Paul Mitchell

Platinum Blonde Violet Shampoo

Shampoo / Clarifying, deep-cleaning

Shampoo
Moisture-rich
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free · label states

Size10.14 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes

Priceabout $20commonly seen · 10.14 oz · from $0.84/oz in the 33.8 oz

Price / oz$1.98/ozat 10.14 oz

Where to buy6 stores · 2 sizes

Scent:

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

“Refreshing cucumber melon scent with soft floral notes” — 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

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup None Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Low Not in your profile

Sulfates Not determined Not in your profile

Parabens / preservatives Present Not in your profile

Essential oils Not determined Not in your profile

Show all 19 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

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

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

Heavy humectants Heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence High Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

pH adjusted Adjusted Not in your profile

Ingredient list 20 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Masstige 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.

Upper-mid price for a shampoo

$1.98/oz at 10.14 oz — more than 61% of the 805 shampoos , which mostly run $0.81–3.01/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

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

Hard waterand swimmers dealing with mineral deposit

Cuticle-smoothing pHa pH adjuster brings it to the acidic range hair prefers

Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent

Dry or damaged haira strong detergent system strips as it cleans

Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

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 Chelators present

Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

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
WaterWater (Aqua, Eau)	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate	olefin sulfonate cleanser	—	Cleanses
Cocamidopropyl Betaine	amphoteric cleanser	—	Cleanses
Cocamide MIPA	secondary cleanser	Softens the main detergent	Cleanses
Glycerin	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
DI-C12-13 Alkyl Malate	—	—	Neutral
Glycol Stearate	opacifier	Makes the product look creamy	Softens
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride	conditioning agent	Puts conditioning back as it washes	Detangles
Methylchloroisothiazolinone	isothiazolinone	—	Stabilizes
Methylisothiazolinone	isothiazolinone	—	Stabilizes
FragranceFragrance (Parfum)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Benzyl Benzoate	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesFragrance is on the label. Hard-water chelators are present. Vegan and cruelty-free.

Full ingredient list (20)

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 · Water (Aqua, 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 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.

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 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
4 Cocamide MIPA

General function
A coconut-derived thickener that stabilises shampoo foam and gives the liquid its body.

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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A sugar-derived non-ionic detergent, among the gentlest in use. It cleanses with little foam of its own and little sebum removal.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Gentle cleansing leaves water-insoluble deposits largely in place; they come off with a stronger wash, not this one.
- secondary cleanser
- nonionic cleanser
- thickener
5 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
6 DI-C12-13 Alkyl Malate
7 Glycol Stearate

General function
A wax that makes shampoo look pearly and adds a slightly richer feel.

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

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
8 Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

General function
A conditioning polymer made from guar bean gum. It deposits during rinsing, which is why sulfate shampoos can still leave hair soft.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Cationic conditioners bind to the negatively charged damaged cuticle, laying it flat and cutting the friction that causes combing breakage.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
A styling polymer dries into a film across the strands, which is what makes a shape hold instead of relax.
- conditioning agent
- polymer
- gum
9 Magnesium Nitrate
- salt
10 Magnesium Chloride
- salt
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
11 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
12 Tetrasodium EDTA

General function
Binds the metal ions in hard water so they cannot dull hair or destabilise the formula.

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
Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair
Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

PubChem
- hard-water chelator
13 Sodium Hydroxide

General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.

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
The alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.

International Journal of Trichology
- pH adjuster
14 Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
15 Methylisothiazolinone
- isothiazolinone
- preservative
16 Ext. Violet 2 (CI 60730)

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
17 Fragrance · Fragrance (Parfum)

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
18 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
19 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
20 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent

What the whole list adds up to

3 preservatives
3 fragrances
2 solvents
2 cleansers
2 secondary cleansers
2 salts
2 pH adjusters
2 hard-water chelators
2 isothiazolinones
2 named fragrance allergens
1 olefin sulfonate cleanser
1 amphoteric cleanser
1 nonionic cleanser
1 thickener

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

Price · 10.14 oz

Commonly seen about $20 Midpoint $20 · 4 stores · checked Sep 8

Good value under $16 Under $1.60/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 $16 line; products that do this job typically go for about $19 at this size.

Sizes

10.14 ozmost listed

$20

$1.98/oz

33.8 oz

$28.56

$0.84/oz

The 33.8 oz costs 58% less per ounce than the 10.14 oz.

Show the price ladder

Price for 10.14 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it6 listings · 6 stores

10.14 ozmost listed

Paul Mitchell (paulmitchell.com)
$20.00

10.14 oz · $1.97/oz

Sep 8Lowest per oz
Ulta Beauty
$20.00

10.14 oz · $1.97/oz

Sep 8
John Paul Mitchell Systems
$20.00

10.14 oz · $1.97/oz

Sep 8
JCPenney
$20.00

10.1 oz · $1.98/oz

Sep 8
Target
$21.00

10.14 oz · $2.07/oz

Sep 8

33.8 ozBest per ounce

Walmart
$28.56

33.8 oz · $0.84/oz

Sep 8Lowest per ozSale · was $42.00

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

10.14 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.
Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 10.14 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
Good value under $16 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.60/oz; at 10.14 oz that is $16. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
About $19 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 10.14 oz.

Formula

Formula score

10 of 10

A complete read of the format at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among shampoos, with the working systems present.

How the score is counted

2 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 61% of the 805 shampoos we’ve priced
Covers 7 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, for less

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.

Sun BumLowest cost per oz Blonde Purple Shampoo $1.05/oz $0.93/oz less

Sulfate-free
Protein-free
Deep clean

· Close function

Function: Slip and detangling
Film formers
Also: Floral scent
Drugstore tier
10 oz bottle

Compare

NexxusClose function Nexxus Clean & Pure Nourishing Detox Shampoo $1.33/oz $0.65/oz less

Sulfate-free
Protein-free
Deep clean

Function: Slip and detangling
Water-binding (humectants)
Film formers
Also: Drugstore tier
13.5 oz bottle

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?

A solid pick for the hair it suits

Best user

Scalps that oil up within a day who want a proper reset wash and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, dry or damaged hair, or very dry or very humid climates

Best alternative if not

Consider Sun Bum Blonde Purple Shampoo, for similar results 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 ideal for light to medium blonde, silver, gray or white hair

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Eliminates unwanted brassy tones for light, bright hues

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Gentle enough for weekly use

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.

Cruelty Free

Our researched record has this brand as cruelty-free.

—

Supported

Matches our researched record.

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.

Color Safe

The detergent system is not recorded, so fade risk cannot be read.

Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

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.

Long-time purple-shampoo users say it tones brassy or yellow blonde and highlighted hair effectively while feeling less drying than other purple shampoos they have used.

experienced purple-shampoo users with blonde/highlighted hair

Several reviewers use it on their children's or family members' blonde hair after swimming and say it tones gently without much fuss.

parents using it on kids' or family members' hair

A couple of long-term users say repeated regular use gradually shifted their blonde toward an ashy or gray cast rather than staying neutral.

long-term regular users

A notable share of reviewers, especially with strongly brassy or thick hair, say it barely tones even after long processing times of ten to forty-five minutes.

reviewers with stubborn brassiness or thick hair

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 9 of 13 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.

Platinum Blonde Violet 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

More from Paul Mitchell

How this page was made

Your personalized hair plan