help for orange brassy highlights on dark brown hair

i have dark brown hair and recently went to a salon for a full head of highlights. after toning my hair once, i was told i could come back the next week to tone it down again because of the brassiness. i like blonde highlights but i know since my hair is too dark, that wont look good, but can you please let me know what would fix my hair now. i am embarassed to say it looks like i did a really bad job with a box highlighting kit myself. thank you

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help for orange brassy highlights on dark brown hair

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Mar 17, 2008

Brassy Hair
by: Anonymous

There are options but I have a lot of questions for what you had and what you have now:
1) make the highlights darker to tone out the brassy orange. If you don't want to do this, you can highlight with a lightener, but that depends on the condition of your hair. If its frizzy or crinkly on the ends, just go darker.

2)If you had preexisting color on your hair, did it lift all the way to the ends? I would have matched your toning to that level before you left. I also would have used multi volumes through the hairshaft.

I have a friend who wants me to highlight her dark brown hair to platinum highlights, but I discourage her for 2 reasons: 1- she won't maintain it every four-6 weeks to keep the blonde even, and 2-she won't pay for high quality products to keep her hair with good integrity. As long as you are willing to take the time and money, it shouldn't be a problem.

Unfortunately, so many want to put that lightener under a dryer, which forces pigment out and creates so much of the brassy problems. My Schwarzkopf doesn't go under the dryer AND it doesn't take any longer, not including the correcting toner time. Another "timesaver" is thicker panels. Paperthin panels get blond faster and more evenly every time.

If you were in Tucson, I'd be happy to fix your hair and I'm so sorry you ended up with orangey highlights. It has happened to all of us at one time and we are just as devastated as you.

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Mar 17, 2008
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Submitted by: Anonymous

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There are options but I have a lot of questions for what you had and what you have now: 1) make the highlights darker to tone out the brassy orange. If you don't want to do this, you can highlight with a lightener, but that depends on the condition of your hair. If its frizzy or crinkly on the ends, just go darker. 2)If you had preexisting color on your hair, did it lift all the way to the ends? I would have matched your toning to that level before you left. I also would have used multi volumes through the hairshaft. I have a friend who wants me to highlight her dark brown hair to platinum highlights, but I discourage her for 2 reasons: 1- she won't maintain it every four-6 weeks to keep the blonde even, and 2-she won't pay for high quality products to keep her hair with good integrity. As long as you are willing to take the time and money, it shouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, so many want to put that lightener under a dryer, which forces pigment out and creates so much of the brassy problems. My Schwarzkopf doesn't go under the dryer AND it doesn't take any longer, not including the correcting toner time. Another "timesaver" is thicker panels. Paperthin panels get blond faster and more evenly every time. If you were in Tucson, I'd be happy to fix your hair and I'm so sorry you ended up with orangey highlights. It has happened to all of us at one time and we are just as devastated as you.

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Apr 15, 2008

Similar situation....need a change!
by: Anonymous

I had almost the exact same situation happen to me. I have naturally dark brown, almost black hair. Previously I decided I wanted to try red....looked great for a while, but I wanted a change. I was well aware that red is the hardest color to lift, but I decided to take the steps to achieve the look I now wanted. My goal was to get kind of a chocolate base with blonde/platinum chunky highlights. I went to my usual stylist on 4/4, told her what I wanted, she attempted, but the best she could do was an auburn base with heavy highlights. TALK ABOUT BRASSY! I HATED IT! I felt I needed to go back right away because I was too embarrassed with it. Unfortunately, she books up fast,so I decided to try another salon. On 4/8, I went to another salon where they explained that I would have to put a deposit color in my hair (the safest for my hair) & I would have to wait another 3 months (with constant maintenance) before I could even think about going for what I wanted. I'm so angry, I could scream! The color she put all over my hair, except for at the base of my neck came out to be a cool caramel color. I'm so not liking it. It has been a week now & I'm going nuts with this. When is the soonest that I can get what I originally wanted, chocolate base with blonde/platinum highlights without killing my hair?

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Apr 15, 2008
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Submitted by: Anonymous

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I had almost the exact same situation happen to me. I have naturally dark brown, almost black hair. Previously I decided I wanted to try red....looked great for a while, but I wanted a change. I was well aware that red is the hardest color to lift, but I decided to take the steps to achieve the look I now wanted. My goal was to get kind of a chocolate base with blonde/platinum chunky highlights. I went to my usual stylist on 4/4, told her what I wanted, she attempted, but the best she could do was an auburn base with heavy highlights. TALK ABOUT BRASSY! I HATED IT! I felt I needed to go back right away because I was too embarrassed with it. Unfortunately, she books up fast,so I decided to try another salon. On 4/8, I went to another salon where they explained that I would have to put a deposit color in my hair (the safest for my hair) & I would have to wait another 3 months (with constant maintenance) before I could even think about going for what I wanted. I'm so angry, I could scream! The color she put all over my hair, except for at the base of my neck came out to be a cool caramel color. I'm so not liking it. It has been a week now & I'm going nuts with this. When is the soonest that I can get what I originally wanted, chocolate base with blonde/platinum highlights without killing my hair?

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Apr 16, 2008

chocolate brown with platinum
by: Anonymous

I'd say, forget platinum for now. Sorry, the only way you'll get it is to fry the heck out of your hair and it will just fall out anyway. There is a limit to what can be done within the Laws of Color. Luckily, Hair Colorists are Artists within Science, and we can just use some tonal differences to make your hair a pretty color.
If I'm reading right, you wanted chocolate brown like a Hershey bar. The highlights were too brassy so it all has an orange brass tone. what I'd do is lowlight your hair with a DARK cool tone, anywhere from level four to level one, medium weave. This will cool out all tones and give you some depth. The coolness will make your blonde look brighter. I'd then tone your lightest blonde pieces with a blue based deposit only toner.
Walk into a salon and look for someone who has your desired hair, or someone on the street. Ask them who does their hair. If its a hairstylist, ask them if they mixed the color and directed the placement. IF so, go with that stylist, if not, go with who did their hair.
Good Luck.

Apr 16, 2008

Brassy to Chocolate w/ Blonde Highlights
by: Anonymous

I do not have the brassy heavy highlights anymore to work with because; as I said in my previous comment/question, I got an all over color that came out to be like a cool caramel (that's the color of my hair now). So, I'm no longer brassy, but I'm wondering how long I will have to wait until I can get the chocolate base w/chunky blonde/platinum highlights? I ask this, because I know it takes time for the hair to come out of that shock stage & heal. By the way, I have had the chocolate base w/chunky blonde/platinum highlights before. Thank you for your advice, I appreciate it.

Oct 08, 2008

Brassy highlights
by: Hair Diva

Dark brown hair turns brassy, because the bleach has not lifted the color past the red/orange stage.
The best thing you can do is go to the beauty supply and buy a toner. You need a toner that will counteract the red/orange in your highlights.
Toner is only left on for a short time and should help greatly in drabbing out that brass.