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How to Tone Brassy Brown Hair at Home: Ultimate Guide

How to Tone Brassy Brown Hair at Home: Ultimate Guide

Ash Brown is my favorite color. However, just like every other hair dye, it fades, especially when you don’t take good care of it. Also, ash brown hair has a tendency to become brassy!

If you have a light brown hair, tone it with purple shampoo to prevent this. But if your hair is darker, you should use a toner to get rid of brassiness at home. Or head to the salon.

In order to learn how to tone brassy brown hair at home, keep on reading. I have prepared a few tips and tricks on how to prevent/remove brassy and yellowish tints. And remember, maintenance is the main key to healthy-looking hair and long-lasting hair color that stuns!

Why does my brown hair turn brassy?

In order to understand why this happens, you will need to learn more about the lightening process and understand what happens to your scalp and hair at the time. So, for dark hair, bleaching with a mix of peroxide and ammonia is necessary if you want to see some results.

However, when you break your hair, a dark brown to a black pigment known as melanin gets reduced because of oxidation. After you bleach your hair, you usually apply hair color which unloads artificial pigment onto your hair while removing your natural hair color.

And here’s where brassy hair color kicks in! It turns into a problem when bleaching doesn’t remove your hair’s underlying pigment and allows warm tones to rise from the ashes again!

Yellow is the underlying pigment for lightened blonde hair, while orange and red represent the underlying pigments for lightened brown or black hair. If your hair turns brassy, don’t get mad at it. She misses, you! That’s all.

When this happens, the molecules your hair color had to leave your life while natural warm tones make a comeback. This occurs because hair dye molecules remain small and fragile. So, they fade faster with every wash which sucks!

How to tone brown hair to ash?

Now that you know how you get brassy hair, it’s time I share a few tips that work on how to tone brown hair to ash at home. If you’re doing this for the first time, follow my steps and you’ll do just fine.

First and foremost, wash, comb and dry your hair unless your toner says otherwise. Use a spray bottle or dampen your hair in the sink and follow the next tips.

Tip 1: Protect your work surface, clothing and yourself

If this is your first time using a toner, you probably don’t know that toner can stain, just like hair dye. This is why I recommend that you put on a t-shirt that you don’t like anymore and protect your work area with paper before you start.

I also recommend that you apply petroleum jelly around your neck and hairline. And, don’t forget the plastic dyeing gloves.

Tip 2: Mix two parts 20 volume developer with one part toner

It doesn’t matter how much of them you use, as long as you use the correct proportions. I suggest that you double the amount of developer. For instance, 1 bottle of toner is enough for medium-length hair. However, if you have long hair, you will probably need two bottles.

Use a non-metal bowl and mix the products with a plastic spoon until the mix is consistent. If your toner has different instructions, follow them instead of mine. If you use a tinted toner, pick an ash brown shade. Next: application! Remember: focus on the brassy parts!

Tip 3: Apply the mix with a tinting brush on the brassy parts

Us a tinting brush to apply the mixture to your hair. And focus on the brassy parts that need toning. For instance, if the ends are the ones that need toning, focus on them! Same goes for the roots. You should start at the top of your hair and work your way through.

Tip 4: Blend the mix into the rest of your hair with fingers

Use your fingers to blend the mixture into the rest of your hair. Even though your entire hair is not in need of toning, you have to cover everything to blend things out even better!

Tip 5: Pull your hair up and wait for the suggested processing time!

How long will you have to wait depends on the toner you used. Meaning, you should read the instructions. In most cases, the suggested processing time is between 10 and 15 minutes.

Tip 6: Rinse your hair with cool water! Apply your regular conditioner!

Wash your hair with cool water. However, don’t use shampoo! This can wash off the toner. Just rinse with water and apply your regular conditioner. Let it sit for a 2 minutes before you rinse again and you’re done! Follow your regular routine and enjoy your beautiful hair.

How to get rid of brassy brown hair?

If you want to prevent brassy brown hair, follow these maintenance steps! As I mentioned before, maintenance is the key to healthy-looking hair or long-lasting ash brown hair color.

