A color-depositing shampoo is the best product when it comes to keeping your hair color looking fresh with minimal effort. You just wash your hair like normal, and bam! Suddenly your hair looks brighter, shinier, and more strongly colored. It’s so simple!
When you look for the best color-depositing shampoo for you, you’ll need to consider a few things, like whether you’re looking for a color refresh, a totally new look, or just to neutralize some errant undertones in your hair. No matter what you need, we’ve selected the best color-depositing shampoos for every job! Then, at the end, we added a quick guide that’ll help you choose the best option for your needs.
In this article:
- Our Picks for the Best Color-Depositing Shampoos
- What to Look for in the Best Color-Depositing Shampoo for You?
Best Color-Depositing Shampoos Overview
- Best Overall: Keracolor Color + Clenditioner
- Best Budget: N Rage Color Depositing Shampoo + Conditioner
- Best Splurge: shu uemura Yūbi Blonde Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo for Blonde Hair
- Best for Curly Hair: DevaCurl No-Poo Blue Anti-Brass Zero Lather Toning Cleanser
- Best for Brunettes: Redken Color Extend Brownlights Blue Toning Sulfate-Free Shampoo
- Runner-Up for Best for Brunettes: Matrix Total Results Dark Envy Green Shampoo
- Best for Blonde Hair: Matrix Total Results So Silver Shampoo for Blonde and Silver Hair
- Runner-Up for Best Splurge: Oribe Bright Blonde Shampoo
- Best for Gray & Silver Hair: Redken Color Extend Color Depositing Graydiant Shampoo
- Runner-Up for Best for Gray & Silver Hair: Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo
- Best for Red Hair: Joico Color Infuse Red Shampoo
- Runner-Up for Best for Red Hair: John Frieda Radiant Red Red Boosting Shampoo
- Best for Vivid Colors: Celeb Luxury Viral Color Depositing Colorwash
- Runner-Up for Best for Vivid Colors: Pure Blends Hydrating Color Depositing Shampoo
- Best for Pastel Hair: Lime Crime Unicorn Hair Color Shampoo
- Best for Pink Hair: Four Reasons Color Mask Hair Toning Treatment in Rose
- Best Vegan: Pureology Strength Cure Blonde Shampoo
Our Picks for the Best Color-Depositing Shampoos
Whether you’re a pastel princess, a bold blonde, or a beautiful brunette, these are the best color-depositing shampoos to try. Pick out the one that’ll suit your hair’s needs!
1
Best Overall
Keracolor Color + Clenditioner
Keracolor Ulta.com
$15.40
No matter what kind of color you desire, you have an option within the Clenditioner range. Clenditioner is the top option for color shampoos, with very intense pigmentation that means it can be used both as a color refresh or as a dye all on its own.
Because it comes in such a large color range, it’s a very popular option for anyone who likes fashion hair colors. Shades like rose gold and teal can really spark the imagination! It also comes in more natural shades, like mocha and honey, as well as in shades meant to color-correct, like platinum and silvery blue.
The formula is a little moussey, so it’s easy to distribute through the hair. It’s definitely more of a shampoo than a conditioner, despite the name. It can be a little drying, so we still recommend following it up with a conditioner. Buy it on Ulta or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 12 oz. or 33.8 oz.
- Color Range: 19
- Sulfate-Free: Yes
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Pros
Cons
2
Best Budget
N Rage Color Depositing Shampoo + Conditioner
N Rage Amazon.com
$12.99
If you’re on a tight budget but want to play with color, N Rage offers a wonderful shampoo that’s very budget-friendly! As with Keracolor Clenditioner, this formula also comes in a wide range of shades, with options for both the adventurous coloristas and those who want a more natural hue.
The shade selection is a little less robust, however, with a focus on simple, vivid colors. They take to the hair very easily since the formula is highly saturated with pigment. This means that it works great as both a color refresh and as a dye, but it can also get pretty messy! Make sure to scrub your hands and bathtub well after using it to avoid staining. Order it from Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 8.5 oz.
