Maintaining the vibrancy of salon color requires a specific type of hair care that standard shampoos often fail to provide. The challenge is finding a formula that offers effective color protection without compromising hair health or scalp balance. This analysis breaks down eight of the best rated shampoo for color treated hair options, detailing the key ingredients and formulations that extend the life of hair dye. A good shampoo for colored hair should enhance overall shine and prevent premature color fade.
| Product | Edyt ScoreMethodology: The Edyt Score reflects a comprehensive analysis of ingredient profiles, concentration levels, and formulation standards. It is an objective technical evaluation of the product's composition, separate from crowd-sourced user reviews. | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4/5 | Ideal choice for natural scalp care, exfoliating, balancing oil, and promoting healthy hair. | ||
| 4.4/5 | Perfect for blondes, delivering cool, bright tones and strengthening hair by banishing brassiness. | ||
| 4.4/5 | Ideal choice for blonde or gray hair, maintaining vibrancy while nourishing and repairing. | ||
| 4.3/5 | Ideal choice for blondes needing to repair and maintain vibrant, healthy, lightened hair. | ||
| 4.3/5 | Ideal choice for blonde hair owners seeking to banish brassiness and maintain vibrant color. | ||
| 4.3/5 | Perfect for color-treated blondes needing gentle, sulfate-free toning and color maintenance. | ||
| 4.3/5 | Perfect for dry, processed blonde hair needing hydration and effective toning. | ||
| 4.2/5 | Ideal choice for blonde/grey hair: banishes brassiness and repairs damage effectively. |
Explore the full range of the best shampoo for color treated hair picks below.
Best Rated Shampoo for Color Treated Hair
Keep your color vibrant and your hair healthy with our best-rated shampoos specifically formulated for...
View Collection
Best for Deep Scalp Exfoliation: Whipi Co Scrub- Sea Salt Shampoo
Whipi Co Scrub- Sea Salt Shampoo
This unique formula from Whipi Co operates as both a color safe clarifying shampoo and a scalp treatment. Natural sea salt crystals work to exfoliate the scalp, removing product buildup, excess oil, and dead skin cells that can lead to dull hair. This process promotes a healthier environment for hair growth and allows hair color to appear more radiant. While a powerful scrub, this clarifying shampoo for color treated hair is formulated to be gentle enough for regular use, ensuring a deep clean without stripping essential moisture or hair dye.
Quick Specs
| Key Active | Sea Salt |
| Texture | Thick Scrub |
| Best For | Oily, color-treated hair and product buildup |
| Scent | Light, fresh |
What We Like
- Effectively clarifies the scalp for improved scalp health
- Acts as a great volumizing shampoo for color treated hair that is fine or flat
- Helps remove impurities that can dull hair color and vibrancy
What to Keep in Mind
- The coarse texture may not be suitable for a very sensitive scalp
- Should be used intermittently, not as a daily shampoo for colored hair
Best for Neutralizing Stubborn Brassiness: Redken Blondage Purple Shampoo
Redken Blondage Purple Shampoo
A salon staple, Redken Blondage is a powerful toning shampoo designed to combat the unwanted yellow tones and orange tones that often appear in blonde hair. Its formula contains highly concentrated violet pigments that act as a color corrector, instantly neutralizing brassiness for a cooler, brighter finish. The inclusion of Citric Acid helps to strengthen and repair damaged hair from the core, a common concern for lightened locks. This is a top-tier choice and often considered the best professional shampoo for color treated hair, especially for maintaining the integrity of platinum, silver hair, and ash-blonde shades.
Quick Specs
| Key Active | Ultra Violet Pigment, Citric Acid |
| Texture | Rich Liquid |
| Best For | Blonde, silver, and highlighted hair prone to brassiness |
| Scent | Light floral |
What We Like
- Delivers immediate, noticeable toning results on yellow tones
- Strengthening complex helps fortify lightened, brittle hair
- This anti-fade shampoo provides UV protection to prevent color fade
What to Keep in Mind
- Highly pigmented formula can stain hands or porous surfaces if not rinsed promptly
- Can be drying if used too frequently; best alternated with a hydrating shampoo for color treated hair
Best for A Complete Toning System: L LUSETA Purple Shampoo and Conditioner Set
L LUSETA Purple Shampoo and Conditioner Set
For those seeking a comprehensive hair care routine, this shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair from L LUSETA offers a two-step approach to color maintenance. The purple shampoo is formulated with violet pigments to neutralize brassiness in blonde, highlighted, and gray hair. It is a sulfate free and paraben free shampoo, making it a gentler choice for delicate, processed hair. The accompanying conditioner is enriched with nourishing ingredients like coconut oil, which helps to combat the dryness often associated with toning products, leaving hair soft, manageable, and vibrant.
