Sick of Purple Shampoo Drying Out Your Hair? You’ll Love This Alternative!
Inside: After many years of using purple shampoo to combat yellow tones in my silver hair, I finally found a better alternative – one that won’t dry out my hair! Meet Silvering Tonal Control – it’s a total game-changer for silver sisters everywhere!
For the past seven years, I relied heavily on purple shampoo to cover up the yellow tones in my silver hair.
But if you’ve followed me for a while, you know the one big downside to purple shampoo—it can seriously dry out your hair. And for those of us with naturally silver hair, that’s the last thing we want.
So today I want to tell you about something I never expected:
I found a product that completely replaced every purple shampoo I own.
- It’s not a shampoo.
- It’s not a mask.
- It’s not even purple… not really.
And the best part? It was made by a fellow silver sister who understands exactly what our hair needs.
If this sounds intriguing to you, keep scrolling because I’m sharing all the details below!
Please note that this article may contain affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.
What Is This Miracle Product?
Let me introduce you to Silvering Tonal Control, a product that I think EVERY silver sister who battles yellowing should keep in her arsenal.
Tonal Control is a little bottle of magic—a concentrated toning mix that you add to your favorite shampoo, conditioner, or styling product.
Just a few drops turn your current haircare products into powerful de-brassers that tone and brighten your silver hair without drying it out.
And it’s not just a toner—it also contains hydrolyzed quinoa protein, which helps the toning effects last longer, strengthens your hair, conditions it, and adds a little shine.
I Was Skeptical Too…
When it first arrived in the mail, I was excited—but also skeptical. I mean, I’ve tried a lot of products over the years.
And this one?
It didn’t look very purple.
In fact, it looked… blue.
And if you’re familiar with the color wheel, you know blue cancels out orange, not yellow.
So I was worried this wouldn’t help with the yellow tones I sometimes get, especially on my ends.
But I gave it a try anyway, and I was blown away.
It worked beautifully! My hair looked glowy and vibrant—and not dry.
Here’s a photo from the first time I used it:
And here’s one from just a few days ago. Different lighting, yes—but the glow? Even better (it improves with usage).
Here’s How I Use It on a Regular Wash Day
It’s very simple.
On a typical wash day, I:
- Squeeze some of my favorite white or clear shampoo or conditioner into the palm of my hand
- Pump 2–3 drops of Tonal Control onto the shampoo or conditioner
- Use my fingers to blend the Tonal Control into the shampoo or conditioner until the color is even (no streaks)
- Apply as usual, and rinse
That’s it!
- No waiting 5-20 minutes like you do with purple shampoo.
- No dry, straw-like hair.
- No mess.
IMPORTANT TIP 💥: The effects build up gradually, so the more you use it, the better your results. And you only need to use it once every 3-5 washes to keep your hair looking vibrant.
Don’t want to use shampoo or conditioner? No problem! You can add it to your favorite leave-in, styling cream, or mousse instead.
Other Ways to Use It
One of my favorite things about this product is that it has other uses as well. You have options!
Use It as a Spot Treatment
You can also use Tonal Control as a spot treatment if you have stubborn yellow areas (like I do on my ends).
- Mix 3–4 drops into a small amount of conditioner*
- Apply only to the problem areas
- Leave it on for about 5 minutes
- Rinse out
* The reason you want to only use small amount of conditioner when you do a spot treatment is because you want to be able to apply the mixture very precisely.
Use It During Your Cold Turkey Gray Growout
If you’re still growing out your dyed hair, you can use Tonal Control to tone your fading, brassy ends:
- Mix 4–8 pumps into a double dose of conditioner (exact amount depends on your hair length and how brassy it is)
- Apply it to your dyed ends only (not your silver roots!)
- Leave it on for 5 minutes
- Rinse thoroughly
I love the versatility of this product!
Quick Tips
- Always mix Tonal Control into white or clear products—it works best when it’s not competing with other colors
- Silvering recommends washing your hands right after using it, but I’ve never experienced any staining on my hands, scalp, or shower tiles. There’s no need for gloves!
It’s not a messy product at all—unlike some purple shampoos I’ve tried in the past. Your shower curtain and bathroom tiles are safe, and there’s no need for gloves!