- Color Range: 6
- Sulfate-Free: Yes
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Pros
Cons
3
Best Splurge
shu uemura Yūbi Blonde Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo for Blonde Hair
shu uemura Sephora.com
$49
If you’re trying to maintain a blonde or platinum look, this purple shampoo is a nice splurge. It has a yellow-busting formula with a purple tint that’s at the perfect level of pigmentation to neutralize rather than dye. It’s an ideal choice for bleach blonde hair with persistent gold or yellow undertones, although if you leave it in for too long, you might get a subtle purple tint.
It’s a true shampoo with sulfates, so it suds up easily and can be a touch drying – an issue that’s easily solved with the help of a conditioner. It has a famous peony scent that’s quite lovely for anyone who likes florals. Get it at Sephora!
Key Features:
- Size: 10 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: No
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No/No
Pros
Cons
4
Best for Curly Hair
DevaCurl No-Poo Blue Anti-Brass Zero Lather Toning Cleanser
DevaCurl Ulta.com
$26
Curly girls, check it out! This toning not-a-shampoo helps to banish brassiness specifically in curly hair that can’t tolerate harsh or drying formulas. This cleansing product is formulated like a conditioner, but it still helps to cleanse the hair and eliminate impurities.
Because it has a blue tint, it works marvelously to cancel brassiness and orange tones in all hair levels. The pigmentation is very light, so there’s no risk of it tinting your hair blue, although you might need to use it a few times before it totally eliminates brassiness. The only thing missing is a similar formula in purple for those ultra-light blondes trying to cancel yellow tones! Shop for it at Ulta or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 12 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: Yes
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Pros
Cons
5
Best for Brunettes
Redken Color Extend Brownlights Blue Toning Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Redken Ulta.com
$23
If you’d like to cool down your brunette tresses, this is the best color-depositing shampoo for the job. The blue tint in it is ideal for canceling out orange tones and giving the hair a sophisticated neutral undertone. It will also work if you bleached your hair hoping for blonde and ended up with orange.
It’s a true shampoo, so it’ll work to cleanse all hair types, but it’s sulfate-free, so it’s a little gentler than a few other shampoos on this list. It does have a strong scent, so you may want to avoid it if you have a sensitive nose. The formula looks dramatically blue when you use it, but the actual results are a subtle, neutralizing tint! Pick it up at Ulta or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 10.1 oz. or 33.8 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: Yes
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No/No
Pros
Cons
6
Runner-Up for Best for Brunettes
Matrix Total Results Dark Envy Green Shampoo
Matrix Ulta.com
$17
If your main issue as a brunette is reddish tones in your hair, rather than orange or brassy tones, then a green shampoo will be your solution. This Matrix shampoo offers the perfect level of green pigmentation not to tint the hair green but to give it a dark, deep brown tone that’s neither too cool nor too warm.
To keep in theme with the sophisticated color, this shampoo also has a really unique cedar and jasmine scent that’s surprisingly beautiful. The formula does contain sulfates, so it can clarify the hair, but be careful not to overuse it, or it can end up stripping your scalp. Buy it at Ulta or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 10.1 oz. or 33.8 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: No
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No/No
Pros
Cons
7
Best for Blonde Hair
Matrix Total Results So Silver Shampoo for Blonde and Silver Hair
Matrix Ulta.com
$17
Blondes and silvers both benefit from this stunning shampoo. Compared to other purple shampoos, this one has a lighter violet tone that works especially well with very light hair. If you covet a platinum look, it will definitely help.
The formula is clarifying, which means that it includes both sulfates and salicylic acid to thoroughly remove product build-up and to really cleanse the scalp. This makes it intense and a little drying, so it’s best used sparingly, only when your color starts to show signs of unwanted yellow. We love that it’s reasonably priced, so get it from Ulta or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 10.1 oz. or 33.8 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: No
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No/No
Pros
Cons
8
Runner-Up for Best Splurge
Oribe Bright Blonde Shampoo
Oribe Nordstrom.com
$46
This shampoo is another big splurge, but we still thought it deserved a mention here. This purple shampoo comes in the most gorgeous bottle and gives the hair the loveliest clear blonde tone, with a manageable level of pigmentation. You’ll want to use it around once a week to keep your blonde from looking brassy.