Quick Specs
| Key Active | Violet Pigment, Coconut Oil |
| Texture | Creamy Shampoo, Rich Conditioner |
| Best For | A full toning and conditioning regimen for colored hair |
| Scent | Pleasant, clean |
What We Like
- Convenient set provides both cleansing and deep hydration
- Sulfate-free formula is gentle on hair color and scalp
- Helps manage frizzy hair, making it a good shampoo for color treated frizzy hair
What to Keep in Mind
- Toning effect is more gradual compared to highly concentrated formulas
- May not be strong enough for severe, deep orange tones in brunette colored hair
Best for Damaged or Brittle Blonde Hair: Pureology Strength Cure Blonde Purple Shampoo
Pureology Strength Cure Blonde Purple Shampoo
Pureology combines its toning expertise with its renowned strengthening technology in the Strength Cure Blonde formula. This purple shampoo not only deposits violet pigments to correct yellow and orange undertones but also contains Keravis, a plant-based protein that helps fortify and heal damaged hair. The brand's patented Antifade Complex provides robust color protection, making it a top-rated anti-fade shampoo. This salon quality, vegan formula is an excellent investment for those with fragile, over-processed, or even color treated thinning hair who need both color correction and intensive repair.
Quick Specs
| Key Active | Keravis, Astaxanthin, Purple Orchid |
| Texture | Concentrated Gel-Cream |
| Best For | Weakened, color-damaged blonde and fine color treated hair |
| Scent | Pear, Rose, and Sandalwood blend |
What We Like
- Strengthens hair to help prevent split ends and breakage
- Sulfate-free cleanser preserves moisture and is a great shampoo for color treated dry hair
- Antifade Complex offers superior color protection against environmental stressors
What to Keep in Mind
- Premium price point reflects its concentrated, high-performance formula
- A little goes a long way; over-application can lead to a lavender tint
Best Drugstore Shampoo for Color Treated Hair: OGX Impecca-Blonde Purple Shampoo
OGX Impecca-Blonde Purple Shampoo
Offering effective toning without a high price tag, the OGX Impecca-Blonde Purple Shampoo is a fantastic and affordable shampoo for color treated hair. This color safe shampoo is infused with purple fig and iris to help kick brassy tones to the curb, while keratin proteins work to make strands stronger. The formula provides a hydrating cleanse that leaves hair feeling soft, not stripped. It's a great choice for shoppers looking for the best drugstore shampoo for color treated hair to maintain cool-toned blonde, platinum, or even brunette hair with highlights, providing a gentle brightening effect.
Quick Specs
| Key Active | Purple Fig, Iris, Keratin |
| Texture | Medium-viscosity liquid |
| Best For | Budget-conscious shoppers needing brass reduction |
| Scent | Fruity and floral |
What We Like
- Accessible price point for daily or weekly toning
- Contains keratin for added hair-strengthening benefits
- Effectively brightens and removes mild yellow tones from colored hair
What to Keep in Mind
- Contains sulfates, which some individuals with very dry or color treated curly hair may wish to avoid
- May require leaving on for a few minutes to see optimal toning results
Best for Gentle Sulfate-Free Toning: L'Oreal Paris Blonde Sulfate-Free Shampoo
L'Oreal Paris Blonde Sulfate-Free Shampoo
L'Oreal Paris's EverPure line is known for its commitment to sulfate-free formulations, and this blonde shampoo is no exception. It's specifically designed to be a gentle shampoo for color treated hair, neutralizing brassiness while deeply moisturizing. The formula, enriched with hibiscus and purple dye, works to tone highlighted, blonde, and gray hair without the harshness of sulfates that can strip color and natural oils. This makes it an ideal moisturizing shampoo for color treated hair, especially for those with a sensitive scalp or extremely dry hair who still require effective color correction.
Quick Specs
| Key Active | Hibiscus, Purple Dye |
| Texture | Creamy Lotion |
| Best For | Sensitive scalps and the best shampoo for color treated dry hair |
| Scent | Fresh botanical |
What We Like
- 100% sulfate-free, paraben-free, and vegan formula
- Provides significant hydration for soft, healthy hair
- Gently tones without over-drying the hair or scalp, preserving your hair color
What to Keep in Mind
- Toning power is subtle, designed for maintenance rather than dramatic correction
- May not be cleansing enough for very oily hair types
Best for Boosting Shine and Vibrancy: The Beachwaver Co. BRB Blonde Purple Shampoo
The Beachwaver Co. BRB Blonde Purple Shampoo
This purple shampoo from The Beachwaver Co. focuses on restoring both color and brilliance to tired locks. The "BRB" stands for "balancing, repairing, and brightening," and the formula lives up to the name. It uses a blend of violet pigments to cancel out yellow hues, while natural ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter provide intense nourishment and shine. A key ingredient, Tahitian Monoi Flower, helps to tame frizzy hair and protect against environmental damage. It's a great option for achieving that glossy, healthy hair look while keeping brass at bay, making it a top-rated shampoo for colored hair.
