NAK makes three toning shampoos for blondes, and people buy the wrong one constantly. The names sound similar, the bottles look similar, and the difference between them is the one thing that matters: how much violet pigment each one deposits.
The two-minute answer:
- NAK Blonde Shampoo: gentle. For natural, pale or lightly highlighted blondes and grey hair that only needs a slight cool-down.
- NAK Blonde Plus Shampoo: medium to strong. For blonde, balayage and highlighted hair that goes yellow, gold or brassy between salon visits. This is the one most people need.
- NAK Platinum Blonde Anti-Yellow Shampoo: strongest. For platinum, white, silver and grey hair that needs yellow knocked out completely.
If you are still not sure, keep reading. If you are, the whole line is in our NAK Hair collection.
Why blonde hair goes yellow in the first place
Lightened hair has warm underlying pigment that shows through as the toner your colourist applied fades. Sun, hard water, heat styling and minerals all speed that up. Violet sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a shampoo that deposits a small amount of violet pigment with each wash cancels the yellow out visually and keeps the blonde looking cool and clean.
The catch is that pigment builds. Too much violet on hair that is very light or very porous, and you tip from “cool blonde” into “lilac”. That is why NAK makes three strengths instead of one.
NAK Blonde Shampoo
Who it is for: natural blondes, pale or fine highlights, and grey or white hair that has picked up a faint yellow tinge.
What it does: a light violet deposit that gently tones pale yellow and gold tones while it cleans, and leaves hair feeling soft rather than stripped, which matters on fine blonde hair that goes dry easily.
How to use it: this one is mild enough for most blondes to use as their regular shampoo, two or three times a week. Follow with NAK Blonde Conditioner. If you go through a lot of it, the NAK Care Blonde Shampoo 500ml does the same gentle-toning job in a bigger bottle.
NAK Blonde Plus Shampoo
Who it is for: anyone whose blonde turns yellow, gold or brassy within a few weeks of a salon visit. Balayage, foils, full-head blondes and lightened brunettes all fall into this group. It is NAK's best-selling blonde shampoo and the one we recommend when someone asks for “the purple shampoo”.
What it does: a heavier violet deposit than Blonde Shampoo, enough to neutralise strong warmth rather than just soften it. Hair looks noticeably cooler after one wash.
How to use it: once or twice a week in place of your regular shampoo. Leave it on for one to three minutes before rinsing, longer for more toning, shorter if your hair is very light. Alternate with NAK Hydrate or Nourish on the other days so lengths stay moisturised.
NAK Platinum Blonde Anti-Yellow Shampoo
Who it is for: platinum, ice-white, silver, ash and grey hair. If your colourist took you to the lightest level and the words “anti-yellow” were used, this is your shampoo.
What it does: the most concentrated violet in NAK's range. It is made to keep the very lightest hair looking clean and bright, and it will over-tone anything darker. On a warm honey or golden blonde it can leave a visible cast, which is the single most common reason people decide NAK “turned their hair purple”.
How to use it: once a week for most people, with a short leave-in time to start. Increase gradually. Always follow with a conditioner or the 60 Second Repair treatment, because very light hair is usually the most porous and the most prone to dryness.
Side by side
| Blonde | Blonde Plus | Platinum Blonde | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toning strength | Gentle | Medium to strong | Strongest |
| Best for | Natural, pale or lightly highlighted blondes, grey hair | Highlighted, balayage and full blondes that go brassy | Platinum, white, silver, ash and grey |
| Cancels | Pale yellow, faint gold | Strong yellow, gold, brassy | Intense yellow |
| Use | Most washes | 1 to 2 washes a week | About once a week |
| Risk of over-toning | Low | Moderate on very light hair | High on anything but the lightest hair |
There is also NAK Rose Blonde Shampoo, which is not a toner at all: it adds a soft pink-champagne tint to blonde hair. Pick it for a colour effect, not for brass control.
Which conditioner goes with them
NAK Blonde Conditioner is the matching conditioner for all three shampoos. It adds a light tone and, more importantly, puts moisture back into hair that has just been through a pigmented wash. On the days you are not toning, Hydrate Conditioner or the Ultimate Treatment 60 Second Repair keeps lengths feeling smooth. Blondes with hair that feels weak or stretchy after bleaching should rotate in Structure Complex Protein Shampoo once a week as well.
The mistakes we see most
- Buying Platinum Blonde for a warm blonde. It is the strongest bottle on the shelf, which people read as “the best”. It is the best for platinum hair and the wrong choice for everything else.
- Using a toning shampoo every wash. Pigment builds. One or two washes a week is the salon standard for Blonde Plus and Platinum Blonde.
- Leaving it on for ten minutes. More time means more violet. Start at one to two minutes and work up.
- Skipping moisture. Toning shampoos do their job on colour, not on softness. Alternate with Hydrate or Nourish and use a treatment weekly.
- Expecting a shampoo to fix orange. Violet cancels yellow. Orange needs blue, and usually a colourist. If your hair is pulling orange rather than yellow, book in before you buy anything.
Where to buy NAK blonde shampoo in Adelaide
All three NAK blonde shampoos, the Blonde Conditioner and the rest of the NAK Signature and Care ranges are in stock at MV Hair & Beauty, 412 Churchill Road, Kilburn. Click and collect locally or get delivery Australia-wide, with free standard shipping on orders of A$99 and over. See where the blonde shampoos rank in our best NAK Hair products list.
Shop NAK blonde shampoos and conditioners
Not blonde, or not sure which NAK range you should be in at all? The NAK Hair range guide covers every hair type.