We tried the new Olaplex purple shampoo on bleach-blonde hair — here’s how it stacks up

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I want to preface this post with a few things: First, I am not a licensed beautician or cosmetologist by any means. I did go and get my hair professionally colored a few days after I initially colored it at home. I’m sharing how my hair responded after I colored it at home and my thoughts on whether the purple shampoo made a difference. Please, please, please: If you are using bleach or chemicals on your hair, go to a professional.

So, I’ve been a blonde for over a decade. Most recently, I wanted to touch up my incredibly dark roots and knew that I would be reaching for my Olaplex products while in the process. Whenever people compliment how “strong” my hair is, despite being almost a platinum blonde, just know that Olaplex is one of my secret weapons for success.

Olaplex has exclusive multi-patented technology that relinks bonds in the hair to strengthen and repair. When you’re doing work like dyeing your hair (any color), you can restore your hair bonds and help reverse some of the damage. I use the brand a lot on my bleach-blond locks — so when I learned Olapex was introducing a Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo, I knew I had to try it.

Olaplex No. 4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo, $28

Credit: Olaplex
Credit: Olaplex

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The Olaplex No. 4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo cleanses, tones, repairs and protects while keeping hair hydrated from roots to ends. It is a sulfate-free, highly concentrated formula that forms a rich lather to neutralize brassiness and boost brightness after just one use.

Initial thoughts:

It’s a dark purple shampoo, so it’s really good if you have extremely brassy hair. This can be because you just dyed it or because it’s naturally turning brassy over time. Either way, I appreciated that this shampoo meant business.

Secondly, my hair did not feel stripped whatsoever after using this shampoo. To be clear, this is not a clarifying shampoo (the ones that get sudsy and strip your hair of oil and dirt). After applying, I left it on my hair for about five minutes and then rinsed it out. My hair felt strong and I did see an immediate difference. My hair looked a lot less orange and more ash-toned. I could have done a second application, but since I knew I probably would go to a professional in a few days, I gave my hair a rest. To add more moisture back into my strands, I also used the brand’s moisture mask.

Of course, a purple shampoo can’t reverse a really bad dye job (like I did). However, it can even out the brassiness and potentially get you to the color you really want.

Overall thoughts:

There are a lot of purple shampoos out on the market, but not another toning shampoo that specifically works to rebind the hair bonds. If you just naturally want to tone your hair when it gets brassy, this is a solid option. However, I definitely recommend this if you are someone who has bleach or harsh chemicals in your hair and you want to strengthen or repair your hair in the process. That is where the magic happens and I truly believe this is just another great addition to the Olaplex family.

You can apply this on the roots or anywhere that needs an extra splash of toner. Since you won’t use this every single wash (unless you want to go grey or white), it will also last you a very long time. The price point may feel offputting; but so are frequent trips to the salon to remove brassy, unwanted hair.

Overall, 10/10.

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