Best Purple Shampoo Bars
Quick answer
Three brands sell purple toning bars: Kitsch Purple Toning ($16), Ethique Purple ($14, 110 g, formulated for daily use) and Bottle None PURPLE-toning ($25, 70-75 g, used 1 to 2 times a week at most). They differ on frequency: Bottle None limits use, Ethique says daily, and Kitsch publishes none. Bottle None's be BRIGHT ($20) is a non-toning bar for blond hair. Toning claims are brand statements.
Key takeaways
- Three purple bars: Kitsch ($16), Ethique ($14), Bottle None ($25).
- Published frequency: Ethique daily; Bottle None 1 to 2 times a week at the higher end, or once or twice a month; Kitsch none.
- Pigments as listed: Acid Violet 43 (Kitsch), Ultramarines and beet root powder (Ethique), Ext. Violet 2 (Bottle None).
- Bottle None says to leave its bar on for 1 to 5 minutes on the second wash.
Daily-use toning bar with a published weight: Purple Shampoo Bar
Ethique describes beetroot, babassu oil and betaine for blonde and silver hair, formulated for daily cleansing, 110 g at $14 ($12.73 per 100 g). The trade-offs: the list includes Fragrance (Parfum) and jasmine oil, and no wash count is published.
Toning with biotin: Purple Toning Shampoo Bar for Color Treated & Grey Hair
Kitsch describes a solid purple shampoo with biotin for blonde, grey, white and color-treated hair, with Acid Violet 43 as the pigment and no artificial fragrance, at $16. The trade-offs: no usage frequency or weight, and fragrance on the list.
Visit Purple Toning Shampoo Bar for Color Treated & Grey Hair
Published frequency and leave-on time: PURPLE-toning Shampoo Bar
Bottle None publishes a 1 to 5 minute leave-on, a limit of 1 to 2 times a week at the higher end, a 70-75 g weight and storage advice, at $25. The trade-offs: the highest price per 100 g of the three, and it is a specialty bar, not a daily one.
Blond-hair bar without a toning pigment: be BRIGHT Shampoo Bar
Bottle None describes be BRIGHT as for blond hair, using a natural dimethicone replacement for shine, 70-75 g at $20, with no toning pigment on the list. The trade-off: it does not tone, so it does not address brassiness the way a purple bar is described to.
How do the purple bars compare?
| Bar | Price | Weight | Toning pigment as listed | Brand usage guidance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitsch Purple Toning | $16 | Not stated | Acid Violet 43 (CI 60730) | None published |
| Ethique Purple | $14 | 110 g | Ultramarines (CI 77007), beet root powder | Formulated for daily use; timing found over two or three washes |
| Bottle None PURPLE-toning | $25 | 70-75 g | Ext. Violet 2 | Leave on 1 to 5 minutes on the second wash; up to 1 to 2 times a week, or once or twice a month |
| Bottle None be BRIGHT (not purple) | $20 | 70-75 g | None listed | For blond hair; natural dimethicone replacement for shine |
The usage difference matters most: a bar designed for daily use and a bar treated as a specialty product call for different shower routines.
What do the brands say the bars are for?
- Kitsch: a solid purple shampoo with biotin for blondes, grey and white hair, color-treated and highlighted, aimed at brassiness and yellow undertones, free of artificial fragrance.
- Ethique: beetroot, babassu oil and betaine for blonde and silver hair, tones and hydrates, suitable for color-treated hair and daily cleansing.
- Bottle None: cancels brassy and golden-yellow tones in blonde; suggests pairing with a regular conditioner bar if you want a warmer blonde, and using the PURPLE conditioner bar to amplify ashy results.
Bottle None's be BRIGHT is the option if you want blond-hair shine without a toning pigment on the list.
How does cost per use compare?
None of the three publishes a wash count, so no per-wash figure is possible. Price per 100 g where weight is published: Ethique $12.73, Bottle None PURPLE $33.33 to $35.71 ($25 for 70-75 g). Bottle None's frequency guidance would stretch its bar further: used once or twice a week, a bar covers far fewer washes than a daily shampoo, so it is a different cost model. See shampoo bar cost per wash for bars with counts.
What are the risks of using a purple bar?
Brands themselves caution about frequency: Bottle None says higher-end use is 1 to 2 times a week and its bar is a specialty bar, not an everyday one. Whether a purple bar is safe on your color is a brand statement; Kitsch says safe for color-treated hair, Ethique says suitable. Start with the lowest frequency a brand gives and watch your own hair. The wash method is on how to use a shampoo bar, and color-treated guidance is on color-treated hair.
How long should a purple bar stay on the hair?
Only Bottle None gives a time: leave it on for between 1 and 5 minutes on the second wash. Ethique says users dial in their timing after two or three washes, which tells you to experiment on your own hair rather than follow a number. Kitsch publishes no leave-on time. Bottle None also advises shampooing twice for best results and pairing its toning bar with a regular conditioner bar for a warmer result or its purple conditioner bar for a more ashy one. A sensible comparison for your routine is how many minutes and how many times a week each brand implies: the table above puts Ethique at daily, Bottle None at 1 to 2 times a week, and Kitsch undefined.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I use a purple shampoo bar?
Brands differ: Ethique says daily use; Bottle None says 1 to 2 times a week at most; Kitsch publishes no frequency.
Do purple shampoo bars work on grey hair?
Kitsch and Ethique describe their bars for grey and silver hair. These are brand descriptions.
Is there a purple bar without fragrance?
Kitsch's Purple Toning is free of artificial fragrance but lists Fragrance (Parfum); Ethique's lists Fragrance (Parfum) and jasmine oil.
Which purple bar is cheapest?
Ethique Purple at $14, with a published 110 g weight.
Can I use a purple bar on color-treated hair?
Kitsch says safe for color-treated hair; Ethique says suitable. No color test is published.