The 7 Best Products for Brassy Hair Keep Orange Undertones Away and My Blonde Hair Bright
No hair color nightmares on my watch.
I take pride in the fact that my blonde hair is pretty low-maintenance, all things considered. I get balayage, which helps with an easy grow-out, and because my naturally brunette tone has fairly neutral undertones, I rarely have to worry about picking up an orange or yellow tint. But summertime is when my luck runs out. Pool water, UV exposure, and salt from the ocean—on top of daily color degraders like metals and minerals in tap water—and my blonde has the tendency to take on a brassy tone.
The good news: a few subtle tweaks to my routine and a color appointment timed strategically at the start and end of the season keep the brassiness from getting out of hand. I’m very regimented with my purple shampoo, which cancels out those yellow or orange tones. I also make sure to use color-safe styling products, and incorporate my secret weapon—a $4 metal detox packet from CVS—every month. My hair stays covered under a wide-brimmed hat as much as possible, and I try to shampoo as quickly as possible after taking a dip in the pool or ocean.
To shop my whole routine for fighting brassy hair, keep scrolling.
Best Products for Brassy Hair
- The Best Color Protector for Brassy Hair: Amika The Protector Treatment
- The Best Gloss for Brassy Hair: dpHue Toning Gloss
- The Best Purple Shampoo for Brassy Hair: Kérastase Blond Absolu Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo
- The Best Hair Serum for Brassy Hair: Davines Heart of Glass Instant Bonding Glow Hair Serum
- The Best Daily Shampoo and Conditioner for Brassy Hair: Maria Nila Color-Preserving Shampoo and Conditioner
- The Best UV Protector for Brassy Hair: Rahua Hydration Detangler UV Barrier
- The Best Heavy Metal Remover for Brassy Hair: Malibu C Wellness Hair Remedy
Best Color Protector for Brassy Hair
If you’re going to spend money on hair color in the summer, you’d be silly not to invest in this treatment, too. It keeps color fresh and vibrant for up to 40 washes, reduces fade from UV exposure and chlorine, and adds a little extra shine. Just give your hair a healthy spritz post-shower, and you can enjoy summer days without stressing about sabotaging your color.
Review: “I’m obsessed with this spray! I didn’t realize when I first got it that it also protects against chlorine. How perfect for pool days!! I’ve been using it religiously since getting it and my hair feels so soft, so bouncy , even after days of swimming in the pool and laying out. The perfect summer spray!” — Amika
Best Gloss for Brassy Hair
Marie Claire had named this the best hair toner for a reason. A lot of at-home treatments can be pretty intimidating to use, but this formula is intuitive and foolproof. Seriously. Just drizzle it on wet, clean hair, let it work some magic for three to five minutes, and rinse it out. You’ll be left with deeply conditioned hair that doesn’t look brassy in the slightest. I typically use this once every two months, and it’s sufficient to push off a color refresh for an extra few weeks.
Review: “My self-esteem was crushed when I spent over $300 on a bad coloring. My roots looked so brassy and orange. I was so embarrassed. I found this product. Was skeptical, but desperate. I followed the directions as written and the brassiness is 97% gone. Just barely noticeable... and more importantly, my confidence is back. Ugh, I hate a bad hair appointment.” — Ulta
Best Purple Shampoo for Brassy Hair
PSA: You don’t need to use a purple shampoo every hair wash day. I actually avoid it completely the first two to three months post-color. But once my hair starts to adopt an orange tone, I take it as a cue to use this once every few weeks. This is easily my favorite on the market—it’s powerful enough to color-correct, but no matter how long I leave it in (I try to keep it around three minutes), I don’t run the risk of stepping out of the shower with purple, pink, or blue-tinted hair. Bonus: it smells divine.
