How to Save Your Blonde Hair Color (With Purple Products)
By Lindsay Colameo
Whether or not blondes have more fun could be debated endlessly, but there’s no denying that getting and maintaining bright, beautiful golden color takes extra TLC. I recently made the jump to the lighter side and have become crazy protective of my new hue with weekly conditioning treatments, daily UV-protective sprays, and—if you can imagine—purple shampoo and conditioner. I’d be lying if I said lathering a dark-grape formula on my light blonde hair isn’t somewhat terrifying (every single time), but the vibrant results have me hooked. So how exactly does purple keep blonde so blonde? We chatted with cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer and Meri Kate O’Connor, a senior colorist at Eva Scrivo Salons in New York City, to find out.
“It goes back to an old laundry concept called ‘bluing,’ where people would intentionally add blue dye to laundry,” explains Hammer. “This would eliminate any yellowed, dingy appearance and make the laundry appear brighter and whiter.” Purple dye does the same thing since, according to basic color theory, lavender and yellow are opposites on the color wheel and can neutralize one another. “These formulas help to counteract the yellow, brassy tones often seen in blondes as they naturally oxidize,” says O’Conner. “Just as a gold color enhancer can warm up a blonde that feels too ashy, lavender-tinted products are good for someone who wants to stay on the cooler side, like a platinum or Arctic blonde.”
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Many of these products are also spiked with ingredients to further enhance blonde color, such as optical brighteners, like distyrylbipheny disulfonate. “They actually fluoresce under UV light, like sunlight,” says Hammer. Others, like the Redken Blonde Idol line and the Oribe Bright Blonde collection, include violet-leaf extract or violet pigments in addition to purple dye for added brightness and to help eliminate brassiness. And some formulas, like the Shu Uemura Color Lustre line, include refining lipids and musk-rose oil. “These ingredients restore the hair’s natural varnish while protecting the color from fading,” O'Connor adds.
Although these products are not permanent, they are not for the inexperienced. “Dehydrated or damaged hair, which is more porous, can easily over absorb the pigments in these products, which can dull your overall color,” O’Conner warns. They will also alter the overall color and tone of your hair. “If you’re still having trouble with brassy tones, talk to your colorist. I often customize glazes for my clients who are having difficulty keeping their blonde bright and beautiful,” suggests O’Conner.
Photo: Getty Images
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