I love coming up with homemade, all-natural skincare recipes and sharing them with others.

How to Make Your Eyelashes Longer

I have been experimenting with eyelash serums and mascaras for a couple of years now, trying to find what combination works best to grow my lashes naturally. Big, long, curly lashes are definitely in right now, but extensions are costly and require upkeep every six weeks. With a few easy tricks, you can get the look without spending $100!

How to Grow Longer Lashes With Eyelash Serums

Growth serums are a godsend, and yes, they can work! I started with one that kept popping up on my Instagram advertisements - ForLash Eyelash Serum. I have been using this one on and off for over a year now and love the results. Generally speaking, eyelash serums work by conditioning and strengthening individual lashes.

Latisse

That being said, there’s only one serum that is proven to extend the growth period of lashes—Latisse. Latisse is FDA-approved but requires a prescription. Basically, each individual eyelash goes through a growth cycle. The Latisse serum has been proven to prolong the growth period of the lash before it is dormant for several weeks and eventually falls out. If you’d like to try this one out, ask your dermatologist!

OTC Lash Serums

Over-the-counter serums have different ingredients, one of which is peptides. These coat the lash and make it more flexible, therefore less likely to break. I think that using over-the-counter serums is still beneficial, even if they're not clinically proven to grow your lashes. If nothing else, they will condition and make your eyelashes look and feel thicker.

A Note on Biotin for Hair Growth

Many serums or growth products will boast that they contain biotin, a vitamin that promotes keratin production for hair and nails. There are a couple of problems with this. First, biotin must be consumed in order to be effective. Second, while biotin is in many hair/skin/nail products, there isn’t a whole lot of evidence that it actually makes hair grow faster. Typically, it will be most beneficial for people who are biotin-deficient.

Castor Oil for Eyelash Growth

Many tout the use of castor oil for eyelash growth. There have not been any scientific studies on this specifically, but there have been studies that ricinoleic acid, which makes up around 90% of castor oil, can prevent hair loss.

Note: Some people have allergic reactions to castor oil, so before trying this on your eyes, test a small amount on another part of your body, like your forearm.

How to Use Castor Oil For Eyelash Growth

1. Clean eyelashes and remove all makeup before going to bed.
2. Dip a cotton swab in 100% pure castor oil.
3. Carefully apply the castor oil to the top of your eyelash line. Avoid getting this product in your eyes! If it does cause irritation, gently rinse your eyes out with water.
4. Wash the oil off in the morning with a facial cleanser.

Use an Eyelash Curler

This won’t make your eyelashes longer, but it will certainly help them to appear that way! When you use an eyelash curler, you make them curl up more and become more visible instead of just sticking straight out. Plus, curlers are super inexpensive and can be found at pretty much any drugstore. Use the curler as close to the roots of your eyelashes as possible, holding for at least 10 seconds. Then, apply your mascara on top.

Mascara Tips for Longer-Looking Eyelashes

Of course, certain types of mascara and specific application techniques can also make your eyelashes appear longer.

• Try an eyelash primer first. Applying an eyelash primer before mascara can help make your lashes appear thicker.
• Use a small wand. The precision with a smaller wand can help define individual lashes and prevent clumping.
• Apply multiple layers. Going over in a second layer with a thicker mascara and brush can add volume and length.
• Wiggle the brush from left to right at the roots, then pull it up through the rest of the lashes. Wiggling it a bit at the roots helps separate the lashes and keeps them from clumping up together.

Use a Combination of Methods

There are several different ways you can make your eyelashes grow longer, or even just appear to be longer and fuller. I typically go for a combination of the two, using a serum daily to condition, paired with an eyelash curler and my favorite mascara (Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extension Mascara). This creates such a dramatic effect, as you can see below! These tricks help me to get the lash extension look, without spending the money.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2021 Alex Rose

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Clarifying Shampoo Works!

I’ve been dying and stripping my own hair color for the past eight years. In that time, I’ve experimented with a slew of color-removal techniques. Some are much harsher than others. More recently, I’ve become a huge fan of fading with clarifying shampoo.

It’s less harsh than using a color stripper and requires no extra effort than what you’d normally be doing, i.e., washing your hair! So far, I’ve used clarifying shampoo to successfully fade two bright, semi-permanent dyes. In this article, I’ll share my methods and photos.

What Is Clarifying Shampoo?

Clarifying shampoo is a product used to cleanse hair while also removing buildup of excess product and dye. As you use hair products and come into contact with hard water or chlorine, mineral deposits and chemicals begin to weigh your hair down. If your hair starts to feel lifeless and your normal shampoo isn’t getting the job done, it may be time to use a clarifying shampoo. The ultra-cleaning aspects of it make it perfect for someone who is aiming to fade a semi-permanent hair color!

How to Remove Hair Dye With Clarifying Shampoo

Step 1: Dye hair.

Step 2. Wash it.

Okay, it really is that simple. I typically dye my hair all different colors of the rainbow; I start with bright, deep colors and let them fade gradually over time. However, I usually only wash my hair once or twice a week. If I want the color to fade faster than that, I swap out my normal shampoo for the clarifying shampoo.

Pour a healthy amount into your hands and massage it into your scalp and hair. The bottom layers of my hair tend to hold color more than the top. Because of this, I pay extra attention to massaging it into the bottom so the color will hopefully fade more evenly.

Once I’m satisfied with my lather, I rinse it out. Warm water will help here, too, as it also assists in fading hair dye. If I’m really desperate to get a color out, I’ll shampoo twice, but if you do that, make sure to double up on the conditioner, too. I highly recommend using a leave-in conditioner after using a clarifying shampoo. We’ll go more into after-care below.

Things to Consider Before Using a Clarifying Shampoo

Don’t Expect It to Work In One Wash

Clarifying shampoo is a product that will work over time to fade color and remove buildup. Don’t expect it to work after one use! That being said, it’s a great alternative to using harsh chemicals and developers on your hair to remove color. You’re going to shampoo anyway, right? You might as well use a product that will speed up the fading process.

Clarifying Shampoo Can Dry Out Your Hair

This is a downside to clarifying shampoo; while it strips out all of the bad stuff, it also strips your hair and scalp’s natural oils. After using a clarifying shampoo, make sure you go back in with a conditioner, hair mask, or leave-in conditioner to maintain moisture.

You may have gotten a keratin or protein treatment at a salon before and noticed how light and healthy your hair feels afterwards. Chances are, the stylist first used clarifying shampoo to strip away all of the unwanted buildup. Then, the treatments can really soak in and keep your hair healthy!

Which Clarifying Shampoos Work Best (for Removing Hair Dye)

Well, a big thing to remember here is to make sure your clarifying shampoo label does NOT say “color-safe.” Kinda defeats the purpose, you know?

• Quantum Clarifying Shampoo, $9.99, Sally Beauty: This is my go-to clarifying shampoo. It’s inexpensive and works like a charm! After use, my hair feels so light and clean, not to mention detangled. All of the fade photos in this article were from using Quantum.
• Axe 3-in-1 Shampoo, $9.47, Amazon: Yes, this is a “men’s” product, but men’s shower products seem to be a little harsher, which is great for stripping buildup and color from the hair. Other 3-in-1s work well, too, like Arm & Hammer or Head & Shoulders.
• Attitude Clarifying Shampoo, $11.99, Sally Beauty: If you’re looking for all-natural products and willing to spend a couple more dollars, check out this brand at Sally’s! This shampoo is rich in antioxidants and hypoallergenic.

Post-Dye Removal Hair Care Guide

It’s important to put moisture back into your hair after using a clarifying shampoo. Make sure you use conditioner afterwards (I love Generic Brand Tea Tree and Lavender), or even a hair mask if you can. My favorite hair mask to use is Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind.

After using a clarifying shampoo once a week, I use a conditioner or mask in the shower. When my hair is damp, I use FoxyBae’s leave-in conditioner to rehydrate even more. The result is incredibly soft, shiny, detangled hair that is several shades lighter!

Other Tips for Removing Hair Dye

Of course, there are multiple ways to remove hair dye, but clarifying shampoo is, in my opinion, the easiest if you’re willing to take the slow road. I say, embrace the fade! If you’d like to speed up the process, consider the following.

• Spend time in the sun. Sunlight will naturally fade your dye!
• Hop in a pool. Chlorine has a way of pulling semi-permanent color right out.
• Shampoo with hot water. Both shampoo and heat help color to fade quicker.
• Stay conditioned. Pulling color out of your hair will dry it out.
• Watch videos on YouTube. There are SO many “guaranteed” ways to remove color involving things like dish soap, vitamin C tablets, baking soda, and more. Before using products that could be very harmful to your scalp and hair, I recommend watching videos of people using these methods before risking your own hair. Always do your research.

Easily Remove Hair Dye

Dyeing your hair truly is a commitment, but sometimes you just need to pull the color out. Clarifying shampoo is one of the safer, easier, less-expensive options. You’re going to wash your hair anyways, right? It’s a method I stand by for maintaining healthier, less-damaged colorful hair.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Use All-Natural Henna Hair Dye to Color Your Hair

I’ve been doing at-home hair coloring for nearly 10 years now—with every type of dye under the sun. More recently, it’s been a lot of bleach and semi-permanent hair dye for fun colors. When my roots grow out, I start to notice how many greys have come in—and then it’s a mad dash to grab some more color.

Some people rock the grey hair, but there are many who also seek to cover it up. If that’s you, add henna to your list of dyes to consider. When your hair starts to grey, it tends to get wiry and brittle, so permanent dyes with chemicals dry it out further. The great thing about henna dye is that it is natural! The henna process has multiple steps, so make sure to read the whole tutorial below before starting.

What Does Henna Dye Do?

First of all, let’s talk about what you’re able to do with henna. Henna dye will only add color to your hair, therefore darkening it. If you’re looking to go lighter, that will absolutely not be possible with henna.

Henna shades are a mixture of different powders. The ratio can be pre-mixed, or you can use your own ratio to achieve different shades. The powders you’ll use are:

• Henna powder: This provides warm red and orange tones.
• Indigo powder: This contains blue and green tones and will neutralize henna's warmth to create varying shades of brown.

This tutorial will be based on dyeing gray hair brown with Moroccan Method International henna powder. They also have red, black, and blonde (this will not lighten, only enhance blonde hair) henna. The instructions for using red, black, and blonde henna are different—they actually have fewer steps as you are only working with one form of powder.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Dye Your Hair With Henna

Tools Needed

• Two non-metal mixing bowls
• Non-metal mixing spoon
• Plastic wrap or shower cap
• Gloves
• Towel
• Measuring cup

Ingredients

• Brown henna: One package of henna powder, and one package of indigo powder,
• 2 cups black tea: Strongly brewed and cooled down.
• Apple cider vinegar OR freshly squeezed lemon juice: This is if you’d like to deepen the color (max 3 tablespoons).
• 1 cup filtered warm water
• Optional clove, ginger, or cinnamon: To mask the strong smell of henna.
• Optional Euro Oil: To add moisture back into the hair (max 3 teaspoons).

Instructions

1. Add the brown henna powder to one of the bowls. The smell is terrible, so at this point, you may want to also mix in cinnamon, clove, or ginger. For a deeper tone, add in no more than three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice. Be careful how much of these ingredients you mix; they have drying effects on the hair. They also increase how long you need to wait for the dye to release.
2. Slowly add in black tea, stirring it into the powder. Do not add all two cups at once. Gradually add more and more until the mixture is the consistency of pudding or yogurt. Ideally, it should not be runny. If you lift up the spoon, you do not want it to drip, but the mixture should be easily spreadable.
3. If you added vinegar or lemon juice, you may want to also drop in some Euro Oil at this point. It will help combat the drying effects of the henna but use no more than three teaspoons. Adding oil also dilutes the mixture and will increase the amount of time you need to wait for the dye to release. If you add too much oil, the dye may not stick to your hair.
4. Now, let it sit. Cover the bowl with wrap and set it aside for 8–12 hours while the dye releases (this may take up to 12 hours if you added in ACV/lemon juice and oil). As it gets close to the 8-hour mark, you should notice the color changing on the top of the mixture to a brown-red tone.
5. Next, get out another clean bowl and add the indigo powder. Take the warm water and add it in slowly, again until the mixture is a pudding or yogurt consistency.
6. Mix the contents of the two bowls together. If the consistency is too thick, add in a bit of warm water until it’s like pudding again. You’ll want to use this mixture immediately on dry hair—do not let it sit! Your hair does not have to be freshly shampooed, but it shouldn’t be caked with products or oil either. Ideally, you want to use henna a day after a wash.
7. At this point, you’ll want to apply oil around your hairline to prevent staining, and drape a towel around your shoulders. Apply the dye quickly and thoroughly working with small sections of hair, making sure to evenly coat each section.
8. Once the dye is applied, wrap your head with plastic wrap or put on a shower cap. The goal here is to keep the dye wet. It will not work if it dries out. You’ll want to leave the mixture in for 1–4 hours, but don’t go crazy and leave it overnight because it will likely dry and clump in your hair.
9. Rinse out the mixture with warm water, using conditioner if necessary. Do not shampoo for at least 24 hours! Your new dye should last for 8–12 weeks.

Which Henna Is Best for Grey Hair?

Honestly, any shade of henna can work great for covering grey hair, especially if you add a bit of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to make the color more intense. Blonde and light brown henna can have similar effects that a toner would on blonde hair. The henna blends out the grey so it doesn't look as noticeable once grey roots start coming in. The lighter colors would definitely be easier if you have a full head of grey hair and want to do less upkeep.

That being said, traditional red, black, or brown work as well. Just check the reviews and before and after photos for the brand you choose if you want to be sure. The darker colors will definitely need upkeep if you’re working with a full head of grey hair—silver roots will definitely be noticeable.

FAQs

Is Henna Dye Good for Grey?

Yes! While the apple cider vinegar or lemon juice can be drying, it’s still preferable to harsh chemicals and ammonia that are present in normal box dyes. All of the ingredients in henna dye are natural, which is much better for greying, coarse, and brittle hair.

Can You Mix Box Dye With Henna?

Not always. Here’s why… Some henna dyes have metallic salts in them. These can enhance or change the color. They are fine on their own but start a chemical reaction when combined with the ammonia in hair dye. Your hair can quite literally start smoking and melt. If you have previously used henna dye and would like to revert back to box dye for whatever reason, wait at least four weeks after the initial henna process.

Now, if you wanted to put henna over previously dyed hair, it has the potential to turn green. This depends on the amount of additives in the dye and how much indigo you use. Some say that the greenish tone will fade out after a few days once the dye settles in, but you should always do a strand test just in case.

Tips and Tricks

Here are some tips to consider before dying your hair.

• You may have to apply more than once for darker colors. Dark brown, dark red, and black can sometimes need extra applications. You can apply as often as you’d like.
• Make sure your henna powder does not contain PPD (paraphenylenediamine). It can be very harmful to both hair and skin.
• Don’t apply on dirty hair. If your hair is oily or covered in product, it can block the henna from absorbing into your hair and make the color fade quickly.
• Follow the instructions for your brand. Not all henna dyes are created equal! This is the recommended process for Moroccan Method International—some dyes may recommend a shorter process.
• The color will darken for 2–3 days. After you rinse the dye out of your hair, it will continue to develop over the course of a few days. Don’t be alarmed! It’s just like a henna tattoo.

Warnings:

Henna Can Permanently Change Your Hair!

There are a couple of warnings to do with henna. First of all, it is a permanent dye. It will fade over time, but it will not completely leave your hair. The only way to truly be rid of it is to grow out your hair and cut it. Otherwise, you can continue to dye your hair with henna or wait at least four weeks and use permanent hair dye.

Henna Can Loosen Naturally Curly Hair

The next change affects those with curly hair. Henna has been known to loosen curl patterns. If you’re planning to use henna on curly hair, you can use alma powder to help retain some of the texture. Alma powder will also cool down the red tones in the dye.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

MG Singh emge from Singapore on March 26, 2021:

This is a nice article and informative. I have never used Henna but many I know do.

Sp Greaney from Ireland on March 26, 2021:

I have heard of henna dye before but I have never used it. This is a really good guide as well. The tips you mention about adding the spices and apple cider is good too.

I love coming up with homemade, all-natural skincare recipes and sharing them with others.

Lip Oil for Dry Lips

My lips are perpetually dry and cracked—my skin generally is, too. Even though I know lip balm doesn’t help, I always carry it with me. If I don’t have it, we’re going to have a problem—it literally gets to the point where I can’t focus if my lips are chapped. I’m an addict.

Usually, winter and cold weather make it much worse, but year-round my skin and lips can struggle to hold moisture. Chapstick and other brands just don't work for me, and I know I’m not the only one! I started looking into the ingredients in typical lip balms that actually make your lips even drier! Can you believe the nerve?!

I decided to strip it all back and make my own recipe, with pure oils and without all of the other nonsense. The one thing that has really helped me keep my lips moisturized has been this simple recipe I can make at home.

How Do You Make Lip Oil?

There are many different oils that are beneficial for your lips. Pick a handful of your favorites, and go crazy refining your personal recipe! It’s really very simple and just requires blending your choice of oils in a container.

Types of Oils and Their Benefits

As I mentioned, you can choose from a pretty large variety of oils, all with different properties. I will share a giant list of great oils to use and then go into the specific blend I used for my results. Buying tons of pure oils can get pricey, so don’t worry if you can’t afford all of them, a blend of three to four oils will do just fine, and some of these will likely be around your house already!

• Vitamin E Oil: This is my favorite oil to add, and it even works great on its own for repairing dry and cracked skin! It is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and conditions the skin. There are many great oils to use, but Vitamin E is surely the best oil for hydrating dry lips.
• Jojoba Oil: This oil is botanical and very similar to the natural oil (sebum) that your body already produces. It’s great for combating dry skin, dandruff, and acne.
• Avocado Oil: Another oil beneficial for its antioxidant properties, avocado oil can also protect against UV damage from the sun.
• Frankincense Oil: This oil is typically used for wound-healing because it helps with cell regeneration. My lips are incredibly dry and cracked, so I added some Frankincense to my mix.
• Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is a wonderful, natural moisturizer that is commonly used in cases of dry, cracked skin. It will help your lips to retain moisture and is also antibacterial. Coconut oil is commonly used in wrinkle treatment.
• Almond Oil: This is another oil that helps protect from the UV rays of the sun. Almond oil removes dead skin cells, evens the skin tone, and with vitamins E, K, and A, it helps keep the skin looking young and healthy.
• Castor Oil: This oil contains ricinoleic acid, which helps your lips to retain moisture. Some people can have an allergic reaction to castor oil, so it is recommended that you speak with your dermatologist or test out a small patch on your arm before using it on your lips.
• Olive Oil: Here’s an ingredient that you probably already have around the house. Olive oil is an incredible moisturizer containing natural vitamin E.
• Rose Oil: Not only does rose oil smell great, it’s also anti-inflammatory like many other oils listed. It helps heal scars and promotes circulation.

DIY All Natural Lip Oil Recipe

Before you start mixing anything, you’ll first need a container to store your concoction in. Empty eyedropper containers are available for purchase at most beauty stores, or you can do what I did and recycle an old makeup bottle. The bottle I used previously held a facial serum, so I washed it out to use for my new lip oil! You could also consider using an old lip gloss container.

Some oils come with eyedroppers; some do not. So, for this, there is no exact science, and if you don’t get the formula perfect, it’s no big deal. All of the ingredients are good for your lips, so feel free to experiment!

Ingredients

• 3 mL of Vitamin E oil
• 3 mL of Jojoba oil
• 3 mL of Avocado oil
• 10 drops of Frankincense oil

Instructions

1. Clean out the container you intend to use with soap and water.
2. Add desired oils to the container until full.
3. Shake the container to mix the oils together.
4. Apply the mixture to lips daily.

*Some oils may need to be warmed in the microwave for a few seconds to become liquid if they are solid at room temperature. Be careful not to overheat them.

This Recipe Works Fast!

As mentioned above, you can really get to experimenting with lip oil combos. I loved this one because it worked almost immediately. I wasn’t expecting such a fast turnaround! I figured, for the purpose of instructional photos, I would take pictures every day for a week and show the progress of this particular recipe. As you can see, on the first day my lips were terrible. It was actually painful how dry and cracked they were (don’t judge me, it’s winter as I’m writing this!).

I used the lip oil concoction all day, making sure to reapply as needed. To my shock, by the very next day, much of the dryness and cracking was gone. My lips were back to normal overnight! I have since been using lip oil at least once a day to maintain moisture. You can also add sugar to your oil mix to create a DIY exfoliating lip scrub!

Variations of the Recipe

All of the ingredients above have their own benefits! So I say, grab what you already have or whatever is easiest for you to find and start mixing. Now, if you want to add some tint to your lip oil, read further!

How to Make a Tinted Oil

There are a few safe options you can use to tint your lip oil. If you already have a lipstick or liquid lip color that you like, add a scraping or a few drops to your lip oil mixture. To make sure the color blends evenly in, heat your oil mixture for a few seconds in the microwave (be very careful with hot oil). Add the coloring and blend it together evenly! For an unlimited amount of color combinations, you can also use eyeshadow or mica powder to create pigmented oil.

Why Choose Lip Oil?

Well, let’s look at what lip oil does. It will help your lips retain moisture, shed dead skin cells, and keep them from drying and cracking. It’s a safe, natural alternative to lip balms and other lip products that actively dry out your lips with additives like alcohol.