Step 1: Wash your hair maximum twice per week

Washing your hair every day isn’t recommended because every time you wash it, a little bit of hair color washes off as well. The more you wash your hair, the faster the dye will fade.

More: How to Get Rid of Brassy Hair with Vinegar

I recommend washing your hair twice per week. One time would be ideal, however, twice is still acceptable. Use a dry shampoo (Link to Amazon) if you notice that your hair is starting to feel greasy!

Step 2: Apply your regular conditioner after every wash!

Use a conditioner after every wash in order to keep your hair soft and hydrated. Why? I have discovered that damaged and dry hair will lose color much faster than hydrated hair.

I recommend that you apply a high-quality shampoo along with a high-quality conditioner. It will keep your dyed hair healthy and moisturized. Apply conditioner once or twice per week.

Step 3: Apply products made for color-treated hair

Always use products designed for color-treated hair. This is a very important step to keep your hair color longer! Regular shampoo and conditioner contain ingredients that can make a hair dye fade faster. Use organic/natural specialized products for colored hair instead.

Step 4: Avoid washing your hair with hot water!

Wash your hair with cool water only! I don’t know if you’ve heard before but hot water has the power of destroying your color. It can cause your color to fade faster than cool water.

Step 5: Reduce your use of heat styling tools!

I recommend that you practice air dry more often. Simply, reduce your use of heat styling tools to prevent damage to your hair. Also, when you feel like you must use them don’t pass 400 °F (204 °C).

Avoid curling and straightening your hair while it’s still damp. Apply a good heat protectant before you heat style or blow dry your hair. It will boost your hair’s shine.

Step 6: Protect your hair from sunlight every day!

Did you know that sunlight is your hair color’s worst enemy? It will fade your hair color faster if you don’t use protection every time when you step outside. If you want your color to last longer, always cover your hair with a hat or a scarf. Or use a UV protection spray.

Step 7: Avoid pools, salt water, and sunlight!

As I just mentioned, sunlight is your hair color’s biggest enemy. However, salt water and chlorine cause damage to your hair as well. They cause your dye to fade faster. So, if you want to keep your color longer, you should avoid pools and protect your hair in the water.

How to tone brown hair brassy?

If you don’t know how to tone brown hair brassy, I can help! First and foremost, you should know that you have two main options:

Head to the salon

You can head to the salon and ask for toning service! It’ll take only 20 minutes for experts to bring back the shine and color to your hair. If you have never done this before and don’t know what they use, know that hairstylists use toners to fix your color but what’s a toner?

A toner is a translucent coating of hair color that lasts for a few weeks. It’s often used to fix brassy hair. And corrects red, orange and yellow tones, depending on the natural color.

If you choose this option, you’ll be doing your hair a big favor. A toning treatment will not only fix your brassy hair but also add texture and volume. However, keep in mind that the color isn’t permanent! The positive news: your hair will look absolutely stunning for a while!

Do it yourself!

If you wonder how to tone brassy brown hair at home, keep on reading. I will share simple tips on how to do it without much effort. If you have blonde hair, use a purple shampoo (Link to Amazon). And if you have brown hair, purchase a blue-tinted one. Here’s how to apply it correctly:

  • If you have a damaged/dry hair, apply the product on warm tones, minimize the use
  • If you have a healthy hair apply a purple shampoo/blue-tinted shampoo once a week
  • Always leave the product for less than five minutes before you rinse and condition

How do I keep my brunette hair from turning brassy?

A: Switch to specially designed products for color-treated hair. Avoid pools, sunlight, and salt water. Reduce your use of heat styling tools! Don’t style your hair while damp. Practice air dry more often! And remember: maintenance is the key to long-lasting, shiny hair color.

Final verdict

I hope you find this article helpful. And I hope that you will apply the tips and tricks on how to tone brassy brown hair at home I have shared with you today! Feel free to share them with someone you care about who’s been dealing with brassy hair lately and help out.