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sao · Nov 4, 2008, 06:30 PM

Hello!
I have dyed my med blond hair black for about 5 years. Recently I decided to go light brown. I went to hairdresser, we stripped the color out with color fix, they still were dark. Bleached abit,so they became light brown,but very yellow. Dyed light ash brown. The color changed, but it still was yellowish,which I didn't like. A few weeks later I've done the same again:stripper, it went med yellow blond, dyed another shade of light brown. Still the same result, with yellow undertone. Does anyone know how to get rid of this yellow undertone, to get nice brown shade? I was thinking of stripping again, then put toner on to neutralize yellow, and then dye the shade I want. Will toner actually help, or toners are used for blonde hair only?also, will the toner wash out, or it stays in like permanent color? I'm so lost cause hairdressers in my area seem to know nothing
Many thanks

hopperhottie26 · Oct 26, 2009, 03:30 PM

You should put purple coolaid in your hair, that'll take all the brassiness out of your hair.

Perito · Oct 26, 2009, 03:40 PM

I have dyed my med blond hair black for about 5 years. Recently I decided to go light brown. I went to hairdresser, we stripped the color out with ColorFix, they still were dark. Bleached abit,so they became light brown,but very yellow. Dyed light ash brown. The color changed, but it still was yellowish,which I didn't like. A few weeks later I've done the same again:stripper, it went med yellow blond, dyed another shade of light brown. Still the same result, with yellow undertone. Does anyone know how to get rid of this yellow undertone, to get nice brown shade? I was thinking of stripping again, then put toner on to neutralize yellow, and then dye the shade I want. Will toner actually help, or toners are used for blonde hair only?also, will the toner wash out, or it stays in like permanent color? I'm so lost cause hairdressers in my area seem to know nothing.

Some colorists don't seem to understand that if you want to get rid of the brassiness (yellow), you have to bleach it out first. This often means that you have to bleach lighter than the desired color and then dye it back. Also, she apparently didn't get all of the artificial pigment out (not too uncommon with black) with the ColorFix. Bleaching artificial pigment leaves it YELLOW. Furthermore, once you bleach it, ColorFix won't touch that pigment, so you're left with a pigment that won't come out until it grows out.

There is also a problem with this process -- fading. All haircoloring -- toners, semi-permanent, and permanent colors fade. If you have to bleach (double-process) the hair to get out the yellow, a demi-permanent haircoloring (usually marketed as semi-permanent) will be more permanent than the "permanent" haircoloring. (It has to do with the porosity of the hair and the ability to get in and out of the hair shaft.). It can also be refreshed with less damage to the hair. I recommend that you consider that.

To answer your question about "toners", a true "Toner" is intended for pre-lightened blonde hair only. You don't actually find many true toners any more. A toner is nothing more than a hair dye that is formulated for a light blonde shade.

Finally, I suggest you find a new colorist who really understands the process. There aren't actually that many who understand the chemistry. Also, realize that you've already stripped it and dyed it twice. That equates to damage accumulated by the hair. Hair doesn't heal over time. It doesn't "get better" or "healthier". Once hair is damaged, it stays that way until it grows out and is cut off. You should be very careful in what you do next.