Lip Oil vs. Lip Gloss vs. Lip Balm

Many lip balms create a layer of moisture on your lips that admittedly offers relief, but only temporarily. That layer of protective moisture eventually evaporates and leaves your lips even more dry than they were to begin with! I am a repeat victim of this process, to the point where I can’t focus when I don’t have lip balm. Think of lip balm like this—it will prevent your lips from getting chapped because it creates a layer that sits on top of them. However, it will not repair your lips once the chapping has already occurred. You need oil for that.

Lip gloss isn’t even on the same spectrum. It’s truly just for cosmetic purposes. It only adds luster, sparkle, or shine. It might make your chapped lips feel better to have something glossy on them, but as with balm, it’s not actually working to solve the problem.

Lip oil is the champion here because if you continue using it enough, you won’t find yourself desperately saying, “I need to find some chapstick!” Your lips will no longer feel like garbage.

How and When Should I Apply Lip Oil?

Lip oil is honestly perfect any time. You can apply it when your lips are dry to help repair them, or you can use it when your lips are feeling moisturized as a preventative measure. You really can’t go wrong.

Use an applicator or your finger to apply the lip oil. I like to use mine daily in the place of any other products. If you want to moisturize but still have some color, apply the oil mixture while putting on the rest of your makeup. Allow it to soak in, and then wipe it off before putting on your lipstick!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Mona Sabalones Gonzalez from Philippines on March 13, 2021:

This is a great article and it's nice to know we can make our own lip balm that is more effective than what is being sold in stores. Thanks!

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Is It Possible to Bleach Your Eyebrows From Home?

The bleached eyebrow trend is among us, which has many people asking, "Can you bleach your eyebrows at home?" The answer is yes! If you’d like to soften a dark brow or even just lighten your eyebrows temporarily, this article has all of the information you’re looking for.

Bleaching your eyebrows at home is super simple. All you need is a bleach powder, 20 volume developer, gloves, an eyebrow brush, and a non-metallic bowl. I do recommend a tissue and vaseline to help protect your eyes and the skin around your brows—though these items are not absolutely necessary. Scroll down for a full tutorial, along with tips and safety precautions.

As the bleached eyebrow trend has been blowing up recently, I’d like to share my knowledge to help you achieve your brow goals! Bleaching your eyebrows is essentially the same process as bleaching your hair, but it’s much quicker and uses way less product.

Is Bleaching Your Eyebrows Safe? Risks and Possible Side Effects

So, I probably shouldn’t have to say this, but bleach is a chemical. Using chemicals on your skin and hair can result in burns, flaky skin, rashes, and fried hair. But hey, that doesn’t stop some people from using it anyways (myself included). There are ways to mitigate these risks when doing the job yourself, which I’ll go into below.

Here is your disclaimer—go to a professional stylist. Bleaching takes some getting used to, so if you’re not comfortable with it, don’t do it! That being said, some people are dead set on doing it themselves, so if you want to proceed, please do so with caution.

There are steps you can take to reduce the risks associated with bleaching at home. My number one recommendation is to never use a developer over 30 volume, and for this process, I’d actually recommend using only 10 or 20 volume developers. If your eyebrows aren’t lightened enough the first go-round, you can always wait a few days and repeat the process. This is obviously much better than burning your skin or frying your eyebrows.

What to Think About Before Bleaching: Tips and Considerations

Do your research first! Check out different bleached eyebrow looks on Pinterest and Instagram. Sleep on it. Hey, you could even test it out without actually bleaching or use a facial cream bleach that is less intimidating!

Test the Look First

If you’re not sold on the commitment of bleaching, there are several ways you can test out the look. (Hint: scroll down for the concealer method!) I’ve also included several methods that can lighten your brows without the use of bleach and developer.

Yes, Your Eyebrows May Turn Orange

When hair is lightened, it typically will turn orange and then go even lighter to yellow. Do not be alarmed if your eyebrows turn orange! It’s fixable, and it’s normal. If you find a blue-based bleach (like L’Oreal Quick Blue), it can actually help counteract the inevitable brassy colors that come with lightening hair.

Tip: Toning Eyebrows

I would not recommend using a toner/developer mixture on eyebrows because toner is very runny and could drip into your eyes. If you have already bleached to a light yellow and would like to tone, consider using a semi-permanent dye that doesn’t have any harsh chemicals. I’d recommend Manic Panic Virgin Snow or Arctic Fox Girl’s Night diluted with conditioner. These are very light, purple-toned dyes that can help to pull brassy, yellow tones out.

Consideration: It Lasts 4–6 Weeks

Before bleaching your eyebrows, consider that it will last for around 4–6 weeks. It is somewhat of a commitment. Yes, your natural eyebrows should grow back just fine, but if you don’t want to or aren't able to rock this look for around a month, use one of the temporary methods listed below!

Tutorial: How to Bleach Your Eyebrows at Home

This is a pretty quick process, but the steps are all very important—not only for your safety but also for your desired results!

Materials Needed

• Bleach: My go-to bleach is Ion Bright White Cream Lightener. Blue lighteners are also good; just check the reviews.
• Developer: As I mentioned earlier, I wouldn’t use higher than 10 or 20 volumes. My preferred brand is Salon Care Creme Developer.
• Mixing Bowl: Glass or plastic will do, but no metal!
• Gloves: ALWAYS use gloves when working with bleach.
• Eyebrow Brush or Spoolie: You can pick these up at your local beauty supply store.
• Vaseline or Aquaphor: This is to protect your skin.
• Tissue: This is for covering your eye while you apply bleach to the brow.

Instructions

1. Make sure your eyebrows are clean. No products!
2. Put on your gloves.
3. Add about one teaspoon of bleach to the bowl. Mix in one teaspoon of developer. The desired consistency is a paste—you don’t want the mixture to be too liquid or drip once you’ve applied it. Mix it thoroughly with your eyebrow brush.
4. Apply vaseline around the edges of your eyebrow, being careful not to get it onto your actual brow hairs. It will act as a barrier to keep the bleach off of your skin.
5. Cover the eye you are starting on with a tissue to ensure bleach does not fall into it (ouch!). Using your brow brush, apply the bleach mixture to your eyebrow against the grain of your hair. You want to make sure to cover the roots and coat the front and back of the hair.
6. Apply to the opposite eyebrow. (You can also do one eyebrow at a time.)
7. Let it sit for about 8–15 minutes, checking the lightness as you go. If your eyebrows are already on the lighter side, you don't need to leave the mixture on for as long. If you have very dark brown hair like me, it’ll probably be closer to 15 minutes.
8. If the mixture begins to dry, use your brow brush to apply a little bit more and keep the mixture wet. Bleach stops working when it is dry.
9. If you begin to feel any irritation, WIPE THE BLEACH OFF! Don’t continue if it is causing you pain or discomfort. It is not worth it.
10. When you are satisfied with the lightness, wipe the bleach off and rinse the area with warm water and a washcloth.
11. If your eyebrows are brassy or yellow, you can repeat this process to lift more color out. It’s important to give yourself time between bleaches because, again, chemicals.

Aftercare and Maintenance Tips

After bleaching, you’ll want to avoid using makeup or products around your eyebrows, as the skin will likely be irritated or red. To maintain the look, you can repeat the bleaching process when your dark roots start to show.

Can You Lighten Your Eyebrows Without Bleach?

The short answer is yes. If you’d like to bleach your eyebrows without using bleach, scroll down for various methods!

Fake-Bleach Concealer Method (Temporary)

This is a great trick if you don’t want to commit to bleaching or if you want to test how it might look beforehand! Use a peachy-toned concealer and an eyebrow brush.

1. Apply the concealer in the opposite direction that your eyebrows grow with the eyebrow brush. This covers the bottom side of the hairs.
2. Brush concealer on in the way you’d normally brush your brows. This covers the tops of the hairs.
3. Dust on some setting powder, and you’re good to go!

Hydrogen Peroxide Method

This is a great method to gradually lighten eyebrows and works especially well for those with sensitive skin. Use a q-tip to apply enough hydrogen peroxide to coat your brows, being careful not to drip it into your eyes. You can do this daily to slowly lighten your brows to the desired shade.

Chamomile Method

The chamomile method of lightening eyebrows is a natural, subtle way to go a few shades lighter. Mix equal parts of chamomile tea with lemon juice, and apply with a q-tip. This will generally work better if you spend some time in the sun.

Pencil Method

Very similar to the concealer method, this technique will require an eyebrow pencil that is several shades lighter than your actual eyebrows. Fill in your brows lightly, covering your natural color. It may be helpful here to use the pencil in the opposite direction of hair growth first, like with the concealer method, so that the roots of your eyebrow hairs are covered. Then, go back over in the direction that your eyebrows naturally grow in.

How Did the Bleached Eyebrow Trend Start?

This “trend” is more like an anti-trend in my eyes. It’s a shocking look and completely changes the look of the face. It's quite a stark contrast from the big, dark, bushy brows we’ve been seeing lately.

The bleached brow look is bold, daring, and really high-fashion. It’s spotted on runway models constantly, from Kendall Jenner to Bella Hadid, Irina Shayk to Lara Stone. Madonna rocked the bleached brow look in the ’80s, and musicians like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Miley Cyrus have all been spotted with them. One thing is for certain; bleached brows always accompany a bold personality.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Gray hair.... There are many ways to achieve it. You could use a silver toner, find a gray dye, become the president. But one of my favorite methods is to use Color Solutions by Ion in the shade Titanium.

Right off the bat, I'd like to apologize because I have no idea what to call this product. I mean, look at the label. What would you call it? Ion Pigments? Ion Color Solutions Color Depositing Masque? Ion Pigments Titanium Color Solutions? I'm not sure. I even looked it up online, and that didn't help. Either way, the product this review is focusing on is pictured below.

What Is It?

This product isn't a typical dye, nor is it a toner. It's basically a pigmented conditioner, which you can use to apply or maintain color. It's made with natural oils and antioxidants that allow you to color your hair without damage - hence the "hair masque" title.

This product is best when applied on pre-lightened hair.

Titanium Pigment

Before you go any further, know that this review is only for the Titanium pigment. While I have had much success with other Ion products, Titanium is the only color I have tried from this specific line.

For a little backstory, I started out with a platinum blonde hair. I wanted to go silver, so I used Arctic Fox Sterling (shown in the "before" picture below). It didn't work out as I had expected, but that's a review for another time. Being unsatisfied with the longevity of the Arctic Fox, I was looking for something a bit darker to use. That's when I discovered the Ion Titanium masque.

Photos and reviews will show you that it goes on pretty dark gray - which was perfect for the dark-root ombre I was aiming for. My hair is naturally dark brown, so applying an equally dark color at the roots helps to hide my growth. The goal here was to apply Titanium at the roots, and blend it down the hair shaft to fade into a lighter silver.

How to Use

When using this product, I absolutely recommend that you put it on before you shower, on dry hair. I read plenty of reviews before purchasing, and it seems a lot of people used it for the first time IN the shower on wet hair, only leaving it on for a few seconds before rinsing off. That's a great way to get splotchy, uneven hair color!

The key is control - I applied this product exactly as I would any other hair dye - carefully with the proper tools.

Supplies:

• 1-2 tubes of Ion Color Solutions Titanium (I used half of one tube to cover my roots)
• Dye bowl
• Dye brush
• Butterfly clip
• Gloves

Squeeze the product into a dye bowl. Use your dye brush to apply the color to your hair in small sections. You can certainly apply this on your entire head, but you'll see from my photos that I only used it on my roots. I usually work the layers from top to bottom, which is where the butterfly clip comes in handy.

Once you've saturated your hair evenly with the masque, you can really leave it in as long as you'd like. Typically, I like to let a dye sit in for two hours before rinsing it out.

Rinse the dye out using lukewarm water, and once you start to see the water running clear, you're ready to dry! Do NOT shampoo - you just put color in your hair, you don't want to pull it all out.

Upkeep

This product typically appears as a dark gray after it is initially washed out. As it begins to fade, it pulls to a light blue color (pictured below). I liked the light blue, so I let it fade out rather than upkeeping.

If you'd prefer the gray dark, spot touchups are the way to go. Just apply a little bit of the masque to fading spots a few minutes before you step into the shower. Or, since you've already done the full initial application, just use the product in the shower each time in place of a conditioner. This will help ensure your color is saturated and even.

When it comes time to remove the color, either a color stripper or bleach with 10 volume developer will easily do the trick.

Ion Color Solutions Titanium: 5 out of 5

I loved this product, and I've used it to do a shadow root several times since. It's super easy to use, it definitely made my hair feel silkier, and I love the color. Not to mention that one tube is right around $7 - it's a pretty cost effective fix! I definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for a dark gray dye.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Deciding to Go Orange

I'm a hair-dye-aholic. Can't stop. Orange is fun, and who doesn't like being compared to Haley Williams? It's like Vitamin C never sang Graduation. I had planned to go orange for a while, and I intended to use Manic Panic Psychadelic Sunset mixed with Manic Panic Sunshine. Before you do that, there are a few steps you need to take!

Because bleaching your hair sucks, I try to avoid it. I will bleach my roots after about an inch of growth, but try to avoid bleaching the length. This helps manage the damage on already processed hair. My game plan each time I dye is to wash out the previous color as much as possible, bleach roots, and then hit it with the next color on the rainbow. When I decided I was ready to do orange, my hair was a pink, much-faded red color.

So I did my usual process, and applied a mixture of MP's Psychedelic Sunset and Sunshine. I've used both of these dyes before, and mixing them together did not work as well as I had hoped.

Below is a photo from a few years ago, when I used Psychadelic Sunset on its own. After that, my most recent attempt where I mixed Psychadelic Sunset with Sunshine.

Choosing Arctic Fox Sunset Orange

So, when I used Manic Panic's Psychedelic Sunset a few years back, it worked out just fine. When I used their Sunshine, also a few years ago, it did not. I think choosing to mix the two this time around was a bad idea, and it's probably Sunshine's fault. It's just doesn't hold well (at least on my hair) and I find it fading significantly after just one wash.

I liked the result for about a week, but had to try something else. I was at Hot Topic, which carries Arctic Fox, and decided to give it a whirl. They had two oranges in stock, Porange and Sunset Orange, which I mixed together to create this wonderful look!

How To Apply

Supplies:

• Glass bowl
• Dye brush
• Gloves
• Butterfly clip
• Arctic Fox Sunset Orange (duh - I used one bottle of this mixed with Porange)

The next steps are pretty standard - after bleaching to the appropriate level, brush your hair and section it off. Using the dye brush, paint the color onto your hair in thin strips, making sure to cover root to tip. You've got to be thorough or else you'll look like a hot patchy mess.

You can let it sit as long as you want. Hell, sleep in it! There's no ammonia or anything of the sort in Arctic Fox. I like to think of it as a highly pigmented conditioner.

I left the dye in for 2-3 hours before rinsing it out with lukewarm water. It worked like a dream!

Arctic Fox Sunset Orange: 5/5 Stars

Loved this dye. It was easy to find, inexpensive, bright and pigmented, and lasted for a pretty long time.

You can pick it up at Sally's or at Hot Topic. What I've learned is that Sally's (at least the one near me) doesn't keep their colorful dye stocked very well. Hot Topic, on the other hand, always has this stuff. I mean, where would the scene kids be without their hair dye?

Just to let you in on my routine, I wash my hair about once every 4-5 days with shampoo and conditioner. I don't use styling products or heat because they make your color fade faster. After using this dye, I had a pretty decent color for 9 weeks.

I had always wanted a nice peachy orange, so even though the color had faded significantly, my hair still looked pretty nice.

More Hair Dye Reviews

Hopefully this hair dye gave you the information you need to decide on whether Arctic Fox Sunset Orange is the right dye for you.

If not, and you're still searching for the right color, you're in luck! I have a ton of hair color reviews, complete with photos of my own experience. Check out my profile to see other colors, how to bleach and dye your hair at home, and what dyes you need to use to achieve the look of your dreams!

After using Arctic Fox Sunset Orange, I ended up going yellow. No, not using Manic Panic's Sunshine - we already talked about how that dye is pretty lackluster. This time, I used Arctic Fox Cosmic Sunshine. I think I'm converted.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Yellow Hair Experiences

I've wanted yellow hair for a long time. I don't even like the color yellow, but for some reason, seeing Lady Gaga with it drove me nuts and I had to try it.

So I did, about two years ago, and I'd call it unsuccessful. My hair was a faded lime green, so I did a light bleaching and applied Manic Panic Sunshine Yellow over top. The result? Highlighter yellow hair. It was gross.

I mean, it didn't look terrible right after dying, but as soon as I shampooed my hair, the color faded noticeably. After one wash! So I gave up on that and went to a lovely shade of orange.

Preparing to Use Cosmic Sunshine

This time around, I decided to come to yellow from the other side of the rainbow. My hair was red, then orange, and once my orange faded, I purchased a new brand. Arctic Fox Cosmic Sunshine, my savior!

At this point in my hair dye journey, I've decided not to bleach my whole head anymore—I just bleach my dark roots and wait until the overall color of my rainbow hair has faded enough to take a new color. This way, I protect my ends from suffering further bleach damage.

My hair had come down to a nice peachy orange, which I didn't think would look as terrible with yellow dye layered over it. I had used Arctic Fox dyes for the orange, so I figured I'd give their yellow dye a try.

How to Dye Your Hair Yellow

Supplies

• Glass Bowl
• Dye Brush
• Gloves
• Butterfly Clip
• Arctic Fox Cosmic Sunshine

Instructions

1. Dump the dye in the bowl, section your hair off (I like to start at the top around my part and face).
2. Use your dye brush to apply the color to your hair in small sections. Make sure to saturate all of your hair thoroughly, so it's not a splotchy dye job.
3. Leave the dye in for as long as you deem necessary (there aren't any harsh chemicals like bleach or ammonia, so you're not doing damage).
4. Rinse with water as cold as you can stand it to prevent the color from bleeding out!

Ho-ly mo-ly Cosmic Sunshine is an AMAZING dye. I applied it to my whole head, let it sit for about three hours, and then rinsed it in lukewarm water without shampooing. It was beautiful. I was in awe. Lookit, my hair!

Cosmic Sunshine: 5/5 Stars

I'm giving this dye 5 stars for the following reasons:

• Bright, vibrant color
• Fade-resistant
• Inexpensive and easy to find
• Added conditioners

So let's go into this. You can see from the above photos that it was vibrant. I start to get really self-conscious when my hair is fading if I know it looks bad. Roots showing, faded color—I just feel like a bum. Cosmic Sunshine left me feeling confident in my hair color for six whole weeks. Seriously—the most recent photo is bellow.

More Articles to Come!

Obviously, I'm about ready to dye my hair again. This time I'll be using Arctic Fox's Phantom Green, which appears to be a dark foresty shade. Keep checking back for more hair dye reviews, and check out my profile for my previous reviews!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on February 27, 2019:

This particular dye is semi-permanent, so it will last for a while. There are always color strippers or bleach that can be used to remove the dye, but I don't think many people would use this dye unless they were certain they wanted yellow hair!

Umesh Chandra Bhatt from Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, India on February 26, 2019:

Do these dyes remain for a long time?

Suppose, as an after thought one does not require this yellow colour then can it be removed back easily to get the original hair colour or we have to wait for some time.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Do you have blonde hair, natural or bleached? Are there yellowish, brassy tones coming through? Scared of using harsh chemicals? If you are looking for a safe, easy way to cool down and neutralize those tones, consider using a purple shampoo.

What Is Purple Shampoo?

Literally, it's shampoo that's purple.

It serves a purpose though! You can't just go out and buy any old purple-colored shampoo—this stuff has a particular formula that uses a very strong violet pigment to cover up brassy tones.

What's a brassy tone? You've surely seen someone who is bleach blonde and been able to tell it's not natural. Usually this is due to a really bad bleach and tone job. Toning is essential to making an artificial blonde look real.

The goal of toning is to remove unnatural red, orange, and yellow brassy undertones that come through on blonde or bleached hair. A super easy way to neutralize the warmth at home is through the use of purple shampoo—and it all lies in color theory.

Color Theory

Take a look at a color wheel. Colors do, in fact, have opposites. Opposing colors are directly across from each other on the color wheel, and when mixed, they neutralize each other.

This is the idea behind purple shampoo. If you've bleached your hair and find yourself with lots of unwanted yellow tones, take a look at the color wheel. Purple is the opposite of yellow, and therefore neutralizes it.

Likewise, blue will counteract orange tones, and green will counteract red tones. Keep this in mind when choosing a shampoo that will help tone your own hair color.

How Does Purple Shampoo Work?

Essentially, purple shampoo will deposit a small amount of violet pigment into your yellowy hair. To achieve this, you'll want to follow these steps:

• Rinse your hair with hot water, to open up the hair shaft.
• Apply a lot of purple shampoo. I seriously will use 2-3 handfulls on my long hair (it goes almost to my belly button).
• Leave the shampoo in for at least five minutes. It helps to use a giant butterfly clip to keep it up and out of the shower water.
• Rinse your hair with cold water, to seal in the color and close your hair shaft.
• Enjoy your cool-toned blonde!

Keep in mind, the longer you leave it in the more it's going to stick to your hair. Sometimes when I am in major need of a tone, I'll put purple shampoo in outside of the shower and leave it in for about 30 minutes before rinsing out.

What Happens When You Use Purple Shampoo?

