How to Remove Orange From Hair Color

It's possible to remove orange dye color from your hair.

Orange hair is often the result of using the incorrect shade of red hair dye or trying to lighten dark hair. While it can be scary to look in the mirror and realize your locks are not the stunning shade of light blond or auburn you were aiming for, but rather an astonishing shade of orange, there are ways to fix the problem, possibly without spending hours and hundreds of dollars at the salon.

Things You'll Need

• Blue or violet toner
• Developer
• Mixing bowl
• Application brush
• Gloves
• Cool-toned hair dye
• Deep conditioner

Instructions

For Blond Gone Wrong

1. 

   You can get your hair to the desired shade of blond.

   Visit your local beauty supply store and purchase a violet or blue-based toner and a developer. The sales associate can help you determine what brand of toner and what level developer you need. Purchase additional supplies, such as a mixing bowl, application brush and rubber gloves.

2. Pick up a cool-toned hair color a shade darker than the color you first attempted on your hair. If you used bleach, you want to pick up a cool color a shade darker than what you originally wanted. You can purchase the dye from the beauty supply store or at a mass retailer.

3. Apply a violet or blue toner mixed with developer all over your hair according to package directions. Let the toner sit for the recommended length of time, and then wash it out.

4. Dry your hair and look it over. If your hair is still orange or brassy, you need to color over it.

5. Mix a small amount of the cool-shade hair color you purchased and perform a strand test on your hair. To do this, snip a small amount of hair from an inconspicuous spot on your head and apply the color. Check it after 10 minutes, and then every five minutes to determine how long you need to leave the color on your hair.

6. Apply the rest of the hair color all over your hair according to package directions. Leave the dye on based on the processing time determined from your strand test and then wash it out.

7. Deep condition your hair. You can use the conditioner that comes with your hair dye or use a rich, restoring conditioner of your own. Apply the conditioner and put on a shower cap. Let it sit for 20 minutes and rinse it out.

8. Dry your hair and style as normal.

9. Use a color-correcting shampoo and conditioner in the future to keep orange shades at bay.

Fire Engine Red Turned Carrot Top

1. 

   You can get the perfect shade of red for you.

   Purchase a cool-colored hair dye a shade darker than the red hair dye you applied. Buy the necessary products at a beauty supply store, mass retailer or drug store.

2. Perform a strand test by mixing a tiny amount of color and applying it to a small piece of hair. Check the processing time after 10 minutes and again every five minutes to determine how long the color needs to stay on your hair.

3. Apply the hair color according to package directions. Let it sit based on the processing time and wash it out.

4. Dry and style your hair as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• If your hair does not respond to these steps, is very orange or seems quite damaged, visit a salon specializing in color correction to avoid damaging your hair further.

References

• Hair Finder: Brassy Hair Color After Lightening
• Hair Boutique; Understanding Laws of Color; Karen Marie Shelton; July 2010