Messed Up Lightening
My hair had turned completely white, so they added some color to tone it down. The color looked okay for the first day, but after I washed it at home, my hair turned this awful orange color that I absolutely cannot live with. How soon can I safely dye it to a darker, more natural shade? What products or techniques would work best to get it back to a normal-looking color?
First things first: if you're not comfortable returning to the salon that caused this mess, I'd strongly recommend finding a new salon with experienced colorists who specialize in color correction. They'll need to assess the current condition of your hair before doing any additional chemical processing. You might need to wait anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks while doing intensive conditioning treatments to restore some strength and moisture to your hair.
In the meantime, there are some things you can do to help neutralize that orange tone. Try using a purple or blue-toned shampoo like Clairol Shimmer Lights or Fanola No Orange Shampoo. These products contain color-correcting pigments that can help counteract the brassiness and orange tones. Use them every other wash, leaving the shampoo on for a few minutes before rinsing to let the toning agents work.
When you're ready for the permanent fix, you'll likely need what's called a "toner." This is a semi-permanent color treatment that uses cooler tones (usually with blue or violet bases) to neutralize the unwanted orange. A professional colorist might also recommend a color-correcting treatment or even a slightly darker shade that can cover the orange while still looking natural.
Here's the thing about over-processed hair: it becomes extremely porous, which is why that salon color faded so quickly after just one wash. The damaged hair cuticles can't hold onto color properly anymore. To combat this, your colorist might use a clear gloss or protein filler along with the toner to help seal the hair cuticle and make the color last longer.
Moving forward, you'll need to baby your hair while the damaged portions grow out. Deep conditioning treatments should become your best friend.. Protein treatments can also help temporarily strengthen the hair structure, but don't overdo it since too much protein can make hair brittle.
The good news is that hair grows about half an inch per month, so with proper care and regular trims, you'll eventually be able to cut away all the damaged hair. to help you get your color back on track.
©Hairfinder.com
See also:
How to color hair
Yellow-orange hair after highlights
Brassy orange hair color after lightening