Beauty

12 Best Blue Shampoos, According to Hair Stylists and Dermatologists

Get rid of orange and brassy tones with these expert-approved picks.
Best blue shampoos collage featuring two bottles of shampoo
Courtesy of brands / Gabrielle Langdon

If you have brown hair, getting rid of unwanted red and orange tones can be taken care of by adding one of the best blue shampoos. Brunettes often see their rich color diminishing and taking on a more brassy finish with every shampoo wash. Luckily, similar to how purple shampoo counteracts yellow tones with blond hair, blue shampoo is a type of toning product that can help maintain natural or highlighted brown hair. According to Rogerio Cavalcante, hairstylist and owner of the Second Floor Salon New York, the brassiness might be from minerals and chemicals in water, oxidation, hard water, and the sun, so it’s useful to add a blue shampoo to your hair care routine.

We spoke with numerous hair experts and dermatologists to help you find the right one for your hair type.

The best blue shampoos, at a glance

  1. Best Overall: Joico Color Balance Blue Shampoo, $43
  2. Best for Brassy Tones: Matrix Brass Off Blue Shampoo for Brunettes, $40
  3. Best for Orange Tones: Fanola No Orange Shampoo, $24
  4. Best Budget: John Frieda Blue Crush Shampoo, $11
  5. Best for Sensitive Scalps: dpHUE Cool Brunette Shampoo, $28
  6. Best for Blondes: Davines Heart of Glass Silkening Shampoo, $38

All your blue shampoo questions, answered

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

  • Best Overall: Joico Color Balance Blue Shampoo

    Courtesy of brand
    1/16

    Joico Color Balance Blue Shampoo

    $23

    Ulta

    This Joico shampoo is our top pick for the best blue shampoo because it was continually cited for being the most effective by hair experts. This unanimous favorite not only neutralizes brassiness and orange tones but also helps strengthen strands. “Joico’s formula stands out because it includes both blue pigments and nourishing components, making it excellent for regular use without damaging the hair,” says Rachel Voss, a Dallas hairstylist and salon owner. She recommends applying it to wet hair, leaving it on for three to five minutes, and then rinsing thoroughly.

    • Key ingredients: Rosehip oil, arginine, keratin
    • Size: 10.1 and 33.8 oz
    • What we love: Available in 2 sizes, cruelty-free, boosts shine, controls static
    • What we don’t like: Not for those with any yellow tones

  • Best for Brassy Tones: Matrix Brass Off Blue Shampoo for Brunettes

    Courtesy of brand
    2/16

    Matrix Brass Off Blue Shampoo for Brunettes

    $20

    Ulta

    Another popular pick that was recommended by several of our experts, this blue shampoo is the one to go for if you’re a brunette who lightens or highlights your hair. Both New York hairstylist Valery Joseph and Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Miami, tout its ability to tackle unwanted brassy tones. Joseph says it’s ideal for “removing brassiness while also keeping strands hydrated.” While Dr. Chacon loves its “professional-grade ingredients that neutralize brassy tones and enhance cool tones.”

    • Key Ingredients: Blue-violet pigments, coco-betaine, glycol distearate
    • Size: 10.1 and 33.8 oz
    • What we love: Neutralizes brassy tones, works for brunette and dark blonde hair
    • What we don’t like: No so easy to lather

  • Best for Orange Tones: Fanola No Orange Shampoo

    Courtesy of brand
    3/16

    Fanola No Orange Shampoo

    $24 $19

    Amazon

    There’s nothing worse than when your new dye job starts to turn orange after a couple of washes. Keep that perfect shade intact for longer with this shampoo from Fanola, designed especially to reduce orange and red tones. “It’s renowned for its strong pigmentation and effectiveness in neutralizing orange tones,” says Dr. Chacon. Yoram Harth, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, echoes this statement: “The highly pigmented formula neutralizes orange and red tones, making it ideal for both dark and light brown hair with highlights.”

    • Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, tiare flower
    • Size: 11.83 and 33.8 oz
    • What we love: Citrus scent, neutralizes copper and red tones, adds shine
    • What we don’t like: Stains hands slightly

  • Best for Sensitive Scalps: dpHUE Cool Brunette Shampoo

    Courtesy of brand
    4/16

    dpHUE Cool Brunette Shampoo

    $28

    Ulta

    “I love that this shampoo is free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and silicones as it provides a gentle cleanse that also neutralizes extra warmth,” says Cavalcante. If you have sensitive skin or find that a lot of shampoos tend to irritate your scalp, this could be the pick for you as it provides a deep clean without any harsh ingredients. The blue pigments are safe to use on both natural and dyed hair and deal well with red, orange, and brassy tones.

