I have been a blonde since I was a born. There have been periods where I experiment with highlights and lowlights, but regardless I always remain some shade of blonde. Now within the shade of blonde, you can have all kinds of differing tones and shades. The same can be said for any shade of color-treated hair! I had mentioned on my Instagram Stories last week about doing a hair gloss to help freshen up my highlights and condition my hair. I also mentioned that if you are a blonde or especially a color-treated blonde, that you should really be using a purple shampoo. If you’re a girl that meets that criteria, then this is the blog post for you!

I started using purple shampoos a couple of years ago, and immediately after a couple of uses I was shocked as to why I hadn’t tried them sooner. The purple or violet tones tone down brassiness that deposits into the hair over time as the color fades. This could be true in color-treated blonde hair, highlighted brunette hair, or anyone that has lightened-blonde hair. There are varying kinds, consistencies, and effectiveness, but I have found some that I really love and find keep my blonde hair cool-toned, vibrant and fresh.

Lately, I have been LOVING this purple shampoo and conditioner from Kristin Ess (and yes, I will continue to sing her praises because her products are amazing!). This brand is available exclusively at Target, and this is the same brand as the hair gloss that I applied last week and loved. This shampoo is very pigmented and the combination of the shampoo and conditioner leave my hair the softest it has been in a long time (the conditioner especially). It is also extremely good at reducing brassiness, and is also sulfate-free! If you’re not aware, using sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner is much better for color-treated hair because it helps your applied-color last much longer without damage or fading. Also, for even more of an added benefit, this combination is extremely cost effective when compared to other high-end purple shampoo and conditioners because they’re only $11.99 each! I have linked them above.

If you missed my Instagram Stories about this product, I’ll recap again because I was extremely impressed with how effective this hair gloss was. Basically a hair gloss is a treatment to help neutralize unwanted color tones, deep condition and smooth the hair cuticle, and really boost shine and quality. It was extremely easy to mix and apply, and even after only leaving it on my hair for the minimal amount of time, I can still feel the effects a week later in the softness and cuticle of my hair. There are many differing shades of the Kristin Ess hair glosses depending on your shade and desired outcome. I used this “Winter Wheat” shade to reduce brassiness in my hair and brighten my cool blonde. There is also a more golden-toned blonde, as well as many brunette and darker shades! There is even also a colorless option if you just want to revive and condition damaged, dry hair.

Lastly, especially for blondes, are the Pravana Perfect Blonde products. While you will see brass-reducing qualities from any violet/purple shampoo, the Pravana products really pack a punch. This masque especially has been a wonderful product I usually use at least weekly. The entire perfect blonde line is excellent, but I incorporated this masque with a TIGI purple shampoo that I already owned, and it works so well at brightening blonde and restoring bright, cool blonde tones. It is also quite hydrating too which is a great perk. If you really want to just purchase one easy product to help brighten your blonde, then this is it!

Brassiness can show up in not only blonde hair, but also highlighted brunette hair, red hair, or ombre hair. Blondes aren’t the ones always having all the fun! Brass reducing shampoo is great for all of the above and the Matrix Brass Off line is a great product that I have also used to help revive your hair color. Many of these products mentioned are available at Target at Ulta and will go on sale frequently, so try to catch them when they do so you can purchase the shampoo and conditioner together! There are so many differing purple and toning shampoos, but I try to keep mine as cost-effective as possible. Also as I mentioned earlier, try to keep them sulfate-free if you’re color-treated to keep your color lasting as long as possible!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and maybe found a new product to try! Let’s keep that hair vibrant and healthy!

xoxo, Chelsea