Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty Blonde Purple Shampoo — container, alternate view

Paul Mitchell

Clean Beauty Blonde Purple Shampoo

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

Shampoo
Sulfate-free
Protein-free
Moisture-rich
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed

Size8.5 fl oz

Price$30seen at one store · 8.5 oz

Price / oz$3.53/ozat 8.5 oz

Where to buy1 store

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

“A fruit-forward scent with delicate floral notes and vanilla undertones.” — Brand page

Manufacturer page: paulmitchell.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level High Not in your profile

Cleansing strength Strong Not in your profile

Slip / detangling High Not in your profile

Weight on hair Medium Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein None Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup High Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Moderate Not in your profile

Sulfates None listed Not in your profile

Show all 22 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Parabens / preservatives None of these listed Not in your profile

Essential oils None listed Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol None Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Vegan · label statesCruelty-free · PETA-listed Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Vegan · label states Not in your profile

Heavy humectants Heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence None Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

pH adjusted Adjusted Not in your profile

Ingredient list 46 ingredientsA long list Not in your profile

Price tier Salon Not in your profile

Where to buy it Brand websiteOne channel Not in your profile

The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.

Start your consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

Priced above most shampoos

$3.53/oz at 8.5 oz — more than 81% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Colour-treated hairthat fades faster in a sulfate wash

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added

Fast-oiling scalpsthat need a real reset wash

Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front

Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent

Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove

Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans

Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list

Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Hard waterno chelator here to bind the minerals

Whether this much cleansing is right for you depends on how fast your scalp oils, how much product you layer, and your water — that is what the consultation works out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Cleansing strength Strong

Removes oil, buildup, and most residue — a reset wash.

Expected lather High

Thick foam that spreads quickly through the hair.

Slip and detangling High

Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

Scalp active None

No over-the-counter scalp active.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

Ingredient	What it does	Why it matters	Chip
WaterAqua (Water, Eau)	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate	olefin sulfonate cleanser	—	Cleanses
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate	amphoteric cleanser	—	Cleanses
Glycerin	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Silicone Quaternium-22	silicone	Smooths the cuticle and adds shine	Buildup
Cocamidopropyl Betaine	amphoteric cleanser	—	Cleanses
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil	oil	Coats and softens the strand	Softens
Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract	botanical extract	A plant extract, marketed as much as functional	Neutral
Phenoxyethanol	preservative	Keeps the product from spoiling	Stabilizes
Caprylyl Glycol	preservative	Keeps the product from spoiling	Moisturizes
PEG-12 Dimethicone	emollient	A softening touch, low in the list	Buildup
Phenethyl Alcohol	preservative	Keeps the product from spoiling	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off.

Full ingredient list (46)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

1 Water · Aqua (Water, Eau)

General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
2 Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

General function
A strong non-sulfate detergent used in "sulfate-free" shampoos. It cleans about as thoroughly as a sulfate despite the label difference.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
A strong detergent with no sulfate on the label. It removes deposited films about as completely as a sulfate does.

May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Sulfate-free on the label is a naming fact, not a mildness one: this is an efficient detergent, and hair short of moisture can feel it.

PubChem
- olefin sulfonate cleanser
- cleanser
3 Sodium Cocoamphoacetate

General function
A very mild cleanser common in baby and sensitive-scalp shampoos.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
One of the mildest detergent classes. It is usually there to let a formula lather without a harsher detergent doing the work.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
4 Glycerin

General function
A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
Water moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.

Scientific Reports
- humectant
5 Silicone Quaternium-22

General function
A conditioning silicone used for durable smoothing and slip.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Amino-functional silicone carries a positive charge, so it binds where the cuticle is worn rather than coating evenly. Damaged areas get most of it.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- silicone
- conditioning agent
- film former
6 Cocamidopropyl Betaine

General function
A mild coconut-derived co-cleanser that boosts foam and softens the effect of stronger detergents. It appears in most shampoos, gentle or not.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.

DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair
Among the mildest detergents in use — it is what baby shampoos are built on — but it is almost always the second detergent in a formula. How much a wash strips is still decided by the primary detergent listed above it.

Indian Journal of Dermatology
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
7 Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

General function
The oil pressed from Borago Officinalis. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

May not suitFine or easily flattened hair
Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
8 Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract

General function
An extract of Punica Granatum. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
9 Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Unsaponifiables
10 Cota Tinctoria Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
- botanical extract
11 Helichrysum Italicum Extract
- botanical extract
12 Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract

General function
Flaxseed gel. A natural polysaccharide that gives soft, flexible hold in curl products.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
A polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.

May not suitMaximum-hold styling
Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- gum
- film former
- botanical extract
13 Verbascum Densiflorum Flower/Stem Extract
- botanical extract
14 Ppg-3 Myristyl Ether
- emulsifier
15 Polyquaternium-10

General function
A cellulose-based conditioning polymer that leaves a thin, static-reducing film. Very common in shampoos as the ingredient that keeps them from stripping.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
16 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
17 Hydroxypropylgluconamide

General function
A sugar-derived conditioning agent used in bond-repair positioned formulas for moisture and slip.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
18 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

General function
A gel-forming thickener that also keeps oils suspended. It contributes a little hold.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines
Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
19 Caprylyl Glycol

General function
A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

PubChem
- preservative
- humectant
20 Polyquaternium-53

General function
A positively charged conditioning polymer. It leaves a thin film that cuts static and eases combing, and it survives rinsing better than a simple conditioner.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
21 Hydroxypropylammonium Gluconate

General function
A sugar-derived conditioning agent with a positive charge, used alongside hydroxypropylgluconamide.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines
Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
22 PEG-12 Dimethicone

General function
A water-soluble silicone that smooths without the build-up concern of standard silicones.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
The PEG- and PPG-modified silicones disperse in water, so ordinary washing carries them off instead of leaving a film to accumulate.

May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Delivers the slip and surface smoothing of a silicone without needing a detergent wash to remove it afterwards.
- emollient
- silicone
- water-soluble silicone
23 Phenethyl Alcohol

General function
A rose-scented alcohol that acts as both a mild preservative and a fragrance note.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines
Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

PubChem
- preservative
- fragrance
24 Dimethylglucamine
- pH adjuster
25 Sodium Gluceptate
26 Laureth-4
- emulsifier
27 Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

General function
A smaller form of hyaluronic acid, used for water binding closer to the strand.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- humectant
28 Sodium Hyaluronate

General function
A large water-binding molecule that sits on the surface holding moisture.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- humectant
29 Glycol Distearate

General function
A wax that gives shampoo its pearly look and a slightly richer feel.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

PubChem
- opacifier
- emollient
30 Allantoin

General function
A soothing ingredient used in scalp formulas.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
- conditioning agent
31 Lecithin

General function
A soy- or sunflower-derived lipid that helps conditioning ingredients spread evenly on the strand.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

PubChem
- emulsifier
- emollient
32 Lysine Hcl

General function
A salt form of the amino acid lysine, used in conditioning blends.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

DependsProtein-sensitive hair
The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

PubChem
- amino acid
33 Proline

General function
An amino acid from hair protein, used in amino-acid conditioning blends.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

DependsProtein-sensitive hair
The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.
- amino acid
34 Shikimic Acid
35 Zinc PCA

General function
A zinc salt of a natural moisturising factor, used on the scalp for oil-control and soothing claims.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- humectant
- active
36 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
37 Citric Acid

General function
Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
The acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.