    • Key Ingredients: Sabdariffa flower extract, silk amino acids, hydrolyzed silk
    • Size: 8.5 oz
    • What we love: Color-safe, cruelty-free, gently cleanses
    • What we don’t like: Not everyone may like the scent

  • Best for Highlights: Davines Heart of Glass Silkening Shampoo

    Courtesy of brand
    5/16

    Davines Heart of Glass Silkening Shampoo

    $38

    Amazon

    If you’ve recently lightened up your locks, this vintage-inspired blue bottle is just what you need to keep your highlights looking fresh between salon visits. “Brown hair color normally lives in the level 5/6, which has an underlying pigment of orange hues. Once you go blonder, using a blue shampoo is great for balancing those tones,” says Orange County, California, hairstylist Meleesa Luna. She recommends this softening shampoo for any tone of blond, as the jagua fruit’s blue extract provides delicate chromatic balancing suitable for all lighter shades.

    • Key Ingredients: Jagua blue extract, baobab extract
    • Size: 8.45 oz
    • What we love: Sustainably sourced ingredients, enhances color, revives shine
    • What we don’t like: Sometimes sells out
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  • Best for Hydration: Bondi Boost Brunette Booster Color Depositing Blue Shampoo

    Courtesy of brand
    6/16

    Bondi Boost Brunette Booster Color Depositing Blue Shampoo

    $30 $24

    Ulta

    For those looking to keep brassiness at bay while also maintaining the condition of their hair, this brunette-enhancing option from Bondi Boost uses a combination of hydrating natural and organic ingredients with blue hues to leave hair color looking richer and feeling softer. “This shampoo uses deeper blue pigments to protect and enliven brown hair shades through a mix of aloe, macadamia seed oil, and avocado oil to result in smoother and shiner hair,” says Cavalcante.

    • Key Ingredients: Squalane, baobab extract, kakadu plum
    • Size: 16.9 oz
    • What we love: Hydrating ingredients, neutralizes brassy tones, improves moisture
    • What we don’t like: Only available in one size

  • Best Drugstore: Eva NYC Brass to Sass Brunette Shampoo

    Courtesy of brand
    7/16

    Eva NYC Brass to Sass Brunette Shampoo

    $14

    Ulta

    This affordable option from Eva NYC is powered by a potent mix of blue tansy and spirulina to condition and hydrate the hair. Suitable for all hair types and tones, whether you are a natural or dyed brunette, this shampoo helps to eliminate brassy, red, and orange tones with its blue pigments, while also delivering fortifying fatty acids, vitamins, and amino acids to the strands.

    • Key Ingredients: keratin, spirulina, juniper berry.
    • Size: 8.8 oz
    • What we love: Softens hair, strand-strengthening ingredients, works on red and orange tones
    • What we don’t like: Pump dispenser could be sturdier

  • Best Budget: John Frieda Blue Crush Shampoo

    Courtesy of brand
    8/16

    John Frieda Blue Crush Shampoo

    $12 $10

    Amazon

    Whether you’re a natural brunette or have dyed brown hair, this drugstore pick uses crushed blue pigment to revitalize your hair color and enhance its cool tones. If you’re new to blue shampoo and a little hesitant to try out a pigmented wash, this product won’t stain your skin or bathroom tiles.

    • Key Ingredients: Cocamidopropyl betaine, disodium edta
    • Size: 8.3 oz
    • What we love: Great price, stain-minimizing, ammonia-free
    • What we don’t like: Only comes in one size

  • Best for Balayage Hair: Oligo Professionnel Blacklight Blue Shampoo

    Courtesy of brand
    9/16

    Oligo Professionnel Blacklight Blue Shampoo

    $26 $18

    Amazon

    Balayage highlights are a low-maintenance alternative to an allover tint, and while you may not have to get your roots done so frequently, maintaining the vibrancy of the color can still be a challenge. This pick was designed specifically for those with bleached hair and contains 11 amino acids to moisturize, repair, and enhance shine, along with argan oil for extra smoothness and elasticity. It rejuvenates faded color and washes away brassiness and warm tones to reveal brighter and shiner strands.

