Kristin Ess Purple Shampoo Review 2026: Still Worth It?
Blonde hair looks amazing for about three weeks. Then the brass shows up. Suddenly your cool toned highlights look like old brass doorknobs, and your salon appointment is still a month away.
Purple shampoo is the cheapest fix for that problem. Kristin Ess The One Purple Shampoo has been one of the most recommended drugstore options since it launched, and it still sits near the top of Amazon and Target bestseller lists in 2026. But popularity does not equal performance for every head of hair.
I used this shampoo for six weeks on lightened hair. I tracked how it toned, how it felt, and where it fell short. I also read through hundreds of verified reviews from Amazon, Target, Ulta, and Reddit to see whether my experience matched everyone else’s.
In a Nutshell:
- The pigment level is gentle, not aggressive. This shampoo deposits a soft violet tone rather than a heavy one. Light blondes and platinum hair get the best results. Darker blondes and balayage clients often see very little change after one wash.
- The lather is genuinely good for a sulfate free formula. Most gentle shampoos feel like lotion. This one foams up, spreads easily, and rinses clean. You will not need three pumps to cover your head.
- It is color safe and keratin safe. The formula skips sulfates, parabens, and silicones. That makes it a reasonable pick for keratin treated hair or fresh salon color.
- Dryness is the most common complaint. A large share of negative reviews mention straw like ends, especially when users skip conditioner. This shampoo needs a moisturizing partner.
- The price stays under twenty dollars. At roughly fourteen to seventeen dollars for ten fluid ounces, it costs far less than salon toning shampoos while offering respectable results.
- It will not fix orange hair. Purple pigment cancels yellow, not orange. If your hair pulled copper, you need a blue shampoo instead.
Kristin Ess The One Purple Shampoo Overview
- “I wanted to create a purple shampoo that is great for toning blondes + brunettes and is also sulfate-free...I’ve always had a hard time finding that combo. If you like ashy tones or even pastel lavender tones, you can use this every time you shampoo. If you like neutral tones, use it only when needed to cut brass. Use this with or without The One Purple Conditioner on natural or color-treated hair.” - Kristin Ess
- Cleanse + Condition: A clean, well-conditioned canvas is essential. These universal, sulfate-free products cleanse + deeply condition to leave hair feeling moisturized, full and looking shiny from root to tip.
Last update on 2026-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!
Kristin Ess is a working celebrity hairstylist, and her line launched at Target in 2017 with a clear promise: salon quality formulas at drugstore prices. The One Purple Shampoo is the brand’s toning hero product.
The bottle holds ten fluid ounces. The formula uses ultra violet pigment to neutralize yellow and brassy tones in blonde, silver, gray, and highlighted hair. It also works on lightened pieces in brunette hair, like face framing money pieces.
The brand markets it as sulfate free, silicone free, paraben free, cruelty free, and safe for both color and keratin treatments. That combination is unusual at this price point. Most budget purple shampoos still rely on harsh detergents.
The positioning here is maintenance, not rescue. Kristin Ess herself has said that if you like ashy or pastel tones, you can use it at every wash. If you prefer neutral blonde, you use it only when brass appears. That flexible approach is the whole point of the lower pigment load.
The Unboxing Experience
My bottle arrived from Amazon in a plain padded mailer with no outer box. The cap was sealed with a thin plastic band, and nothing leaked in transit. That matters, because purple shampoo stains packaging fast.
The bottle itself feels nicer than the price suggests. It is a matte lavender plastic with a flat back and a wide flip top cap. The cap clicks shut firmly, which is important in a wet shower where bottles tip over constantly.
The label lists directions, ingredients, and the full free from claims on the back. No hunting required.
First impression on opening: the color surprised me. The liquid is a deep, almost inky violet, closer to grape juice than lavender. It looks far more pigmented than it behaves on hair.
The scent is soft and clean with a faint floral note. It is not the sharp chemical smell that budget toning shampoos often carry. The fragrance fades completely once hair dries, which I appreciated.
The texture pours as a medium gel. It does not run off your palm. Small detail, but it prevents waste.
