The 15 Best Blue Shampoos for Brunettes

Do you know that brunettes go through the motions of waking up on random days to see their hair look a bit more fiery orange than a cool chocolate brown?

It happens whether you have natural brown hair or had your stylist color it that sultry, deep color.

Luckily, many shampoo brands acknowledge that brassiness is a problem for brunettes too.

Blue shampoos were eventually designed just for brunettes who deal with darker warm tones, like orange and red hues that cut through their luscious strands.

Why brunettes need blue shampoos and what are the best blue shampoos for brunettes? I’ll tell you right now!

Getting rid of brassiness in your brown hair

Brassiness is an issue for both bottle brunettes and those with virgin hair, but it’s ridiculously noticeable in chemically colored hair.

You can see warm tones enveloping your hair whether you chanced your entire base color to brown or put in some highlight sin your naturally dark hair.

Over time, the bleach and color chemicals in your hair start to fade slightly, and it ends up with warm undertones that weren’t there before.

It leaves your hair looking less natural and more of a burnt sienna color than a deep and rich brown.

Sun exposure is one culprit of brassiness, but it can also be because of oxidative stress from your environment. Whatever it is, the result is never pretty.

Fortunately, blue shampoos can neutralize these warm tones and remove brassiness from your locks altogether.

It’s formulated with blue pigments that “color” your warm tones, essentially correcting the color and bringing it back to a cool or at least neutral undertone.

Because brown hair is usually pretty dark, you get the advantage of using blue color-depositing dye shampoos to tone your hair as well. 

These shampoos are designed to gradually color hair, but because your hair isn’t as light as blonde hair, you can get away with using blue variants to eliminate brassiness.

One last thing: Shampoos with pigments are known to be clarifying and drying on the hair, so make sure you replenish the moisture in your tresses by following up with a hydrating conditioner or a hair mask with coconut oil or shea butter.

Why brunettes should use blue shampoo instead of purple shampoo?

As soon as someone says “brassy tones” purple shampoo is probably the first thing on everyone’s minds.

But while they’re more popular than any other colored shampoos, blue shampoos are arguably a lot more helpful for brunettes.

Brown hair is dark, so even if it reflects unwanted yellow tones, the warmth won’t be as prominent as in blonde hair.

What you will see, however, are deeper warm tones in orange and red hues, which need something more intense than purple pigments—and that’s where blue shampoo comes in.

Do a quick internet search to pull up a color wheel. As you can see, purple sits opposite of yellow, the same way blue does with orange. These are the colors purple and blue pigments cancel out. 

If you’re a brunette, you’re likely dealing with orange and red tones instead of yellows. Blue shampoo is perfect for you because it counteracts that deep warmth that makes your hair pull more copper than brown.

It would be best if you remembered that blue pigments stain a lot more than purple ones, so you have to be extra careful in handling blue shampoos in the shower.

Try to use gloves when washing with blue shampoo, and avoid white towels at all costs when drying your hair.

The 15 Best Blue Shampoo for Brunettes Reviews

1. MATRIX Total Results Brass Off Color-Depositing Blue Shampoo

Results are noticeable in as fast as one application so that you can remove those unwanted orange streaks in a snap.

The sweet and fresh vanilla rose scent it leaves your hair is just the cherry on top of this fabulous formula.

See also: How to fix orange hair with box dye?

2. Joico Color Balance Blue Shampoo

If you’re using this for chemically colored hair, you’re in luck.

This shampoo keeps 89% of your brown color or highlights from fading, extending longevity for up to eight weeks.

3. Fanola No Orange Shampoo

It’s also terrific for restoring moisture in your hair, thanks to coconut oil that softens and conditions strands.

When paired with tiare flower extracts, it also helps add shine and smoothness to the hair.

It’s a fantastic replacement for a toner or an expensive lightening treatment at the salon. Use it regularly to maintain your orange-free brown hair effortlessly.

4. Redken Color Extend Brownlights Blue Shampoo

Kiss brassiness goodbye in just a couple of washes.

This shampoo is formulated with no sulfates, so it’s gentle on the scalp and hair. It doesn’t strip it of natural moisture that keeps the hair shiny and healthy.

5. Fudge Cool Brunette Blue-Toning Shampoo

It’s also designed with a unique Opti-Plex technology that repairs and reconstructs the bonds of your hair, keeping it healthy and more resilient to damage.

6. Not Your Mother’s Triple Threat Brunette Shampoo and Conditioner

This pack comes with a matching conditioner, which helps soften and moisturize the hair after you wash it.

It’s best to use the shampoo and conditioner in conjunction with each other to get the full effect of the Triple Threat Brunette line.

7. Keracolor Color + Clenditioner in Blue

There’s also keratin in the formula to help strengthen your hair.

The result is perfectly toned, strong brown hair you’ll finally feel confident in.

8. Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo

It’s the perfect shampoo to use if you want a super-cool tone in your hair because it provides a subtle sliver of brightness to your hair. 

It also leaves your hair smelling fresh and minty, thanks to ylang-ylang and eucalyptus essences.

9. Vitamins Hair Cosmetics Keratin Purple and Blue Shampoo

Meanwhile, Moroccan argan oil makes your hair soft and moisturized, adding gloss as well. It’s perfect for dry and damaged hair.

10. dpHUE Cool Brunette Shampoo

The gluten-free formula uses blue pigments to neutralize brassy tones as you wash your hair with its rich, satisfyingly creamy lather.

Silk proteins and hibiscus flower extracts work together to soften your hair and add a gorgeous shine that will make your hair look glowy and healthy.

It also adds brightness to your color and strengthens the hair shaft.

11. Celeb Luxury Viral Color Depositing Colorwash in Denim

Cancel out those yellows and oranges with this blue shampoo, so you can flaunt cool brown tresses that don’t make you look too warm.

12. Punky Bluemania 3-in-1 Color Depositing Shampoo & Conditioner

What’s great about this shampoo is that it has rich nourishing ingredients to moisturize the hair, such as shea butter.

It also has strengthening ingredients like keratin, amino acids and vitamin B.

These all improve your hair’s elasticity and strength, giving it more bounce and shine as well.

13. DevaCurl No-Poo Blue Anti-Brass Zero Lather Curl Cleanser

It gets its blue hue from blue lotus flower, which is essentially what gets rid of the brassy tones that leave you looking a bit disheveled.

This cleanser works to wash your hair gently while uniformly toning your brown hair.

14. Pravana The Perfect Brunette Toning Shampoo

The vegan, sulfate-free formula includes cocoa butter and coconut oil to nourish your hair and make it softer, smoother, and shinier.

15. HASK Blue Chamomile & Argan Oil Shampoo

It also brightens your brown color, especially if it’s on the lighter, more ashy side. It also has argan oil to nourish the hair, adding hydration and luster back.

Conclusion

Brunette hair is relatively easy to maintain, but once in a while, even healthy brown hair can have a few episodes of brassiness.

Whether your hair is a glowing caramel or a rich, deep chocolate color, it deserves to glow—it just needs a hand sometimes.

Zap away those red and orange tones that take away from the gorgeous glory of your brunette hair with any of the blue shampoos for Brunettes on this list.

They’ll help you bring back the cool undertone that makes your brunette hair the most sultry and stunning it can be.