    • Key Ingredients: Amino acid, argan oil
    • Size: 8.5 oz
    • What we love: Suitable for bleached, highlighted and naturally blond hair, fortifies hair strands, adds moisture
    • What we don’t like: Not suitable for brown hair

  • Best for Colored Hair: Virtue ColorKick Blue-Purple De-Brassing Shampoo for All Hair Shades

    Courtesy of brand
    10/16

    Virtue ColorKick Blue-Purple De-Brassing Shampoo for All Hair Shades

    $44

    Ulta

    Whether you like to dye your hair to suit the season or find your own color changes naturally from the sun, this blue-purple shampoo works for all hair colors that have a brassy hue. It contains turmeric root extract to protect from free radicals and environmental stressors, while the natural pigments combine with a proprietary protein to continually repair the hair with each wash and leave it looking stronger and healthier.

    • Key Ingredients: Turmeric root extract, lavender, and violet flower extract
    • Size: 8 oz
    • What we love: Protects from pollution, suitable for color-treated hair, natural ingredients
    • What we don’t like: Slightly smaller bottle

  • Best for Damaged Hair: Not Your Mother’s Triple Threat Brunette Shampoo, Hair Masque, and Dry Shampoo

    Courtesy of brand
    11/16

    Not Your Mother's Triple Threat Brunette Shampoo, Hair Masque, and Dry Shampoo

    $25

    Amazon

    This trio of anti-brass hair products gives you everything you need to ward off orange and red tones, deeply moisturize your hair, and extend the life of your blowout. Both the shampoo and masque have been infused with blue tansy oil to maintain the richness of your hair color, while the tinted dry shampoo instantly absorbs excess oil for a quick hair refresh. Clean smelling and gorgeous hair right this way.

    • Key Ingredients: Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, glycerin
    • Size: 7,8, 8.5 oz
    • What we love: Contains three products, great value, amber woody scent
    • What we don’t like: Not available to buy separately

  • Best Splurge: Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo

    Courtesy of brand
    12/16

    Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo

    $70

    Amazon

    Investing in new hair care is one of the best ways to treat yourself and this pick from Aveda definitely feels more luxurious to use. While it is slightly more expensive than the other options, you don’t need to use it every wash—once a week is more than enough—so the large bottle lasts a long time. In addition to neutralizing brassiness in color-treated hair, it also works on gray hair to give it a more elegant silver tone.

    • Key Ingredients: eucalyptus, geraniol, glycerin
    • Size: 33.8 oz
    • What we love: eucalyptus scent, cruelty-free, suitable for gray hair
    • What we don’t like: Slightly more expensive
  • 13/16

    Does blue shampoo actually work?

    Yes, blue shampoos do actually work. We get it. You might be skeptical about applying a handful of blue liquid to your hair, especially if you recently splashed out on professional color. But blue shampoo is exactly what you need to prevent your hair from turning brassy. Both dermatologists and hair stylists endorse the use of blue shampoos to prevent any unwanted orange or red tones.

    “Blue shampoo can be used to neutralize any brassiness or orange tones that can develop in brown hair, especially if it’s been dyed or exposed to environmental factors, like sun or chlorine,” says Connie Yang, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York. Top New York hairstylist Valery Joseph also recommends using them to keep color vibrant and hair looking healthy.

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  • 14/16

    What is the difference between blue and purple shampoo?

    Purple shampoo has been around longer, so people are more familiar with it, and while they work similarly “the difference is the color of the pigment within each shampoo,” says. Dr. Yang.

    You’ll notice orange is directly on the opposite side of blue in the color wheel, while purple is opposite yellow. “The purpose of these shampoos is to use opposing colored pigments to counteract the orange tones in brown hair and dull yellow coloring in blond hair,” says Dr. Yang.

  • 15/16

    How often should you shampoo with blue shampoo?

    Depending on how often you wash your hair, using a blue shampoo once a week should be sufficient. “If you are a dyed brunette, I recommend using a blue shampoo once a week. Natural brunettes can benefit from blue shampoo as well, and I suggest using it once a month to keep strands bright,” says celebrity hairstylist Valery Joseph.

  • 16/16

    How do you use blue shampoo?

    Using a blue shampoo is more or less the same as using regular shampoo. “Blue shampoo can be applied like a traditional shampoo. Leave the shampoo in for two to five minutes to allow it to thoroughly neutralize the hair, then follow with a conditioner,” says Joseph.

After graduating from her degree in Journalism and Communications, Clare went back to train as a makeup artist and study skincare. She has done makeup for fashion shoots, TV, weddings, theatre and events. With over 15 years experience in fashion and beauty and having worked on every type of complexion... Read more
Freelance writer
Topicsshoppinghairhair productshair colorshampoosbrunettesbrown hair
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