[Dear Brooks] "COOL STORY" | Toning Shampoo + Conditioner Bars

Purple Toning Shampoo + Conditioner Bars

TONE • BRIGHTEN • COOL

Your hair getting a little too warm? Cool Story. 💜

Cool Story is a purple toning shampoo + conditioner bar duo designed to help neutralize unwanted yellow and brassy tones in blonde, highlighted, bleached, silver, gray and white hair.

Violet pigments help visually counteract warm yellow tones to keep lighter hair looking brighter, fresher and cooler between salon visits. The shampoo cleanses while coconut oil + cocoa butter provide conditioning emollience; the matching conditioner follows with cocoa butter and a blend of coconut, olive, wheat germ and jojoba oils to soften, smooth and improve manageability.

Fresh lemon + lime oils give the duo a bright citrus twist.

The result? Less brass. Brighter-looking color. Cooler-looking blonde, silver + gray.

WHAT HAIR PROBLEM DOES IT SOLVE?

Cool Story is made for light-colored hair that starts looking yellow, golden, warm, dull or brassy between salon appointments.

It's especially useful for:

Blonde hair • Highlights • Balayage • Bleached/lightened hair • Silver hair • Gray hair • White hair

Unlike Root For Me or Mint Condition, this isn't necessarily the shampoo I'd reach for every wash. Think of Cool Story as your tone-maintenance duo—bring it into your routine when unwanted warmth starts creeping back in.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT

Neutralizes Unwanted Warmth
Violet pigments help visually counteract yellow tones, helping blonde, silver, gray and white hair appear cooler.

Brightens the Look of Light Hair
Helps refresh dull or yellow-looking light hair for a brighter, fresher-looking finish.

Maintains Your Tone Between Salon Visits
An easy at-home way to help keep professionally lightened hair looking cooler between color appointments.

Tones + Conditions
The conditioner also contains violet pigments, so your toning routine doesn't stop when you rinse out your shampoo.

Softens + Smooths
Cocoa butter plus coconut, olive, wheat germ and jojoba oils help condition hair and improve softness and manageability.

Fresh Citrus Experience
Lemon + lime oils give Cool Story a bright citrus aroma that makes purple haircare a little more fun.

Concentrated + Bottle-Free
Solid shampoo and conditioner bars deliver targeted hair care without traditional liquid shampoo and conditioner bottles.

KEY INGREDIENTS

Violet Pigments
The stars of Cool Story. Purple/violet tones visually counteract yellow tones, helping light-colored hair appear cooler and less brassy.

Coconut Oil
Helps condition and soften hair.

Cocoa Butter
A rich emollient that helps soften and smooth dry-feeling strands.

Lemon + Lime Oils
Give the formula its fresh, bright citrus character.

Olive Oil
Included in the conditioner to help nourish and soften hair.

Wheat Germ Oil
Adds additional conditioning and emollience to the conditioner formula.

Jojoba Oil
Helps condition and improve the feel and manageability of hair.

COOL STORY SHAMPOO BAR

FULL INGREDIENT LIST

Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Water, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, Lemon Oil, Lime Oil, D&C Violet #2, Gentian Violet.

HOW TO USE

Wet hair and the shampoo bar thoroughly.

Work the wet bar between your hands to create a lather or gently glide it over wet hair. Massage the purple lather through the hair, concentrating on areas where unwanted yellow or brassy tones are most noticeable.

For your first use, keep contact time short and rinse thoroughly. Because very light, porous, bleached or damaged hair may take up violet pigment more readily, see how your hair responds before increasing contact time or frequency.

Follow with the Cool Story Conditioner Bar.

Wash hands after application if needed and allow the bar to dry completely between uses.

COOL STORY CONDITIONER BAR

FULL INGREDIENT LIST

Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cocoa Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Coconut Oil, Glycerin, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Jojoba Oil, Lemon Oil, Lime Oil, D&C Violet 2, Gentian Violet.