It is one of the most expensive options on our list, but it does have a unique, sulfate-free formula. It doesn’t suds up, and it’s as non-stripping as shampoo can be. It might be too light for oily hair, but it’s totally perfect for dry hair or hair damaged by bleaching. Pick it up at Nordstrom, Sephora or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 8.5 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: Yes
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Pros
Cons
9
Best for Gray & Silver Hair
Redken Color Extend Color Depositing Graydiant Shampoo
Redken Ulta.com
$23
This is another worthy color-depositing shampoo from Redken. This one was formulated specifically with gray hair in mind, especially if it was achieved through time and nature. It’ll also work for hair that’s been dyed gray (or even blonde), so you may want to give it a try no matter what.
Compared to Redken’s other purple shampoo, this formula is a little more strongly cleansing since it does contain sulfates. This is because it’s designed with gray, unbleached hair in mind. If you prefer a gentler formula, you might want to pick up the Blondage shampoo instead. Shop for it at Ulta or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 10.1 oz. or 33.8 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: No
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No/No
Pros
Cons
10
Runner-Up for Best for Gray & Silver Hair
Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo
Aveda Nordstrom.com
$61
This is another fantastic shampoo for gray hair. Most gray hair shampoos are purple, but this one leans a little more strongly towards blue. As a result, it gives the hair a silvery tint and helps to neutralize both yellow and orange undertones. The tint isn’t too strong, so it works best for subtle brassiness rather than intense discoloration.
It may seem expensive at first glance, but the amount of product in the bottle is very high, so the cost per ounce is fairly reasonable.
While this shampoo isn’t wholly sulfate-free, it’s made with ammonium lauryl sulfate, which is gentler than the more commonly used sodium lauryl sulfate. It makes for a thoroughly cleansing formula that still leaves the hair a little moist. It’s available at Nordstrom and Amazon.
Key Features:
- Size: 38 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: No
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/No
Pros
Cons
11
Best for Red Hair
Joico Color Infuse Red Shampoo
Joico Ulta.com
$19
If you’re trying to keep your red hair looking spicy, you can’t go wrong with this Joico formula. Most color-depositing shampoos aim to cancel red tones, but this one is all about intensifying them!
Red hair is notorious for fading quickly, but this shampoo is strongly tinted, so it keeps the hair looking vibrant and dramatic. It’s fairly pigmented, so it helps refresh color intensely in just one wash. This is good because the formula is made with sulfates, so it can be a little intense. It’ll definitely help to thoroughly clean the hair, though. Just expect to wipe down your bathroom thoroughly to avoid staining. Find it at Ulta or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 10.1 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: No
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: It’s complicated (they’re PETA-certified, but other sources say no)/No
Pros
Cons
12
Runner-Up for Best for Red Hair
John Frieda Radiant Red Red Boosting Shampoo
John Frieda Ulta.com
$11.99
If you’re looking for a lighter shampoo to boost your red hair color, this is the best color-depositing shampoo to choose. Its formula is not as intensely pigmented as some of the others we’ve reviewed, so it doesn’t leave any mess or stains. It helps to prevent your color from fading while also cleansing the hair completely.
If your hair is oily, you can use this shampoo a few times a week and it’ll cleanse completely. It does include sulfates, so it might be too harsh for dry or damaged hair, however. Thankfully, because of the tint, it won’t strip the hair of color, like other sulfate-based shampoos would. Order it from Ulta or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 8.3 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: No
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No/No
Pros
Cons
13
Best for Vivid Colors
Celeb Luxury Viral Color Depositing Colorwash
Celeb Luxury Amazon.com
$35
Are you looking for a lot of drama? Celeb Luxury offers color-depositing shampoos that are all about enhancing and even creating extreme shades. They’re heavily pigmented, so they can make a bit of a mess, but on the bright side, they can dye hair all on their own, assuming that your hair is pre-lightened.
