Kiss Orange Hair Goodbye Using These Blue Shampoos

Your freshly dyed locks were looking great, but now it seems they have an orangey glow. No, it's not your aura; it's discoloration. What caused this brassy hue, and how do we correct it? "All haircolor fades warm," explains color expert Carly Militello from Cutler Salon, "This is unavoidable due to the natural underlying pigment in the hair." For instance, if you have dark brown hair, it'll fade red, light brunettes can fade to orange, and light blondes can turn yellow. "More often than not, if your highlights keep going orange, they may not have been lifted enough or processed properly at the salon," says Militello, but this is a very common problem when you dye your hair, and usually, it's an over-the-counter fix. Fortunately, science has provided a solution in the form of purple and blue shampoo to prolong visits to the salon and preserve your color-treated hair.

Wait, what’s the difference between blue and purple shampoo?

Blue shampoo is the lesser-known stepsister to purple shampoo and is equally attractive to the right hair type. It was designed for brunettes to counteract orange tones and should not be used on lighter hair as it's a much stronger formula than purple shampoo. Blondes banish brassiness using purple shampoo, which fights yellow undertones. It contains violet pigments that neutralize the strands into a cool blonde tone. However, Militello wisely warns us to use these shampoos sparingly. Thanks to recommendations given to us by Militello and fellow beauty editors, we've curated a list to help you on your hair journey so you'll never deal with unwanted orange hues again.