Top 5 Shampoos For Blonde Highlighted Hair Review

Do your beautiful blonde highlights look dull or brassy just weeks after a salon visit? It’s a common frustration for anyone rocking those sun-kissed streaks. Maintaining vibrant, bright blonde hair when you have highlights is a real challenge. The wrong shampoo can quickly strip your color, leaving behind unwanted yellow or orange tones, making your highlights look faded and lifeless.

Finding the perfect shampoo is crucial because standard formulas often contain harsh sulfates that attack the delicate, lightened strands. You need something specialized that cleanses gently while actively fighting brassiness. If you’re tired of spending good money on highlights only to watch them fade too soon, you are in the right place.

This guide cuts through the confusion. We will break down exactly what ingredients to look for and which ones to avoid. By the end, you will know precisely which shampoo will keep your blonde highlights looking fresh, bright, and salon-perfect, wash after wash. Let’s dive into the secrets of keeping your blonde brilliant!

Top Shampoo For Highlighted Hair Blonde Recommendations

No. 1
Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Purple Shampoo, 16 fl. Oz, Neutralizes Brass & Yellow Tones, For...
  • Removes dull yellow in gray white hair
  • Leaves hair shiny without residue
  • Renews and refreshes faded highlights.
No. 2
L’Oreal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo and Conditioner Set for Blonde,...
  • Toning Sulfate Free Shampoo & Conditioner: Maintain your perfect blonde with EverPure's Sulfate Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo and Conditioner that hydrates and neutralizes brassy yellow and orange tones in blonde, bleached, highlighted and silver hair
  • Hydrating Formula: Color-treated hair requires special care. This moisturizing shampoo and conditioner is infused with Hibiscus and Purple Dye to tone brassy hair and leave it deeply moisturized
  • For Best Results: Use EverPure's Purple Shampoo and Conditioner system 2-3 times a week instead of your normal shampoo and conditioner routine. Lather purple shampoo into wet hair, leave in for up to 2 minutes. Follow with purple conditioner
  • Vegan Shampoo and Conditioner: EverPure hair products have the purest respect for your hair and have been formulated without sulfates, parabens and harsh salts. Always color caring and powered by science
No. 3
L’Oreal Paris Sulfate Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo for Blonde, Bleached, Silver, or Brown...
  • Toning Sulfate Free Shampoo: Maintain your perfect blonde with EverPure's Sulfate Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo that hydrates and neutralizes brassy yellow and orange tones in blonde, bleached, highlighted and silver hair
  • Hydrating Shampoo Formula: Color-treated hair requires special care. This moisturizing shampoo is infused with Hibiscus and Purple Dye to tone brassy hair and leave it deeply moisturized
  • For Best Results: Use EverPure's Purple Shampoo and Conditioner system 2-3 times a week instead of your normal shampoo and conditioner routine. Lather purple shampoo into wet hair, leave in for up to 2 minutes. Follow with purple conditioner
  • Vegan Shampoo: EverPure hair products have the purest respect for your hair and have been formulated without sulfates, parabens and harsh salts. Always color caring and powered by science
No. 4
Redken Blondage Color Depositing Purple Shampoo For Blonde, Bleached or Highlighted Hair -...
  • Color Depositing Purple Shampoo: A professional salon shampoo for color-treated or chemically-treated hair, including bleached hair. Neutralizes brassy, yellow and orange undertones
  • Benefits: With purple pigments to instantly tone, strengthen and moisture blonde, bleached, and color treated hair. Helps with color retention, anti-fade protection and maximizes color vibrancy for a cooler blonde result
  • Additional Benefits: Cleanses, strengthens and adds softness. With salicylic acid to strengthen and repair blonde hair from the core and pure violet pigments to remove unwanted brassiness and leave hair color cool and bright
  • Suggested Use: Use 2-3 times a week. Apply and leave on for 3-5 minutes. Anti-Brass pigmented purple formula with protein, amino acids and glycerin to ensure brighter, cooler blonde hair
No. 6
Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Purple Shampoo, 8 fl. Oz | Neutralizes Brass & Yellow Tones |...
  • Color-enhancing shampoo brightens and refreshes blonde, highlighted and silver hair.
  • Renews and refreshes faded highlights and ash-toned hair.
  • Removes the dull yellow in silver hair, and leaves hair shiny without residue.
No. 7
L’Oreal Paris Sulfate Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo for Blonde, Bleached, Silver, or Brown...
  • Toning Sulfate Free Shampoo: Maintain your perfect blonde with EverPure's Sulfate Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo that hydrates and neutralizes brassy yellow and orange tones in blonde, bleached, highlighted and silver hair
  • Hydrating Shampoo Formula: Color-treated hair requires special care. This moisturizing shampoo is infused with Hibiscus and Purple Dye to tone brassy hair and leave it deeply moisturized
  • For Best Results: Use EverPure's Purple Shampoo and Conditioner system 2-3 times a week instead of your normal shampoo and conditioner routine. Lather purple shampoo into wet hair, leave in for up to 2 minutes. Follow with purple conditioner
  • Vegan Shampoo: EverPure hair products have the purest respect for your hair and have been formulated without sulfates, parabens and harsh salts. Always color caring and powered by science
No. 8
john frieda sheer blonde highlight activating shampoo,platinum to Champagne 8.3 oz / 250mL
  • Platinum to Champagne
  • Brings out glistening blonde highlights
  • Amplifies mega-watt shine without adding or depositing Color
  • For lighter shades of natural, color-treated or highlighted blonde hair

Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Shampoo for Highlighted Blonde Hair

Blonde highlights look amazing, but they need special care. Regular shampoo can strip the color and make your beautiful blonde look brassy or dull. Finding the right shampoo keeps your highlights bright, vibrant, and healthy. This guide helps you pick the perfect bottle.