It’s up to you how long you leave the shampoo in your hair since the longer it’s in there, the more intense the color will be. The sulfate-free formula is nourishing to the hair, although it won’t cleanse much on its own.
The pigmentation level makes this color-depositing shampoo too dramatic to double as an undertone neutralizer, but it’s ideal for intense color refreshes or even small changes, like going from light blue to teal. It’s basically an easy method of dyeing the hair when you want to make a small but incredible change. Since fashion colors can fade away so quickly, this shampoo can be a real life-saver. Find it on Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 8.25 oz.
- Color Range: 14
- Sulfate-Free: Yes
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Pros
Cons
14
Runner-Up for Best for Vivid Colors
Pure Blends Hydrating Color Depositing Shampoo
Pure Blends Amazon.com
$22
This is another lovely vivid formula of color-depositing shampoo at a slightly lower price point than Celeb Luxury. The color range isn’t as massive, but the benefit is that there are some shades like cherry, cocoa, and lemon that straddle the line between vivid and natural tones.
The bottle looks just like a hair dye bottle, which can be a lot of fun! However, the pigmentation level is subtle. It doesn’t make a mess of your shower, and it helps to reinforce the shade of your hair, although it won’t dye your hair on its own, like some of the more pigmented formulas.
Despite being sulfate-free, the formula is cleansing, and some do find it a little drying, so be careful if your hair is damaged already. Purchase it from Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 8.5 oz.
- Color Range: 9
- Sulfate-Free: Yes
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Pros
Cons
15
Best for Pastel Hair
Lime Crime Unicorn Hair Color Shampoo
Lime Crime Ulta.com
$16
No one treats pastels quite as well as Lime Crime. The unicorn haircare brand has the perfect pastel color-depositing shampoo formula. It comes in shades like peach, pink, purple, and blue!
It’s designed as a color refresh, and it works best with the brand’s own pastel hair colors. On lightened hair, it can offer a subtle tint, but it works best to intensify pastels. The shampoo has just enough color to make things pop but not so much that it makes the hair too vivid.
The most major flaw with this shampoo isn’t the product itself but the packaging, which is unfortunately prone to leaking. Thankfully, since the formula isn’t too heavily tinted, clean-up is easy. Get it on Ulta or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 8 oz.
- Color Range: 6
- Sulfate-Free: Yes
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Pros
Cons
16
Best for Pink Hair
Four Reasons Color Mask Hair Toning Treatment in Rose
Four Reasons Ulta.com
$28
When it comes specifically to pink and rose gold hair tones, Colour Mask is an easy favorite. This color-depositing shampoo is fairly pigmented, but the range of colors is very light and pretty. As a result, it can either tint the hair on its own or fortify existing colors!
It’s a sort of hybrid between a shampoo and hair mask, but with a very runny texture. This makes it very easy to coat the hair completely, but it also means that it drips and can get a little messy. Pink might be our favorite of the bunch, but there are a few other gorgeous metallic shades worth a try. You can buy it from Ulta or Amazon.
Key Features:
- Size: 8.45 oz.
- Color Range: 8
- Sulfate-Free: Yes
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Pros
Cons
16
Best Vegan
Pureology Strength Cure Blonde Shampoo
Pureology Sephora.com
$32
Color-depositing shampoos are often reinforced with animal-derived ingredients, like silk proteins, or they come from brands that aren’t cruelty-free (making them technically vegan, but not necessarily something that someone that cares about animals would want to use). This is our favorite, guaranteed vegan option, specifically for blondes.
This shampoo is quite expensive compared to other options on our list, but for many, the extra cost will be worth it. Because this shampoo formula is sulfate-free, it’s incredibly gentle on the hair, with some stand-alone conditioning effects. This is especially helpful if your hair has been damaged by bleaching. On the other hand, if you’re used to shampoos that suds up and give you a very clean feeling, you might be disappointed.
The level of pigmentation is on the lower end, so you don’t need to worry about it staining your hair purple! Instead, it just eliminates brassiness and yellow tones with ease. Purchase it from Sephora, Ulta or Amazon!