Quick Specs
| Key Active | Coconut Oil, Tahitian Monoi Flower, Shea Butter |
| Texture | Rich, pearlescent liquid |
| Best For | Dull, frizzy color-treated hair needing a shine boost |
| Scent | Coconut and vanilla |
What We Like
- Infused with moisturizing oils for superior softness and shine
- Effectively reduces brass while hydrating the hair
- This color extending shampoo is free from parabens and phthalates
What to Keep in Mind
- The rich, hydrating formula might be too heavy for very fine color treated hair
- Scent is distinct and may not appeal to everyone
Best for Repairing Bonds in Lightened Hair: Marc Anthony Bond Repair Purple Shampoo
Marc Anthony Bond Repair Purple Shampoo
Bleaching and coloring can weaken the structural bonds within the hair, leading to breakage. The Marc Anthony Bond Repair Purple Shampoo addresses this directly. This innovative formula combines the brass-fighting power of a toning shampoo with a bond repair complex that helps to rebuild and reinforce the hair's internal structure. It works to improve elasticity and reduce split ends while simultaneously correcting unwanted yellow tones. This is an essential hair treatment for colored hair, especially for anyone with heavily processed or chemically treated hair looking for both color maintenance and structural repair.
Quick Specs
| Key Active | Bond Repair Complex, Violet Pigments |
| Texture | Gel-like liquid |
| Best For | Chemically damaged and over-processed colored hair |
| Scent | Clean and fresh |
What We Like
- Dual-action formula tones color and repairs hair bonds
- Improves hair strength and resilience over time, helping to prevent breakage
- Sulfate-free formulation is gentle on fragile strands and preserves hair color
What to Keep in Mind
- Bond repair benefits are most noticeable with consistent, long-term use
- May not provide enough moisture for exceptionally coarse or curly hair without a deep conditioner
Frequently Asked Questions
What ingredients should be avoided in a shampoo for color treated hair?
The primary ingredients to avoid are harsh sulfates, like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). These detergents create a rich lather but can strip hair of its natural oils and, more importantly, its expensive hair color. A good color care shampoo will be sulfate-free. High concentrations of salt (Sodium Chloride) and certain drying alcohols can also accelerate color fade and lead to dry, brittle hair. Look for a pH balanced shampoo to keep the hair cuticle sealed.
How often should purple shampoo be used?
This depends on the intensity of the shampoo and the needs of the hair. For highly pigmented formulas like Redken Blondage, using it once a week is often sufficient to maintain cool tones. For more gentle, maintenance-focused shampoos, it can be used two to three times a week. Proper hair care for colored hair involves alternating a purple shampoo with a hydrating, color safe shampoo to avoid over-toning or dryness. Learning how to wash color treated hair correctly is key to longevity.
Can you use a purple shampoo on brunette or red hair?
Yes, especially on brunette hair with highlights or a balayage. Unwanted brassy or orange tones can appear in lightened sections of dark hair, and a purple or even a blue shampoo can help neutralize them. For red hair, which tends to fade to a brassy orange, a purple shampoo can help cool down the tone. However, a specific shampoo for red colored hair, often a color depositing shampoo, is usually a better choice to boost vibrancy and restore red pigments.
Does a color safe shampoo really make a difference?
Absolutely. A quality color safe shampoo is formulated with milder cleansing agents, a lower pH, and often includes UV filters and antioxidants. These components work together to create a gentle formula that cleanses without aggressively lifting the cuticle, which helps lock in color molecules. This prevents premature color fade and keeps the hair color looking vibrant for longer, acting as a true color extending shampoo.
What is the difference between a purple shampoo and a blue shampoo?
The difference lies in color theory. Purple sits opposite yellow on the color wheel, so purple shampoo is designed to cancel out unwanted yellow tones, making it ideal for blonde, silver, and gray hair. Blue sits opposite orange, so blue shampoo is formulated to neutralize the unwanted orange and red-orange tones that often appear in lightened brunette colored hair.
What is the best overall shampoo for color treated hair?
The answer to "what is the best shampoo for color treated hair" truly depends on your hair type and primary concern. If you have dry, damaged strands, a moisturizing shampoo for color treated hair like the L'Oreal EverPure is ideal. If you have flat, limp hair, a color safe volumizing shampoo would be a better fit. For those with salon-lightened hair, a professional-grade toning shampoo is non-negotiable to fight brassiness. Always look for a sulfate-free formula to ensure the most gentle cleanse that preserves your color.
Final Verdict
Choosing the best rated shampoo for color treated hair depends on the specific needs of one's hair type and color goals. From intensive toning with a professional shampoo for color treated hair to gentle daily cleansing, these formulations offer targeted solutions to keep salon color fresh and hair healthy.
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best Value | OGX Impecca-Blonde Purple Shampoo | The best drugstore shampoo for color treated hair, it offers effective toning with strengthening keratin at an accessible price. |
| Best Splurge | Pureology Strength Cure Blonde Purple Shampoo | A premium, salon quality formula that provides superior toning, color protection, and repair for damaged, fine color treated hair. |
| Best for Sensitive Skin | L'Oreal Paris Blonde Sulfate-Free Shampoo | This gentle, sulfate-free formula is the best shampoo for color treated dry hair, as it cleanses and tones without irritation. |
| Editor's Pick | Redken Blondage Purple Shampoo | Its powerful, concentrated pigments deliver immediate and reliable anti-brass results, making it a top professional favorite. |