HOW TO USE

After shampooing, wet the conditioner bar thoroughly.

Glide directly over wet hair, focusing primarily on the mid-lengths and ends. Work through the hair with your fingers to distribute evenly.

Allow the conditioner to sit briefly, then rinse thoroughly.

Because this conditioner also contains violet pigments, start conservatively—particularly on very light, platinum, porous, white or highly processed hair—and adjust your usage based on your desired tone.

Allow the bar to dry completely between uses.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is Cool Story for?

Cool Story is designed for blonde, highlighted, balayage, bleached, silver, gray and white hair that develops unwanted yellow or brassy tones.

What does purple shampoo actually do?

Purple and yellow are opposite each other on the color wheel. Violet pigments deposited temporarily onto the hair can visually counteract yellow tones, making light-colored hair appear cooler and less brassy.

Does Cool Story lighten my hair?

No. Purple shampoo doesn't bleach or lighten hair. It helps alter the appearance of its tone by neutralizing unwanted yellow warmth.

Will it work on natural blonde hair?

It can. You don't have to have color-treated hair to use a purple toning product. If naturally blonde, gray or white hair develops unwanted yellow tones, Cool Story can be used to help create a cooler-looking tone.

Can I use Cool Story on brown hair?

You can, but it isn't designed primarily for brunettes. Purple is best suited to yellow tones. Darker brunette hair experiencing orange-toned brassiness generally requires a different toning approach.

How often should I use it?

There's no one-size-fits-all schedule because hair porosity, color and desired tone vary.

We recommend starting conservatively—such as once a week or as needed—and adjusting from there based on how your hair responds. Alternate with your regular shampoo + conditioner when toning isn't needed.

Can I use it every day?

We wouldn't recommend starting there. Because this is a pigmented toning system, using it more frequently than your hair needs could result in an overly cool, violet or dull-looking cast—particularly on very light or porous hair.

Will it turn my hair purple?

Purple toning products can temporarily deposit noticeable violet pigment if they're used too frequently, left on too long or applied to very light/porous hair.

That's why we recommend starting with short contact time and less frequent use and adjusting based on your hair.

Does the conditioner tone too?

Yes. Both the Cool Story shampoo and conditioner contain violet pigments, giving you a two-step toning system.

Is it good for gray or white hair?

Yes. Cool Story can help neutralize unwanted yellow tones that sometimes become noticeable in silver, gray and white hair, helping the color appear brighter and cooler.

Is it a clarifying shampoo?

No. Cool Story's primary purpose is toning, not clarifying or removing heavy buildup. If buildup or excess oil is your primary concern, Mint Condition would be the better Dear Brooks option.

What's the difference between Cool Story and Root For Me?

Cool Story → Choose it for brassiness, yellow tones and cooler-looking blonde/silver/gray hair.

Root For Me → Choose it for weak, fine, limp or breakage-prone hair and a stronger, fuller-looking appearance.

Can I mix and match it with another Dear Brooks bar?

Absolutely. For example, someone who wants the benefits of Root For Me most washes but also has blonde hair could incorporate Cool Story periodically when brassiness appears.

That's actually something I'd encourage on your website because it gives people a reason to own more than one Dear Brooks duo.

How do I make my bars last longer?

Keep them away from standing water and allow them to dry completely between uses. Store on a well-draining soap dish or bar holder.

QUICK GUIDE

HAIR COLORS: Blonde • Highlighted • Bleached • Silver • Gray • White
HAIR CONCERNS: Brassiness • Yellow tones • Dull-looking light hair
KEY INGREDIENTS: Violet Pigments • Coconut Oil • Cocoa Butter • Lemon + Lime Oils
SHAMPOO JOB: Cleanse + tone
CONDITIONER JOB: Tone + soften + smooth
FINISH: Brighter + cooler-looking color
AROMA: Lemon + lime
USE: As needed for toning
FORMAT: Solid shampoo + conditioner bars