Don't go platinum or silver unless you are willing to spend time and money for maintenance between touch ups. Having platinum hair or silver hair seems to be the "thing" these days. It is fun really, but with this kind of hair comes big responsibilities.

It has been about four months since I first bleached my hair. I ended up trying so many toners from the ones you buy to the DIY toners. It was not easy finding the right one that would really work for my hair. To make the long story short, I went through all the pain of going super light blonde therefore I cannot let it go to waste buy just letting it go brassy after a few weeks.

There are numerous factors that make platinum or silver hair go brassy. One of which is hard water. Because bleach hair is porous, minerals from the water that comes out of your shower can easily stick to your strands. You will be surprised one day to find some green or brown streaks on your head. I have had this experience and it was awful. A good clarifying shampoo can rid your hair of these minerals, but the downside is that it can also strip your hair of any toner that you previously applied. This is why you will need a gentle clarifying shampoo and maybe use it once a week.

Another thing is to avoid shampoos that are loaded with sulfates, check the label on your shampoo for ingredients Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, or Ammonium Laureth Sulfate. These compounds are the ones responsible for making shampoo lather up on your head as it removes oil and dirt. Unfortunately, sulfates do not only strip dirt and grease of you hair but it also strips your hair of natural oils and whatever toning product you have previously applied. This is why shampoos that have sulfates make your hair brassy.

Moving on, to keep your platinum or silver hair looking bright between touch ups you need a special shampoo that is sulfate-free, gentle on bleached hair and that it deposits pigments that will neutralize the yellow or brassiness (in this case violet or blue)--what they call a purple shampoo. But you have to take note that these shampoos are for maintaining previously toned blonde hair. I have seen videos demonstrating how to use a purple shampoo as a toner. It may work it may not but results will depend on your hair condition. It will also depend on the brand. Generally, in my case, I need a toner after each time I bleach my hair.

Going back, there are a lot of purple shampoos that are really very good. Again, you have to know your own hair to find which one works best for your. For me, I use Davines Alchemic Silver Shampoo.
 

 
Davines is an Italian brand. To know more about their story, click here.
 
This shampoo is specially formulated for natural and bleached hair (which was toned to become platinum or silver, of course). The product description promises to maintain the clarity of the tone of the hair and promises to protect the hair from the yellowing effects of the sun. It comes in a amber glass bottle. I have kids at home who often knock things up so I transferred the contents into a plastic bottle.



This product is hard to find and a bit pricey because it is imported. So, I cannot afford to one day find this on the floor broken and spilled all over.

At first I felt so disappointed because it doesn't bubble up so it made me feel like its not spreading on my head like it is supposed to. I felt like it is not enough to clean grease off my hair. As you can see it is not as rich purple in color compared to other purple shampoos.
 
 
However after a few weeks, I realized that the product does work. It has been four weeks now since I used Wella T14 and my hair is still as bright as the day I applied a toner, although my dark roots are already showing.

Take note that it is not sulfate-free but because you only have to use it about 2-3 times per week, that should not be a big deal. And it deposits pigments in your hair to neutralize brassy tones. Results may not be so obvious on a darker shade of blond.


 
Let me jump right into the pros and cons of this product so it will be easier for you to read:
 

Pros:

• It is gentle on the hair and scalp and it does not dry your hair
• It has as a mild earthy scent that does not interfere with whatever conditioner I put on.
• It keeps my platinum blonde hair looking bright and fresh
• Keeps brassines at bay

Cons

• It is not easy to come by from where I am. I bought it from one of the salons here in Bacolod City
• It is a little pricey considering that they have to order it from abroad. Here is sells for about $30
• You need to use a lot of it if you have thick hair--remember I said it does not so easily lather up.

My verdict

Despite the cost, or that it does not lather up, I like this Davines Alchemic Silver Shampoo because for me it is effective. It may not be cheap to buy here, where I live, but considering that I have short hair and that I use it only twice a week, I can likely stretch it out to up to three months.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post nor a free product sent to me for a review. I personally bought it and I am sharing my own experience with this shampoo.