How to Get Rid of Brassy Hair at Home

You obsess over those gorgeous blonde and brunette locks that you see fashion models flaunt on magazine covers and finally you decide to get your hair dyed!

You go, girl!

The hairstylist did a great job. You the look of your dreams – and you left the salon ecstatic, all ready to show off your new hair in front of your friends!

But after the first shampoo wash, you see a slight difference in the shade. Is it starting to fade? Already?

a woman with beautiful blonde hair

You ignore it and then, within the very first week, your hair look no longer as cool as they did in the salon. They’ve turned an ugly shade of orange, yellow, or red, making you look like a real-life cartoon!

So, was your decision to get your hair dyed a total fail? Will you have to live with brassy hair with those warm undertones for the rest of your life??

Well, luckily, NO!

The best way to treat brassy hair at home is by using a blue or purple shampoo. Here are some other amazing hair-saving hacks to prevent and fix brassy hair.

Tone Your Brassy Hair with Blue or Purple Shampoo

On the color wheel, the yellow color is opposite to purple while orange is opposite to blue. So, if you’re a blonde, you should go for a purple shampoo and if you’re a brunette, you should consider buying a blue one.

Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo

This unique color-correcting formula preserves cool platinum blondes and silver foxes by reducing brassy tones.

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When you dye your hair, a little rainbow of color molecules, consisting of blue, red, and yellow tones get deposited in your hair cuticles. The blue ones are usually the smallest and are easily washed away. This means the red and yellow molecules stay behind. This is the reason why shampooing your dyed hair reveals orange undertone!

Now, blue and purple shampoos work wonders in treating brassy hair. Their pigments fight brassiness and work to restore your former hair color.

There are cheap blue/purple shampoos and more expensive ones from more well known brands. Regardless of which you choose, make sure that you wash your brassy hair with blue or purple shampoo. Do this at least a few times a week for best results.

Protect Your Color and Prevent Brassiness with a Foam Gloss

A foam gloss is a lightweight, easy-to-use product. It is applied to your hair after shampooing to reduce brassiness. It protects the color of your hair and boosts its shine.

Kevin Murphy Sugared Angel Shine Treatment

Designed to improve the condition of all hair types, impart a lustrous shine and offer a range of tonal solutions.

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Treating your hair with foam gloss only takes five minutes and it yields amazing results. The formula is generally safe enough for frequent use on your hair. But, using it once a week is enough.

You must apply the foam gloss from the roots of your hair to the tip right after shampooing. You may rinse the product off immediately. You can also wait a couple of minutes for the greatest color retention. Then condition your hair as normal.

If you have silver or ash tone hair, you should apply the mousse after shampooing daily. You can find a foam gloss at any beauty store for a reasonable price.

Try Lowlights to Enhance Your Hair Color

Another option is to try lowlighting. By dying darker streaks into your hair, you can add a lot of dimension to your hair color.

When you add darker blonde shades into the mix, it neutralizes the brassy undertones. This results in a desirable cooling effect.

Adding lowlights should be done by an expert hairstylist. So, it may be an expensive procedure. The results are quite promising. You might save this option as your last resort and see if other solutions work for you.

Important: Like any permanent hair dyes, lowlights may start to fade after 6-8 weeks.

Fix Your Brassy Hair with Vinegar

Using vinegar is one of the best natural ways to get rid of brassiness. Vinegar is an essential ingredient that can make your hair stronger and more lustrous. It lowers the pH value of your scalp, prevents infections, and fights microbes that can damage your hair.

For vinegar treatment, you first need to shampoo and condition your hair the way you normally do. Mix equal parts vinegar with water and apply the solution on your hair and scalp. Massage your head for a few minutes before rinsing it off with normal water.

This solution works as a Toner to remove the brassy tone and revive the natural shine of your hair.

Why Does Hair Turn Brassy?

There are several warm tones hidden under your natural hair color. These undertones determine how your hair looks offering differing levels of depths and darkness. Certain cool tones make your hair look the natural shade it does by balancing out the warm tones.

