I used to have blonde hair. It’s been a while, but one of the most annoying things about having blonde hair was brassiness. When my hair would start to get that coppery-orange tint, my blonde was not as pretty, and purple shampoo was the best solution. It’s been a long time since my own hair was blonde, but I’m now the mom to two blondies, and I recently realized that the little almost platinum blonde 2 year old was very brassy, and I needed to do something about it! Her 6 year old sister has darker blonde hair, but needed some purple shampoo as well.
I headed to my local ULTA, where I found the Kenra Brightening line. It is a line with a purple shampoo, conditioner and a toning treatment product. I grabbed the shampoo and treatment product, as I already have a conditioner that I love for her hair.
Kenra Brightening Shampoo
The shampoo is meant to be used daily, and it has a light purple tint. It has a nice lather, rinses out easily and seems very gentle. I’ve used in on both of my daughters a few times, they haven’t complained about it stinging their eyes and does seem to be preventing further brassiness.
Kenra Brightening Treatment
The treatment product feels like a very thick conditioner and is a very deep purple. You apply it to freshly washed hair and leave it in for about 3-5 minutes. When applied, it turns the hair very deep blue/purple! I was a bit shocked. It doesn’t rinse out without a bit of scrubbing and effort. I did think it left some purple tint behind, so I washed their hair with the Brightening Shampoo again afterwards. With the shampoo it came out easily.
Once their hair was dry, the difference was immediately apparent! My 2 year old’s hair was much brighter, lighter and the brassiness was mostly gone. She’s only had the 1 treatment, but I’ll be repeating it every few weeks to keep her blonde hair looking so blonde. On my 6 year old’s darker hair there was a difference as well, though it wasn’t as apparent.
I did try to get some before and after pictures of the girls (I don’t share their names or pics on the blog on purpose), but you know… cooperation levels weren’t so wonderful. I’ve started recommending the treatment product in particular to friends and family if they have brassiness. Check it out if your hair is blonde and turning orange!
You can find the Kenra Brightening line at ULTA.
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Iām a doctor, a mommy and a bit of a beauty addict. If you let me, I can take 2 hours to get ready in the morning. Really. I'm on a quest for faster beauty that works!
Ha ha – cooperation levels weren’t so wonderful… I’m going to use that line.
Do you find that purple shampoos are effective on darker hair with highlights that go brassy? My “honey” streaks are looking more “circus peanut” from sun and chlorine.
LOL They weren’t cooperating AT ALL. Why would mom want a picture of the back of my head?? Nooo, let me turn around and be a cheesy ham. š
If you have lighter streaks then the purple shampoo will definitely help those! I don’t have any currently, but I’ve used it in the past just to keep my blonde highlights blonde rather than orange.
Hi Christine,
I have been making a list of all my makeup and skin care products that I am currently using and comparing them to your pregnancy safe products list to prepare for when the time comes (hopefully soon). I currently have bleached blonde hair and I intend to stay away from doing any hair coloring when I am pregnant, but would purple shampoo be safe to use to keep the blonde locks from going brassy? Thank you so much for all the time you take researching, compiling lists, and answering questions! You’re amazing!
There are some shampoos that have ingredients that you need to avoid, and shampoo is the one hair product that I think you should be careful of as most of us apply to the scalp and leave it there for a bit. Which purple shampoo do you use?
My OB said it was fine to color my hair while pregnant, especially if you’re doing highlights. They don’t even touch your scalp and hair is dead protein that can’t absorb anything anyways. As long as you’re in a well ventilated place then it’s fine!
Hi Christine,
You make such a good point about being careful of shampoos because they are applied to the scalp! Below are the shampoos/conditioners that I am currently using. What were your go to shampoo/conditioners during pregnancy? Thanks again for your help!
Fanola No Yellow Shampoo – Aqua (Water), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Citric Acid, Acid Violet 43, Parfum (Fragrance), Guar Hydroxpropyltrimonium Chloride, Wine Extract, Propylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Triethylene Glycol, Amyl Cinnamal, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sodium Chloride, Methylchloroisothiazolinone Methylisothiazolinone, Magnesium Nitrate, Magnesium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Potassium metabisulfite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Shiseido Tsubaki Extra Moist Shampoo – Water, Laureth sulfate Natrium, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Glycol distearate, Sorbitol, DPG, Guar Hidorokishipuropirutorimoniumu Chloride, Arginine, Sutearutorimoniumukurorido, Camellia seed oil, Na Chloride, Acetyl hyaluronic acid Na, Hydrolysis conchiolin, Aspergillus / camellia seed fermentation extract liquid, Sulfuric acid Na, Dimethicone, Lauric acid PEG-2, Citric acid, EDTA-2Na, Cocoyl methyl taurine taurine Na, BG, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic acid Na, Perfume, Yellow 5, Yellow 4.
Shiseido Tsubaki Extra Moist Conditioner – Water, Sorbitol, Dimethicone, Stearyl alcohol, Isopentyl diol, Behentorimoniumukurorido, DPG, Cetanol, Aminopropyl dimethicone, Hydrogenated polyisobutene, Arginine, Polysilicone -13, Sutearutorimoniumukurorido, PEG-90M, Camellia seed oil, Acetyl hyaluronic acid Na, Aspergillus / camellia seed fermentation extract solution, Isopropyl myristate, Isopropanol, Hydrogenated polydecene, Salicylic, Setorimoniumukurorido, BG, Tocopherol, Silica, BHT, Benzoic acid Na, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Red 227, Yellow 4.
Head and Shoulders Green Apple 2-in-1 Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner – Pyrithione Zinc, Water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycol Distearate, Zinc Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Dimethicone, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance, Sodium Benzoate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Eucalyptol, Yellow 5, Blue 1.
The only ingredient I’m worried about here is the salicylic (I’m assuming salicylic acid) in the Shiseido Tsubaki Extra Moist Conditioner, but as long as you only apply that to the ends of your hair I wouldn’t worry about it and would keep using it. My normal go-to products were different back when I was pregnant (my youngest is about to turn 5), bit I know I used the head and shoulders while pregnant, when it’s cold out I have eczema flares and a little of that on my irritated area over my left ear for a few minutes 1x/week meant I could avoid using a steroid cream!
Hi, is the Kenra purple shampoo you mentioned above safe to use during pregnancy? Will you also check this shampoo for me?
Hydrasplash shampoo Water/Aqua/Eau, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamide Mipa, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycol Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Arginine Hcl, Phosphatidylcholine, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Liquid Endosperm, Hydrolyzed Algin, Sea Water/Maris Aqua/Eau De Mer, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Acrylates/Aminoacrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Peg-20 Itaconate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Peg-4 Laurate, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-7, Dmdm Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Sodium Benzoate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, Limonene, Fragrance/Parfum, Blue 1 (CI 42090), Ext. Violet 2 (CI 60730), Yellow 5 (CI 19140).
Safe for pregnancy and nursing
Hi Dr.,
Could you please let me know if this is safe to use when breastfeeding?
KENRA Platinum Deep Detox Scrub Weekly Clarifier
“Ingredients:
Water/Aqua/Eau, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzyl Alcohol, Polylactic Acid, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dehydroacetic Acid, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lilial), Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde (Lyral), Limonene, Linalool, Charcoal Powder, Diamond Powder.”
Thank you.
Padmini
Ok for nursing but not pregnancy due to salicylate