Color Hair from Red to Blonde

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Q: Currently, I have a permanent salon color on my hair that's red, darker than strawberry but not auburn. I want to color my hair myself, taking it from red to a golden blonde. What do I need to do so that I don't end up with bright yellow hair? Thanks for your help.

A: The first thing you'll want to do is determine the level of your current hair color. This can be done by calling the salon and asking about the color used on your hair or going to a beauty supply store and reviewing the swatches in the hair color section to find a color that closely matches yours. When you've found it, make a note of the color level and the base color.

Then select your new color, noting the level of the color and trying to find a color with the same color base. This may not be possible if you want a golden blonde color. Depending on the difference in color levels (the higher the level number the lighter the color) this may or may not present a problem.

You will need to select a developer. If the color you want is the same level as your current hair color you should use a 10-volume peroxide developer because you won't need any lift for your hair. If you need to go one to two levels lighter in your level use 20-volume peroxide. For three levels higher in the new color, use 30-volume peroxide, and for four levels higher, try 40-volume peroxide. Be sure to cover the hair in plastic and heat the hair with a dryer after color is applied.

If you're lightening the hair significantly (more than 2 levels), you may end up with orange tones to your hair. To correct this, you will need a level 9 hair color with a blue base. Mix this using equal parts of hair color and 10-volume developer and add an equal amount of your favorite conditioner. Apply this mix to your hair in the areas where it is too orange, leave it on the hair for 10 minutes and rinse it away. This should remove the unwanted orange color.

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See also:

How to color hair

Orange hair color correction

My hair looks yellow. What went wrong?

What do the numbers on the hair dye boxes mean?