This stuff will NOT turn your hair purple, I promise! The only way that's happening is if you don't rinse it all out. Purple shampoo is not dye, but it is pigmented. Like I said, it's only going to deposit enough color into your hair to tint it. If you overdo it and somehow manage to get purple hair, just rinse and it will come out.

Purple shampoo is a lifesaver in upkeeping blonde hair. It prevents you from having to use ammonia toners regularly, which can be damaging to your locks. When used several times a week, this shampoo can keep your hair cool all on its own. If you start to see an overwhelming amount of brassiness coming through again, it may be time to do a full tone—and you can learn how to do that using Wella Color Charm Toner here!

What If It Doesn't Work?

Sometimes it may be difficult to see results with purple shampoo. If you're not getting what you want out of it, there are a few fixes.

You may not be leaving it in long enough, or getting full coverage. A way to remedy this is to apply it out of the shower, combing the shampoo through your hair and taking extra care to get an even coat. Leave the shampoo in for as long as you want! Five minutes in the shower works, but like I said, I've left it in up to 30 minutes before rinsing. This will give it more time to soak into your hair.

Another reason why your shampoo may not be working - your hair isn't light enough. Purple shampoo is specifically designed for hair with yellowy tones. If you've got darker hair and orange tones, blue shampoo is going to be better for you. Or, you may want to consider lightening your hair a little more with a bleach and tone. Purple shampoo has the best results on light yellow hair.

What Are Some Good Brands of Purple Shampoo?

There are plenty out there, but I'll start with my favorite.

Generic Brand Purple Shampoo
This stuff is absolutely great - it's inexpensive and can be picked up at Sally's. It's made to mimic Clairol Shimmer Lights, a higher-end purple shampoo formula, without breaking the bank.

Clairol Profession Shimmer Lights
Clairol's purple shampoo formula is protein-enriched, and you can use it on blonde and silver hair and highlights. It's also pretty easy to find!

Unite Blonda Shampoo Tonic
This stuff is a little bit more expensive, but it's paraben and sodium chloride free! If those are features you're interested in, you can find it on Amazon and sometimes on the shelf at WalMart.

More Hair DIYs

Now that you've figured out what the heck purple shampoo is, and realized it's very simple, it's time to up your hair skills! Check out some of my hair DIYs, from bleaching to toning to coloring!

How to Get White Hair

How to Make Your Hair Grow Faster

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on March 10, 2020:

I would use either a blue shampoo/conditioner combo or use a color stripper to remove the orange!

Gill on March 08, 2020:

Help please, Dyed my hair a light ash colour and it's come out ginger... So i use a blue shampoo and then can i put a dark blonde on?

Miss L M Jennings on January 06, 2019:

I have natural blonde hair & I am naturally lighter at the front which grows pure blonde.

I now in my menopause state & have noticed that sometimes as i become more flushed in occassions, that i perspire more & sometimes perspire so much from the vortex in my scalp that it goes a little yellow in tone due to this.

I have just recently been using shampoo for blonde hair from the John Frieda range of products( which contains natural ingredients of lemon,violet & chamomile & nothing harmful).

This works well for me.

It cleanses my hair & freshens & refreshes it very well & very gently without harming the fine cuticle structure of the length & ends & is very gentle on the scalp as i can be very sensitive having a natural pink pignented scalp.

I would recommend this to anybody with natural blonde hair as every time that i do use this product, my hair also regains its clear lucidity, which leaves it looking nice &light & soft without feeling greasy.

Kailas Chaudhari from Ahmedabad, India on July 02, 2018:

Hey, really nice articles. Awesome.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

What Is High Lift Hair Color?

High lift hair color is a permanent dye, and when it's combined with double parts 40-volume developer, it will lift some of the existing pigment in your hair. It lightens while also adding color.

This offers an alternative for people who refuse to use bleach on their hair. It's important to note that while bleach can be harmful to your hair, it can also work wonders when used properly. Even still, high lift hair color offers a viable option for lightening your locks. Consider your choices and decide which method of hair lightener will work for you.

People who are unfamiliar with the bleaching and dyeing process don't necessarily know that you can't really "dye" your hair blonde from a dark color. To get light from dark, you have to remove color—meaning you're going to have to bleach your hair or strip the existing color out. The creation of high lift hair color makes it possible to lighten hair without using bleach. This will only work under certain circumstances, which I will get further into below!

Who Can Use It?

Here's where I start to eliminate readers. If you don't already have dark blonde/light brown, virgin (non-dyed) hair, high lift hair color will not work for you. Ladies with dark hair and dyed hair will have to resort to a color stripper, or just use bleach the old-fashioned way—which you can read all about here!

Only those with dark blonde hair would be able to achieve a platinum blonde through use of high lift. If you're dark-haired with dreams of white, bleach is your best bet.

How Does It Work?

Using certain chemicals, this sort of hair color is able to lift existing pigment from your hair while also depositing dye. This is due to the higher levels of ammonia as well as color pigment that are present in the formula.

It is recommended to mix high lift hair color with a double ratio of 40-volume developer. The developer (in pairing with the ammonia) acts to open your hair cuticle and allow for color to be lifted. Then the extra dose of color pigment can be deposited to tone your hair!

The benefit of using something like this in comparison to bleach is that it's less irritating to your scalp and less damaging to your hair. However, it also achieves less lift than you would get with bleach.

Stylist-Recommended High Lift Brands

Sometimes if you go to a supermarket to purchase your hair dye, you will notice brands advertising themselves as "high lift," when they actually aren't. High lift hair dyes will need to be paired with 40-volume developer, so make sure you read the box and verify.

Some brand favorites of stylists include Wella, Redken, Kenra, and Igora! They offer different shades of high lift colors that you can check out, and I've included some photos throughout this article.

Instructions for Use

For this process, you're going to need a few things. Get to your local Sally's and pick up the following:

• High lift hair color
• 40-volume developer
• gloves
• dye brush

1. Follow the instructions that come with the hair color—they should involve mixing the color and two parts 40-volume developer in a bowl. You're going to have to use the mixture quickly for it to work, so don't leave it sitting out for too long before use.
2. Section your hair into four quarters, dividing it down your part and then horizontally across the back of your head.
3. Working with one section at a time, paint the dye on your hair layer by layer, section by section.
4. Once you're finished applying it, you'll be instructed to let the dye sit for around 45–60 minutes. Check it regularly to make sure you are getting towards your desired results.
5. After you've let the dye do its work, rinse it out with lukewarm water. I never shampoo after processing my hair—that only dries it out more. Apply conditioner generously, and even put some in your damp hair after you get out of the shower.

Ammonia Lift Boosters

Some high lift hair color companies will also offer something called a lift booster. I could bore you with the scientific details, or I could just tell you that the booster contains more ammonia. More ammonia means that it's possible for you to get even more lift—hence the name.

Be careful, though, because more chemicals ALSO means more damage to your hair. Don't use this stuff unless your hair is in really good condition! It can also cause more irritation to your scalp, so if you know your skin is sensitive, it's best to stay away from lift boosters.

Taking Care of Lightened Hair

After any sort of processing, it's important to baby your hair back to health. 40-volume developer is pretty harsh on the scalp and tresses, and it will cause dryness and breakage.

Apply Coconut Oil

To help fight against the damage, it's important to nurture your hair before AND after the lifting. One tip that I've used (and had readers endorse) before is to apply coconut oil before any sort of bleach/dye/toner. I massage it into my hair usually an hour before starting a process, leaving it in even as I apply bleach. It can cause some dilution of the product, which may mean it won't lighten AS much, but when you're done with the process, your hair is left soft instead of crunchy.

I'll also apply coconut oil after processing, especially to my ends, which dry out easily. Use about a pea-sized amount, and let it melt in your hands first. Rub your hands together to spread the oil out before running your fingers through your hair. As your hair dries, the oil should soak into it as a leave-in conditioner would, leaving it soft but not greasy.

Avoid Heat

Try to avoid using heat for at least a week after processing—you've got to give your hair a break, not break your hair! Should you be worried about styling, check out this way to get perfect no-heat curls!

More Hair DIYs

I suspect that many readers have determined themselves unable to use high lift hair color because of prior coloring or having hair that is too dark. If that's the case, check out some of my other hair articles below!

How to Touch Up Roots at Home

What is Developer and How Do You Use It?

How to Remove Red Hair Dye

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Kevin on July 15, 2020:

this is really helpful and really easy to understand high-lift vs highlight

thanks a million *!~

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 22, 2020:

I love using Ion Bright White Creme Lightener! If you only want to lighten a little I'd suggest a 10 volume developer. If you're doing this on your own, it's probably better to do in smaller sections and wash out when it's to the lightness you desire. If you try to do your whole head at once by yourself, you may take a long time and cause the first sections to overdevelop.

Kathywilson143 on April 18, 2020:

I am between a 8-7, wishing to get roots to a 6. Can you help with a lifting product selection?

Thanks,

Kathy

Brandy Robnett on January 26, 2020:

any thoughts on using high lift on a level 5 roots only with goal being lift as much as can with no gold orange

trying to lift her base but more than your avg 2 levels

Saige on December 30, 2019:

"It is recommended to mix high lift hair color with a double ratio of 40-volume developer."

Wat? Can you please clarify what this means for those of us less experienced in hair terms?

Renay on May 16, 2019:

I am a hugh fan of highlift. Sometimes i do get discouraged to use it. Thanks for the article.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Depending on how quickly your hair grows, you may need to perform a root touch-up anywhere from two weeks to a month after dyeing your hair! My hair grows pretty slowly, so I usually wait about a month or two before I actually do something about it. I think by now everybody knows my natural hair color isn't really blue.

However, the majority of people who need to touch up their roots are dyeing their hair more natural colors. It's important to keep your current hair color looking fresh by hiding the fact that your hair color isn't really what people think it is.

Ideally, you'll need to touch up your roots if half an inch to an inch of growth is showing. If you let your roots grow much more than an inch, it can be difficult to bleach or dye them evenly. The warmth from your scalp processes the chemicals faster, so if your roots are super long, the color may end up uneven.

You're either going to need to bleach your roots to lighten them or dye them if you need them darker. So, ask yourself if you want to go lighter or darker? Then, decide which process will work for you.

Dyeing Roots

When my hair was its natural color, I used to dye it a natural-looking red. My skin tone was light enough that red hair looked believable—until the roots started to show. Luckily, the red hair dye worked so well on my naturally brown hair that I didn't need to bleach it first. You may find yourself in a similar situation.

If you end up needing to dye your roots, don't worry. The process is pretty easy and can be completed in your own home. Stores like Sally's Beauty Supply and WalMart have kits specifically for touching-up roots—or you can purchase a regular box dye (just be prepared to not need all of the mixture).

There are also root comb applicator bottles you can buy for just a few dollars that allow you to deposit color easily to just your roots.

Tips for Dyeing Hair Roots

1. Mix the dye according to the instructions on the box.
2. Fill the special root comb applicator bottle (if using).
3. Comb it through your hair while gently squeezing the bottle. Make sure you're coating your roots, but not overlapping your previously dyed hair too much.
4. Massage the color into your roots to ensure it's spread evenly!
5. Leave the dye on your hair for the specified amount of time.
6. Rinse it out with lukewarm water.

Bleaching and Toning Roots

If you lightened your hair and your dark roots are coming in, you're going to have to pick up some bleach! This process is going to be a bit more delicate and tricky than just dyeing light roots darker.

Simply bleaching dark roots will not fix your hair. When dark hair is bleached, it tends to lift to orangey and yellowy tones. That means you're going to have to neutralize the color after bleaching to get your roots to match the rest of your hair.

The video below shows how I bleached my own roots before dyeing my hair pink. The first half of the video will be most relevant to the majority of you—unless you're going for the unicorn thing.

If you went to a stylist to get your initial process done, try to find out what kind of toner they used—brand, product number, and tone. Was it golden? Ash? These things will be important for matching your hair at home!

You'll need to bleach your roots within half a shade of the rest of your hair. Go easy with some bleach powder and a 20 volume developer.

How to Bleach and Tone Your Roots at Home

1. Separate your hair into four even sections. Divide it down your center part vertically, and then horizontally across the back of your head.
2. Apply the bleach layer by layer, section by section. Cover the full growth of the roots while being careful not to overlap hair that is already bleached.
3. Leave the bleach on until it has lightened your hair to the proper shade.
4. Wash it out with lukewarm water.

Now it's time to get ready for toner! Toner is typically mixed with 20 volume developer. I've included a Wella toner chart below to help those looking for the right shade of blonde!

Apply toner in the same way you applied the bleach—covering your roots first. When your roots are just about the right shade, use the rest of the toner to blend into the length of your hair. This will help the color to appear more even and intentional. Rinse again with lukewarm water and move on to conditioning!

Bleaching Roots (Before Dyeing Pink)

Conditioning and Aftercare

Whether you've dyed your roots or bleached and toned them, ease up on the shampoo for a few days. Color processing tends to dry your hair out and leaves it feeling fragile, and shampoo will only further strip your hair of natural oils.

A great product for re-moisturizing your hair is coconut oil! The molecules penetrate your hair shaft and repair from within. I always apply a small amount of coconut oil after processing or washing my hair to keep it shiny and healthy. I've had a few readers who are allergic to coconut oil. In that case, argan oil and vitamin E oil are great substitutes! Make sure to just use a small amount and massage it into the ends and dry areas of your hair. That way you don't end up with a greasy mess.

You may also want to avoid hair products for a few days while it bounces back to its old self. Heat can further damage your hair, so it's a good idea to give it a rest after processing so you don't fry it off.

More Hair DIYs

Now that you're enjoying the no-root life, check out some of my other articles for your next hair journey!

How to Fix Yellow Hair

How to Get Rose Gold Hair

How to Dye Your Hair Purple

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Lynsey Hart from Lanarkshire on March 27, 2018:

Hey nice hub. Love the pink colour in the video, so need to try making that up! Just want to share with you something that I do when touching up my roots (bleaching for bright colours) I put coconut oil on before the bleach. Sounds mad, but means that when you wash out the bleach your hair is lovely and manageable. You can brush through without torturing yourself and makes the sectioning while dying and bleaching much more manageable! Also, your hair still absorbs loads of colour afterwards as it isn't left oily at all.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Did you try to bleach/tone your hair at home and end up with a yellow mess instead? It happens to the best of us—and it can be pretty embarrassing. I've dealt with this myself on multiple occasions, and have had to rock a hat and sunglasses for a few days while attempting to fix the problem.

The good news is, I've got several tried and true methods for you to rid yourself of your brassy locks.

How Does It Happen?

Darker hair is comprised of many different tones. My naturally dark brown hair appears reddish in the sun, because of my warm undertones. Some people have naturally cool, ash-toned hair. When you bleach your hair and strip away the color, these tones start to show through.

Typically, when dark hair is bleached it will go through various brassy reds, oranges, and yellows. It's usually not the look that people are going for, but if you want to get to a new color you're probably going to need to lift some out first—brassiness is inevitable.

Options to Fix Yellow Hair

Depending on what your end goal is, there are several ways to fix yellow, brassy hair.

• Go lighter using bleach
• Use toner to fix the yellow
• Dye your hair blonde
• Go darker using dye
• Purple shampoo on very light yellow

If you're scared of using bleach at home, you may want to consider seeing a hairstylist or just going darker. It's okay to admit defeat! However, if you're set on lighter hair, there are tons of resources online to help you through the bleaching process. Below is a video of one of my own trials and tribulations to get to light hair! You can see after the bleaching how the brassy tones came through.

Go Lighter

Admittedly, the video above is illustrating the exact issue being addressed in this post. Even at the end of the video, my hair was much lighter but still pretty brassy. This is where your end goal comes into play.

My intention with bleaching my hair was not to have blonde hair. It was to get it light enough to dye it purple! If the end goal for the look was to have a natural blonde, I would have needed to bleach it further.

Bleaching at home is fairly easy, and you can find the whole process detailed here.

Essentially, you'll need a bleach powder and a 20 volume developer. You can repeat the bleaching process spaced out over several days/weeks, until your hair is the color of the inside of a banana peel. At this level, it is ready to tone!

Use a Toner

Toner is a product that should be used for ANYONE trying to go blonde. It will slightly lift color and neutralize red, orange, and yellow tones.

You'll have to pick a toner depending on the shades present in your hair. Toners are typically based with green, blue, and purple. Green neutralizes red tones, blue neutralizes orange, and purple neutralizes yellow. If you're reading this article in particular, you'll probably need a blue-violet based toner.

Wella makes great toners for yellow hair - figure out what level your hair is at currently, and choose a toner based on that. If your hair isn't light enough, you run the risk of the toner not working - as was the case in my video above.

If you decide to use a Wella toner, they suggest mixing it with two parts 20 volume developer. After you've let it sit for the recommended amount of time, wash it out and be sure to use a leave-in conditioner.

Dye It Blonde

This is a method that, much like toning, will only work if your hair is at a certain level of lightness already. If you have a yellow hair problem, chances are you will be able to dye. Using a blonde hair dye won't work for you if you have orange tones in your hair!

Select a blonde hair dye shade within 2 shades of your current color. The great thing about box dyes at the store is that they show you what the dye will do to different shades right on the side of the box!

Follow the instructions and apply this as you would any other hair dye. Keep in mind, if you are looking to rid yourself of warm tones, select an ash blonde.

Go Darker

Sometimes you just want to give up on the idea of blonde, and that's okay too! If you're having issues achieving the look, it may be time to just dye it darker.

You can pick up a hair dye of your original color, or go for something different - just make sure it's darker than your current yellow. The process for dying your hair at home is very simple, and can be found here!

As I mentioned earlier, I bleached my hair blonde to be able to dye it another color. Below is a photo of how I ended up going darker by adding purple dye on top!

More Hair-Bleaching Articles

Hopefully this post helped you to find a solution to your brassy, yellow hair. Going through a big hair change can be intimidating, but it's always fixable! Leave your questions and comments below on what your experience has been. If you have some more questions about bleaching and toning your hair, check out my profile to find more articles!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

mon mon mon on July 14, 2020:

i have bleached yellow hair, bright. wanting to go 7.33 or caramel blond. should i use semi 10 vol/demi or permanent 20vol ? also i was thinking as there is gold in my hair at the moment, should i just use 7.0 ? or should i use 7.3 ? What do you recommend ?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 01, 2020:

It sounds like you need to use a toner. If you have light yellow hair, you will be able to use Wella T18 toner mixed with 20 volume developer! If it is more orange than yellow, then Wella T18 will not work - you would need to go for something like Wella T27.

Lauren on June 01, 2020:

Hi. I normally have high lighted hair and have dyed it blonde in lockdown, however the roots are now a yellow blonde - I don't believe I left the mix on long enough to lift it. Am I able to use another box dye for the correct time/to preferred colour or is that a waste of time?

Thanks

Linda on May 05, 2020:

Used koleston 12/1 and 12% peroxide, I had previously blonde high lighted hair roots were showing dark blonde, end result very light with yellow want to tone out yellow without going any lighter or darker. Please can you help

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 27, 2020:

So the trouble with going blonde is that you are going to be better off with using bleach than with using dye. Dye, unless it is high-lift dye, is going to deposit color to your hair, where bleach strips it out.

Since your hair is already dark blonde, you should be okay using a bleach with 10 volume developer (i use Ion Bright White Creme Lightener, and then you'd need any kind of 10 volume developer). Mix them according to the instructions on the back of the bleach bottle and leave on 20-40 minutes (until your hair is as light as you desire). Rinse it out with warm water, and you should be in a place where you can now tone your hair. Judging by the blonde dye you used, I think Wella T15 would be the right toner shade you'd like. Mix that with 10 or 20 volume developer and leave on your hair for 30-40 minutes (it'll start to turn purple, that's normal) and then rinse out and you should have a nice natural blonde!

I will say, just be careful using bleach as it can be much more damaging than using a dye. If you absolutely want to do this, just take it slow! If you can wait, I absolutely recommend letting your stylist sort it out once the salon is back open. But, I'm also one of the people who loves to do it myself at home so I totally get it if you want to do it now. Good luck!

Gem Hilton on April 26, 2020:

Hi there!

I wonder if you could help me please. I have just done the one thing my hairdresser told everyone not to do and coloured my own hair! I couldn’t stand the roots any longer! I already have very light blonde hair but natural dark blonde ashy roots. I decided (wrongly) to colour it all with L’Oréal Excellence lightest natural blonde. Number 01. I did exactly what it told me to do in the instructions and now my colour has gone slightly lighter than before, which is fine but my roots are a dark brassy colour. It looks terrible as I’m already going through the tough stage of growing my pixie cut out. I’ve so far tried putting purple shampoo on A section of dry root for around 20 mins then washing it out to see if it would make a difference. It hadn’t. Any advice would be gratefully received during this lockdown process we are all enduring.

Thank you kindly

Stephanie Johnson on July 14, 2019:

I went to the hair dresser Friday and she bleached my hair. She said she used a toner; however my hair is very brassy with a yellow look. To tone down this look, would shimmering light work or is there a bettter shampoo and is today to soon

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 29, 2019:

Every time I've uset T-18 it turns to a dark purple. It could have been mislabeled or a bad batch.

RDDD3 on April 28, 2019:

I colored my bleached hair using Wella Palest Ash Blonde and corresponding t-18 toner. I don't know if this was a "sign" but the toner mix was a reddish brown and there no ash tone evident during the toning process.

The end result was, while a nice shade of light blonde, there was no ash in the final results.

Why was this and how can I immediately fix it?

