If you have light-colored hair naturally or have been bleaching your hair for quite some time now, you probably have a cabinet full of shampoos and conditioners that you swear by.
But are you using the right one for your hair color? After all, some colors, such as platinum blonde, can be pretty tricky to maintain. And if you want to keep your locks gorgeous and bright, proper hair maintenance should be at the top of your priority list.
Luckily, that's where platinum shampoo comes in. It's a fairly new trend, but it's a nifty little innovation that's been making waves in recent years.
Despite that, some people claim that purple shampoo is still all you need to keep your strands cool and icy.
So, which one is better? In this post, we'll provide an overview of both shampoos and discuss the pros and cons of each. By the end, you should be able to decide for yourself which is better – platinum or purple shampoo!
An Introduction to Platinum Shampoo
The hairstyling world isn't new to colored shampoos. Better known as toning shampoos, this type of shampoo is often used to enhance, improve, or correct the color of one's strands.
Today, the most popular toning shampoo is arguably purple shampoo, but there are also other colors like blue and green.
Each one aims to tone or 'neutralize' a specific hair color using complementary pigments in the shampoo's formula – and if you can still visualize the color wheel from art class, you can probably guess which shampoo neutralizes which color.
Purple shampoo contains violet pigments that help tone yellow hair. Blue shampoo contains blue pigments to tone orange hair, while green shampoo contains green pigments to tone red hair.
There's also platinum shampoo, a special type of toning shampoo that works just like purple shampoo, with a few key differences.
Platinum shampoo, also known as silver shampoo or platinum blonde shampoo, is a type of shampoo formulated to remove yellow tones from hair. True to its name, people with blonde or silver hair often use it to keep their strands looking bright, shiny, and with a platinum tone.
It seems similar to purple shampoo, but how exactly do they differ? We'll find out in the next section.
Platinum Shampoo vs. Purple Shampoo
If you have white, platinum, silver, or even blonde hair, you'll know how annoying it is to deal with brassy tones.
Brassiness occurs when your hair is exposed to chlorine, saltwater, UV rays, or other forms of heat. This causes the unwanted warm tones in your strands to show, resulting in your hair turning into an unflattering shade of yellow or orange over time.
A few causes of brassy hair include:
- Spending too much time under the heat of the sun without a hat on.
- Swimming regularly in the ocean or in heavily-chlorinated swimming pools.
- Using your flat iron or curling wand every single day.
Brassiness is a common problem, but thankfully, there are ways to combat it.
The most popular method, as mentioned above, is using purple shampoo. Since purple shampoo contains violet pigments, it can neutralize the warm tones in the hair and cause the cool tones to come out.
Platinum shampoo works in a similar way, but it's specifically designed for white or platinum hair. This means that it's formulated to be stronger and more effective at removing yellow tones and toning hair to a true platinum blonde color.
It also contains more blue pigments than purple shampoo, which helps give hair a brighter platinum blonde color.
In the next section, we'll talk about the benefits of platinum shampoo and why you should consider using it to maintain your platinum blonde hair instead of traditional purple shampoo.
The Benefits of Platinum Shampoo
There are many reasons why platinum shampoo is a far better alternative to purple shampoo.
First of all, platinum shampoo can make your hair look incredibly shiny. It's also less likely than purple shampoo to cause your hair to become dry and brittle.
That’s because certain chemicals in the formulation can strip away your hair's natural oils and leave it feeling dry and damaged. Since platinum shampoo typically doesn't contain these chemicals that are found in most purple shampoo, it's a lot gentler on your strands.
Additionally, thanks to platinum shampoo's combination of pigments, it can enhance your hair's color and give it a cooler, better-looking tone than other toning shampoos. Purple shampoo, on the other hand, can sometimes make your strands seem murky and dull.
Lastly, platinum shampoo suits a wider variety of hair colors than purple shampoo. Purple shampoo typically only works well on yellow colors, but platinum shampoo can handle a slightly bigger spectrum, from golden blonde to icy white. This makes it the best shampoo for platinum hair.
Think that's all? Platinum shampoo can also help extend your hair color. After all, it's gentler, contains fewer chemicals, and helps maintain your hair's coolness.
Here's a summarized list of reasons to use platinum shampoo:
- Prevents your hair from becoming brassy.
- Gives your hair a cool, ashy tone.
- Makes your hair appear brighter and shinier.
- Preserve your hair's natural oils.
- Helps your hair color last longer.
Why You Should Use Platinum Shampoo
Aside from all the benefits listed above, platinum shampoo also helps prevent one of the most common issues when using purple shampoo: over toning.
Raise your hand if you've ever experienced this scenario: you accidentally leave the purple shampoo on your hair 5 minutes longer than you should've. When you finally rinse it, you realize that your hair has become bright pink or purple.