Top 3 Alternative for Kristin Ess Purple Shampoo
- Item display volume 250.0 milliliters
Last update on 2026-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!
Olaplex No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo
- Ideal, for grey, super lightened, or decolored hair
- Violet pigment tones down unwanted yellow hues on grey, light blonde, or streaked hair
Last update on 2026-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!
Fanola No Yellow Shampoo
- Toning Purple Shampoo: Neutralizes unwanted brassy, yellow tones in all blonde and grey hair
- Multi-Tasking Properties: Professional toning shampoo desposits purple pigments to neutralize and reduce yellow tones in just one wash
Last update on 2026-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!
Matrix So Silver Purple Shampoo
What Is Inside the Formula
The ingredient list is short and readable. Water leads, followed by sodium C14 to 16 olefin sulfonate and cocamidopropyl betaine as the cleansing agents.
Sodium C14 to 16 olefin sulfonate is technically a sulfonate, not a sulfate. It is milder than sodium lauryl sulfate but still an effective cleanser. This is why the shampoo foams well while legally carrying a sulfate free claim. Some shoppers feel that distinction is a technicality, and that criticism is fair.
Acrylates copolymer adds thickness. Sodium chloride adjusts viscosity. Phenoxyethanol preserves the formula. Lactic acid balances pH, which helps keep the cuticle flat and shiny.
The violet tone comes from cosmetic dyes rather than a heavy pigment blend. That is the single most important fact in this review. The lower dye concentration explains both the gentle results and the low staining risk.
There are no silicones, so you get no artificial slip. Hair feels squeaky rather than slippery after rinsing. Fine hair loves this. Coarse or damaged hair often does not.
How It Feels in the Shower
The first wash tells you a lot. I used one pump on shoulder length hair and it spread across my whole scalp without fighting me.
The lather builds quickly and stays dense. That is rare in sulfate free shampoos, which usually feel thin and slippery. You can actually scrub your scalp properly here.
The purple color does not transfer to your hands during a normal wash. I never saw staining on my palms, my white shower tile, or my towel. Fanola users know that is not always guaranteed.
Rinsing takes about twenty seconds. No residue, no film, no purple tinge left in the water after the second rinse.
Wet hair feels clean and slightly rough. This is normal for a silicone free formula, but it caught me off guard the first time. Detangling before you condition is a bad idea with this one. Wait until conditioner is in, then comb.
The whole experience feels closer to a salon shampoo than a drugstore one. Credit where it is due.
Toning Results After Two Weeks
I used the shampoo twice a week for two weeks, leaving it on for three minutes each time. My hair is level nine lightened blonde with natural level seven roots.
The change was gradual and subtle. After the first wash, almost nothing. After the fourth wash, my mid lengths looked noticeably cooler and less yellow in daylight.
The brightness improvement was more obvious than the tone change. My hair looked shinier and more reflective, likely from the lactic acid balancing pH. That shine is a real, visible benefit.
My roots barely moved. The warmer level seven area stayed warm, which matches what darker blondes report constantly. This formula cannot lift or dramatically shift deeper tones.
By week two, the overall effect was a clean, neutral blonde. Not icy. Not silver. Just brass free and healthy looking.
If you want platinum or ash gray results in one wash, this is the wrong product. If you want to hold a nice salon tone for an extra three weeks, it does that job well.
What This Shampoo Does Not Do Well
Honest reviews list the failures. Here are the real ones, drawn from my use and from consistent patterns in verified customer feedback.
It dries hair out. This is the number one complaint across Target, Walmart, and Amazon reviews. Users describe straw like texture and heavy tangling. The silicone free formula offers no cosmetic slip to hide it.
It underperforms on dark blonde and brunette hair. Multiple reviewers with level six or seven hair report seeing zero color change. The pigment is simply too light to register on darker bases.
It does nothing for orange brass. Purple sits opposite yellow on the color wheel. Orange needs blue. Plenty of one star reviews come from people using the wrong product for their problem.