The ultimate result I want is a blonde that looks -in a subtle way- like graying hair but not gray hair.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on February 28, 2019:

If it's very light blonde with yellow, I'd try a T18 toner to get it to a neutral shade. Once you're there, use a gray dye. Ion has a gray series at Sally's Beauty, and Arctic Fox has Sterling. I haven't tried the Arctic Fox Sterling yet but in my experience their dyes are amazing!

Debbie on February 27, 2019:

Hi, I've been trying to go gray or color my hair silver gray!! I just had it done at a shop and paid $85.00 plus tip, and it looks like a very light blonde to me, with yellow in it! This has been going on for months with different toners, and bleaching!! Im going nuts !! What can i do to just get to a nice silver grey tone?? Ive never had this much trouble coloring my hair and getting it to the color i was trying to achieve!! I need help!!

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Developer: What Is It?

I've been very interested in bleaching and dying my hair on my own, in the comfort of my own home, for many years now. When I first began, I didn't have a clue what I was doing—what strength developer to use, what a toner is, or how bleach worked. Now that I've been doing this for 5+ years, I'd like to share my knowledge with others looking to dye at home!

Understanding developer is crucial to the hair lightening/toning process. My first go-round, I used the highest-volume developer I could find. This resulted in horribly damaged hair that I ended up having to cut off. I aim to help you guys from failing as catastrophically as I did.

Developer is a product containing hydrogen peroxide that aids in the bleaching/toning process. The hydrogen peroxide opens up the cuticle of your hair, allowing for color to take hold. If you've seen developer at your local beauty store, you'll notice that there are many different levels. The levels refer to the amount of hydrogen peroxide present—the higher the number, the more peroxide, the more lift you're going to get.

Important Note

Bleaching and toning your hair will cause damage to it. It's up to you to decide if you're okay with that! It doesn't matter if you go to a stylist or do it yourself—the chemicals will tend to dry out your locks and strip them of their nutrients.

If you're planning to bleach or tone your hair, be sure to follow the product instructions. Using a strong developer for an extended period of time can totally fry your hair, and nobody wants that.

Some great steps to take before and after processing your hair include dousing it with olive oil, coconut oil, conditioner, etc. Give the shampoo a rest, because that will strip your hair of its natural oils as well. Since having bleached hair, I have reduced my shampooing to once a week. It starts out gross, but eventually your chemistry will even out and your head will produce just the right amount of oils.

That being said, let's get into developer volumes!

40+ Volume Developer

For me, this is a big no. This is what I used the first time I tried to bleach my hair. It worked alright, but my hair turned to spaghetti. Use extreme caution if you're bleaching with this stuff.

As a general rule, I say it's much better to do several rounds of bleaching with a lower developer volume than to ruin it all with "quick fix" 40.

If you're set on doing something as quickly as possible, I recommend going to a hairstylist. It's going to be expensive, but they are professionals and can get your hair done in a day. Personally, I prefer to take my time and do it myself. That might mean spacing bleaching out over the course of two weeks, but it's cheaper and safer than using super strong products!

30 Volume Developer

If you are going from dark hair and looking to lift several levels of color away, 30 may be the right developer strength for you. However, at 9% hydrogen peroxide, it's still pretty strong. If you decide to use this volume of developer, be mindful of how long you're leaving it in. It's totally okay to do multiple rounds of lightening!

I would recommend a 30 developer to anyone who has medium brown hair and darker. If you're a light brown, you can probably stand to just use a 20 instead.

20 Volume Developer

This volume is used pretty widely for both bleaching and toning. It's great for lightening one to two levels, and will also help you achieve some lift when mixed with a toner.

I have naturally dark brown hair, and I did maybe 4 rounds of bleaching with the Salon Care 20 Volume Creame Developer to get it to a level 10 blonde. I was also being very cautious about how long I left the bleach in for, so I probably could have gotten more lift in fewer rounds if I had left it in a few minutes longer.

10 Volume Developer

10 volume developer is another great one for use with toner, but beware - it's pretty weak. I will sometimes use 10 volume when bleaching my roots, because virgin hair close to the scalp bleaches pretty easily. Just be prepared to do a few rounds of bleaching if you've got a darker hair color already.

This developer is also great if you are going for a darker hair color, but need to lift some of your current color to achieve it.

Using Developer

Once you've figured out which developer will best suit your hair goals, mixing it is pretty easy.

Developer comes in both a cream and a liquid form—I've used both and prefer cream.

If you're mixing developer with bleach powder, be sure to read the instructions. The radio of developer to powder will vary depending on what volume you are using and what bleach powder you have picked up.

As for toner, I can say with certainty that Wella Color Charm toner calls for a 2:1 developer to toner ratio, with a 20 volume developer. Better safe than sorry though—check the instructions for whatever type of toner you end up to make sure you get the best results.

More Articles

If you found this article helpful, check out some of my others! I frequently post hair dye ideas, reviews, and instructionals.

How to Get Rose Gold Hair

10 Green Hair Color Ideas

A Guide to Hair Extensions

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on August 26, 2020:

Don't mix developer with a dye unless it is instructed on the dye's box! It will only work properly for a mixture it is meant to be in. If you mix it with a semi-permanent dye you're just causing unnecessary damage to your hair.

Jenna on August 17, 2020:

Hi so does developer in color dye such as green, makes the color stand out more or does that not work?

Sophie on May 10, 2020:

I bleached my hair a few days ago and it's currently pretty orange (I have originally dark brown hair) I was wondering if it's okay to use developer by itself on it now? And what volume should I use if so. Or should I do it mixed with bleach?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 01, 2020:

Check the directions of the permanent green you purchase! You should be able to see the directions even if you are ordering online. I always use what is recommended by the dye, but I'd assume it is anywhere from a 10 to 20 volume developer.

Sami on April 30, 2020:

Hi! I’m currently at a dark brown wanting to go to a dark green, I was going to strip the color of my dyed hair and then get a permanent green that requires developer, I’m not sure what volume to use?

azalea on February 20, 2020:

do you HAVE to mix it with bleach or is it okay to use developer by itself?

Nancy on July 17, 2019:

Hair consultant said to use 10vol developer with pale ash blond toner after powder bleach . The powder bleach is to remove a bad color job.

Is 10vol the right amount with toner? Package says 20vol.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 23, 2019:

I wouldn't do more than 30 minutes! I have done 40 without much issue but my hair is very thick.

Peach Wilson on May 04, 2019:

Hello- I was wondering how long you left the developer in at 20 volume?? Thanks

Saskia on April 25, 2019:

can you use hydrogen Peroxide B.P 30 volume (fluid) and mix it in with the dye of your choice ?

Dase on September 01, 2018:

So do you bleach all your hair at once or in sections?, and then apply the toner to your desired color.

Anu on July 20, 2018:

thank you for the information.

Was a great help as myself being starter in hair dye area.

Lucy Brian on June 24, 2018:

Wow! Loved this article! It seems like it is a must try! Does it have any side effects! A lots of love.

Lucy.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Toners are a great way to keep processed hair looking natural, but finding the right shade and learning how to use the product correctly can take a little practice. Luckily, I've used Wella toner on my hair many times and am here to share my best tips with you.

In this article, we will cover the following topics:

• Wella Color Charm Shades
• Choosing the Right Toner for You
• How to Use Wella Toners
• Why Choose Wella?
• What Is Hair Toner and How Does It Work?
• Can Toning Damage Your Hair?
• Troubleshooting Toning Mistakes
• Maintaining Toned Hair

Wella Color Charm Toner

One of the most popular and accessible toners out there is Wella Color Charm. They've got a family of three main branches: silver, ash, and beige.

Silver Toners

• T28 Natural Blonde
• T10 Pale Blonde: Formerly known as "Ivory Lady," this toner contains violet-blue undertones and will cancel out yellow-orange tones in your hair.

Ash Toners

• T14 Pale Ash Blonde: Formerly known as "Silver Lady," T14 is also violet-blue based. This shade will add ashy tones, resulting in a hair shade that is darker than T18.
• T18 Lightest Ash Blonde: According to many reviews, this toner is better for going to nearly a white blonde than T10. This is a violet-based toner, "White Lady," that will eliminate light yellow tones from your hair.

Beige Toners

• T15 Pale Beige Blonde
• T11 Lightest Beige Blonde: This toner has a green-violet base, and will result in a sandy beach tone. It is best on yellow hair, and not ideal if you are looking for a cooler tone.
• T27 Medium Beige Blonde
• T35 Beige Blonde: Another toner with a green-violet base, this product will cancel out the red and yellow brassy tones in golden hair while still keeping it warm.

What Color Toner Is Right for Me?

Hair toners are commonly tinted with violet, blue, and green. These colors end up canceling out yellow, orange, and red tones that are present in bleached hair. It's important to understand color theory when toning so that you end up with the desired result. If you want to cancel out yellow, go for a violet-based toner. Orange tones are negated by blue, and red tones by green. (A quick look at a color wheel should help you see why!)

Consult a Toning Chart

In order to use these toners, Wella recommends that you lighten your hair to at least half a shade lighter than your desired end result. I've included a chart showing lightness shades below so you can figure out what level you need before toning! Chances are you're going to want to lighten to a level 10 to 12.

It's important to consider the damage that could be done to your hair through the bleaching and toning process. It's inevitable, but when done properly, you can still maintain a healthy mop.

How to Use Wella Toners

Once you've decided on the proper shade of toner for you, the rest is very simple!

You Will Need:

• Wella Color Charm Toner
• 20 volume developer (I prefer Salon Care Cream)
• Gloves
• Dye brush
• Glass bowl
• Tin foil or plastic wrap

Step 1: Perform a Strand Test

In your glass bowl, mix 1 part toner to 2 parts developer. As you mix it with your dye brush, it will start to form a gel. It is wise to conduct a strand test to figure out your processing time. Select a small section of hair that isn't terribly visible. Test out the toner and see what amount of time produces the desired result. I'm not very wise, so I usually skip this step.

Step 2: Apply Toner in Sections

Working quickly, separate your hair into thin layers and paint the toner on, saturating the entire section. I usually start with the hair on my part and around my face and neck, and work my way in.

Step 3: Let Toner Sit

The toner may start to change to a deep, dark shade of blue or purple. Do NOT be alarmed! Let it do its work. You will not end up with dark hair. Let the toner sit for 8–10 minutes for a lighter shade or 20–25 minutes for a darker shade.

Step 4: Wash and Condition Your Hair

Once you're ready, wash it out with shampoo and be sure to condition. Just a heads up for people who didn't know this, but you can use any conditioner as a leave-in conditioner . . . just let it dry on your hair and brush it; you'll get the same result. Don't waste your money on a specifically branded "leave-in" when you have perfectly good conditioner already.

Why Should I Use Wella Over Another Brand?

Wella Professionals, based in Germany, has been making hair products for over 130 years, and they have a real knack for getting things juuust right. From toners to moisturizing shampoos, you really can't go wrong with Wella.

While some DIY products can yield disastrous results (we're looking at you, Sally's boxed dyes), most users have great success with Wella and find that they can get salon-worthy results from home. They also provide a huge range of shades (though you may have to order online, depending on the in-store offerings in your area), meaning there's a much higher chance of attaining the color you're looking for.

Honestly, there's simply no comparison between Wella and most of the other DIY brands you'll find at your local beauty shop!

What Is Hair Toner and How Does It Work?

Simple! It's a product that neutralizes brassy tones on blonde or bleached hair. In other words, it's a miracle in a bottle that keeps your hair looking natural rather than processed. Have you ever seen someone out there who tried to go platinum and got more of a "banana" color instead? This is exactly the issue that toner aims to fix.

How, you ask? Toner uses ammonia mixed with some other chemicals to create a gel. That gel, when applied to your hair, will slightly lift and tone your hair to specific and delicate shades of blonde.

Note: For an in-depth explanation of toner, check out "What Is Toner, and How Does It Work?"

Can Toning Damage Your Hair?

Sort of. The toner itself won't damage your hair, but the bleach that often precedes it (it's not possible to lighten your hair with a toner) or the developer needed for the toner to work can absolutely damage your hair.

We're all pretty familiar with the ways bleach can damage your hair, but fewer people are familiar with the potential damage developers can inflict. Developer opens your hairs' cuticles so that color can penetrate it, but using developers that are too strong (e.g. 30 or 40 volume, which you should never use at home) or using weaker developers too often can be very hard on your hair.

For this reason, you shouldn't tone your hair too much or too often. it's important to give your hair time to recover between toning sessions—a few days at the very least. In addition to giving your hair a breather, this will also give you a better idea of what your color is really like, as it will shift a bit after being toned.

Troubleshooting Toning Mistakes

Going from your current hair color to your dream hair color via toning can be trickier than it initially appears. Here are three common toning mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Toning Lighter Than Your Current Level

This usually happens when you're worried about making your hair too dark, but using a toner for a level that's lighter than the lift you already have can end up creating unbalanced warmth and resulting in an awkward look.

Solution: Never tone higher than the level the hair is already lifted to.

2. Making Your Hair Overly Ashy

This usually happens when you eliminate all warm and gold tones in the hopes that it will give you the silvery look you're going for. Unfortunately, all this does is remove your hair's brightness.

Solution: Never eliminate warmth completely. Instead, try balancing it.

3. Toning Too Much All at Once

While going from your current color to your desired color in a day would be optimal, it often isn't possible, especially if the difference between the two is fairly drastic.

Solution: Don't try to achieve your perfect color all at once. Instead, resign yourself to the fact that it may take several sessions over the course of a few months to achieve your perfect color.

4. Accidentally Turning Your Hair Green

This can happen if you use an ash toner (which contains more green tones) or blue-tinted toner on yellow-toned hair, as the combination could result in a greenish color.

Solution: Avoid green- or blue-tinted toners and opt for purple-tinted ones instead!

5. Toning Darker Without Filling First

Toning darker without filling the hair first will result in a muddy gray color that almost certainly isn't what you were going for.

Solution: Fill hair to balance the tones before using a toner to go darker.

For more information about troubleshooting toning mistakes, including examples, check out this article by @PaintedChair.

Maintaining Toned Hair

At this point, you should have a beautiful, non-brassy shade of blonde hair! If that didn't happen, you may need to reevaluate the steps that you took. Did you bleach your hair to the proper level before toning it? Did you leave the toner in long enough? Did you use the proper volume of developer?

Again, if you need to redo the process, wait a few days first to give your hair a breather.

In my experience, toner is not truly "permanent" and will need to be used again once brassy tones start to come back through. This will take some time, though.

There are many ways to prevent brassy hair, but I've found that a particularly great product for upkeep is Generic Brand Purple Shampoo, available at Sally's. This will work to tone your hair every time you take a shower, preventing brassiness! But again, be sure to use a moisturizing conditioner, as toning shampoos can end up drying out your hair.

More Hair DIYs

Now that your hair is perfectly toned, it's time to start thinking of your next hair journey! Read some of my other DIYs here:

What Is Developer and How Do You Use It?

How to Remove Red Hair Dye

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2018 Alex Rose

Comments

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on August 26, 2020:

Bleach always works best on virgin hair, which is why it lifted the top so much and left the bottom looking brassy! The brassy parts are from where the permanent brown dye changed the color of your hair.

Looks like your profile photo is what you are dealing with now? You may be able to go over your hair now with a dye like Clairol's Nice N Easy (no ammonia). Instead of a sandy blonde, I'd personally go for a light brown to help cover some more of the bottom. Your hair will probably need a trim after the bleaching, so if you cut off a few inches you will be able to remove some of the darker stained hair as well!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on August 26, 2020:

T18 should work to make your hair platinum toned! If you'd like to go for silver, you can try out something like Ion Titanium.

Heather on August 20, 2020:

can i strip after Ive already bleached?

Ch33ky44 on August 18, 2020:

Hi Alex,

I desperatly need some help with my hair. I've only put brown hair dye on my hair once about 15 months ago in over 3 years. Well a few days ago I put bleach with 20 developer on my hair. I painted it on towards my roots to leave some light/medium brown and not have it be a harsh line of color. I used to do this to my sisters hair and it always worked well. I followed up with a T28 developer. The result was a medium blonde with yellow and an orange tint to it. My roots were also lightened quiet a bit by the toner. I went back to Sallys and was recommended doing another round of bleach with the 20 developer all over my hair followed up by T14 toner. The result- down to my ears is (I think) a level 10. Very bright light pale yellow. From my ear level down is a level 8 that's brassy with a dominant orange hue. Hair suprisingly still feels pretty healthy. A little more dried out feeling than normal but dosen't seem too bad considering.. I can't afford to go to the Salon due to family hardship at the moment or I would have from the begining. However, my hair looks horrible now and I have not a clue what to do with it. Overall goal was a light sandy or ash blonde that looks more natural and pretty. Any help would be very much appreciated!

McKayla on August 17, 2020:

I have a level 10 light blonde hair will t18 make it a silvery color

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on August 17, 2020:

If it's your first time bleaching your hair on your own, silver is probably a little too ambitious. I would hit a salon first.

Silver is definitely easier to achieve when you know what you're doing, and if you've worked with bleach on your own hair enough. It's kind of a long process, typically with multiple rounds of bleaching involved. I know the first time I tried to bleach my hair at home, I was very impatient and inexperienced, and I fried my hair because of it. Over the years of experimenting, now I feel comfortable to bleach and go silver - but if it's your first time, I would strongly recommend seeing a pro!

Debbie on August 10, 2020:

My natural hair is dark brown with a lil gray here and there around the crown.

But i have had my hair dyed blond (golden) for 11 years.

I so want the silver look.

Should i just go to a salon or can i achieve it myself. Never have done a toner or nkeach just dye jobs.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 28, 2020:

There is an important distinction between blonde dye and bleach! Blonde dye is kind of pointless in my opinion, because dye deposits color. If you're trying to go lighter, you need bleach rather than dye.

If you're not super experienced with bleach, I don't really recommend trying it on your own as it can really damage your hair. I do have a few articles on how to bleach at home, so if you're in it for the long haul you can absolutely learn.

Carrie on July 23, 2020:

I naturally have medium brown hair with light red undertones. I then tried to initially tried to dye my hair a light ash blog. Ugh. Now I have light reddish brown brown hair on the top with some red strips running down the back. I have mid length thick hair . I have toned it with fanola blue shampoo and conditioner, Then Kristen Ess gloss. No results . I gave myself a night in my olaplex conditioner. No dice. Now my dark hair at the ends of my hair and the reddish /blond/brown is disastrous.

Abir tsleb on July 20, 2020:

I have a question about a hair color

How i can get rid of darker spots oh the top front of the hair

The hair are already color level 5. And those dart spots are 2level darker

Marisa on June 28, 2020:

What Wella toner would you recommend to put on brown hair that got bleached to a yellow level 7/8? I tried to use t15 and it didn’t stick.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 23, 2020:

You'll need to bleach at least one or two more times to get your hair light enough. Toners aren't absolutely necessary for this. If you're going for blue or purple, I would definitely recommend a toner. If you're looking to do any warm colors or green, you should be okay without a toner! If you want to dye a bright red or orange, you will most likely not need to bleach any further.

If you're going to go through multiple bright colors, I do recommend that you do multiple bleaches (spaced out over a few weeks) until your hair is light enough. Typically, if it is a light yellow, you are ready to go.

Tracy on June 22, 2020:

I bleached my brown hair, and it looks just like the picture at the top of this article... red. I plan on coloring my hair some bright colors. I know nothing about toners. Are they necessary to achieve this? What toner/ developer would i get? Can I do it soon after bleaching?

Emma 29 24 on June 21, 2020:

I am planning to use wella t10 toner on deer brown hair, any advice!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 18, 2020:

There are certain shades of toner that will work perfectly for you! If you lighten to a golden color, just between orange and yellow, you could use a toner like T11, T27, or 35 to even it out and stay caramel-beige!

Kooky on June 16, 2020:

Hi there! I think I'm getting the hang of this, but most of the information I'm finding is for canceling out warm colours. What if I want a lower level bronde or golden hair/highlights? I keep learning how we must bleach to pale yellow before toning, but what if I don't want my hair that light and I want to work with the warmth instead of cancel it? Even if I do want my hair that light, I'm not sure what to do. Everything revolves around ash, lord help me! lol.. tia :)

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 12, 2020:

I would first remove the existing color using a color stripper - this is better for your hair than trying to bleach dye out! I've used Color Oops before, but there are tons of generic brands you can pick up from your local drug store or Sally's.

Once you've removed the existing dye, I *think* a bleach bath could work for what you're trying to do. Everyone's hair is different, but it is very possible a bleach bath will do, rather than a full bleach! I think it's also a better idea since you're only wanting to go a couple of shades lighter.

From there I would choose either a dark blonde or a light brown dye. Personally, I'd choose a dark blonde just because I worry about a light brown being too dark and taking you right back where you started.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 12, 2020:

Sounds like the bleach was not left in long enough. Dark hair goes orange first, then yellow, and then the hairstylist should use toner to take out the brassy tones. I would schedule an appointment with a different hairstylist, for a color correction! And maybe see about getting a refund from the first stylist, because highlights are basic and should be easy to do.

amurisen on June 09, 2020:

It turned my white hair an awful color of blond

S Smith on June 08, 2020:

My daughter has brown hair. Had is 'highlighted' by a 'professional' and it's orange. It's pretty bad. What should she do?