Sounds familiar? It's actually a lot more common than you think! Many people have tried using purple shampoo on platinum hair, only to end up with an unwanted violet tint.
Fortunately, with platinum shampoo, there's less risk of accidentally giving your hair an unwanted purple shade. It’s not going to drastically change your already white, silver, or platinum hair – the only thing it's going to do is to remove the warm tones in your hair color and enhance its overall look.
Still confused? Here's a summary of these two toning shampoos.
Purple Shampoo
- Best for golden blonde or sandy blonde hair.
- Contains violet pigments to combat yellow hues.
- Can sometimes overtone hair, causing it to take on a purple hue.
Platinum Shampoo
- Best for white, silver, and platinum hair, but it can also be used on golden blonde hair.
- Contains violet, blue, and silver pigments to combat warm tones.
- Has little to no risk of over toning hair, so it's safe to use even on white locks.
So, if you have blonde hair that's starting to look a little brassy, purple shampoo should be enough to help neutralize those unwanted yellow tones.
However, if you're looking to achieve or maintain a bright platinum blonde, white, or silver color, platinum shampoo is a much better option. It's also a fantastic alternative for people with blonde hair who often find themselves with purple strands after a DIY toning session.
In other words, platinum or silver shampoo is a safer, more effective way, and overall better option.
How to Choose the Best Platinum Blonde Shampoo
It can be quite tricky to maintain platinum hair, but using the right shampoo can help.
That said, how exactly do you choose the best silver shampoo for your needs? Here are some aspects to consider!
- Ingredients. Platinum hair tends to be dry and brittle, so it's essential to use a shampoo to hydrate and nourish your strands, not further dehydrate them. Make sure you avoid ingredients like sulfates and parabens, as they can negatively affect your hair's health.
- Consistency. Good toning shampoo tends to have a good consistency, as well, and platinum shampoo is not an exception. For instance, a runny consistency is good since it’s easier to apply and lather evenly.
- Complementing products.This isn't exactly a necessity, but it's still nice to have, nonetheless, especially if your hair is bleached. If you can find a platinum shampoo with a matching platinum conditioner or conditioning mask – the better!
Introducing the Four Reasons Color Mask Shampoo Platinum
With these factors in mind, one of the best platinum blonde shampoos on the market right now is our very own Four Reasons Color Mask Shampoo Platinum.
This toning shampoo consists of a combination of cool tone pigments, including blue, brown, and violet. Its unique formula is extremely effective for a whole variety of hair colors, ranging from blonde to white and everything in between.
Besides, even without considering its toning properties, it's a great shampoo on its own.
One of its ingredients is vegetable protein, which absorbs into the hair shaft to repair and condition your strands. This will leave your hair looking shiny, radiant, and healthy – precisely what you need if you want to achieve photoshoot-ready platinum blonde hair.
It also has Vitamin B5, which locks in moisture and helps keep your hair hydrated at all times, and hydrolyzed quinoa, which increases each strand's shine and vitality while improving color retention.
Additionally, the Four Reasons Color Mask Shampoo Platinum is completely free of sulfates and parabens, ensuring that it won't have any detrimental effects on your hair. It can gently clean your strands, leaving your hair healthy and vibrant.
Plus, since it's also guaranteed vegan-friendly and cruelty-free, you'll help lessen the negative impacts on Mother Nature by opting for this particular platinum shampoo.
Best of all, you can also use it along with our Four Reasons Color Mask Silver, a hydrating treatment that deeply conditions and moisturizes your locks.
Together, these two will make your strands shinier, softer, and a lot more manageable – all while maintaining your gorgeous hair color.
FAQs
How long does platinum hair last?
Platinum hair can last anywhere from four to eight weeks before showing roots. The exact time depends on how fast your hair grows and how well you maintain your hair color.
Is it hard to maintain platinum hair?
Maintaining platinum hair doesn't have to be difficult. The best way is to use a platinum shampoo like the Four Reasons Color Mask Shampoo Platinum and a conditioning mask like the Four Reasons Color Mask Platinum.
How do you keep platinum hair from turning yellow?
You can protect your platinum hair from turning brassy by establishing a proper hair care routine, such as wearing hats when going under the sun, spraying heat protectants like the Four Reasons Heat Shield before styling your hair, and using platinum shampoo and conditioner.
How often should I use toning shampoo?
You don't have to use a toning shampoo every single day. In fact, we recommend that you only use it once or twice weekly. On other days, you should use a regular shampoo formulated for colored hair, like the Four Reasons Brilliant Color Shampoo.
Understanding Platinum Shampoo: Wrap-Up
The best way to maintain your colored hair is to use a high-quality shampoo and conditioner specifically designed for your hair color at least once a week.
Whether you have blonde hair, gray hair, or white hair, the Four Reasons Color Mask Shampoo Platinum is the perfect product to maintain your icy silver-blonde tone!