Key Features:
- Size: 9 oz.
- Color Range: 1
- Sulfate-Free: Yes
- Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Pros
Cons
What to Look for in the Best Color-Depositing Shampoo for You?
Color-depositing shampoos come in a wide range of shades and formulas, so here are our tips for finding the best one for your hair!
Color Intensity
Are you looking to refresh your dye, neutralize some awkward undertones, or totally change your hair color? Your specific goal will influence which color-depositing shampoo will work best for you.
Color Change
If you’re looking for a new hair color, look for an intensely pigmented color-depositing shampoo. Formulas like Karacolor Clenditioner are intensely pigmented, almost like a semi-permanent dye, so they can totally transform the color of your hair.
However, keep in mind that just like with a semi-permanent dye, the color will only take hold if your hair is light enough. You can’t dye dark hair into a light pink without bleaching it first, regardless of whether you’re using a semi-permanent dye or a color shampoo.
Color Refresh
If you’re just wanting to refresh and intensify the tones in your hair after dyeing it, your color-depositing shampoo should offer some pigmentation, but it doesn’t need to be too intense. Sure, you can opt for a dramatic formula, but something a little gentler like Joico Color Infuse will also work.
Toning and Neutralizing Undertones
So technically, a color-infused shampoo isn’t the same as a hair toner. It can still help to neutralize unwanted tones in your hair by adding in a neutralizing shade. Look for color-depositing shampoos that are not too intense or pigmented and are designed specifically for particular effects.
For example, a purple shampoo is best for neutralizing yellow tones, while blue is great for brassiness. If you try an overly pigmented shampoo, you might overdo it and end up with your hair actually dyed rather than neutralized.
The Right Shade
So, we’ve touched on how you can choose the best pigmentation, but what about color? You’ve got a ton of options, so here are some of our tips:
- If you’re looking to intensify your existing color, choose a shade that’s as close to it as possible.
- If you’re a blonde looking to neutralize yellow tones and get an ashy or silvery look, choose a purple shampoo.
- If you’re a medium blonde or brunette wanting to neutralize orange tones, a blue shampoo will work best.
- If you’re a brunette looking to neutralize red tones in your hair, opt for a green color-correcting shampoo.
- If you’re a bleach blonde or a naturally very light blonde, you can totally change your hair color to whatever you like! Use a color-depositing shampoo like a hair dye by applying it dry and leaving it in. The longer you leave it in, the more intense the color will be.
Gentle vs. Clarifying Shampoo
Finally, the last thing to consider is what your hair type can tolerate. If you have thick, oily hair, you’ll want to use a different shampoo from someone who has dry, bleach-damaged hair, for instance.
Most of the shampoos on our list fall into two categories: deeply cleansing but a little harsh or fairly gentle but not very cleansing. Here’s how to choose between the two.
Use a Gentle Shampoo If…
If any of the following apply to you, then opt for a light, non-drying shampoo with a sulfate-free formula.
- Your hair is naturally dry
- Your hair is damaged from bleaching
- You have curly hair that needs to stay moisturized
- Your hair is very fine and more susceptible to damage
- You want a shampoo you can use multiple times a week
Use a Stronger Shampoo If…
On the other hand, you may want to use a strong cleansing or clarifying color-depositing shampoo if you fall into these categories:
- Your hair gets oily very easily
- You use a lot of leave-in hair products that need to be thoroughly removed
- Your hair is strong and not damaged at all
- Your hair is very thick and difficult to clean
- You don’t shampoo often, so your hair can tolerate the occasional clarifying cleanse
Photos via Sephora, Ulta, Amazon, Instagram
Zooming in on the Topic
For more personalized lists, check out the following pages:
- Best Shampoos
- Best Shampoos for Oily Hair
- Best Shampoos for Dry Hair
- Best Shampoos for Curly Hair
- Best Shampoos for Hair Growth
- Best Biotin Shampoos
- Best Cleansing Oil Shampoos
- Best Purple Shampoos
- Best Blue Shampoos