Karen Barnes on June 06, 2020:

I have box dyed hair 5 AB L'oreal Medium Ash Brown which looks very dark on me with lots of red undertones. I would like to go to a 6 or 7 Light Ash Brown or Dark Ash Blonde color. I also have greater than 50% grey roots. My natural color is about a level 5. Would a bleach bath work to lighten 1-2 shades, or am I needing to do a full bleach? What would I use to color after bleaching to achieve this? Would a 7NA permanant dye be appropriate to achieve the level 6-7 and cover roots? I do not want any red/orange undertones . Can you recommend any specific products? Thank you!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 03, 2020:

I'm not sure it would lift enough color out, you may need to do a round of bleach first! Since your hair is already blonde, I'd try maybe with 10 volume developer and then tone with T18.

Jessica on June 02, 2020:

My hair is currently lightened to about a T35 but I would prefer it to have more of an ash tone like a T18. Is it possible to achieve that by toning it?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 28, 2020:

I used to make this mistake too - when removing color, you should use a color stripper rather than bleach! I've learned within the past few years that putting bleach on top of dye can result in some staining. The color should be removed first, and then bleach should be applied.

If this were me, I'd try out a color remover next. Some dyes can be very stubborn. I know you can find brands like Color Oops at a drug store! You can also find packets of Pulp Riot Blank Canvas on Ebay. This is my favorite brand, and it doesn't smell nearly as awful as Color Oops. I use one packet on my hair which is almost down to my waist. Mix with 10 volume developer, and it usually works pretty quickly. I use it pretty much the same as I would bleach, leaving it in about 40 minutes or less!

Donotw84it on May 28, 2020:

My daughter has used several different colors of Arctic Fox on her slightly lifted bayalage hair (maybe between a 7-8 near the bottom of her hair and blended up to about a 4-5 at the roots), over the course of about 9 months. She has used pinks, purples, reds, violets and the last color she used was a sapphire blue tone and it faded out to blue/green on the lightest pieces of her hair. In an effort to try and remove these last traces of blue and go back to blonde highlights/bayalage, she did an all over bleach bath with 20v developer, dandruff shampoo, lightening powder and Ion’s version of Olaplex. This has lifted her a shade or two all over which she expected, but turned the blue to a mint green on the lower parts of her hair, pulled up some various shades of pink/rose in other areas and a orangish-gold on her natural roots (probably about 4-5 inches of new growth). We are kind of at a loss as to where to go from here given all the different colors happening right now. Our thought was to do another bleach wash in a week or so and then toner, but we are just not sure. We are nervous to tone because, what color do we use?? Several different colors/toners? Ketchup?? Totally at a loss here, but this is the first processing she has done since last August, so her hair is relatively healthy. Any advice would be appreciated. Please and thank you.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 27, 2020:

I don't think that T18 would work on copper hair, T35 with 20 volume is probably your best bet! Good luck! If it doesn't lighten up enough, you may need to use bleach to lift some of the copper out.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 27, 2020:

I would definitely put them on separately! The T18 won't do anything to the orange parts, but I'd worry about the T27 on the lighter parts.

Adriana on May 27, 2020:

Hello, I have light copper hair (9.34) and would like to take away the red and just have a normal blond. Should I use T18 or T35? I am really confused! Thanks for the advice and congrats for this very useful article! :)

vanessa61 on May 22, 2020:

Hi! I have some light yellow highlights and other orange parts in my hair. Can I mix T18 with T27 and developer in the same bowl and apply all over or should do it separately?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 18, 2020:

It takes a while to turn purple, maybe 20-30 minutes before it really starts to show up. It is possible that your chemicals or brands were bad? I've never heard of it happening, I usually use developer that I've had sitting around for months and I haven't had any issues.

It's hard to know what could have happened without more details.

SARAH BROWN on May 15, 2020:

Anyone know why the toner would not turn purple?

I added 2 parts 20 vol developer and nothing happened! Sitting here with white blonde hair and yellow roots!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 15, 2020:

No need to bleach again! Not sure where you're from but you should just be able to pick up a box dye from the drug store that can achieve the brown/red that you're looking for. Maybe Loreal 6AB if available by you? It is an auburn-brown.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 15, 2020:

Yes that should work perfectly!

Charlie on May 14, 2020:

Hi.

I normally have full bleached hair. Decided to bleach my own roots and they are yellow in comparison to the white length which i expected. It is not massively different but just looks a bit naff. I have ordered T18 & 20vol to even it out so assume thats the right one?

Nikno on May 12, 2020:

Hello, I love everything I'm reading. I really need help. I'm naturally level 5 med brown but have been a level 3 Clairol dark brown/black 10 years, grey roots. I went quarantine craze and ordered from Sally. I bleached with 30 v and prism light bleach powder - I did this 2x. I didn't leave it in very long - because I'm afraid of killing my hair. I am now a fairly even drab bright pumpkin color level 6. Very flat no shine, some hot yellow under the lower layers. I would be thrilled to get to a med/light natural-ish looking auburn. My hair is porous and pulls dark. If I tone orange hair will it go ashy brown? If I put a auburn or red brown color over my pumpkin color with a 10v peroxide - will this backfire? Is there a way to get where I want with no more bleaching? I'm thinking of med brown/red with some honey tones. I'm afraid if I put med brown color on it will pull dark. And if I put red or auburn on it I'll look like Ronald McDonald.Thanks so much! This is very accurate to color I'm currently at but very dull no shine https://www.pinterest.com/pin/524528687821638729/

and this is where I'd like to go with it - anything close would be amazing Thank You https://www.pinterest.com/pin/217932069455345129/

Siribai on May 10, 2020:

If your roots are still a tad yellow after toning (or a little lighter than the rest of your hair you could get a demipermanent color in an ashy tone in a level 7 or 8 (wella colorcharm demipermanent 8-A works well for me) and apply it just lightly at the roots of your hair in dry or barely damp hair - going a bit longer as you head toward the back of your head. It's just a subtle (or less subtle) root shadow/root tap. This is what I do and it makes me look like a natural blonde. slightly darker (blended) roots ALWAYS look best in my opinion. If you want to get really fancy you can blend it out with a brush dipped in conditioner.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 10, 2020:

It is interesting that you have gotten the correct result before but it isn't working now. Really the only thing you can do to remove color is to bleach, and it is great that you have been spacing them out so far! I'm not sure which products you are using, but maybe it would be good to try a new bleach/developer? For the last few years I have been using Ion Bright White Creme Lightener, and it works better than anything else I have used. If your hair is currently orange, I'd use Salon Care 20 Vol developer. Sometimes when my hair is stubborn I leave it on a little longer than recommended, which is usually fine because I take very good care of my hair. Maybe 40 mins to an hour would do the trick? Just make sure you are monitoring the bleached sections while they process and don't use any on your ends!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 10, 2020:

I usually order from Sally Beauty, but I'm not sure if they ship to ireland! If that doesn't work, definitely try Ebay.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 10, 2020:

I would try a green based toner rather than bleach!

Mistena on May 06, 2020:

I need help

Meggie Golden on May 06, 2020:

I have dark hair. I bleached/toned my hair before to get a level 10/11 lightness. I then went ash grey. That was a year ago and the grey of course faded out and i had growth about 4 inches on my roots. I should have kept up with it but life happened. Anyways i figured I would do the process again. Bleach everything level 11 blonde. I have bleached it 3 times (waiting months in between). 3 times was the magic number laat time. This time i cant seem to bleach it light enough. I cant get the orange out of my hair. I have bleached, toned with T18 and T14. Nothing is working. Im confused why i cant get the sane results i did last time doing the same process. Any ideas?

Dolores on May 06, 2020:

Hi please help i live in ireland and ive heard so much about wella toner but i cant get it anywere ive tryed looking on line but no luck. Where can i get it

Soso on May 06, 2020:

Hello

I've been wanting to color my hair

I have my dark roots, also highlights grown out, they're still beautiful color, I want to color my whole hair to mushrooms brown, what color should I use, by Wella ...help please

thank you in advance

A-P on May 05, 2020:

Hello! I'm naturally a medium blonde. I've previously bleached and dyed my hair artificial, bold reds. A few months out, My hair is mostly just bleachy-pink. I'd like to neutralize the red tones in the previously bleached sections. Could I simply use a green-based toner or should I bleach those sections again?

I'm trying to go a light blue.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 05, 2020:

The problem with that is that you're using a dye to go blonde, and dye deposits color. What you need is bleach, which lifts color. If your hair is orange, you're not going to get anywhere close to blonde unless you bleach it. Purple shampoo is merely for toning your hair once it is light yellow. If you still have purple in your hair, it means you didn't wash the shampoo out well enough.

In order to get to blonde you will need to use a lightener. I use Ion Bright White Creme Lightener and Salon Care 20 volume Creme Developer. You will probably want to have someone help you apply it so you can be thorough and quick.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 05, 2020:

I've never had it turn my hair gray, it usually makes it platinum - but everyone's hair is different. Maybe go for something a little more warm toned, like T14 or T15?

Penny Champion on May 04, 2020:

Hello

I’ve used a permanent nutrisse blond colour on the roots of my hair and it’s turned my hair colour orange. I then went and bought a colour kit that takes colour out but that just made it more orange. I’ve then bought purple shampoo and that has left purple shades throughout my hair. Now have orange and purple shades on my hair. What can I do?

Thanks

Alicia on May 04, 2020:

Hello! I’ve been hoping to achieve the gorgeous blond hair color you have in the picture for years. It never goes right even at salons, I’ve never tried a toner and I seen the exact ash blonde one at Sally’s today that you’re talking about (the woman working in there even suggested it) I didn’t buy it because I’ve always heard that any kind of Ashe will make my hair grey which I don’t want! I’m also pretty scared to try, what do you suggest? Should I give it a go after dying my hair or try something else? Thank you!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 01, 2020:

Hey! I think I just replied to your other comment - for a medium blonde I'd say T11 or T15!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 01, 2020:

For medium blonde, I think T15 or T11 would work well!

Marne G on May 01, 2020:

I am not sure if you answered this, if so I apologize but I didn't see the answer... I was due for a highlight mid March, so I now have 11 weeks of growth. I have medium blonde hair, and I get a lot of very light highlights. I would like to tone my highlights so the new growth isn't quite as much of a contrast. What level would you recommend?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 30, 2020:

You can mix two, but it sounds to me like your hair wasn't pale enough the first time you used the toner. You may want to go back in and lighten the parts that are still showing yellow through. I just worry that using a toner again won't actually do the trick, in which case you waste a bunch more toner.

Once you've got that yellow down to a super pale yellow, you should be able to tone successfully! T10 is definitely more silver too, T18 always gives me a platinum blonde.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 30, 2020:

It sounds like it didn't lift enough the first time, so I'd go back in and re-bleach the roots. But it's important to take your time between processes, since you've just done two in a week. I'd space it out and lighten again next week, and then give it a day or so before toning again! And try to avoid the super light spots - just put the lightener on the darker bits.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 30, 2020:

If your hair has lifted to very white, I would avoid toner! Toner will create a small amount of color lift, so it may end up making your hair even lighter. I'd try a semi-permanent blonde, whichever brand you prefer. I don't normally do blonde so if I were doing this, I'd probably try Ion or Garnier.

Alison on April 30, 2020:

HI

IM LOOKONG FOR ADVICE

I use T18 after bleaching to get rid of the yellow, this works on most of my hair but i always see a sight tinge of yellow at my roots even after toning with the T18. I also like it to be more silver than white which toner would you suggest or can you mix 2 together for example T18 and T10? What would you suggest for the yelllow tibhe even after toning.

Thanks

Alison

clairebbbear on April 29, 2020:

Hi - I got desperate in iso and used a boxed dye (L'oreal) to dye my roots, which are light ash brown compared to the rest of my hair which is light silvery ash blonde.

I don't think I left it in long enough because my roots are brassy/golden in comparison to the rest of my hair. I have used a toner and a purple shampoo, which helped with the brassiness, but it seems like they both took to the rest of my hair much better than to the newly dyed bit (the rest of my hair is now even more silver/lilac, while the roots are more yellow in comparison).

So I'm wondering if I need to re-lighten my roots using a 20 vol developer as well as a toner this time, and will my hair take that? It has been nearly a week since I bleached the roots.

AnnC67 on April 29, 2020:

Because of all the salons being closed since last month, I decided to bleach my hair rather than touch up my grey roots that were getting too long because I always wind up making the rest of my hair too dark because I have trouble keeping it just on the roots. My natural hair color was light brown but it grey/white when I was in my 30s.

After bleaching my hair, I used Wella Color Charm T14 toner, which is too light, so now my hair is very white (I look like Viserys Targaryen from Game of Thrones). ;0)

Can I use a T11 toner to make it less white or should I use T35 or something other than toner? I'd hate to use permanent color and mess it up and negate the reason for bleaching it i the first place.

Thanks.

Marne G on April 29, 2020:

I was due for a highlight mid March, so I now have 11 weeks of growth. I have medium blonde hair, and I get a lot of very light highlights. I would like to tone my highlights so the new growth isn't quite as much of a contrast. What level would you recommend?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 27, 2020:

You can just tone the blonde areas if you'd like! The toner won't do much at all on hair that isn't light blonde anyways, so I'd say mix up half of the formula and save the unmixed toner for next time.

Lauralei6 on April 25, 2020:

Question - if I’m am growing out natural roots, silver and mid brown but with bleached ends say 5-6 inches , can I tone all over with a blend of violet/warm Wella or just do the blonde part? Thank you

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 23, 2020:

A color stripper is different than bleach and can be purchased at a drug store typically! Color Oops is a popular one. It is designed to remove existing dye, not lighten your natural hair color. So, if you're trying to go blonde, you should first remove the red dye, then bleach roots/the rest of your hair to the level you desire. If you're looking to go for a golden blonde, once you've lightened your hair to gold (somewhere between orange and yellow) and use Wella T35!

Nicole Patrick on April 23, 2020:

Hi there. I am going to try and lift red box color during this quarantine. I noted you mentioned using a stripper. Is that different than bleach? Also, I have dark brown and gray roots, should I handle them differently than the colored hair? Finally, my hair tends to pull brassy. Can you recommend a toner shade?

Thanks for doing this.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 23, 2020:

If your hair hasn't been bleached light enough, the Wella T18 toner will not work. It only works on light yellow hair. If you're still seeing orange tones at your roots, you will need to do another bleach process before toning! Or, use a different toner like Wella T35 - this is for hair that is more orangey to become golden/honey toned.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 22, 2020:

That COULD work, but I'm not as familiar with using blonde dyes to tone. I wouldn't recommend putting developer in a dye unless it's in the instructions.

I'd say if you have highlights that are more orange, try Wella T35 toner with 20 volume developer. If you google image search "Wella Toner Chart" you should be able to find a graphic that shows what each of their toners should do!

Sabrina Adams on April 22, 2020:

Hi my question is the toners I use is the Wella t18 and It’s still not white enough for me and I don’t know how to get rid of the brassiness at my roots do you have any suggestions please help

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 22, 2020:

So Wella T18 is for hair that is yellow, it's not going to do much for orange hair. What you can do is use a different toner on the orange parts, while using the T18 still on the yellowy bits. Maybe try Wella T35 or T11?

And you don't need to put it on all of your hair, I usually just apply it to the sections that need it. However, if you have a ton of highlights and it's just easier to put it all over, that shouldn't cause you any problems!

Karin on April 20, 2020:

I just had a quick question, first ur amazing at explaining things and it makes it so easy to understand how to do things.

BUT I need help lol .. I have medium brown hair and I usually do blonde highlights around this time of year. Sometimes little parts of it come out a little orange, when I use the toner do i just put that in all of my hair, like roots etc? Cuz I bought wella 20 developer and wella t18 toner. I need help lol. Me and my hubby just got over being sick for 3wks and now that I'm feeling better I need some normalcy but was stuck on the whole toner thing.I just had a quick question, first ur amazing at explaining things and it makes it so easy to understand how to do things.

BUT I need help lol .. I have medium brown hair and I usually do blonde highlights around this time of year. Sometimes little parts of it come out a little orange, when I use the toner do i just put that in all of my hair, like roots etc? Cuz I bought wella 20 developer and wella t18 toner. I need help lol. Me and my hubby just got over being sick for 3wks and now that I'm feeling better I need some normalcy but was stuck on the whole toner thing.

Rebecca on April 20, 2020:

If I have added balayage to my medium brown hair (Dyed my natural color to cover grays) Would I be able to use an Ash blonde boxed dye on the highlighted portion of my hair in order to get rid of the brassy orange color? Would using a 20 developer with the color make a difference? Is this an obvious disaster waiting to happen.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 14, 2020:

Hi! I think I just responded to your e-mail. Don't worry about stripping toner, I'd just add the T18 on top. Sounds like you're good to go with it. If you have any particularly bad color banding, I'd go back in and do a spot touch up with bleach (just quickly in the bad spots) before toning.

I always apply toner on dry hair, so you know you have hit every section. I'd give it a few days between your bleach and tone processes, should be fine because you're home anyways! Once you've got the banding out, go in with the toner and 20 volume. Apply it in small sections on dry hair and use a dye brush! Just don't leave on for too long, the toner box will have some instructions for you!

When it's time to rinse toner out, don't use shampoo - just rinse it out thoroughly and you shouldn't really have any purple left in there.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 14, 2020:

I would try out a nice warm blonde dye! If your hair is already lightened you can find blonde dyes at most drug stores. Maybe Garnier Butternut or Apricot Jam is more what you're looking for?

Sarah English from Essex on April 13, 2020:

Hi!

So quarantine and waiting to go to the hairdressers doesn’t work!

My natural base is about 6 with a natural red/gold tone

I have pre lightened my root with powder bleach and 20 vol (yes it’s patchy underneath the back but hey ho) the top sides and front are good coverage

My root is lifted to around a 10 base, and a little darker than my lengths (I’d say around 11/12) I think there’s still a little toner left from my last appointment in February, So don’t know if it’s best to try and strip that out first.

I’ve ordered T18, as it seems the best. Will this level out the colour banding?

Can you recommend application methods for best results please. I’m not working at the moment so don’t mind a lilac/grey result.

Also, wet or dry application?

Thank you for your advice!

Stay safe and well x

Erica Williams on April 10, 2020:

Hi I have 4B textured hair and I previously bleached my hair and achieved a nice warm blonde (t15/t27). I went back to do my roots and used T28 toner. It basically took all of the warmth out and is a more natural blonde but doesn’t fit my complexion (I have Carmel brown skin with hazel eyes) How do I get back to a warmer blonde that better suits me?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 07, 2020:

So, there's a difference between blonde hair dyes, and bleach. Sounds like you've used a dye, which won't help to lift a whole lot of the color. I'm not sure what's available to you, but since you're on lockdown it's okay to take your time with lightening as not a lot of people should see your hair in this in-between stage!

I'd get a color stripper first, and try to remove any residual dye that may be present. Then, wait a few days and give your hair some time to recover. If you can get bleach and developer and toner, I'd recommend Ion Bright White Creme Lightener, Salon Care 20 volume Creme Developer, and Wella T-35 Toner. Use the lightener and developer at the recommended ratio (I think it's one part lightener to two parts developer). Make sure you're applying them evenly with a dye brush. Apply in small sections, so you don't get splotches. Let sit for about 40-50 minutes before rinsing. You can repeat this process a couple of times if your hair is naturally dark - just space out the bleaches by a few days and make sure you're conditioning heavily. Don't use shampoo for a bit as it will only dry your hair out more.

I'd focus right now on lifting the red and orange out - go easy on the yellow spots, as they seem to have lightened enough already. Once you can get all of your hair to be gold, I'd use Wella T-35 Toner and the same 20 volulme developer. This will tone your hair to beige!

It's super important to take your time here - it's not going to turn out perfect your first bleach. But you've got the time, it's definitely better to go in baby steps than to ruin your hair and have to cut it all off. Good luck!

Sarah Fernandes on April 02, 2020:

Hi,

So ive been taking quarantine well and dyed my hair using box dyes, blonde ones. Ive bascially gone from dark brown/black to very light orange with a pale blonde and then to a vitamin C colour (yellow gold at the roots, orange/red almost for the rest of my hair) after thinking a platinum blonde would help me go lighter. Its dark red/orange/yellowey now. What do i do? I basically wanted to go light enough (i miss the very plae orange now) to dye it with something that gave me a rose goldish colour. Got a deep rouge red 4.26 hair dye. With covid i thought i could do it myself

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on March 10, 2020:

If you're going to platinum, you'll need your hair to be bleached to yellow! When you have it yellow like the inside of a banana peel, use Wella T18 to remove the brassiness and achieve a white-platinum.

Ruby on February 25, 2020:

Hi, I have reddish (dyed) medium brown hair (natural) and I want to know which toner I should use after I bleach my hair? I'm trying to get it to a platinum color. I know it'll be brassie and orange one I bleach it cause of the red. PLS help me!!!! Lol

Tetatate2 on February 17, 2020:

Hi

I'm looking for advice .

I just jumped into dying my hair for the first time.

I really wanted to cover some odd looking grey.

I went with a henna product that was meant to give a rich brown but actually gave a lot of red .

I then used a garnier nutrise brown to try and cover the red .

But of course it is still a very red - brown .

Reading up and watching videos it is all a bit confusing

Seem I should be using something with a green tone to try and neutralize but what and how exactly - e.g. shoud I try and take some of the colour out first .......

