by using a nourishing hair serum. It’ll boost shine and seal your hair’s cuticle, locking in both moisture and those cool, perfectly-toned brown hues your blue shampoo and conditioner have left you with.
Bust brassiness for good. Check out more of our hair care tips for brunettes.
