Arrrghh - Hair colour disaster, I need HELP!

BWZN93

Hi all

I decided to bleach my hair as I was feeling rather mousey, and was expecting results that ive had before where it looked fine. However, it has turned out a very bright and unnatural blonde which im hoping to rectify at home as a) im really skint, and b) its murder trying to get an appointment this close to xmas.

Are there any hairdressers around that can advise on what to try? Im making a mad dash to boots first thing in the morning as ive got visitors tomorrow afternoon too and look even worse in hats.

I had no colour in my hair prior to todays little escapade, as it had all grown out. The current colour can only be described as barbie doll blonde with a banana yellow tinge. My natural colour is a dark blonde, and am happy to go brown if thats what it takes to look normal enough to walk around in public. Im guessing I should avoid anything with red in it as i could end up post office red - any suggestions on what to get?

Please help!

Jo x

iwanttosave_2

You need to buy a toner in a shade called ash blonde, it is normally in one of those foil packets, I cant think of who makes them off the top of my head.

Make sure you get it in ash blonde, it will tone it down and get rid of the brassy colour.

Let me do a google see if I can find the product, they are only about £1 or so, and you can get them from chemists, boots ect.

This is a very crappy picture, and is not the make I mean (although you can use any make) but this is the style of packet it normally comes in

http://www.westonsinternet.co.uk/images/wel1159d.jpg

As for colours, you can put anything purple or green on (pureed peas anyone?)

larmy16

I would say don't dye it brown as you could end up with green hair! I too suggest an ash toner. Do you have a branch of Sallys in your area - they are usually open on a Sunday. Usually the best thing to do with this kind of accident is to introduce low lights to break it all up. You may need a hairdresser to sort this one out - sorry Yellow tinged hair needs to have blue or violet tones to calm it down = ash shades. HTH. This is always a problem with home lighteners, by law they can only use a certain strength of peroxide and then your hair goes through all the shades to yellow. If you have any natural red in your hair it is even worse!

vizcacha

this stuff is great, too (and a good price)

http://www.auravita.com/products/AURA/SCHW10020.asp

they did sell it in Boots, but i'm not sure about now as I haven't dyed my hair blonde for ages

livinginhope

Just wanted to add,if you want to go back to brown you will need to add red to your hair otherwise it will go green.When bleach is used it removes the red and without red,brown dyes will turn hair green,you would need to use a colour with warm/rich/red in the title,not ash/natural/cool.
If you just want to tone the brass,you do,as others have said need to try a cool ash toner,this will only be temporary.I would suggest popping along to a salon and asking advice,even without an appointment they would be able to look at your hair and advise on what to do free of charge,I have done this to clients many times.
Good luck.

oldandhappy

Sorry I could not get any info from my daughter whom I thought would be around that evening I replied to your help request... but I completely forgot she was away for a couple weeks....Mrs Happy

iwanttosave_2

If you just want to tone the brass,you do,as others have said need to try a cool ash toner,this will only be temporary.

Can I just add, as you will be putting this on bleach, it will not be temp, it will stay for the duration of the colour (eg, till coloured or grew out) once hair is bleached, the density is less, and colours can penitrate it easier, if you put them toner on within 3 weeks of the bleach, it will be perminant.

Horasio

I have been every colour under the rainbow and wanted my my hair pure white but it went yellowish

The best things are silver born blonde which used to be available from Sally - I haven't been white since 1999 so not sure if it is still around.

The Touch of Silver was good too. Anything that is silver or light ash does tame the yellow.

Bamber19

what do people actually use to do the bleaching? i have dark brown hair and any products i find on the shelves of Asda etc have a guide that shows a colour like mine and the after effect is only a slightly lighter brown, i don't care about it looking unnatural as i know a toner would sort that out

Horasio

Bamber19 wrote:

what do people actually use to do the bleaching? i have dark brown hair and any products i find on the shelves of Asda etc have a guide that shows a colour like mine and the after effect is only a slightly lighter brown, i don't care about it looking unnatural as i know a toner would sort that out

You would need a 40% volume peroxide or use 60% for highlights (you can't buy 60% unless you are a hairdresser and it is very strong!). Any less, it will go a yuckky reddish or yellow shade. Don't believe those packets, they are about 20% volume.

I bleached my hair for 20 years when it started out dark blonde and was mid brown when I grew it out!

I was OK with the strong shop bought products to start with then went to the hairdresser because it wasn't strong enough and I went darker.

Horasio

iwanttosave wrote:

Can I just add, as you will be putting this on bleach, it will not be temp, it will stay for the duration of the colour (eg, till coloured or grew out) once hair is bleached, the density is less, and colours can penitrate it easier, if you put them toner on within 3 weeks of the bleach, it will be perminant.

Freshly bleached hair is like a sponge, as the bleach opens the cells and it will take anything that is put on there.