Blue vs. Purple: There are lots of blue and purple shampoos on the market. And while they achieve roughly the same outcome, blue is generally intended for brunettes, and purple is for blondes. However, some blue washes lean more toward indigo (and sometimes violet) than classic blue. Boasting a blend of "blue-violet pigments," Matrix Total Results Brass Off Color Depositing Blue Shampoo contains a bit of both. In any case, you can pretty much count on a reduction in brassiness and an overall cooler-toned finish. When your hair has more brass, you can leave on the shampoo for a few extra minutes to combat the extra brassiness. So if you have blonde highlights or you lighten your hair to an all-over blonde, you may notice the lightened hair may become dingy and yellowish over time as repeated shampooing, the sun and thermal tools all strip away the cool tone and expose the underlying warmth. If you are brunette and you have highlights or have lightened your allover hair color, you may notice that over time, your hair begins to look brassy. Matrix pros like to recommend a full system that will not only tone brassy brunette hair color but will also strengthen and condition the hair. Their system of choice is Matrix Total Results Brass Off. The system contains: The most important thing is that the product is pigmented enough to neutralize all the unwanted brass tones. The second is to ensure the product is not drying to the hair. Third, you want to look for a shampoo that guarantees the integrity of your hair and keeps the strength and moisture in your hair. Finally, you also want to make sure the product does not strip your hair. Who needs a blue shampoo?

Overall, our favorite blue shampoo is Matrix Total Results Brass Off Color Depositing Blue Shampoo. We love that it's formulated specifically for lightened brunette hair and that the sulfate-free blend uses blue-violet pigments to provide a brilliant cool-toned finish with no brassiness in sight. Having said that, Not Your Mother's Triple Threat Brunette Blue Treatment Shampoo is an excellent choice for those on a budget but still want to tweak the orange out of their warm brown highlights.

While fair-haired folks often deal with a yellowing effect, brunettes often see an orangey hue. Blue shampoos are one way to combat this—they neutralize the coppery color by adding a cool-toned finish. Just bear in mind that "blue" is somewhat subjective. So while you'll find plenty of undeniably cobalt options, many lean toward indigo and even violet. We spoke to Gina Conway from Gina Conway Salons and Spas, who helped shed some light on why hair goes brassy and how a purple shampoo can help: Based in the United States, Matrix was founded by husband and wife team Arnie and Sydell Miller. Established in 1980, the couple were already seasoned experts in the hairdressing industry and were looking to expand. While there are many standout blue 'poos on the market, Matrix Brass Off shines above the rest. Formulated specifically for lightened brunette hair, this sulfate-free hair wash deposits blue-violet pigments to minimize brassiness. In other words, it creates a stunning cool-toned finish that brings out the intended effect of your color-treated hair. The vanilla-rose scent doesn't hurt either. Our vision) is to build and unite the largest & best educated global community of hairdressers, fueled by expressive inspiration, uncomplicated products and services for all. Stronger together,” via a statement made by Matrix.

Apply blue shampoo to wet hair in the shower. Lather it around, focusing on the color-treated sections, and allow it to sit for three to five minutes. Then rinse it out and use a conditioner like you normally would. Some blue shampoos call for using gloves to avoid getting the color on your skin, but most will wash clean from your hands when you rinse your hair. By far the best shampoo on the market for dark hair! I’ve been complimented sooo much on how healthy and shiny my hair looks since using this shampoo… doesn’t feel drying at all and I have super long natural hair,” one Influenster reviewer wrote for the Matrix Total Results Dark Envy Shampoo. Brass Off Custom Neutralization Mask, for hair that needs a conditioning and toning upgrade. This highly pigmented blue-violet formula neutralizes and eliminates brassy/orange tones to maintain lightened hair. It also helps repair and protect fragile hair. Frequency of Use: Most blue shampoos are intended to be used two or three times a week, which is the case with Not Your Mother's Triple Threat Brunette Blue Treatment Shampoo, though weekly use is often plenty. Be sure to read the directions carefully to avoid overusing it, as the blue pigments could leave your hair with a purple tint. "Sometimes purple or blue toning shampoos can over-tone and cause the hair to look dingy," adds celebrity hair colorist Guy Tang.

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Oxidation is one of the main reasons that hair turns brassy. At a microscopic level, hair color molecules can lose an electron, which causes them to undergo a chemical reaction. Think of blue shampoo as a neutralizer. It’s formulated to counterbalance the coppery tones in your hair and leave you with a more cool-toned finish. What do you look for in a blue shampoo? Shelly Aguirreof Chicago'sMaxine Salonis a professional stylist with 12 years of experience teaching at salons and tradeshows.

People with dark to medium brown hair who have previously lightened hair through any element of hair lightening, whether that’s highlights, balayage, all-over lightened, or permanent color to expose brassy tones. What’s the difference between blue and purple shampoo?For our lab test, we used a spectrophotometer. It's a colour measurement device that we used to analyse the improvements in the yellow tones of the hair after a one-week testing period. Find out which is the best anti-brass shampoo below... Theresa Holland has been contributing to Byrdie since 2020, covering wellness, makeup, skincare, and haircare. For this story, she interviewed two stylists for product recommendations and insight into the science of color-depositing hair washes. Having tried a handful of blue/purple shampoos in the past, she's particularly fond of Fanola and Kevin Murphy. You can read more stories by Theresa on MyDomaine and The Spruce.

Aside from oxidation, there are other things constantly at play when it comes to your hair, including environmental factors: the sun can work to fade your hair, and hard water, which holds tons of minerals, can latch onto hair and cause it to go brassy. Plus, the occasional dip in the swimming pool isn't exactly a win for your lengths, either. Of course, this is where a purple shampoo is vital to keeping you out of the stylist's chair every other week. More recently, the brand has introduced a ‘hair matrix’ to ensure that all of their formulas work for every single diverse hair type. Today, their headquarters are based in Ohio.It’s very common for colour treated hair to change tone, especially through exposure to the sun, environmental pollutants and water with high mineral levels or chlorine,' says Gina. 'When hair is lightened, the natural colour is removed to accommodate the new colour, but as all hair colour has an underlying warmth, this will eventually start to show through. Using a purple shampoo will balance the yellow and orange tones in the hair.' How many times do you use purple shampoo? Hairstyling pros recommend sudsing up with blue shampoo once a week to cancel orange or red tones out of brown hair color. For more toning, leave it in your hair for two or three minutes before rinsing. Don’t worry if your blue shampoo hits the shower tile--it will rinse out. You may wish to use gloves when shampooing to protect your skin. What’s a Good Blue Shampoo to Use? A variety of products to choose from. This includes the specially formulated Matrix shampoo and the Matrix hair mask