Any advice appreciated . great if it can be kept simple :)

I don't really mind what colour - within reason other than red - or probably black :)

Elisabete Balula on January 03, 2020:

Hello. Finally I found an article super informative. I dye my hair a lot, I have been dying it with semi permanent La Riche black, before this my hair was white... and I have used this black about 4 to 5 times with a space of 4 to 5 weeks in between, now I would like it silver gray, but the black left this green and I have already bleached it twice, one time with 20 volumes developer and another with 40 volumes developer, now I have green and orange hair, can I correct it to get to silver with a toner?

Brenda on January 03, 2020:

I had dark brown hair and have bleached it 2 times and the orange/gold will not go any lighter I tried toner t18 nothing happened. My roots are more yellow then an inch from my roots the orange color. I don’t want to bleach again but need help to see what toner will help get this awful hair color gone!!! Plz plz help

Roro on November 10, 2019:

After bleaching the hair, which color i have to use to shade the roots? Then after shading the roots i want to use t18+t14.

Dkbrn57 on September 11, 2019:

I have grey roots that I color with dark brown root touch up. What toner should I use after the root touch up? The remainder of my hair is highlighted a caramel color.

Diane Teutsch on September 02, 2019:

I highlighted with a mix of 30 & 40 volume taking from red auburn, dyed med brown first Brassy so I used T35 toner. Should I have used T11 or T15? T35 makes it look brown again like I never highlighted

Deborah on August 25, 2019:

Can this be used on highlights mixed with lowlights? I really don’t want the darker pieces to lighten.

Kat on July 27, 2019:

I bleached my hair and then used the T18 to get the brassy out and a more platinum/silvery colour but there are areas even after washing that are purple? Why and how do I correct?

HawkHire on July 25, 2019:

Wow this One is very nice and always Your blog give me Most Informative Details,

Thanks

Bunie Jaeger on July 02, 2019:

I had my hair bleached , used toner pale ash blonde then used 050 violet to obtain grey hair . It was grey but after a few washings its back to pale yello ?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 26, 2019:

I use it on dry, dirty hair. Usually bleach and dye take better on dirty hair. The amount of time since you've bleached it shouldn't matter, but how light your hair is does matter. Say you were using Wella T-18. Your hair needs to be a light yellow for this to work - no matter when you last bleached it. I would leave on no longer than 40 minutes. You can leave it on longer, but you risk serious damage to your hair.

chloehunt on June 19, 2019:

Do you use on washed or dirty hair? Wet or dry? Does it matter if my hair hasn’t been bleached for 6 months?

What would the max time you would leave it on for lightest possible hair?

Patsy on June 05, 2019:

What toner would I use to enhance my gray hair. T14 r T18 ty

colonel blonde on June 03, 2019:

T18 toner WILL NOT correct Orange hair. Ive been bleaching/toning for 23 years. T18 has a violet base and is for yellow/gold blondes, for orangey blondes you need a toner with blue in the base.. T10, T14. All of the beige toners add neutral/sandy tones you can mix a little into your cool toners if you don't want to be too ashy or silvery.

violet cancels out yellow

green cancels out red

blue cancels out orange

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 28, 2019:

T18!

SuzanneA7 on May 27, 2019:

Hi! In the first side by side photo where the hair is orange on the left and blonde on the right...which Wella toner was used? Thank you :)

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 29, 2019:

I'd say that's ash blonde! If you bleach to a level 9 or 10 blonde and then hit it with the T-18 toner it should do the trick - that's exactly how I got that shade.

Christina from Charlottesville on April 26, 2019:

In your very first picture, the orange side by side with the toned hair, the bottom of hair is pretty much what I want. I don’t know if it’s ash blonde, pale blonde or beige but it’s not platinum or super light. I see the color a lot but never know how to get it lol. Thank you.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 26, 2019:

What are you trying to get to? My hair pulls orange as well but if I'm going for a blonde it just takes a few more rounds of bleach. Once your hair is more yellow you can tone it easier.

Christina from Charlottesville on April 26, 2019:

So I have been obsessing about toners, bleaching, colors. I’ve watched literally every video and yet I still bleached my hair to a nasty orange color. I’ve used 3 different toners over the years and still got it wrong

Roc on April 24, 2019:

Blond brilliance toner works better for getting rid of orangy redish tones after bleaching. I like the platinum tone with 15 developer. It also lifts 1 level.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on March 27, 2019:

Your toner WILL fade, so maybe the trick would be to wash it out. If you wash your hair every day, it should fade pretty quickly. Then I would do T18 and hopefully that does the trick! If you have the T14 in now, I don't think it would get any lighter by applying another toner on top. I haven't had this issue before, but I'd try just washing it out first and then adjusting to the T18.

Ladylovetkn420 on March 27, 2019:

Hi Alexa, unfortunately I came to you a little late. I made a mistake. My hair turned out more of that grey dull color. And I need to know how to correct this. Please help.

Can I add t18 over the t14 toner? After the fact

HighinthecloudsX from Toronto on March 22, 2019:

Hi Alex. (I made a profile I commented earlier.) Yes sorry I forgot to put what colour I wanted to achieve I'm going for a icy white blonde. Something like your picture, captioned (my new look) My friend reccomended to dye my hair with an Ash/gold blonde level 7. Do another bleach and then tone it.What do you think about that idea?

Thanks for answering

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

How to Get Green Out of Hair

So, your hair turned green. Maybe you have light-blonde locks and you hopped in a pool. Or you could've been trying to go blue, but instead ended up with a not-so-appealing moldy hue. Maybe you just wanted to tone out your blonde hair and ended up with an unnatural green instead. No matter the cause, if it was an unintended result, you're going to want to fix it fast.

Figure out what the cause of your green hair problem was and find a solution below!

How to Fix Swimmer's Hair

Turns out the green tint in swimmer's hair actually isn't from chlorine—it's from the oxidization of hard metals in the water. Anyways, the solution is simple.

Use Baking Soda

Grab some baking soda, mix it with water into a paste, and massage it into affected areas. Once you've let it sit for several minutes, wash your hair out with shampoo and conditioner.

Depending on the severity of the green tones, you may have to repeat the process a few times.

Use Ketchup or Lemon

If you for some reason are the only person in existence without baking soda handy at your home, grab some lemons or ketchup. It's going to be a weird food experiment that ultimately results in you looking normal again.

If you're using lemon juice, saturate your hair and let it sit for 5 minutes before washing. If you go with ketchup, massage it into green areas and wrap your hair in tin foil for 30 minutes. Shampoo and condition as usual!

How to Fix Blue Hair Dye Gone Green

I'm including this example because it's definitely happened to me on more than one occasion. Several times when I've tried to dye my hair blue, instead of a pure, even blue, I've ended up with patchy, moldy green.

This problem that lies within the bleaching process. Your hair has got to be as close to white/gray as possible to pick up medium to light blue. If you have yellow or orange in your hair, it's going to mix with the blue and create green and brown tones. Gross.

See the photos above for an example of what happens when you put blue hair dye over orangey hair. In that situation, I had to bleach my hair again and cover it up with a much darker blue dye.

Bleach and Tone Your Hair Again

If this happened to you as well, you probably didn't bleach enough. If you want to risk further damage to your hair to get that perfect blue, another bleach or two with a 10-volume developer should do the trick. Use a purple-based toner like Wella Cooling Violet to get rid of any yellowy warm tones. Once your tone is even and cool, apply your blue dye on top!

Embrace the Green!

If you're deciding to call it a day and give up on blue, you could go full-on green and use a dye to even out the color and make it look intentional. If you choose that route, my personal recommendation is Manic Panic Enchanted Forest!

What to Do If Toner Turned Your Hair Green

This is probably the most common issue my readers will encounter. I'm willing to bet the majority of you are more likely to tone your blonde hair than to dye your hair blue . . . But if I'm wrong, that's pretty sick.

Anyways, toning your blonde hair can be tricky. Any "ash" toners are going to have blue-green tones in them, and when that reacts with your yellow-tinted hair, it's bad news.

Use a Warm Toner

If you want to stay as far away from green as possible, use a warm toner. Something golden or beige should do.

But some people hate warm tones, like me! If you're one of these people, look for something purple-based and make sure that you conduct a strand test. The instructions for a strand test should be included with whatever toner you choose and can save you a world of disappointment.

Keep your color theory in mind: Red neutralizes green, purple neutralizes yellow, blue neutralizes orange. If you're mixing the wrong colors, you can end up with a pretty nasty result.

Use Purple Shampoo on a Regular Basis

It may also be handy to purchase some Generic Brand Purple Shampoo to upkeep your cool tones without going green!

Strip the Toner, or Go Darker

If your toner is the reason your hair turned green and you can't get it out, you also have the option to strip it out. One N' Only Colorfix can be purchased at Sally's, and has been known to work stripping out green—just follow the instructions on the package carefully. Once it is out, proceed with caution! Obviously, don't use the same toner again, since that's what turned your hair green in the first place. You always have the option to give up and go darker, or use something like Manic Panic Virgin Snow to tone instead.

Other Experiences?

Did your hair turn green for another reason? Tell me what happened in the comments below and I will try to find you the best solution!

More Hair DIYs

If this article was helpful to you, check out some of my other how-tos!

• What Is Developer and How Do You Use It?
• What Is Toner, and How Does It Work?
• Ion Titanium Color Depositing Conditioner Review

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2018 Alex Rose

Comments

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on August 26, 2020:

If you used permanent dye on the top portion, the color may really fade out. Permanent hair dye with developer will open up the hair shaft and permanently change the color, where a temp dye just sits on top and stains it.

I'd try a clarifying shampoo first and see if that gets you anywhere. If you're open to new hair colors, maybe try a red/pink - as that color fades out, it should help to neutralize the green tones. Overtone also has some toning shampoo/conditioner sets, but it may cause your hair to be darker than you'd like.

Ivybwj on August 23, 2020:

Hey, I have a complicated hair dyeing experience, so I wanted to ask what you thought was best before diving into the ketchup and soda.

So, i have naturally mid-tone brown hair, and i dyed it blue at home, mid-pandenic. It was a lovely colour, but it didn't last very long, even though it was permanent so i bought another box, and did it again. Again, it worked and then faded to a dull colour so i decided to bleach it then dye.

I bleached it twice at home, as the first time was too golden, more a honey colour. I then got some semi-permanent blue dye, and did the ends of my hair (its a bob, about mouth length). The blue has faded as i suspected it would, but my bleached hair above that has turned pale greeney, but only in some lights. In sunlight, it still looks pale blonde, if a bit ashy, but inside it looks totally green. I recently went on holiday and swam in the sea a few times, the pool daily, and also a river. Towards the end of the holiday i noticed this light green, but it's really weird because it doesnt look like any copper dyed green blonde hair I've seen before. Can you help? Thanks

Sarah on August 11, 2020:

Bond fix conditioner thought it was for blonde hair turns out not turned my hair GREEN

Ola on August 04, 2020:

My hair turned green when i used hair colour remover to get purple out of it

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 28, 2020:

I don't have experience with Joico, but semi-permanent hair color is only supposed to last 4-6 weeks. If the color stripper didn't work and you can't get it out just by washing, you should probably see a colorist for a color-correction. I'm not sure what shade you used, but it is definitely weird to return that many different colors. Sounds like a pretty unique situation and you should probably hand it to a professional from here, or just go darker!

Erin on July 27, 2020:

Hello, I've read through the comments but i'd rather just tell you what happened and get the exact answer i need. So I was able to go blonde and used cool tones and got to a ash blonde. I found this Joico color butter that was semi permanent. Idebated using it because it was my first time (but i'm an expert at using box color at home for about 15 years and sad, i know). so once i used it, the top of my hair turned pink at the roots, then purple, then blue and then nasty shades of greens from mid to the tips of my hair. i have a bob btw. i was upset, and to avoid damaging my very thin hair, i ignored it, but forgot all about the chlorine issues i might have. I then proceeded to use color oops and my hair just.... became rose blonde at the roots and moldy green color on the rest of my hair. i've tried ketchup, and using clarifying shampoo/ conditioner and nothing has worked to lighten them out. not sure what to do.

Briana on July 26, 2020:

At first I dyed my hair blue but it was semi permanent... about three months later I tried dyeing it honey blonde. The roots took the color perfectly but the ends are green now. I wanted to know what I could use to take that green away.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 20, 2020:

That is super weird... Not sure what dye you used, but you should be able to get a good amount of color out just by shampooing! I can usually get super light colors out very quickly by shampooing daily - usually I only do it once a week. Just make sure you're really working the shampoo into your hair, and you should see the color start to run out quicker.

Ignacio on July 14, 2020:

Hi, i had really blonde hair and dye it purple, when it fade out it turn to a really light grey color, almost kinda white so i put bleach on it to remove it and it turn a weird green color, could you help me please?

Luciferia on July 14, 2020:

Hello! I had my hair bleached by a hairdresser a week ago, and i have tried to use pastel pink hair dye on top of it the week later. My hair was light enough, but instead of pink, i ended up with a pastel blue/green hair. Is there a way to fix it without using bleach or colour remover, and before i go to my hairdresser again, cause i fear she might kill me xD thank you in advance!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 07, 2020:

Sounds like you may need to use a color remover! It should be able to get your hair back to the color it was before pink and purple.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 07, 2020:

Hopefully, but if not, try Overtone's color correcting conditioner! They have a pink toning conditioner, you can even purchase a sample size on their website. I'd apply it to your green spots before showering and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before rinsing out.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 07, 2020:

Weird that the powder did that! If it's just kind of green tones, I'd go ahead with the pink (a hot pink would be even better to cover it). My go-to is a color remover, but if that hasn't worked your hair may just be stained. Overtone has some toning conditioners, but the one for cancelling green is a pink toner.

Since you've already tried the color remover, you may just have to roll with it. Maybe there's another color you can use with the pink to cover the green spots? Some blue streaks could look nice!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 07, 2020:

I wouldn't bleach again, try using an Overtone color correcting conditioner! They have a pink toning conditioner, you can even purchase a sample size on their website. If that's not strong enough, they also have brown color depositing conditioners! I'd apply it to your green spots before showering and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before rinsing out.

Alisha Andriotis on July 07, 2020:

HI! I had previously died my hair pink purple and red using Arctic fox and it was faded out to a light pink, purple and a bit of red and I put a box of extra light natural blonde on top and it made the pink orange and the purple green

Angeles 'Jelyn' Montaner on July 07, 2020:

Hello : ) there! I had my hair stripped and got a beautiful whitish yellow blonde tone. (I loved it.) But, I've died my hair forever, and tried to color my gray growth -- reason I went blonde -- with a dark blonde and it did end up I have that greenish tone-look. Weeks ago I also got into a pool. Will the baking soda work?

Amanda on July 06, 2020:

I bleached my hair with a blue powder bleach and somehow the lower half of my hair turned blue! Ive used a color remover a couple of times and now i have some greenish but its still not all blonde. I wanted to do a pink so my hair has to be as even as possible.

Allisom on July 03, 2020:

I dyed My hair dark blue, and then I went to the salon to get it out and go my natural color, brown. She did an amazing job the only problem is now the brown has washed out of the ends of My hair and now the ends are green and the top is brown. Can I bleach it and put a pink or red dye over it to cancel

Out the green?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 23, 2020:

She'll have to use a color remover, like Color Oops! That should do the trick, unless you used a brand like Splat. Blonde hair typically still needs to be bleached to get blue to come out properly. It should go on hair that is platinum for best results!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 23, 2020:

I've used the same conditioner before, but the silver tint, and it pulls out with pink stains for some reason. It was pretty hard to get the stains out for me, I used a color remover and that finally worked!

Audra on June 20, 2020:

My daughter wanted blue highlights her natural color is blonde. Hiwever she the blue came out a very musty shade of green. How do we get her back to her natural blonde ,

Suz on June 19, 2020:

I put Ion's brown pigmented conditioner in my too gold hair. It looked great until i washed it. Now it has a green tint and some green highlights. I tried adding the same pigmented conditioner to plain white conditioner and applying again but its still greenish. Any ideas?

Taisha Savage on June 18, 2020:

I used color b4 hair color remover to get rid of the purple stain in my hair, the hair tye i used in my hair while the remover was processing stained my hair neon yellow where the hair tye was. It was a black hair tye and i never imagined it would do that. Anyways, i cant figure out how to remove the green. My hair isnt healthy enough to bleach currently.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 18, 2020:

Splat hair dye will permanently stain your hair, unfortunately. It will likely be impossible for you to get that green out, so I'd recommend either a trim or a darker brown to cover!

sally on June 17, 2020:

of blonde and caramal in and going grey so dried this first time in my life I have done it myself and its turned grennishgrey need help I normaly go to the hairdressers thamkyiu

sophiacom on June 16, 2020:

I used the semi-permanent Splat naturals purple dye for brunettes about 2 months ago. I have fairly light dirty blonde hair and it remained purple up until about a week ago when a very bright sea foam green tint showed up on the ends. Recommendations? I will try anything!!!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 15, 2020:

Since it was just shampoo, you should be able to go in with a regular shampoo and get the tint out! Just work it in really good, maybe even shampoo twice in the same shower. You should see the blue tint start to lift up and run through the water at your feet.

Jess on June 13, 2020:

My hairstylist used blue shampoo while doing my nails and left it on my hair too long. Once i got home I realized my highlights looked green and silver instead of golden. How can I get my highlights to look golden again! Help!!

Coconut on June 13, 2020:

I had platinum hair and dyed it dark blonde. Went from level 10 to 7 and it turned greenish. Yikes.

Vanshika Patel on June 13, 2020:

So my hair is naturally dark brown. I dyed my hair burgundy last year and then earlier this year, I decided to get blonde/caramel streaks on my hair. They turned out great. However, I wanted to go back to darker hair. So I used dark chocolate henna about two months ago. After I washed it, I noticed that there were some blonde streaks that had turned green. At first, I thought I was imagining it and then I thought it might fade out. But the streaks looked so green. I decided to search up various ways to remove the green. But most of them revolved around using ketchup to cancel out green from the pool. I put ketchup two times and it did not work for me. Maybe the green tint was slightly lighter, but you could not even tell. Then, I came across using backing soda. Left it on for several minutes. That did not do anything either. I decided to saturate my hair with lemon juice. I don't think that helped either. The green was still there. Just couple of days ago, I bought a clarifying shampoo and after using it, I noticed that some green went away. But it did not affect the back of my hair at all. Like the green shades and tints are still there. I really don't know what to do and I am so sick of green hair. Please help! Maybe there is a different method for removing green that resulted from henna. But I have literally watched every youtube video on green hair removal and have searched up everything and I can't find any remedy that says how to fix green hair that is caused by henna.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 12, 2020:

I would first use Color Oops and see if that fixes the problem! If it manages to take the dye out, you can go back over top with a warm toned dye and shouldn't have any problems!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 12, 2020:

I think it depends on what type of dye you used - some have weird undertones. I'm hoping you didn't use Splat! But I've had negative effects with Manic Panic leaving odd colors too.

Depending on what dye you used, the hair may be permanently damaged. Splat hair dye penetrates the shaft and is basically impossible to remove completely. You've got some options to cover it up - if you need to go back to a natural color, I'd use any warm-toned brown. If you want to keep doing rainbow colors, You could easily do blue, green, or red... But make sure you use something like Arctic Fox or Pulp Riot!!

Amelia on June 10, 2020:

I had previously bleached the underneath of my hair blonde and had a semi permanent purple on it. It had faded nearly gone when I decided to strip the top of my hair using a hair colour remover (jo baz) this process turned the bleached section of my hair green!

I have again tried to bleach this section and it hasn’t done anything!

Theresa on June 07, 2020:

I wanted to go bronze you know brown and blond problem is I used a very cheep dark blonde store bought, then a store bout higher, I looks grey and green I think the cheep under color must have had ash I couldn’t tell I got a high lift natural blond and a natural blonde toner I hope that helps or should I use oops first?

Tuesday on June 06, 2020:

I bleached it and it turned greenish Blue grey.. help!

Kim on June 04, 2020:

I used Feria high lift cool brown. Had highlights previously but colored my hair a light brown but as it was fading my roots were turning red and my ends where highlighted we’re going back to blonde. I now have light brien roots with a blue-grayish purple on my ends.

PeggyS60 on May 25, 2020:

I bleached my hair white. I didn't like it so I colored it dark blonde. I was always told to stay away from Ash Blonde because it does turn my hair green moldy looking tint. I want to be dark blonde. How do I get rid of the green?

Janine on May 24, 2020:

So i had blue and purple highlights that faded into green and silver. So i looked up how to cancle out the green and decided to get a brown dye with a red undertone for the green. Now that didn't work? My hair was red for a day before the colour really settled and after that my hair had a green undertone again? Like a really heavy green untertone all over not just where the highlights were? Im so confused

Kaye on May 23, 2020:

I have blonde foils in barwon hair and used blonde permanent hair colour and foils have gone green.

Help

Taylar on May 16, 2020:

My purple shampoo turned my hair green and I don’t know how to get rid or it

Suraya on May 08, 2020:

My hair has a green tint after I used boxed hair dye please help me because it’s almost been 24hrs and I hope that’s not bad

Elli on May 03, 2020:

I have dyed my hair pink purple green and blue without bleaching and after they all faded out I bleached the front of my hair and it turned green I have no idea if it’s the past dyes or if it’s something else

P diddy on April 29, 2020:

Overtone just came out with conditioner toners and theyve got a pink one for correcting green

Paulina on April 24, 2020:

DO NOT USE BAKING SODA ON YOUR HAIR

It will remove the green but it will leave your hair a mess! I had to soak my hair in olive oil every night for a week to get it back to normal.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 15, 2020:

I would use a color stripper just to get any of the purple out! As long as the dark brown you're talking about is your natural color, the color stripper should only pull out the remaining semi-permanent dye.

kf on April 14, 2020:

over a month ago i had blonde/light brown highlights added to my darker brown hair. well probably about two weeks ago i dyed my hair purple with a semi permanent dye so i would still be able to go back to my highlights. some purple still remains on top but the blonde at the bottom has turned green. is there anyway i can get it out without redying?