Review: “I am in love with this purple shampoo. A little goes a long way, and I only use it about once a week. It leaves my hair feeling very soft and really helps to counteract lots of warmth in my blonde hair. 10/10” — Sephora
Best Hair Serum for Brassy Hair
This is quite possibly my favorite hair product of all time. I squeeze a drizzle onto my hair—mid-shaft to ends—after rinsing out my conditioner, and it leaves my hair with the prettiest shine and the yummiest scent. It’s not a toner per se, but it does tone down warmth ever so slightly and add a glossy sheen that makes my color appear fresh and healthy.
Review: “I have only used this two times (one time per week for two weeks) and my color-treated blonde hair looks night and day to what it's been. This bonding product does an amazing job of making my hair so much more manageable, soft, smooth, and shiny.” — Sephora
Best Daily Shampoo and Conditioner for Brassy Hair
I stumbled upon Maria Nila in 2019, and have been a super fan ever since. I even went to Sweden with them a few years back to see their factory and meet the team. The products really do speak for themselves—especially the shampoo and conditioner duo. Not only are they designed to preserve color, but they also leave behind the silkiest, smoothest texture—it’s honestly mind-blowing that the formula is silicone-free.
Review: “My hairdresser recommended Maria Nila to me. After going through the quiz, I found Luminous Color was the one for me. I have been using this for the last month, and my hair is in the best condition it has ever been! I am so happy with it and feel much more confident. My hair is shiny, soft, and supple and the color is bright and hasn't faded. My greys haven't even returned as quickly as usual. Fantastic product.”
Best UV Protector for Brassy Hair
I won’t step foot on a beach without a broad-spectrum SPF slathered on my face and body, so why wouldn’t I extend that protection to my hair? The sun’s rays have the ability to break down hair color, causing it to fade faster and turn brassy quicker—which is exactly where this product comes into play. It also packs in fatty acids and natural oils to boost hair hydration.
Review: “Love this product. It works great as a detangler for my long hair. Love that I'm protecting my hair with a UV Barrier from the strong sun. Love the scent smells amazing. I use it in between washes to freshen my hair and keep frizz at bay as well. This definitely is a product I won't be without.”
Best Heavy Metal Remover for Brassy Hair
These incredibly cheap little packets are the beauty industry’s best-kept secret. My hair colorist put me on them years ago. Just open the pack and pour the crystals into your hand, add water, and massage the solution through your hair. Let the product detox your color from metals and minerals over the course of five minutes, and then rinse. My hair instantly looks like I just had a fresh color. It’s magic.
Review: “My hairstylist introduced me to this and I love it!!! I get blonde highlights, and every 3 weeks, I use a packet to bring the vibrancy back to my blonde hair! The trick is to leave it in your hair for about 45 minutes for it to work. I notice how my hair feels ‚less heavy‚ when I use this product too.” — Malibu C
Why Does Blonde Hair Get Brassy in the Summer?
If you feel like your hair color is fading faster in the summer, you’re not delusional. The biggest culprits are chlorine and ocean water, which decompose deposited color. Add UV rays into the mix, along with the fact that you’re likely washing your hair more frequently, and it’s easy to see how color can get out of whack. “All hair color fades with time through washing and heat styling,” says hairstylist Shvonne Perkins.
How Can I Fix Brassy Hair?
Just because your hair looks a little brassy, doesn’t mean you need to schedule a color appointment ASAP. There are a handful of products that can tone down brassiness and preserve your color. “Hair color is like a bank account; as it gets withdrawn, you need to keep depositing,” says Perkins. She recommends using a hair toner to neutralize orange tones (purple will cancel orange), as well as a gloss or glaze to add additional shine. There are also products, like UV protectors, that will minimize your chances of getting brassy.
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Meet the Expert
Shvonne has been in the beauty industry for 14 years and loves getting her hands in hair color. But what she loves MOST is teaching other colorists about the chemistry and design of Madison Reed hair color products. When not teaching, she is thinking of new ways to make beauty education engaging by adapting elimination challenges from Top Chef and Project Runway and turning them into hair color activities. Her go-to hair product is Color Reviving Gloss in Prosecco.
