Will Purple Shampoo Fix Green Hair? – A Guide To Fix Green Hair

Will purple shampoo fix green hair? You sometimes notice a green tint on your blonde hair after a swimming session, but you don’t know why.

Some may think that purple shampoo, which is the destined color corrector of brassy blonde hair, will also do the trick. Is it true? Or are there any risks of doing so?

We’ve got your back. Keep reading for the answer.

Will Purple Shampoo Fix Green Hair?

Unfortunately, the short answer is “No“. Purple shampoo can’t help you get rid of the green color on your hair.

Why is that?

According to color theory, opposite (complimentary) colors neutralize each other.

Complementary colors not only make each other stand out while being placed side by side but also give a neutral shade when mixed together. That means you need opposite colors to balance out each other.

For example, if you spot some yellow tones on your blond hair, purple shampoo, contrasting with yellow, will saturate and bring your hair to the correct hue.

Therefore, following the color wheel, the complementary color of green is not purple, which means using purple shampoo on your green hair won’t change anything well.

Why Do Your Hair Turn Green?

This is a common issue among regular swimmers due to the chemical elements called chlorine in swimming pools. That chlorine is the main culprit that turns your hair green.

However, chlorine alone can not make your hair green. It only can do so when in work with the copper in the pool.

Chlorine is known as a sanitizer component in swimming pools. Once it combines with Copper substance in water, it creates a compound that could stick to hair and turn its color to green.

Therefore, the more time you spend in the swimming pools, the more often chlorine and copper affect your hair. Over time, you can notice a green tint slowly appearing on your hair.

Anyone can face this issue, but people with blonde hair are more prone to green tones than those with darker hair. The thing is, green discoloration doesn’t stand out as much as with darker hair like it does with lighter hair.

But it doesn’t mean you should ignore that brassiness if you have darker hair. The above-mentioned film not only makes your hair turn green but also causes ashiness and dullness.

Of course, in addition to being impacted by pool water, there are a variety of additional factors for your hair to become green, such as wrongly applying toner, experiencing problems while dying or bleaching your hair.

See more here: Why Did Your Hair Turn Green?

How To Fix Green Hair?

Since purple shampoo can’t cancel out green colors, let us show you a few ways to fix green hair at home, especially if the hair turns green due to swimming.

Method 1: Use Red Shampoo Or Red-Toned Dye

Red Shampoo

Going back to the color wheel chart above, you can see that the opposite color of green is red. That means red can offset green hair.

So instead of purple shampoo, use some red shampoo to wash off both chlorine and copper. After the brassy pigments have been washed away, the red colorant will come in and cancel any green tones.

On top of the color neutralization effect, red shampoo can also help you solve the chlorine-copper compound problem. The red shampoo has antioxidant ingredients.

Not every type of hair reacts positively with every red shampoo. So you should be cautious while using this product.

Red-Toned Dyes

Red-toned dyes will give you a similar effect. But don’t use red shampoo and a red dye at the same time. One product is enough.

In the case of Red-toned dyes, Mahogany is one of the most favorite and recommended colors. You can wear mahogany hair as both a warm and cool color.

Adding a little violet into your mixture will help you skew cooler. Meanwhile, a warmer red dye promises extra richness.

Method 2: Chelating Shampoo

A universal solution for removing build-up on hair is chelating shampoo.

Chelating shampoo can wash off all kinds of build-up, from mousses and hairspray to minerals and chemicals. It is considered as a detox agent for your hair.

However, the chelating shampoo is a purposeful clarifier, so don’t replace your regular shampoo with it.

Chelating shampoo may strip too much natural oil out of your hair and scalp, leaving the scalp dry and itchy.

So, if you are a swimmer with a green tone problem, use it one or two  times a week. For regular users, one time a week or fewer is fine.

Method 3: DIY Options

Ketchup

Ketchup is a tried-and-true method to cancel out the green hue from your tresses. It is because red and green are opposites on the color wheel, so they work against each other.

• Squirt the ketchup over the green areas and then massage it with your fingertips.
• Cover your head with a plastic wrap and wait for around 30 minutes.
• Wash your head with cool water.
• Shampoo and condition your hair as usual.

Lemon Juice

You can get rid of that unwanted green tint with something as simple as lemon juice.

• Soak your hair with lemon juice and let it sit for around 5 minutes to allow the acid in the juice to lighten the greenish areas.
• Wash and condition as you normally would.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is considered as a bleaching factor, so it also works for this case.

Notice that the high pH of baking soda could cause dehydration on your hair. So after washing baking soda, remember to treat your hair with a conditioner having low pH to balance it.

Aspirin

Aspirin can neutralize the chlorine residue in your hair. Dissolve 6-8 aspirin tablets in warm water and then gently apply the mixture to your hair.

It would help if you let it sit for around 20 minutes. Wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner as usual.

How To Prevent Your Hair From Turning Green?

There are four simple ways to prevent the green tones situation from happening in the first place. The science behind these methods is to prevent your hair from direct exposure to chlorine and copper in the swimming pool. They are:

• Soak your hair with water before going into the pool.
• Use a leave-in conditioner to coat your hair.
• Wear a swim cap.
• Rinse your hair after getting out of the pool.

Conclusion

Will purple shampoo fix green hair? Unfortunately, Purple cannot neutralize green tones when mixed because they do not contrast with each other.

Your solutions are using products with red pigments and are acidic. They will offset the green hue and break down the copper film on your hair.