Lou on April 14, 2020:

Heyy, so I used to have purple hair, and i decided to go dark blonde with warm tones. Ofc I took the purple out of my hair with treatments, but when i dyed it again, the result wasn't great : my roots are a beautiful dark blonde but my ends have hideous green highlights... I have tried tomato, re-dying my hair with the same colour, idk what to do anymore... I think the blue that was in the purple is what got me to that green, but i don't want to change my colour??

Caroline on April 13, 2020:

Hi i wanted to change my hair from red to blond i first used, colour stripper and then bleched it twice it turned a slight shad of green so i put an ash blond but it still has a green colour to it...can u advise what i can do to get it to a blond or maby dye it grey please

PetraPetra on March 04, 2020:

I have let my greys grow out, and use the purple shampoos as needed. But I can’t get rid of the green! It seems to always have a hint of it at the ends. This so frustrating.

Lol on February 16, 2020:

Put dark cherry dye over green hair dye. Left it a few months, went to bleach the fringe but the green has come through!

Elita on January 08, 2020:

Had purple hair, let my roots grow out after the purple was completely gone, went to use a L'Oreal box dye to dye it blond again and uhm it's greennn. It's subtle enough to not be painfully obvious but suuuper annoying please help.

Chophousekpop on January 03, 2020:

But what do you doooo if toner turned your hair green. You say it’s bad news not how to correct it, is it the same? Baking soda?

Haven on January 02, 2020:

I used to Keracolor Color Clenditioner in the color Mocha to dye my natural blonde hair. I just wanted something temporary and so when I was over the brown I used my clarifying shampoo to help the fading process and now my hair has an all over green tint to it

Roxy on December 30, 2019:

My hair turned green after I asked the salon to remove my “royal purple” partial highlights. To remove the purple, the top half of my hair was bleached. It wasnt toned, maybe because it was green.

Traci on December 22, 2019:

Used Punky Colour 3-1 color deposit shampoo in brown and turned my rose gold blonde-ish hair with a tint of blue what can I do to get the green tint out?

Lizmary on December 15, 2019:

I used a black semi permanent dye and my hair is green what do I do ?

Sadie K on December 04, 2019:

I'm natural blonde and I got a well water detox treatment that was not right for my hair. It turned the darker blonde orange and the lighter blonde green. I've since had two clarifying treatments and got a blonde balayage which worked, or so I thought. The very lightest of my hair is still straight up GREEN. I fear that dying it won't work, and will only damage it BUT I'm willing to do anything. I've tried everything!! Can't find anything on the internet about getting green out thats not caused by chlorine or colored dye. Please help!

Tracey Weber on November 30, 2019:

Ok so for Halloween I dyed my dark blonde hair blue said it was a wash out did some enough to turn green so went to Sally’s gave me a color strip turned my hair yellow with green tips went back they had me use a neutral blonde turned it a puke green color so googled and used a red color and couple weeks later after a 6 inch haircut I have puke green hair from ears down thought about going to get a pure red color but scared I might make things worse?? Help

Rose on November 11, 2019:

I had very light blonde/platinum hair, put on my usual purple shampoo and left it in for maybe 3 minutes longer than usual. I've ended up with silver patches, some patches that are a darker blonde than before and some green patches. Not really what I was going for

Sandra on November 06, 2019:

I bleached my hair from a radiant raspeberry color to a yellowish on tge roots and at the end it turned into a orange redish color so i tried to bleach just my ends and the color was still there then i toneed it with wella t14 and t18 and addictive 050 and it got rid of most of the red ish orange color but now some areas lool kinda green grey. Wat do i do?

Barbara murphy on November 05, 2019:

Bleached my hair put ash toner on went blue now it goin green whst can i do

Roslyn on October 07, 2019:

I died and bleached my hair blonde a month ago. Color came out just fine. Last night I decided to pin curl my hair. Every where the clips touched my hair is now green. Please help.

Maribel on September 26, 2019:

I had purpleish hair which was faded so I put lavender permanent dye which they said to use with a developer and it came out bluish green

Maria Raquel on September 22, 2019:

So I have naturally black hair so what I did was I started to bleach my hair I bleached it too many times and ended up damaging it and I colored my hair gray and ended up coming out really good but where the black meets the blonde it looked really bad so I just ended up coloring it blew well I’m trying to get the blue out of my hair now because in about a day I’m gonna have to take my senior photos and I’ve been trying so hard to get the screen out of my hair and it is terrible

Lizive just put a harmony honey blonde on September 22, 2019:

I've just put a harmoney honey blonde temporary dye on my hair and its turned ightly green what can i do

Dee on September 12, 2019:

I use smokey blonde shampoo which makes my hair slightly dark purple the first few washes then out of no where it goes green! Any suggestions greatly appreciated??

Kayla Whitfield on August 25, 2019:

I tried lime crime unicorn hair semi permanent hair tint, the color sext, and when it washed out (not even 3 washes later) my blonde was left green!!! Any recommendations? I’ve tried ion clarifying treatment. It didn’t work

Lisa on August 24, 2019:

I bleached my hair then used a aburn dye to put the red back in my hair then used a brown dye now its green and more gray in my

Djones28 on August 23, 2019:

About 2 1/2 months ago i started thur process to to lighten my hair from dark brown to platinum/gray. Soo.. today all i needed to do was lighten 1 more time then tone it. When i started applying the bleach i started to notice blueish green polka dots throughout my hair!! Still have NO CLUE WHAT caused it. After rinsing bc i got scared and toning it, u can't really see it, but I'm terrified to bleach it bc of this...?

Becca on August 20, 2019:

I was platinum for about 6 months, using a pale purple shampoo to keep my hair pretty brass-free. I then used L'Oreal's Colorista pink semi-permanent about a month ago. The color was more magenta/purple than pink, and it quickly faded into a light green after just a couple washes and one swim in the ocean. I'm guessing the cool blue tones in the dye left with the yellow in my hair turned green? I went to my stylist who put bleach diluted with shampoo on my ends (my ends were so damaged she was afraid to put just developer), it was still green, so she then used a toner over it. It was a nice icy blue for about 5 days, then I washed it once and swam in the ocean once, and it's now an ashy/white/gray with yellow/green tones in some lighting. I'm not angry at it, but would like to get back to a white/platinum if possible without making my hair fallout. Side note: I wash my hair about once a week, never use heat products, and always deep condition. My hair isn't in terrible shape, but my ends have now been bleached three times and I don't think they can handle any more. Is there a toning method that can really cancel out the green/yellow, or should I just ride this out until my hair is long enough to cut the ends off?

Rhyanna on August 17, 2019:

I bleeched my hair earlier this year. Got it colored by my stylist. She gave me the wrong color. Came across "overtone". Got the color I wanted. When it comes out my hair turns green.

phoebie on August 16, 2019:

i dyed my hair green a long time ago with box dye, its faded real faint over time and my hairdresser just bleached my hair, the green didn't come hout but my natural brown under it did bleach. how do I get the green out?

Deirdre on July 27, 2019:

I was sceptical at first, but desperate to get the green color out of my hair. Tried the baking soda paste and IT WORKED!

Thank you for the tip!

Stephanie on July 25, 2019:

I had an ombre with 7m dark blonde mocha and my stylist put darkest brown/black in my hair, which is whati wanted to do all over but she suggested i leave half blonde so she did it balayage. Well after she washed me out, it bled onto my light pieces and now after one wash it looks green on the light pieces

Amy on July 20, 2019:

I tried to use dye remover for purple hair and it turned the bottom of my hair green?! I have naturally blonde hair, I have no idea how to fix it and I'm wanting to dye my hair another purple colour.

Bri on July 19, 2019:

I used an ‘ash’ color without realizing it was dark ash blonde. I have a slight green tint. Would purple shampoo fix it?

Linda on July 17, 2019:

My hair was Brown and bottom was blond. I put a medium light brown on my hair. It has a green tent to it. What do I do to get the green out?

Chase on July 14, 2019:

i dyed my hair Blue about 3 months ago with just a temporary dye. it’s been gone for awhile. I decided to actually bleach my hair today and in the process some of my hair turned green. I went back to the Sally’s to show them what happened and they told me that it happens sometimes with blue dye and that it stays for a while. Anyway they said to do a bleach wash. I did and it still didn’t go away. what do i do

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 08, 2019:

So I've read up on the water quality in Bali and even found an article where a woman said her bleached hair turned green multiple times in Bali because of the water. I'm thinking it's a buildup of copper particles, and the girl who wrote the article said that a tomato ketchup hair mask helped. The vinegar and acidity in the ketchup is supposed to break down the copper buildup on your hair - I'd start there.

Jenny on July 05, 2019:

I went to Bali for 2 weeks and within 2 days my blonde highlights that I had done months ago turned green. The majority of my hair had a brown colour through it.

On my return today I went to my hair dressers to get rid of the green, and wanted to go lighter and do they decided to put highlights through and some brown in between to cover the green.

Within 15 minutes I could feel the fouls hot against my head and so they removed them quickly. Significant amount of breakage, but I couldn’t leave without having my roots done. We decided to still colour roots brown, and cover the copper coloured parts of my hair that didn’t highlight near my roots because we had to remove so quickly.

Obviously I had a chemical reaction to the copper in my hair.

I’m leaving the hair dressers with damaged hair, some green and some blonde, some brown.

How do I rid the rest of the green out of hair without causing further damage to my hair, and it affecting the brown colour in my hair?

Please help

Lee milton on June 14, 2019:

Using olia. Blonde. Used to do trots lots of time. But this time gone. Ash with green tinge. Could it be mineral shampoo

Liz on June 05, 2019:

So i used a colourless colour remover after putting a lilac colour on my bleached blonde hair and instead of restoring my colour it had a green tinge to it. Looked awdful so pit a voilet on but want ti go back blonde. How do i get my blonde back

Marlen Moya on June 03, 2019:

i’m a level 3 & put a navy blue semi by matrix to have a blue tint in my hair but after 3-4 weeks the tint started looking green so

i put a 6R filler by goldwell to cancel it. and this was about 3 months ago and i wanted to do a blonde balayage for my hair for graduation but when we did a test strand it turned a light ugly green. how can i tone that out, well can i tone it out? Also when i wash my hair, you can see a little of the blue washing out still in the shampoo

Kimberly Rice on May 30, 2019:

I put a darker color over my blonde hair, I appear to have a hint of green on my top layers. How do I remove the green without totally removing the color?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 29, 2019:

Red would neutralize the green, but your hair doesn't sound nearly light enough yet. I'd just keep slowly bleaching. It may look weird for a few weeks but that's what happens. Doing toners on top is just about as damaging as the bleaching since toners contain ammonia - I'd just skip them for now and continue your process until it's light enough to tone once and for all.

Sirenascandi on May 29, 2019:

Hei hei. My hair is dark brown, am going mermzid stile with 2 colors, last time was so exoensive that i decide to do it myself, and take time in the process and try to not harm a lot the hair, so i have already bleach 3 rounds and, gotpretty orqnges in some spots, so i got a blue toner and voila! Indeed i got the orange away but now i have many green spots, sfter reading your article this suggest got the red neutralizer rigth?, question? This migth not bring the orange back?. Apreaciate the answer. I just want to achieve a blond to white color beforei put the colors.

Maegan on May 23, 2019:

I had a orange blonde color on my hair that i wanted to her rid of. I put a red/purple mixture on top of it. Due to my job i had to change the color and put a light ash brown on it. I ended up hating that color and put a black over it. After a little it started fading out and i used color oops. I know have an ugly green tint all over my hair. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 23, 2019:

It might not turn out, toning could be the answer. Or you can add another dye on top that is darker than your blonde. I've had stubborn yellow dye in my hair, but then I put green and eventually blue on top of it and the yellow isn't visible at all now. It ended up washing out under the blue tones and now I have a nice mint color! So another dye may be the answer.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 23, 2019:

You could always try a warm blonde box dye to counteract the cool tones!

sam on May 14, 2019:

So I had actually dyed my hair a dark purple. Usually purple fades out and just turns my hair a nice silvery blonde. Not this one. I used Ion Pigments Hair Masque and ended up with green hair that just won't quit. I've used lots of clarifying shampoo and even tried the vitamin C. At this point I want to try toning... But the green shade isn't even throughout my hair - will it mess it up if I put some other color dye in there to try and neutralize it?

Rose on May 04, 2019:

I went to the salon for a new cut & color. I wanted really light blonde hair and what I got is gray/green hair. Looks awful. Since the colorist stripped the color out of my hair, I'm afraid to go back. I don't want to wind up without hair. It feels fried. Any ideas? Thx

Ellie on April 26, 2019:

Over the Christmas period just gone, I decided to get rid of my platinum blonde dyed hair (as my roots grew out slightly too much) and I was too lazy to re bleach it, I work in lush, so I decided. To use some of the natural henna hair dyes we sell, I used a red first, then a brown; all went well I was pretty much back to my natural light brown colour.

Then it started to fade a bit so I put a L’Oréal “Brazilian brown” on top as I wanted a darker brown, once again I loved the result.

Skip to march, I’ve decided I want my hair lighter again, I know i won’t get it all the way there first time however, so my hair dresser asked me to buy a hair stripper from the local boots, which I did, and it took me up to a auburn/red/brown colour which was actually quite nice and I was tempted to leave it there... but my mission was blonde.

The next day I go to my hairdresser, and she starts applying the bleach, and it all looked good until we washed it out, my top half was brassy, which I was expecting but my bottom half from just below my ears all the way down to my mid length hair was mint green/blue!

I was in shock and so was my hairdresser, she asked me if i has dyed it blue or green before going to a brown, I said no, so we toned it and hoped for the best; nope it was still green, so I just made her chop it off, well as much as she could off, so I left the salon with a lovely silver on top, brassy bands in the middle that went into bits of green and blue.

My idea is that it was the henna potentially? As it’s a plant based hair dye that is a dark greeny brown when you apply it, but that’s not the pigment in it? But if not then it’s not a dye that’s caused it, it’s just my hair colour?

I dyed it pink to cover it and potentially counteract it but it comes through very quickly after a few washes, at the moment I’m letting the pink fade so I can try some techniques on it such as ketchup/ baking soda the whole Sha-bang!

If anyone has any ideas on what could have caused it or how to get it out i’d be very grateful as I don’t want to dye it back brown as it cost me a lot of money but I’m also running out of ideas. Thanks

Laura on April 21, 2019:

I went to same hair salon n had my hair bleached then they put the toner ontop. When was dried it was literally blueiah ourple gray white. I tried Head n Shoulders for about 30 mns with baki g aoda and Dawn soap the blue original, and its worked. No more blue or purple. A bit gray n white still hut alowly on the 3rd day its bearly fadind away

Sarah R Consavge on April 18, 2019:

I had used an ash colored toner but didnt like it. Then i put purple in my hair was too much, i had used 2 diffent browns and was content but then my ends turned green the next morning. That night i dyed it a blue black now its fading and i feel like it is turning green. Advice??? I want to see what color mt hair is after the blue black fades but i dont want to see green..

Katie on April 10, 2019:

I used selsun blue and vitamin c to remove purple color from my hair and sections turned green

Ashtin on March 30, 2019:

Ive used my toner a few times. But this recent time I used it. It turned made my hair have an undertone of green.

Diane Manderachi on March 30, 2019:

I get blond highlights and my water turns my hair to Green I do have a water softener but it doesn't seem to help what can I do

Tried clarifying shampoo, apple cider vinegar shampoo purple based shampoos nothing seems to work

Hailey on March 21, 2019:

My hair turned green from the water at my house, we're on a well and have old copper pipes... when copper oxidizes it turns green...

Gem on March 14, 2019:

Put a light brown on my hair and it's gone green

Aimee on March 13, 2019:

Put light ash blonde turned hair grey want to go dark blonde

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

I can't tell you how many girls I know who want to do crazy hair colors but can't because of work or other reasons. Rose gold is the perfect pop of color without looking too unnatural. Lucky for you, there are many ways to achieve a nice rose gold hair color! It's also doable on either dark or light hair.

You will have to have some sort of blonde. Basically, in this process, you're tinting the blonde shades in your hair. If you have dark hair with highlights, caramel tones, or lighter browns, you should be good to go without bleaching!

If your hair is just a medium to dark brown, you're probably going to have to do some sort of bleaching just so the rose tones will be visible. You can learn how to bleach using this article! The only difference here would be to not use Wella T18 toner.

1. Use a Rose-Gold Specific Dye

One of the easy methods in this process would be to go for a simple dye! Ion has great products, and they have a dye that is specifically "Rose Quartz." It's fairly inexpensive, can be purchased at Sally's, and it doesn't contain ammonia so it's a little better for your hair. If this dye isn't available, try out Manic Panic Pretty Flamingo or Cotton Candy Pink. The Cotton Candy is a little less natural looking, so I'd only go that way if your hair is a brown tone rather than blonde. Otherwise you risk just getting straight up pink hair.

Make sure you apply the dye in layers with a dye brush and gloves! You'll want to get a thorough application so it's not patchy. Leave the dye in for an hour or so and rinse out with warm water.

2. Fade from Red

If you're like me, you prefer a long-lasting color. I also get antsy with my hair and don't like anything for too long, so for me, fading to rose gold was the way to go! I had bleached hair, and then put a red dye on top of it. As time went on, it faded to a really pretty rose gold until eventually going blonde again.

This is a super cheap method, you can pick up a decent red dye from Walmart for seriously like $4. I tend to go with Clairol's Nice N' Easy 111 Natural Medium Auburn.

The only thing about this stuff is it does contain ammonia, so it's going to be time sensitive in your hair and may cause some drying and damage.

3. Use a Tinted Conditioner

oVertone and several other brands offer rose gold conditioning kits—which is perfect for a temporary color without using dye!

I've used oVertone once before, for a lavender that didn't really work on my hair lightness. If you have darker hair, you'll definitely have to go with a darker level of their kit—they offer three levels.

oVertone uses a system where you apply an initial layer deep treatment as you would a regular dye, and from there just use the tinted conditioner to upkeep the color.

I've seen oVertone work with wonderful results on friends, but the kits can get pricey! However, it's a great way to have more control over your color. And how long it lasts.

Check Out Some More Articles!

If you're trying to decide a way to go with your hair, check out some of my other articles! I've been just about every color in the book.

How to Get Granny Gray Hair

How to Get White Hair

Five Gorgeous Pastel Hair Colors

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Cindy on June 02, 2019:

Hello. My hair has grown out considerably since I last colored it red. Now I have about 10 inches of naturally dark blond hair while the the rest, to the ends, is a light to medium red. I'd rather not cut the red ends off. I don't want short hair right now. How would I go about coloring my hair rose gold, getting it evenly colored? Thanks!

Louise Powles from Norfolk, England on November 30, 2017:

I love that colour. I've often wondered if I should do something like this to my hair. Perhaps I should try, it looks great.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Pinks, reds, oranges... all of these hair colors/tones can be difficult to get rid of. On the other hand, stubborn rusty and brassy tones can be removed by using several different methods.

Depending on how quickly you want your red tones gone and how much damage to your hair you're willing to commit, you can choose from a myriad of techniques from bleaching to baking soda.

How to Remove Red Hair Dye

1. Salerm Color Reverse
2. Bleach
3. Natural Lightening with Baking Soda

1. Salerm Color Reverse

This stuff is basically a color stripper, a good alternative to bleach. Salerm only works on color that has been added—if your natural color is red, this will not work! As you can tell from the video above, it does a pretty great job at removing red tones! You will probably need to do several applications, which should be spaced out over a few days.

It's very simple to use—there are two components. Here are Salerm's instructions for use:

"Mix Color Reverse 1+2 in equal parts. Mix with a brush until the mixture is smooth and even. Apply directly to dry, unwashed hair. Leave on for 20 minutesthen once the exposure time is up, rinse the hair with plenty of water and wash with shampoo.

In order to neutralize any remaining inactivated product we recommend the use of our 10 vol. cream developer diluted in a 1+1 ratio with water to obtain a fluid creamy solution. This should be applied to the hair, left to work for 5 minutes and then rinsed off."

The thing about color strippers, they smell downright awful. Be prepared for that and make sure you get a nice scented conditioner to use afterwards.

2. Bleach

In some cases, a color stripper may be ineffective in removing all red tones from your hair. In that case, you may opt to bleach. It is wise to still use a stripper to remove as much red as you can pre-bleach.

Or, maybe you are a natural redhead. If that's the case, bleach is for you!

Natural redheads—if you're trying to remove red tones, you may be wanting to go either lighter or darker. If you want lighter with no red tones you will need to bleach and tone. If you're trying to go darker, opt for a bleach and dye.

How to Bleach Dark Hair

Check out the article above for tips on bleaching! From personal experience, I can tell you that a simple bleach and tone has been totally effective in removing brassy tones from my own hair.

