Visitor Question...I have blonde highlights in my naturally brunette hair. I recently got my highlights touched up and they turned really brassy.
Ideally I would like the highlights to turn ashy light blonde but if I need to go darker all over to eliminate this orange look I will. Could you please offer some products that I shoud use? I assume I need a toner.
SHM Responds...
The problem is that your stylist didn't lighten the pieces enough to get that orange underlying pigment out. (Or, he/she may have tried to lighten with hair color, rather than using bleach).
In order to achieve an ash blonde tone, the hair needs to be lightened to the pale yellow stage (with bleach), then a toner applied. At the orange stage, an ash toner doesn't have enough power to neutralize the pigment.
This page covers the chemistry of hair coloring.
You have a few options at this point...
1) Color over your highlights with a dark color, matching the rest of your hair.
2) Color over your highlights with a medium color, dark enough to mask the orange, but still leaving a bit of lightness. A carmel color might be nice.
3) Return to the stylist and have him/her re-lighten the orange pieces to the appropriate level (pale yellow) and then tone to an ash blonde.