Key Features to Look For

When shopping for shampoo for highlighted blonde hair, look closely at the bottle. These features matter most:

  • **Color-Safe Formula:** The shampoo must say “color-safe.” This means it cleans gently without washing out the dye too quickly.
  • **Toning Agents (Purple or Blue):** For blonde hair, toning is crucial. Purple shampoo cancels out yellow or brassy tones. Blue shampoo helps neutralize orange tones, often needed for darker blondes or balayage.
  • **UV Protection:** Sunlight fades highlights fast. Good shampoos include ingredients that block UV rays, protecting your color outdoors.
  • **Moisturizing Ingredients:** Highlights often make hair drier. Look for shampoos that deeply hydrate your strands.
Important Ingredients: What to Seek and What to Avoid

The ingredients list tells you a lot about the shampoo’s quality.

Ingredients That Help Blonde Hair:
  • **Natural Oils (Argan, Coconut):** These oils add shine and moisture back into dry, highlighted hair.
  • **Keratin or Proteins:** Highlights can weaken the hair shaft. Proteins help repair and strengthen the hair structure.
  • **Violet Pigments:** These are the active ingredients in purple shampoos that neutralize unwanted yellow.
Ingredients That Harm Blonde Hair:
  • **Harsh Sulfates (like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – SLS):** Sulfates create a lot of lather, but they strip color and moisture aggressively. Avoid these if you want your highlights to last.
  • **Heavy Parabens:** While some debate their danger, many people prefer to avoid parabens in their color-care routines.

Factors That Improve or Reduce Shampoo Quality

The quality of your shampoo directly impacts your hair’s health and color vibrancy.

What Improves Quality:

Shampoos with a higher concentration of conditioning agents and quality UV blockers usually cost a bit more, but they provide better protection. Products specifically labeled “professional grade” often use gentler cleansers, which improves color retention significantly.

What Reduces Quality:

Cheap, basic shampoos often use strong detergents to clean everything away—including your expensive highlights. If a shampoo feels very stripping or leaves your hair feeling brittle after washing, its quality for color care is low.

User Experience and Use Cases

How you use the shampoo changes the results you see.

Frequency of Use:

You should rarely use toning shampoos (purple/blue) every day. Overuse can sometimes leave a slight lavender tint, especially on very light or white hair. Use a regular color-safe shampoo most days. Use the toning shampoo once or twice a week, depending on how quickly your highlights start looking brassy.

Texture and Feel:

A good color-safe shampoo should feel creamy and rich, not watery. It should lather softly, not aggressively. After rinsing, your hair should feel soft, not tangled. If your hair feels like straw after just shampooing, switch brands.

Best Use Cases:
  • **Post-Salon Care:** Use it immediately after your highlighting appointment to lock in the fresh color.
  • **Summer Protection:** Increase use during summer months when sun exposure is high.
  • **Brassiness Control:** Use the toning variety whenever you notice yellow creeping into your blonde base or highlights.

10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Blonde Highlight Shampoo

Q: How often should I use purple shampoo?

A: Most people use purple shampoo once or twice a week. Check your hair; if it starts looking yellow sooner, use it more often. If it looks too cool or purple, use it less frequently.

Q: Can I use regular shampoo on highlighted hair?

A: You can, but it is not recommended. Regular shampoos often contain sulfates that strip the color out much faster, making your highlights fade quickly.

Q: Will this shampoo strip my toner?

A: All shampoos will cause some slow fading of toner. However, a dedicated color-safe shampoo will fade the toner much slower than a harsh, clarifying shampoo.

Q: What is the difference between purple and blue shampoo?

A: Purple shampoo targets yellow tones. Blue shampoo targets orange tones. Blondes with very light platinum hair usually need purple. Darker blondes or those with warmer highlights often benefit from blue.

Q: Does this shampoo help damaged hair?

A: Color-safe shampoos often contain repairing ingredients like keratin. While they don’t reverse all damage, they help protect the hair while adding necessary moisture.

Q: Are expensive shampoos really better for highlights?

A: Often, yes. Higher-priced products usually use gentler cleansing agents and contain higher concentrations of protective ingredients like UV filters and conditioning oils.

Q: Should I use conditioner every time I shampoo?

A: Yes. Highlighted hair needs moisture constantly. Always follow up your shampoo, especially a toning one, with a good, hydrating conditioner.

Q: Can I use this shampoo if my hair is naturally blonde, not highlighted?

A: If your natural blonde hair tends to get dull or slightly yellow from minerals in the water, a light purple shampoo can help keep it bright. It works well for natural blondes too.

Q: What happens if I leave the purple shampoo on too long?

A: If left on for too long, the violet pigment can deposit too heavily, leaving your light blonde hair with a temporary, unwanted lavender or gray tint.

Q: Is it okay to use clarifying shampoo occasionally?

A: Clarifying shampoos are harsh; they remove buildup. You should only use a clarifying shampoo once a month maximum on highlighted hair, and always follow it up with a deep moisturizing treatment immediately after.