May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair
Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

International Journal of Trichology
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
38 Lactic Acid

General function
An acid used to set pH and, in scalp products, to loosen flakes.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

PubChem
- pH adjuster
- humectant
- exfoliant
39 Tartaric Acid

General function
A fruit acid used to set an acidic pH; at higher levels it also loosens surface build-up.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

PubChem
- pH adjuster
- exfoliant
40 Ext. Violet 2 (CI 60730) · Acid Violet 43

General function
A certified colour that tints the product itself. It does not colour hair.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair
A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant
- direct dye
- violet dye
41 Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
42 1,2-Hexanediol

General function
A preservative booster that also holds a little moisture and helps other ingredients dissolve.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

PubChem
- preservative
- humectant
- solvent
43 Fragrance · Parfum (Fragrance)

General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines
Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
44 Benzyl Benzoate

General function
A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is a recognised contact allergen.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
45 Hydroxycitronellal

General function
A soft floral fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

PubChem
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
46 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent

What the whole list adds up to

9 humectants
7 preservatives
5 film formers
5 botanical extracts
4 conditioning agents
4 emollients
4 fragrances
4 pH adjusters
3 solvents
3 cleansers
3 emulsifiers
3 polymers
2 amphoteric cleansers
2 secondary cleansers

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-08. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 8.5 oz

Seen at $30 1 store · checked Sep 8

Good value under $14 Under $1.67/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $14 line; products that do this job typically go for about $27 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 8.5 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

Paul Mitchell (paulmitchell.com)
$30.00

8.5 oz · $3.53/oz

Sep 8Lowest per oz

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out

8.5 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
Seen at $30 is the price we have observed for the 8.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $14 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.67/oz; at 8.5 oz that is $14. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $27 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score

9 of 10

It costs more per ounce than 81% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced, and the formula carries the systems the format is built around. Nothing in our library comes close enough on formula to be a cheaper substitute.

How the score is counted

Nothing in our library does the same job at a lower price
Costs more per ounce than 81% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
Covers 6 of the 7 things a shampoo should do
Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs

A working detergent systemWhat actually removes oil and product.3 pts
Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
A hard-water chelatorBinds the minerals that dull hair in hard water.1 pt
A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.1 pt
Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

MoroccanoilClosest function Blonde Perfecting Purple Shampoo $4.14/oz $0.61/oz more

Sulfate-free
Protein-free
Deep clean

Function: Water-binding (humectants)
Film formers
Also: 6.7 oz bottle
Sold through salons

Compare

It's a 10Close function Miracle Brightening Shampoo for Blondes $3.44/oz $0.09/oz less

Sulfate-free
Protein-free
Deep clean

Function: Slip and detangling
Oils and butters
Hard-water defence
Also: 10 oz bottle

Compare

Paul MitchellLowest cost per oz Clean Beauty Hydrate Shampoo $1.60/oz $1.93/oz less

Sulfate-free
Deep clean
Hard water

· Related function

Function: Toning dye
Protein
Hard-water defence

Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Above-range price, specific fit

Best user

Colour-treated hair, looking for washing without sulfates and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or dry or damaged hair

Best alternative if not

Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Purple shampoo gently cleanses blonde, highlighted, silver or gray hair and eliminates brassy tones

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Vegan

Our researched record has this brand or product as vegan.

—

Supported

Matches our researched record.

Sulfate Free

No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Gentler on colour and coils.

Paraben Free

No parabens appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Preserved without parabens.

Made Without Gluten

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

82% natural origin ingredients

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Many reviewers say it visibly reduces brassy or yellow tones in blonde, highlighted or gray hair within just a few washes, more effectively than other purple shampoos they have tried.

blonde, highlighted or gray-haired reviewers comparing it to other purple shampoos

Multiple reviewers describe the scent as pleasant and not as heavy or medicinal-smelling as other toning shampoos they have used.

general reviewers commenting on fragrance

Several reviewers warn the deep purple pigment can stain hands, nails or fingers during application unless gloves are worn.

reviewers describing the application mess

A few reviewers with fine or already very light, chemically treated hair found the toning effect too subtle, or noticed dryness or an overly blue cast if left on too long.

fine-haired or heavily lightened reviewers

How this page was made

Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
3 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
Ingredient references are linked for 14 of 31 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-08.

Clean Beauty Blonde Purple Shampoo

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

What people report

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How this page was made

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