Hi, I have been advised to ask you directly, so hope you don't mind!

I dyed my hair dark brown (l'oreal semi perm) and it turned black (natural colour is mid to light brown with slight auburn tones) which I coped with as I noticed it faded after bathing in epsom salts - because I liked the colour as it faded, I redyed it 6 weeks later thinking it would fade again with epsom salts - it did take the black hue out of the hair but didn't fade it enough to blend into the roots starting to come through as it did previously

I rang loreal and they advised me to go to a salon to get it lightened as I now had one inch roots

So yesterday I went to the hairdressers and they first used a bleach shampoo then applied a semi perm colour of a warm brown with red tones that I was told wouldn't be obviously red, just when the light hit it

After the first colour she had to put another colour on the roots as its was too light or hadn't taken (not sure which as I couldn't see) and then once done I left with my hair still wet so looked dark (they had squeezed me in so didn't have time to blowdry)

I got home and all I could see was orange/red - blow dryed it and it looked OK in the evening light but woke up this morning and its defo reddy/orange - the roots especially!

I rang them today and am going back in on Tuesday when they next open but I don't know what to do or say to them as I got talked into having the reddy brown and have ended up with orangey reddish hair - its darker on the ends but still red/orange

Is there anything I can or can't do between now and then (they have told me NOT to touch it but that's nearly 3 days of orange hair!) or is there anything I should ask them or say to them on Tuesday?

All I wanted was a nice light brown as close to my natural colour as possible (imagine Posh/Victoria Beckhams hair color under her highlights and that's about the colour I was looking for) I even showed her a picture of Posh whilst in the salon and said that I eventually wanted to have the same highlights etc so wanted to get closed to that as possible

Will it be bad to have an epsom salt bath? Also what's the long term prognosis of my hair as I was given two different answers about what would happen as the colour fades - I don't understand at all what will happen as the colour fades... what colour will it turn into if the bleach has removed my natural colour?

(am in the UK so none of the fixes mentioned are available here - forgot to say have been using Head & Shoulder and didn't make any difference to the black, only epsom salts removed the black pigment but still leaving it very dark brown)

If your hair is a red/orange color, you will need to use a green-base hair coloring product to neutralize unwanted shade. When you go to the salon, let your hairstylist know that he/she will have to use a green base ash hair color in order to counter-act the red/orange tones.

Semi-permanent hair color lasts through a few shampoos. Once the semi-permanent color washes out, your hair could look red/orange again. I recommend that you use a permanent hair color if you want the color to last.


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Thank you for answering!

If they put an ash blonde on top what colour will it end up? I haven't washed it since they did this on Friday so tonight it is greasy and looks a lot better because it is darker so looks dark auburn which I can live with so I am happy to have it darker if that's the only option... but if they use ash blonde will it be a nice light brown?

So when the colour fades out I will be orange again... I can't believe it... they didn't tell me that - they said when it fades out I will be left with my natural colour :( I specifically asked whilst she was doing it because the other girl had said it would be permanent

I am gutted beyond belief!


I can't believe that I am going to have to grow this out - I am between jobs at the moment and need to go job hunting this week, have a huge wedding coming up in a month and so at the time I need to look at my best the most I am instead looking like a teenager still experimenting with stupid hair dyes

To neutralize the red/orande shade. They would have to use an ash-base color that's close to your original color, such as light ash brown. Yes, when semi-permanent color fades or washes out, you could end up with a red/orange shade again. Tell the hairstylist to use a permanent color, a permanent color won't wash out and will lasts until your hair grows out.

Cheer up, I'm sure they will fix your hair.

Thank you - will try and not get upset before tomorrow!

I just can't see how a light colour will cover this though as its medium dark but will tell them that's what I want!

If your hair is more medium brown than light brown, they will need to use a medium ash brown to neutralize the red tones. Good luck.

Thank you again! Will let you know how I get on!