Orange may not be the worst hair color in the world, but it may not be something you want right after a bleaching session. Orange undertones need neutralizing to ensure your hair doesn’t look patchy and uneven. While you may always seek professional help or use color-correcting toners to treat orange hair, what if you can fix orange hair naturally? Yes, you read that right. Here, we tell you why your hair turns this shade of orange in the first place and discuss the 5 different ways to nullify the brassy hair you end up with 8 out of 10 times after bleaching. Continue reading to understand the nitty-gritty of orange hair and how you can fix it easily.
Why Does Hair Turn Orange?
To understand that, you need to know the theory of underlying pigments.
This chart shows the underlying pigment that each shade of hair color has and what color you will most likely end up with after bleaching it. As you can see, people with dark hair have the most orange tones in their hair, making them more prone to ending up with orange hair after a bleaching session. While bleach does lighten your hair, it does not get rid of the natural pigment that gives your hair its color. All brunettes have orange and red undertones in their hair, which is the residual color you get after you bleach it! Another reason for getting orange hair is the build-up of minerals in your hair. If you have light hair, it is likely to take up yellow and orange tones if you use products that contain sulfates. If you are worried that you will have to spend big bucks at a salon to get rid of the brassy orange tones in your hair, think again. Listed in the next section are 6 DIY methods that you can use to tone your hair.
How To Fix Orange Hair After Bleaching
There are a number of ways to fix orange hair, but the logic behind fixing it is to neutralize the color. If you look at the color wheel above, you will notice that different shades of blue counteract different shades of orange and neutralize them. This is why most toning shampoos contain blue or purple pigments to remove orange and yellow tones.
1. How To Fix Orange Hair With Toner
A toner can neutralize the unwanted brassy orange and yellow tones in your hair and give you a cool-toned hair color. It is a translucent deposit of hair color that contains just enough pigment to improve your hair color. You can use it mixed with peroxide right after you bleach your hair. But, remember that you may have to tone your hair more than once to get desired results.
How To Select A Toner
If your hair has more yellow tones than orange ones, use a purple toning shampoo or a toner, such as Wella Color Charm T18. This violet-based toner eliminates light yellow tones from your hair.
If you have more orange tones than yellow, you will have to use a blue toning shampoo, like Joice Color Balance Blue Shampoo. This toner contains violet-blue undertones that can cancel out yellow-orange tones from your hair.
How To Apply Toner
A toner An applicator brush A plastic bowl 20-volume hydrogen peroxide
- How To Fix Orange Hair With Box Dye If your hair has gone patchy with bits of blonde and orange, the problem was probably that you didn’t use enough dye or bleach. The solution to this problem is to re-color your hair, and get a friend to help you out this time. Section your hair and make sure that the dye/bleach is evenly applied. Follow the steps below to fix your orange hair with box dye.
3. How To Turn Orange Hair To Light Brown
Using a medium ash blonde hair dye is another good way to tone down the orange in your hair to a cool light brown shade. Using an ash blonde dye on dark orange hair will neutralize the orange while not lightening your hair too much, leaving you with a nice light brown shade.
4. How To Turn Orange Hair To Blonde
The best way to go from orange to blonde is to re-bleach your hair after two weeks to bring it down to yellow tones that are easier to neutralize. Once you reach yellow tones, you can let your hair be if you are happy with the color. You can also use an ash blonde box dye to neutralize and lighten your hair color. If you like doing things the natural way, here are two methods you can use to tone your hair using natural ingredients.
5. Hollyhock Herbs And ACV
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar 1 ounce of hollyhock herbs 1 cup of water.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
A few drops of blue or purple liquid food color 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil 1 cup of water
How To Prevent Orange Hair
There are two main causes of orange hair: build-up and loss of color. Avoid these to prevent orange hair:
Products with silicone and parabens Saltwater Hard water with minerals Constant UV rays exposure Repetitive dying
Besides orange tones, you can also end up with yellow tones in your hair. Check out the next section to know more.
What Is Yellow Hair?
Did you dream of coloring your hair platinum blonde, but ended up with yellow hair? Don’t worry. There’s a quick fix for it. Yellow hair occurs when you bleach dark hair. This is because most people with dark hair bleach their tresses without removing the natural base pigments of their natural hair color. As a result, your hair turns into several shades of warmer hues.
How To Fix Yellow Hair
Here are some quick tips to fix yellow hair.
1. Bleach Your Hair
Bleach powder 20 volume developer Hair dye brush
2. Use A Toner
If you are going a shade lighter, a toner is the best option. It will lift the color and neutralize yellow tones.
Violet-based toner 20 volume developer Sulfate-free shampoo Hair dye brush Leave-in conditioner
3. Go Blonde
This trick will only work if your hair color is at a certain level of lightness. Pick a blonde hair dye within 1 or 2 shades of your current hair color. Apply it from the roots to the tips and let it sit for the recommended amount of time. Rinse it off with cold water.
4. Use A Purple Shampoo
Purple shampoo uses violet pigments to cover up yellow tones. It is the easiest and quickest way to neutralize the unwanted warmth in your hair at home. Grab a bottle of purple shampoo, and you are ready to go! Why did my hair turn orange after bleaching? There are many natural hair lighteners, like avocado, lemon juice, and green tea, which you can use to lighten those brassy orange tones. Check out the infographic below to leave how to fix orange hair naturally. Your hair contains melanin which gives it its natural color. Hair dyes and bleach oxidize your natural hair color, meaning it lightens hair by reducing its melanin content. Sometimes, these products cannot remove the melanin entirely, leaving you with brassy orange or yellow tones. Your bleached hair can take on brassy hues if you don’t use color-safe products. Will purple shampoo fix orange hair? You should use a blue shampoo to correct brassy orange hues. However, a purple shampoo works better if your hair has more yellow tones or if you want to mildly reduce the orange tones. What toner cancels orange? Brassy hair has warm hues like yellow and orange. So, a cool toner like ash or silver blonde can neutralize warm brassy tones. How long do you leave purple shampoo on orange hair? This depends on the desired hair color you want to achieve. If you want a warm hue, then leave the purple shampoo for about 1-5 minutes. For a cool tone, leave the shampoo on for 15-20 minutes. To achieve a neutral tone, keep the shampoo on for about 10 minutes. If you leave the purple shampoo for too long, your hair can take on a light lilac tint.
