Those platinum-blonde highlights you got just two weeks ago have already turned reddish-gold or orange.
Are you familiar with this? It has happened to us all.
The truth is, brassy hair isn’t limited to blondes; it can also occur in brown hair as well.
You don’t want your hair color to be ruined if you have highlighted your hair recently and you now have yellow, red, and orange streaks.
Every time we think about taking care of our hair properly, the first thought that comes into our minds is to visit a hair professional.
However, what if you do not have completely brassy hair?
If you take steps to prevent your brown hair from going brassy and take action to actually protect it, then you would not need to indulge in expensive and luxurious hair treatments to achieve your actual brown hair colour.
Fortunately, brassy tones from brown hair can be avoided, and this article will explain how to do it.
We’ve analyzed the best methods to get rid of brassy brown hair so you can maintain your natural hair color or color-treated hair. Continue reading.
What is brassy hair?
Hair that is brassy tends to have excessively warm tones.
There are several causes for these uneven hues, including exposure to the sun, the wrong shampoo that does not protect colored hair or a mistake made by the colorist, such as not using a toner.
In the event of too much sun exposure, the scalp cuticle opens up, causing the color to lift out and make the hair look brassy.
Brassy tones will appear differently depending on your hair color.
It will appear orange or yellow if your hair is blonde.
People with dark hair or brunettes will notice that their locks are turning orange or red when their hair is typically dark.
In the case of redheads, the hair may appear more washed out or faded.
Why Does Brown Hair Turn Brassy?
Brown hair colored with chemicals tends to feel brassy.
Ammonia and peroxide are usually used to lift or oxidize melanin pigments before dyeing the hair.
Artificial pigments that make up the hair color are deposited into the shafts after bleaching.
However, bleaches can sometimes fail to oxidize all the melanin pigments, and as a result, the original pigments of hair start to show through the artificially colored hair.
During this time, your hair will develop a warm tone.
The result? Brassy brown hair!
Based on the colour of your natural hair, the intensity of brassy tones will vary.
Red-orange hair develops darker brassy tones, while light brown hair develops a yellow tone.
In short, Brassy tones are the result of melanin overpowering your hair dye.
Do not get discouraged that your money and color are both gone.
It is not tough to remove brassy tones from brown hair.
Can You Use Purple Shampoo On Brown Hair?
Any color of hair can be neutralized with purple shampoo, regardless of the shade.
Despite its great results on brown hair with highlights, it might not be the best solution to fix brassy hair if you have dark brown hair.
As with the normal shampoo, purple shampoo cleans the scalp and counteracts unattractive and unwanted tones.
You’ll get a cooler tone if you’re a brunette who lightened her brown hair.
It is recommended however to use it one to three times a week instead of every day.
If you plan on using purple shampoo, always make sure you follow how long the product should be left on your hair.
You should wash your hair with cold or lukewarm water while using a purple shampoo or conditioner.
Conditioning should focus on the ends and strands of your hair rather than on the scalp.
How To Remove Brassy Tones From Brown Hair
The following remedies can be used to fix brassy brown hair at home:
1. Tea And Lemon Juice Toner
Make your own brassy brown hair toner with this recipe.
It may prevent brassy tones if you use this toner 3b to 5 times a week.
Procedure: Take 2 cups of water, 3 – 4 teaspoons of chamomile tea, Juice squeezed from a medium-sized lemon.
In a pot of hot water, steep the tea for 8 to 10 minutes.
Mix lemon juice with it after straining.
Rinse your hair with the mixture after shampooing.
You should leave it on for around 20 – 30 minutes.
Take a cool shower and wash your hair.
2. Use A Blue Or Purple Shampoo
Purple shampoo is practically an essential item for blondes, and it can drastically change the look of your brown hair if you incorporate it into your hair care routine.
You can neutralize brassy tones on your hair with blue or purple shampoo.
In the opposite spectrum from the warm colors such as red and orange lie the cool colors like blue and purple.
These colors balance out the effects of brassy brown hair‘s warm tones.
Purple or blue shampoo should be used after you wet your hair.
Put some blue or purple shampoo in your hair, about the size of a coin.
Be sure to coat all the strands.
It should be left on no longer than 20 minutes.