It can go green on certain hair. A small number of users with previously colored or very porous hair report a greenish cast. This happens when violet pigment layers over hair that already holds a blue or ash base.
Results require patience. There is no dramatic one wash transformation here. People expecting an instant fix are usually disappointed.
Pros and Cons
Here is the balanced summary after six weeks of testing.
Pros
- Excellent lather and scalp cleansing for a sulfate free formula
- Low staining risk on hands, towels, and shower surfaces
- Pleasant, light fragrance that fades after drying
- Safe for keratin treatments, salon color, and extensions
- Adds visible shine and smoothness, not just tone
- Gentle enough for frequent use on light blonde hair
- Affordable at under twenty dollars for ten fluid ounces
- Cruelty free, paraben free, and silicone free
- Widely available at Target, Ulta, Amazon, and Walmart
- Travel size version available for trips
Cons
- Noticeably drying without a conditioner or mask
- Weak pigment fails on medium and dark blonde hair
- Cannot correct orange or copper brassiness
- Occasional green cast on porous or previously colored hair
- Requires several washes before results appear
- Contains a sulfonate detergent despite the sulfate free claim
- Fragrance may bother sensitive scalps
- No pump dispenser included
How to Use It Correctly
Most purple shampoo failures come from user error. These steps fix that.
Start with wet hair, not damp hair. Purple pigment grabs unevenly on dry or half wet strands.
Use one to two pumps depending on length. More product does not mean more toning. It just wastes shampoo.
Work it through your mid lengths and ends first, then your roots. Roots absorb pigment faster because the hair there is newer and less porous.
Leave it on for two to five minutes. This is the step people skip. Contact time matters far more than quantity.
Rinse with cool water. Hot water opens the cuticle and rinses deposited tone away faster.
Follow with the matching purple conditioner or any moisturizing conditioner. Never skip this step with this particular shampoo. The dryness complaints almost always come from people who used it alone.
Limit use to once or twice a week unless you want a pastel cool result. Daily use on already ashy hair can look flat and dull.
Pairing It With The One Purple Conditioner
- The One Purple Conditioner can be used on color treated or naturally blonde hair
- It is great for toning and also sulfate-free
Last update on 2026-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!
The conditioner is sold separately, and I think it is close to mandatory rather than optional.
It adds a second layer of violet pigment while restoring moisture. That combination solves the biggest weakness of the shampoo in one step. My ends stopped feeling rough immediately after I added it.
The texture is thick and creamy. It spreads easily and rinses without weight, which matters for fine hair that goes limp fast.
Together, the pair tones better than the shampoo alone. The conditioner sits on hair longer, so the pigment has more contact time. That is basic color chemistry.
Cost wise, buying both roughly doubles your spend to around thirty dollars. That still lands well below most salon toning duos.
If your budget only allows one product, and your hair runs dry, I would honestly suggest buying a different shampoo entirely rather than using this one without a conditioner. The system works. The shampoo alone is incomplete.
Kristin Ess vs Olaplex No.4P
These two get compared constantly, so here is a direct breakdown.
Pigment strength goes to Olaplex. No.4P uses a more concentrated violet and delivers visible toning in one or two washes. Kristin Ess needs four or more.
Hair health goes to Olaplex too. The bond building technology repairs internal damage while toning. Kristin Ess offers no repair claim at all.
Price goes to Kristin Ess by a wide margin. Olaplex costs roughly double for a smaller bottle. For someone toning weekly, that difference adds up fast over a year.
Gentleness goes to Kristin Ess. The lighter pigment means less risk of overtoning, which is a genuine problem with stronger formulas on pale blonde hair.
My recommendation is simple. Choose Olaplex if your hair is damaged, very brassy, or you want fast results. Choose Kristin Ess if your hair is healthy, already toned, and you just want to maintain what your stylist gave you.
Many people use both. Olaplex for correction, Kristin Ess for weekly upkeep.
Price and Value in 2026
The ten fluid ounce bottle typically sells between fourteen and seventeen dollars, depending on the retailer and current promotions. Target and Amazon usually run the lowest prices.
