Beauty No Yellow Showdown: Comparing the Two Most Popular Options
Two No Yellow products stand out above the rest, so we put them head to head. Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo, 11.83 oz leads our list as the top overall pick, while Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo, 33.8 oz earns a strong runner up spot. We compared them on formula, real world results, price, and ease of use. Both are verified Amazon listings with strong buyer ratings. The right choice depends on your hair type, your budget, and how you like to style. Read the full breakdown below to see which one fits you best.
| Factor | Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo, 11.83 o | Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo, 33.8 oz |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo lovers | Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo lovers |
| Key strengths | Extra violet pigment kills yellow tones | Salon liter size |
| Ease of use | Simple routine | Simple routine |
| Value for money | Check price | Check price |
| Scent and feel | Brand signature feel | Light, pleasant feel |
| Overall winner | Top overall pick | Strong runner up |
Our Verdict
Our winner is Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo, 11.83 oz, thanks to its strong all around performance and wide appeal across hair types. It delivers the most consistent results for the price. That said, Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo, 33.8 oz is an excellent alternative if you want a different formula or a lower price point. Either pick will serve you well, so choose based on your specific hair needs. Both links below go to verified Amazon listings.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: Color treated blondes wanting gentle toning plus care.
Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo, 33.8 oz
- Neutralizes yellow and warm tones
- Results last through 12 washes
- Rosehip oil and green tea extract
- Paraben free
Pros
- Gentler than most purple shampoos
- Boosts shine and strength
- UV protection built in
Cons
- Less intense pigment than Fanola
- Premium price
- Needs the matching conditioner for best results
Best for: Salons and heavy users stocking up.
Fanola No Yellow Purple Shampoo, 33.8 oz, 2 Pack
- Two liter bottles
- Double the toning power supply
- Same professional formula
- Stock up and save
Pros
- Lowest cost per ounce
- Share with a friend
- Never run out mid routine
Cons
- Big upfront spend
- Storage space needed
- Takes a year to finish
Best for: First time Joico buyers and travelers.
Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo, 10.1 oz
- Travel size of the classic
- Same tone correcting formula
- Boosts shine and smoothness
- Paraben free
Pros
- Try before buying the liter
- Travel friendly
- Gentle enough for weekly use
Cons
- Costs more per ounce
- Small for long hair
- Finishes fast
Want the Full Picture?
Fanola's Pigment Strength: Respecting the Strongest Drugstore Toner
Fanola No Yellow earned its reputation as the strongest widely available purple shampoo, and that strength demands respect. The formula pours deep violet and lists its pigment high, which means it tones decisively in a single wash. On stubborn brass at darker blonde levels, that is exactly what you want. On pale, porous, or damaged blonde, it is how lavender disasters happen. First-time Fanola users should start with half the usual contact time, check the result in natural daylight, and only then work up to the full recommended time. The 33.8 oz bottles and 2-packs in this comparison last months at once-weekly use, which makes the strength-per-dollar exceptional but also means a mistake gets repeated.
The Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo is the gentler counterpoint in this showdown, better suited to maintenance toning and to blondes who found Fanola too aggressive. Choosing between them is really choosing your brass level: real orange-yellow brass wants Fanola's muscle, light golden warmth wants Joico's restraint. Our No Yellow guide walks through the Fanola technique in detail, and the Olaplex No. 4P versus Fanola comparison pits the prestige strong toner against the drugstore champion.
The Darkening Complaint: Fanola Recovery Protocol
The number one Fanola complaint is hair going darker, duller, or slightly lavender with repeated use. This is pigment buildup, not damage, and it reverses. Stop the purple shampoo immediately and do two clarifying washes three days apart. Most of the excess violet lifts within those two washes because surface pigment releases faster than buyers expect. Assess in daylight after the second wash, not under bathroom lighting, which skews warm and hides the very dullness you are checking for.
Prevention beats recovery. Once your tone is where you want it, drop Fanola to every second or third wash and maintain with a gentler formula or a purple conditioner between sessions. Diluting a small amount of Fanola into your regular shampoo is another maintenance trick: you get light toning without the full-strength deposit. If dullness returns quickly even at reduced frequency, suspect hard water minerals rather than the shampoo, and add a monthly chelating wash before blaming the pigment. The No Yellow buyer guide covers format and size selection for different toning intensities.
First-time Fanola buyers should know about the staining: this formula tints fingernails, shower grout, and light-colored towels purple. Wear gloves for the full contact time, not just the application, and rinse the shower immediately after use before the pigment sets. The staining is cosmetic and scrubs off surfaces with a bathroom cleaner, but preventing it is far easier. Dark towels designated for toning wash days solve the laundry side permanently.