After washing your hair, apply a conditioner.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
Since apple cider vinegar is perceived to have medicinal properties and beneficial effects on hair, it is commonly used in post-shampoo hair rinses.
Supposedly, it enhances hair shine and balances the scalp pH. Also, it is used to preserve and maintain hair color.
Procedure: Take 1 Cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 Cup of filtered water and any essential oil of your choice (preferably tea tree oil).
Add the apple cider vinegar to the water and add the essential oil to make a solution.
Once you’ve shampooed your hair, rinse with the solution.
For about 10 to 20 minutes, you can leave it on. After that, rinse thoroughly with cold water.
4. Baking Soda
There is no scientific basis for this method. Nevertheless, many people use it to prevent their hair from fading and save on frequent washings.
It is useful for removing dirt and excess oil.
Using baking soda too often can, however, irritate the scalp, resulting in brittle and dry hair. So, use it with caution.
Procedure: Take 1 tbsp of baking soda, few drops of sulfate-free shampoo.
Mix the shampoo and baking soda to make a homogenous mixture. Then the mixture should be applied to your hair. Keep it on and rinse it off after 10 to 15 minutes. Finish by using a conditioner and washing your hair.
5. Use A Hair Toner And Conditioner for Brown Hair
The purpose of a hair toner is to correct your hair’s orange and yellow tones.
Toners that deposit pigment into your hair can either be permanent or semi-permanent, ones that penetrate your hair with an activator. Toners are available in various forms, such as shampoo, conditioner, gloss, glaze, etc.
Before using a hair toner for brown and brassy hair, dilute the product with shampoo or conditioner
How to Prevent Brassy Tones In Brown Hair
1. Heat treatments should be minimized
When exposed to high heat tools, such as hair straighteners and curlers on a high setting, the hair color can fade and brassiness can develop.
Before styling, apply a heat protectant to hair strands if you cannot avoid using those tools.
We recommend avoiding heat styling tools and allowing your hair to air dry.
2. Avoid too much sun exposure
You probably already know how important it is to wear a broad-spectrum SPF sunscreen every day to insulate your skin from the damaging effects of the sun, but you don’t know how equally important it is to protect your hair color from its effects.
You should protect your hair from the sun’s UV rays to prevent brassiness and color change.
Don’t step out into the sun without covering your head. Spray your hair with a UV protection spray.
3. Consider switching your hair products
The color of your hair fades faster when you use regular shampoos and conditioners.
To prevent fading and brassiness, you should always use color-safe hair products.
4. Avoid excessive hair washing
Your hair will lose color faster if you wash it frequently.
To prevent brassiness, only wash your hair twice a week.
If you are using hot water, the hair color may fade.
Use lukewarm or room temperature water.
5. Use A Neutral Hair Dye
If you have warm undertones in your hair, try dying with a neutral color to get rid of brassiness.
You can get the same effect as blue and purple shampoo by using a neutral dye.
To neutralize red, yellow, and orange tones on dark and medium brown hair, neutral hair dyes contain a blend of blue and green dyes.
Your hair also gets an envious sheen and glow from them as well as a refreshment of the hair color.
6. Limit or Avoid Swimming
You’d be damaging your hair if you were exposed to chlorine.
Chlorine can cause your hair to become rough and fade because of its abrasive properties.
The same can happen if you take a dip on the beach.
If you plan on swimming, make sure your head is covered properly to prevent the water from touching your head.
7. Make regular visits to your colorist
While regular appointments are not always convenient or viable, the best way to prevent brassy hair for brunettes, redheads, blondes, or any shade of hair is to schedule an appointment with a colorist regularly.
In the same way that you consult your doctor, colorists maintain your hair’s health and radiance.
Usually, brassiness is the hint for touch-ups or color refreshers.
8. Use sulfate-free shampoos
Are you aware that sulfates can strip your hair’s color and moisture, resulting in a brassier appearance?
Sulfate-free shampoos can be used in rotation with purple shampoo.
Do your usual hair washing with this shampoo, but avoid taking hot showers, which will only leave your hair brittle and faded.
Final Thoughts
Eventually, the dye will fade from your hair and you will experience its natural color again.
These tips will not prevent brassy hair long-term but will keep your highlights vibrant for longer.
Your local salon can also assist you in getting rid of brassy brown hair.