As always, we recognize that everyone’s hair is unique, so before delving any further, know that this review of toning care is meant to help narrow down your search and simplify your choices.*
The Method to The Blonde Madness
The HairMNL team was really excited to do this. As hair nerds, having our own little “salon lab” has its special set of perks; one of which is having locks of hair to use in deep-dive experiments like this.
To achieve consistency, we used locks from the same natural Asian hair and bleached them to a level 9-10. We then divided them into 6 and assigned one set as the control and the remaining 5 to be tested so we can compare results. To test for pigment strength — we applied the products on dry strands. We realize this won’t be the case in your shower experience, but it is a good baseline to see the resulting color. For further consistency, we also left all the products on for 5 minutes but we recommend that you read instructions and follow the recommended length of time that’s ideal for your hair type.
Not sure if your hair is a level 9-10 blonde? Here’s a quick guide to help:
The lighter the shade of hair, the higher you’ll be on the color level. Although there are benefits to using toning shampoos for levels 5-7, generally for best and most visible results, we recommend using these purple shampoos on level 8-10 hair.
Why do you need purple toning products anyway?
Blonde and light-colored hair has a natural tendency to turn a pale yellow to a dark red. This can be caused by fading hair color and chemical reactions from your environment (i.e., chlorine and other minerals) among many other factors. Enter the purple and blue shampoos. By having pigments neutralize the unwanted brassy tones, you can even out your hair color and make it more silvery.
Learn more about why you need purple shampoo for your colored hair here.
The Results
L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Silver Shampoo
Davines Alchemic Silver Shampoo
So with all this hair knowledge how can you figure out which one is best for you?
Start by getting to know your hair and your lifestyle.
If you just have colored hair and want a product for tone maintenance, consider the Davines Alchemic Silver Shampoo or Davines Heart of Glass Blue Shampoo that offer daily cleansing with mild toning and a lot of hydration.
Looking for another tone maintenance shampoo? Try Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Color Freeze pH 4.5 Silver Shampoo or Revlon Professional ReStart Strengthening Purple Cleanser.
If you have specific concerns like the product being paraben-free or sulfate-free, try Bed Head by TIGI Dumb Blonde Purple Toning Shampoo that still has higher toning power.
Want more paraben-free or sulfate-free options? Try AVEDA Blonde Revival Purple Toning Shampoo or Olaplex No.4P: Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo
Finally, for higher pigments that result in more ashy results, you can also consider Kérastase Blonde Absolu Purple Shampoo or L'Oréal Professionnel Silver Shampoo, that offer good toning power and fair moisturization.
Another highly pigmented toning shampoo option to check out is the Schwarzkopf Goodbye Yellow Neutralizing Bonding Wash.
If you’re still unsure what type of purple shampoo to get for your hair, try taking our Purple Toning Shampoo Quiz, or message us about your hair concern! Let us help you get to know your blonde hair better.
Ready to choose your purple toning shampoo? Visit our special collection here and see all our special offers.
*Existing pigments, silicones, and one's hair's porosity will produce different results from our test. We always recommend getting to know your hair and how it responds to different products.