When you dye your hair blonde, you are susceptible to brassy hair. It has to do with the way your hair is toned and lightened.

When women with dark hair use bleach to turn it light, warm tones ranging from deep red to yellow are revealed. Once a yellow shade is achieved, you can dye it blonde by balancing out the yellow tone to achieve a natural blonde shade.
The blonde dye will fade with time. As this happens, it causes your hair to turn brassy. When the cool tones wash out, yellow, gold, and copper shades start becoming visible.

The secret to fixing brassy hair lies in the restoration of these shades only!

How to Prevent Your Hair From Turning Brassy

Bleached and dyed hair tends to turn brassy after some time. Needless to say that the warm orangish tones make your hair look bad!

So, it’s always better to be proactive and take preventative measures. Don’t get stuck struggling to get rid of brassiness.

Here are a few ways you can prevent your hair from turning brassy.

Pick the Perfect Shade

You should pick a shade that offers a balance of cooler tones.

The latter contain larger molecules of color pigments that counteract brassiness. As a result, stay in place for longer periods.

Choose the Right Application Technique

Different coloring processes can reduce or increase your chances of becoming an orange-head.

When you’re going blonde, it’s always best to choose highlights-lowlights for individual strands. This will yield better results than dying all your hair at once.

Seal the Color In

After oxidizing your hair, you should immediately cover the strands with sheer glaze. This simple trick will lock the color in and prevent your hair from turning brassy. You won’t see any discoloration for 4-6 weeks!

Get a Bond-protecting Treatment

Strong, healthy hair is always less likely to turn brassy. You should consider getting a bond-protecting treatment following your hair color treatment procedure. This will shield your hair from all kinds of possible hair damage caused by bleaching.

Try Deep Conditioning

Another best way to keep your hair looking healthy and awesome is by conditioning it deeply. This is particularly important after the dying process. Consider using a clear hydrating gloss for this purpose.

deep conditioning at a salon

Avoid Exposure to Sunlight

Bleached hair shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight. It will only heat and oxidize it, This invites the warmer undertones to take over.

Hence, avoid going out into the sun too much or at least cover your head with a piece of cloth before you do.

Try a Shower Filter

When you use a shower filter, you don’t have to worry about the deposits of color-tainting minerals, such as iron and chlorine. A shower filter prevents such buildups and doesn’t let the hard water make your hair brassy and dry.

Say No to Swimming

Swimming pools are usually filled with chlorinated water, which is harmful to your dyed hair. Extra chlorine component can make your hair dry and brassy. It’s better to avoid swimming if you want your hair color to stay put.

Conclusion

Getting your hair dyed your favorite shade shouldn’t be so disappointing in the long run. You shouldn’t have to kill your dream of flaunting beautiful blonde locks because of the fear of becoming an orange-head! With these amazing hacks for brassy hair, you can now prevent or get rid of brassiness like a pro!

Frequently Asked Questions

Will an ash blonde dye cover orange brassy hair?

Using an ash blonde dye on dark orange brassy hair will neutralize the orange color. It won’t lighten your hair too much, revealing a nice light brown shade.

Make sure that you choose an ash blonde dye a shade lighter than the one that resulted in orange hair. Apply the color and wait the recommended amount of time before rinsing it off with shampoo and conditioner.

How often should you use purple shampoo?

If you shampoo your hair twice a week, it’s recommended to use the purple shampoo only once. It’ll keep your hair healthy and bright without making it look a little too yellow.

You may even mix it with your regular shampoo to add violet pigments into the regular hair washing routine without going overboard.

Does Toner help reduce brassiness?

You may go to your hairstylist and ask for a Toner hair service to enhance the tone and shade of your blonde dye. This procedure is carried out only on lightened or highlighted hair.

To get rid of brassy hair, you can use a Toner to neutralize any warm tones by adding blue or violet tones to your hair.