All of Silvering Tonal Control’s Benefits
To be clear, I’ll still test and review purple shampoos here on my blog — because I know they’re still part of many women’s gray hair care routines, and there are some great purple shampoos out there.
But for my silver hair, Tonal Control just makes more sense.
Here’s why:
💜 It doesn’t dry out my hair
That alone is enough for me to make the switch.
💜 It’s not just a toner
Unlike purple shampoo, which only has one purpose, Silvering Tonal Control adds shine, protects, repairs, and conditions your hair.
💜 It was designed specifically for gray hair
Most purple shampoos were made for bleached blondes. Tonal Control was made by a silver sister, for silver sisters—and it shows.
💜 It’s eco-friendly
Cardboard packaging and a small glass bottle = less plastic.
And because you’re adding Tonal Control to your existing products, you’re not cluttering up your shower with bulky plastic bottles.
So you get all the benefits of the products you already own and love, without the need to buy additional products (deep conditioners, hair masks, etc.) to repair the damage caused by purple shampoo.
💜 It’s cost-effective
It’s concentrated, so a little goes a long way. Here’s how much I’ve used in 5 months:
💜 It doesn’t darken my hair
Some purple shampoos can turn bright silver hair into slate gray. Not this one. It leaves my silver shiny and bright.
💜 It‘s great for travel!
I usually pack travel-size versions of purple shampoo & conditioner, but not anymore. This product takes up much less space and is more effective, so it’s my go-to travel companion.
💜 No staining
No purple residue on my hair, hands, or bathroom.
For additional benefits, here’s a little video that goes into even more detail:
Bottom Line?
Silvering Tonal Control is a total game-changer for me, and I’m sure it will be for you too!
So if you’re dealing with unwanted yellow tones in your naturally silver hair, I highly recommend giving it a try.
It’s simple, gentle, effective—and honestly? It just makes my hair look better.
If you’re interested, Tonal Control is on sale right now! Get 20% off when you bundle it with any other Silvering product—just use code AWARD20 at checkout. The offer runs through June 30, so now’s a great time to try it.
Let me know if you’ve tried it—I’d love to hear how it worked for you in the comments.
And if you’re not ready to give up purple shampoo just yet, check out my Ultimate Guide to Purple Shampoo.
But if you’re looking for something easier, cleaner, eco-friendly, and more nourishing?Tonal Control might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Please do me a favor and share this post to social media, as it helps me grow my audience and spread the word about our Silver Revolution! And remember to subscribe to my YouTube Channel and Pinterest Feed for more gray hair tips and product recommendations. Thanks!
Katie,
What other hair products do you use for shampoo and conditioner, masks anything else.
My hair used to be beautiful and I changed some products around but can’t figure out what the problem is. Just wondering the rest of your routine.
Also, I ordered the tonal product. Thanks!
Hi, Gina:
Here are all the products I love: https://katiegoesplatinum.com/going-gray-awesome-products
BUT – I have to tell you, as I haven’t had a chance to update the list yet: I have a new addition to my favorite “daily” (i.e., safe to use daily) shampoo and conditioner for gray hair and that’s Silvina London. It is expensive, but she is offering free shipping and no tarrif price increase, so that’s good news. My husband and I both use this Shampoo/Conditoner and love it – the shampoo is purple but it’s the only purple shampoo that i’ve seen that you can use daily without drying out your hair. It brightens your silver hair AND leaves it soft and hydrated. I love it. I still love the BTWCo.shampoo and conditioner but they are out of stock through the end of the year (2025) due to supply chain issues :-(.
Hope this helps!
Katie–you mentioned that you can use this as a spot treatment on brassy ends that you leave on for 4-5 minutes with a larger dose. I’ve started the grow out 17 months ago, and have had haircuts 3 times–2 inches twice and 3 inches once. But the back still is largely brown. (I did use permanent box dyes.) Would this spot treatment method do anything to lighten that brown? Thank you so much. I found this very informative.
I also think the purple drops are a brilliant product. They are perfect for travel, especially when you have limited space.
Yes! Thanks for the reminder – I need to add that as one of the benefits!