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
Read more: 10 best volumising hair products for bouncy hair, tested by a beauty expert