A bottle lasts about ten to twelve weeks with twice weekly use on shoulder length hair. That works out to roughly one dollar fifty per week.
Compare that to a salon gloss appointment at sixty to ninety dollars every six weeks. The math strongly favors home toning.
Value depends entirely on your hair color though. If you are a light blonde and it works, the value is excellent. If you are a dark blonde and see nothing, you wasted fifteen dollars.
There is a fifty milliliter travel size available for a few dollars. Buy that first if you are unsure. Testing a small bottle costs less than returning a large one.
Ulta and Target both accept opened beauty returns, which lowers the risk further. Amazon is less flexible on opened personal care items.
What Real Users Say
Verified review patterns tell a clearer story than any single test.
Across major retailers, the shampoo holds ratings in the low to mid four star range from tens of thousands of reviewers. That is strong for a toning product, since purple shampoos attract harsh reviews by nature.
Positive reviews consistently praise three things: the lather, the smell, and the shine. Users with naturally light blonde or gray hair report the highest satisfaction.
Negative reviews cluster around two themes: dryness and lack of visible toning. A YouTube reviewer famously reported a green result, and scattered written reviews echo that on porous hair.
Reddit feedback is more mixed than retailer feedback. Several users in hair communities call the pigment too weak for genuinely brassy hair and recommend stronger options.
Stylist opinions land in the middle. Most describe it as a solid maintenance shampoo rather than a corrective one. That framing matches my own results almost exactly.
Final Verdict
Kristin Ess The One Purple Shampoo earns a recommendation with clear conditions attached.
Buy it if your hair is light blonde, platinum, silver, or gray, your hair is in decent condition, and you want gentle weekly tone maintenance at a low price.
Skip it if your hair is dark blonde, heavily brassy, orange toned, dry, or damaged. You will be happier with a stronger pigment or a bond building formula.
The shampoo does what it claims, just quietly. It is a maintenance tool, not a color correction treatment. Reviews that call it a failure usually come from people who needed the second category.
The shower experience is genuinely pleasant, the price is fair, and the shine boost is real. The dryness is manageable with the right conditioner.
My score: 7.5 out of 10 for light blondes, and 4 out of 10 for anyone hoping to fix serious brass at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kristin Ess purple shampoo work on brunette hair?
Only on lightened sections. Highlights, balayage pieces, and money pieces in brunette hair will tone. Your natural brunette base will not change at all, because purple pigment cannot deposit visibly on dark hair.
How long should I leave it on my hair?
Two to five minutes is the sweet spot. Under two minutes gives almost no toning. Over five minutes offers little extra benefit and slightly raises the risk of an uneven cast on porous ends.
Can it turn my hair purple or gray?
Very unlikely. The pigment level is low, which is exactly why it fails to dramatically tone. Overtoning happens mainly with heavily pigmented formulas left on for long periods.
Is it safe for keratin treated hair?
Yes. The brand states the formula is keratin safe and sulfate free. That makes it a reasonable option after a smoothing treatment, though you should still confirm with your stylist.
Why did my hair feel dry after using it?
The formula contains no silicones, so there is no artificial slip coating your strands. Pair it with the matching purple conditioner or a hydrating mask and the rough feeling disappears.
How often should I use purple shampoo?
Once or twice a week suits most people. Light blondes chasing an ashy tone can use it more often. Overuse on already cool hair can look dull and flat.
Does it help with orange or copper tones?
No. Purple cancels yellow only. Orange brass requires a blue shampoo. Using purple on orange hair produces muddy results and wasted product.
Is the Amazon version authentic?
Buy from the official brand storefront or from Amazon directly rather than third party sellers. Counterfeit hair products do circulate, and diluted formulas explain some very poor reviews.
Hi, I’m Hannah Foster, a tattoo trend expert and blogger. I’m passionate about body art and love sharing my knowledge and inspiration with others. On Glamour Hub, I’ll be sharing my favorite tattoo designs, trends, and tips. Follow me on Pinterest @Glamourhubblog to stay up-to-date on the latest in tattoo fashion.