As with any sort of bleaching, especially to remove brassy tones, you need to tone. My favorite toners come from Wella, in their Color Charm series! You'll want to look at cool, ash tones. In order to tone your hair, you're going to need developer as well—I'd stick with a 10 or 20 volume Salon Care Cream Developer.

The toner shade you use will depend on the level of lightness your hair is at—if you're a super high lift blonde trying to do platinum, use Wella T18 in Lightest Ash Blonde.

Below is a Wella Color Charm chart for you to decide which toner to use!

3. Natural Lightening with Baking Soda

This is another method that will only work on dyed red hair, not natural red hair. This is going to be the least harsh method of lightening and fading your red-toned dye.

There are a few different ways to do this—you can mix a few tablespoons of baking soda with water until it becomes a paste, and work it into your hair in the shower. Another and probably more effective way to use the baking soda method is to mix it in with your shampoo. Rinse out after a few minutes and you are on your way to lighter hair! You'll have to repeat this every time you shower—be sure to condition.

More Articles

If you're interested in bleaching, toning, dying, or styling your hair, I'm your girl! Check out some of my articles below:

How to Get Granny Gray Hair

How to Get White Hair

How to Get Rose Gold Hair

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Shazia on February 18, 2019:

Please tell me about my hair i used red colour and then I used bleach to get rid of this red colour but my hair are red white and red which colour should apply in my hair please tell me I am worried

Julie on November 23, 2018:

Yes...baking soda really does work. I was skeptical, but I got exactly what I wanted, with zero abrasiveness and zero frizzle.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 20, 2018:

Theoretically that should work, I haven't actually tried it before. But I don't see why, ash does neutralize warm tones.

Natteh on April 19, 2018:

Is it easier just to put dye over red hair? I heard ash brown is good at neutralising red hair as it has a green undertone, would you recommend it? As I’m not keen on bleaching my hair as worried about damage etc

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

White hair can be absolutely beautiful, but it takes a lot of work to get there. Luckily, with the proper care, precaution, and upkeep, you can manage white locks that would make Draco Malfoy jealous, all without a trip to the salon!

Chances are you're going to need a lot of lightening. Unless your hair is already a fair shade of blonde, you're going to have to split this up over multiple bleachings. Damage to your hair is virtually inevitable, but if you take care of your hair throughout the process, you can minimize it.

Below, I'll detail the process, tools, and techniques you can use to get that perfect Magneto mop.

Supplies

• Coconut Oil: You'll need to pick up a tub of 100% pure unrefined coconut oil (you can find this at most grocery stores, even WalMart) to glob on your head and keep your hair moisturized. This is really important in keeping your hair from drying out.
• Bleach Powder: I prefer Magic Ammonia-Free Powder Lightener, but you need a cosmetology license to buy this stuff. Some viable substitutes can be found at Sally's, like Salon Care Prism Lights Violet Lightener. Anything that has violet- or blue-tinted powder is going to be awesome for keeping the brassiness out of your hair as you lighten.
• Developer: This is what you mix with the bleach. I use Salon Care Cream Developer. There's liquid developer out there too, but I find that cream mixes better with the bleach powder. I wouldn't go any higher than a 20 Volume or else you risk serious damage to your hair.
• Dye Brush: These can be found at Sally's.
• Mixing Bowl
• Toner: Wella T18 Lightest Ash Blonde is probably the best stuff you'll find out there.

How to Get White Hair at Home (5 Easy Steps)

Step 1: Apply Coconut Oil

The first thing I love to do before bleaching is put in a little hair mask for a few hours. I'll coat my hair with coconut oil and leave it in for several hours (or even overnight) before actually applying bleach. (Do not rinse the coconut oil out of your hair before applying the bleach.)

Step 2: Apply Bleach

After at least two hours, the next step would be to actually apply the bleach. This process will be different depending on if you've got roots or not! If you're working with super dark roots, try to get those to the lightness of the rest of your hair first.

Ratio: Start with equal parts powder and developer, and then add developer little by little until the mixture is the consistency of pudding.

Apply bleach as in the video above, separating your hair into small strips and painting the bleach/developer mixture onto the length of your roots. You're going to have to work pretty quickly, so your hair processes at the same rate.

Step 3: Let Bleach Sit, Then Rinse Hair

Leave the bleach in for 20–30 minutes tops before rinsing out with lukewarm water.

Step 4: Repeat Until You Achieve a Light Yellow Color

Your hair color is not going to be perfect after just one session. Like I said, this is a process, and it's going to take multiple bleachings to achieve. Your roots/hair at this point will probably be brassy, yellow, or orange. Don't worry, little guy, you'll get there.

You're most likely going to have to repeat this process several times to get to a light yellow color. It's wise to space bleaching out over a few weeks; I try not to bleach my hair more than twice in one week. You need to give your hair time to recover and bounce back!

Step 5: Tone Your Hair

When your hair looks like Kim K's awful yellow locks in the photo above, you're ready to tone! This is where it gets exciting.

Ratio: 2 parts developer to 1 part toner

• Mix developer and toner together in a bowl, and get ready to paint it on! You're going to need gloves for sure.
• Start by saturating your roots, and then work the toner down into the rest of your hair. It will start to turn purple, but do not be alarmed. That's what's going to get rid of your nasty yellow tones.
• Leave that toner on for 5–10 minutes before rinsing out and conditioning.
• Treat your hair like a newborn baby! As in, it's fragile. Don't mess this up.

For more information, here's a handy guide to using toner!

White Hair Upkeep and Care

At this point, you may want a few tips to help you care for your white hair.

Minimize washing. Your hair is going to be pretty dry after such a drastic process, and the less you wash it the better. You'll get by, and your hair will thank you for it! I have bleached hair (though it's not white anymore), and I shampoo it maybe once a week. If it starts feeling greasy, I'll throw in some corn starch as a dry shampoo.

Use purple shampoo. When you do shampoo, you're going to want something that will keep your tone fresh. That's where purple shampoo comes in! Generic (that's the brand name) has an inexpensive purple shampoo available at Sally's.

Keep the coconut oil handy. Like I said, bleaching is drying. Coconut oil works wonders to keep your hair smooth, soft, shiny, and packed full of nutrients. Apply to ends whenever they're looking parched and after each wash.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2017 Alex Rose

Comments

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 20, 2020:

Hey! You should use a color remover first to get out any old dye before you use bleach. I would avoid using bleach on already colorless parts if you can, just to avoid any unnecessary damage. Once you've gotten the color out of the rest of the hair, I think it would be okay to use toner on all of it - especially if you're going to take the process of lightening super slowly!

Using a 10 volume developer and doing multiple processes should make the whole thing a lot less damaging.

ohhno on July 11, 2020:

Thinking of going white, or just a pale blonde, as my hairline at the top and at the temples has gone colourless, but I'd love a little guidance as I'm getting quite confused.

The rest is a neutral mid brown, though there are some small colourless patches back there. It was dyed a while ago, to a cool medium brown that is just a tiny bit darker than the natural colour.

Should I use a colour remover on this old dye, and then begin the bleaching sessions a couple of weeks later, or would it be more appropriate to commence with bleach?

Also, on the colourless patches, is it best to try to keep bleach and toners off them, or is it usually safe enough to risk? I'm not intending to touch the colourless areas at the hairline but would need to rope in a friend to exclude the small patches if they shouldn't be bleached.

I'm not expecting to get a particularly satisfactory result, and I'd anticipate going at it more cautiously than the main article suggests, but I'd also prefer to avoid the sort of disaster that would necessitate a year of hat-wearing.

Thanks in advance.

Camille Gould on May 27, 2020:

Im almost to white when i bleached the color out of my hair. Gonna keep it for a bit because i dont like ordering color without being able to look at swatches. One more bleaching of my roots and it will be good!!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 01, 2020:

Dylan, you can use any sort of developer as long as it is 20 volume! I use Salon Care 20 Volume Creme developer.

Dylan on April 30, 2020:

What kind of developer do we use?

Kelly on April 03, 2020:

Corrina, Coconut oil is good for a lot of things and one is your hair. A lot of my clients use it on their hair. The only place you should avoid is your face bc it can clog your pores.

Lin on March 11, 2020:

Corrina...Show your Science, please? I know of NO such science and coconut oil is by far one of the best moisturizing products out there for at least 5000 years ...so again ...Wheres your Science?

Lena on January 06, 2020:

YIPPY!

Corrina on November 20, 2019:

Coconut oil is SO BAD FOR YOUR HAIR Anything that becomes solid at room temperature will literally smother the hair shaft Any kind of oil that remains liquid at room temp is far better for your hair (that includes FRACTIONATED coconut oil).

Gbenga jesua on November 19, 2019:

I want to dye my hair to white help mi out

Kell on July 20, 2019:

It doeant say which toner was used

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 23, 2019:

If you're not into bleaching it, I say getting highlights should help. My mom used to have dark auburn hair, but as she ages she has been going into the salon for hilights to conceal her grays. Now she has a very very light blonde tone on her mostly gray hair.

Christine Mulberry on May 20, 2019:

My natural hair is a very dark blonde/light brown which has been colored a dark golden blonde for at least 10 years. I'm older and have mostly gray now except at the back of my head. What would be the least damaging way to go to gray without just growing out the gray with a distinct line between the white hair at the roots and my colored hair below? Had considered bleaching it white but realized the damage would be far too much for my fragile hair.

Weeaboo69 on May 13, 2019:

Very useful for cosplaying as Ken Kaneki from Tokyo Ghoul.

Matilda on April 15, 2019:

Don't worry ladies when you are 50 your hair will be snowy white naturally! I am henna colouring my white roots fortnightly as white hair would make me look washed out.

Marie yazzie on March 21, 2019:

Alex Rose , I have been trying to get white hair and this would be my 4 th bleaching attempt and I have been using coconut oil and I don’t do anything more than a 20 volume developer, but I have brassy hair and I tried the t18 wella and still not white what do you recommend?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on March 11, 2019:

Toning your blonde hair can be tricky. Any "ash" toners are going to have blue-green tones in them, and when that reacts with your yellow-tinted hair it's bad news.

If you want to stay as far away from green as possible, use a warm toner. Something golden or beige should do.

From what I've read, the green on your hair is an buildup of oxidization. Try using a clarifying shampoo or even ketchup to neutralize it!

S Ducker on March 08, 2019:

I have dark hair and stripped the colour using 40%peroxide with ammonia mix, which I did two times in succession. I then added Wella , light ash blond toner followed by John Frieda Blond Ambition (purple mousse) and my hair has gone greeny blue! Help! I wanted white or silvery or purplish/lilac silver/white, I will now settle for pinkish just not greeny blue....

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on January 16, 2019:

You could try using a color stripper, or you may just have to do a light bleach using 10 volume developer. Blue can be hard to get out but that should work!

Danny on January 12, 2019:

I have blue hair, how can I get this back to blonde? I dyed it 3 months ago and it’s slowly fading into a green and brown

Rene on December 07, 2018:

I did a platinum bleach it’s a bit pale yellow And now I want it white. Any suggestions?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on October 29, 2018:

You're not going to get that without bleaching first! Recommend a 20 volume developer and that should get the lingering red out as well.

alexis on October 28, 2018:

I dyed my hair a red almost 5 months ago. Majority of it is gone, but it's still spotty. I have a medium brown hair color. I'm not sure which toner to use. I'm trying for that white silver blonde!

Aaron on August 09, 2018:

I was appaently not able to find toner where I live do you think i can use purple shampoo instead and get a similar result?

Kim Elisa Graff from Oxford Al on July 28, 2018:

For the white blonde look do NOT use any toner that has Ash period unless you want green hair. What I do is I use the blue powder and the 30-40 volume developer and I leave it on a full 60 minutes. Better to do it right first time. I use no toner I don't need one. Believe me to get to a down perfect took me many trial and errors coming out with orange and red tints. Problem was I was taking it off too soon. Please trust me on this. If your hair is in bad condition add a great conditioner to the bleach and developer. I use both coconut oil plus the pack of the conditioner you use for damaged hair mixed in. I've never needed a toner since I now know how long to leave it on. It's scary but I promise you it does work.

KatPults on June 14, 2018:

Ausha, if allergic to coconut oil, you can try a mix of avocado oil, argan oIl, grapeseed oil, vitamin e oil, jojoba oil, almond oil. I actually use all of them mixed together (w coconut oil, just omit) and I'm pretty sure this is the ONLY reason I haven't fried my almost! white locks. Good luck!

Devin on May 18, 2018:

So I have dreadlocks and I was wondering if you have any advice specifically for my hair type (4c). Also do you know a product that could make my hair purple i'm sorry if i'm not using the proper terminology i'm new at this.

S Harris Foster on May 14, 2018:

oh my goodness... well I kept going back and forth with bleach it again first or just do the toner... well as it happened, I had work and other life things that had me postpone anything to do with hair, then I decided to just go on ahead and bleach it again... then directly after the toner... just like the video in here and boy oh boy is it fried... I am not too bothered really... I knew this might happen and since I am going gray/silver I had decided to do one last try with actually keeping the length, but alas it did not turn out that way... the hair is still there, but boy oh boy is it soooooooo dry and brittle and weird... so what I will do is just put some oils on it and leave it for a couple of days, maybe a week and then I will wash it, do another olaplex 3 treatment, maybe I will leave the olaplex on overnight too, and yeah get it trimmed my 3 or more inches, and go about standard bob length... then just start on ONLY use toner on my gray silver roots as they grow out, and just keep on trimming this dead frizz out as it grows... may even go with a cute pixie do too after a while, maybe at summer's end... but I will have to see how it goes with roots too... so toner and or purple or silver shampoos for roots until I get rid of all or most of this weird stuff... I knew this might happen so again, not too fussed about it... I will still stay in touch and let you know how this is going...

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 08, 2018:

Hey!! Sorry I didn't see this sooner! It seems like you've got a good idea of what to do! If your hair isn't too damaged you may be able to bleach again in less than a month, but trimming is a good idea! Depending on what toner you're using it may not help with the orange spots. Let me know how it works!

S Harris Foster on May 06, 2018:

hiya Alex... update... did the bleaching, and just stayed with my light saturation of the coconut oil... it did get down on my shoulders... ok, well my bleaching and olaplex directly after i rinsed out the olaplex is fine... i am brassy, and orange in spots, and of course my hair is dry and frizzy but it is not severely destroyed or anything... YAY... i am getting ready to do toner today so hopefully that will take out the orange or at least turn it beige... hhehehehe... ok, just a quick update for ya about bleaching number one session... i will wait about a month before i do bleaching number two session... and I will start cutting length to start getting rid of really over processed colored then bleached hair, so i will just be to my regular virgin (gray) with the bleaching or platinum look... ciao...

S Harris Foster on May 05, 2018:

hey Alex... you are probably asleep, but I wanted to do an update and also ask a question... I have the coconut oil in right now, and in a couple of hours I will do my first bleaching... how much should I saturate my hair... right now it is lightly, should I put in a bunch more? and then the little update I wanted to tell you is I did an Olaplex#3 treatment on Friday so I hope that helps protect or "perfect" my quite dry hair... I must say it does feel better... still looks a bit dry and frizzy, but I will do another Olaplex#3 possibly tomorrow...

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 25, 2018:

That's really weird that it'd turn green after if it was that light! T18 is probably the #1 toner for getting white hair at home. You may consider a light bleaching, using 10 vol developer to pull some more of that yellow out. T18 turns purple in your hair, so it's weird that it would turn your hair green but everyone's hair reacts differently to products. Maybe it was the Manic Panic that did it? How long did you leave the Wella toner in for?

Amecia MUAH on April 24, 2018:

What toner would you recommend? I am currently Russian blonde and I used the wella t18 toner and the manic panic snow white and I ended up with a greenish silver. I am so hurt. Then I did a soap cap with purple shampoo and a purple tint. The yellow is gone but now I have a weird beige then I got a bright Idea dip my hair in a blue semi permanent water mix and more manic panic. The result is silver/ cream with grey undertones. I want to get to white please please help me.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 05, 2018:

Well hey, if it's short I say go for it!! I'm very cautious with my own hair now because it's quite long (all the way down my back) and if I damage it, that's a lot of hair to lose. Good luck with it!!

S Harris-Foster on April 05, 2018:

ok, well thanks for the tip, your knowledge and your outlook... I will probably still try it anyway, as I have already gone onto amazon and bought all the stuff in your instructions...I have bleached my hair before but with grocery store bought stuff (European stuff since I live in Europe)... it turned out nice and bleachy and not very damaged at all really... but it is a long story about how I kept going shorter and shorter and then shaved it quite close to my head. so yeah, hmmmmmm... I am kinda still on the fence, but I always have the option to shave or drastically shorten to bob length. and I do have a few hairdresser friends so I can always go short or shaved... again... LOL... if it completely burns or destroys... I an adventurous and not afraid of damage... go figure... hehehehehe... I like an "alternative" look anyway and have tattoos and piercings, so nothing is too unusual for the Swiss folks to be gawking at anyway... LOL... I will write back and let you know how it all turns out... :)

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 04, 2018:

Well the process to get white is definitely not going to help out if your hair is currently dry and frizzy - it's only going to make that worse. I'm not as experienced with working on natural grey hair, so I can't say with certainty how easy it would be to go white. If you're set on it and aware that damage may occur, I'd look into Olaplex (works wonders for stylists when bleaching to keep soft hair, but you have to have a cosmetology license to purchase) and doing some light bleaching with a 10 or 20 volume developer. Just taking it easy and doing the process over a few weeks to keep damage minimal. Good luck!

S Harris-Foster from Planet Earth on April 04, 2018:

Hey Alex... what are your opinions on doing this technique to dry, frizzy, greying hair? I currently am middle aged and graying BUT have long, wavy, dark blonde/light brown DYED hair... which again, is dry and requires lots of product to make it behave, which if do do... hahaha... but what do you recommend for this hair type and your technique? I want so badly to do your technique and maybe even do pravana vivids, but I really would love to hear your opinion on my hair type first... I LOVE your coconut oil technique too... will be doing that anyway with or without bleaching... hahahaha... thanks... anxiously awaiting your response...

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on March 27, 2018:

Ausha - If not coconut oil, you can use a ton of different things! Argon oil is great for your hair too, as well as olive oil (extra virgin, but only use a little), vitamin E oil. Or just pick up a deep conditioner, apply a small amount to your damp, washed hair, and use it as a leave-in conditioner!

Ausha on March 26, 2018:

Could recommend something other than coconut oil? I am highly allergic. Could I get away with argan oil? Thank you!

Kristen Elizabeth from Texas on January 30, 2018:

I love this white hair!!

deb brave on January 15, 2018:

I have dark brown hair and have been coloring for years. I now have so much white hair coming through that I want to go all white. Is there any way to do this without frying my hair?

Marilyn Thompson on January 09, 2018:

I've been bleaching my hair for years and yes the Purple Shampoo is the best, caution not too much, experience with it. Yeah, I'm naturally a beautiful grey,the color of choice. I use a toner to maintain the color, some shampoos, environment pollutents, other chemicals can dull or change the tone, enjoy your locks, enjoy who you are...oops one more thing we don't get the right color, cut, it'll get better, it grows and your beautiful.

Anaya on November 27, 2017:

It is very useful.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

For years, I have wanted purple hair. The only thing is purple hair is hard to attain, especially for me because my hair is naturally medium-to-dark brown. The fact is, if you want purple hair, you're going to have to put in blood, sweat, and tears. I mean, ideally not blood but at least the latter two.

Since getting your hair graped is positively a pain in the ass, I've taken the time to write this step-by-step breakdown for you. You can thank me later.

Supplies

Unless you already have magically white (or super light blonde) hair, you're going to need to bleach. In that case, here's a list of supplies for you:

• Ammonia Free Bleach Powder: I use Magic Ammonia Free Powder Lightener, but turns out it can't be purchased now without a cosmetology license. Sally's will have some other ammonia free options. I choose to use these because they are less damaging than a powder that contains ammonia!
• Salon Care 20 Volume Developer: Cream developer is preferred to liquid, seems to mix a little easier.
• Dye Brush
• Gloves

If your hair happens to be pre-lightened, you're good to start dying. Here's what you'll need for that:

• Manic Panic Purple Haze: I think I used one tub in the tutorial video (too lazy to watch it and find out though), but at the length my hair is now, I would definitely need 2-3 tubs. You can typically find these at Sally's or Hot Topic.
• Dye Brush
• Gloves

Bleaching

If you're one of those who needs to bleach, you'll find a handy little advisory on that here. It can be a bit of a process (heh) depending on how dark your hair is. It took me several sessions to get my hair light enough to sustain purple.

The thing about purple that makes it so hard is rooted (heh) in color theory. Allow me to explain.

When you bleach dark hair, it turns various brassy tones. It's gross. Yellow, orange, nasty. That's literally the opposite of purple, if you check out a color wheel. That means when yellow and purple mix, they turn brown. Same goes for other opposite colors, like red/green and blue/orange.

The goal here is to eliminate as much of the brassiness from your hair as possible, to keep your purple from getting muddied.

This is where the sweat and tears come in - as mentioned in the linked article, it takes some time and patience to get light enough. Once you're there, I'd give your hair a little rest and then go ahead and dye.

Process

The goal is to get your hair about as light as mine is in the above photo. Purple will take very well to this lightness.

After that, the dye process is very easy. Pull on your gloves, open your Purple Haze (this is the hardest part of the process, damn seals won't come off without a fight), and section off your hair.

I usually start applying dye on the roots at my part and around my face. Then I will paint it on with my dye brush in horizontal layers working down from my part. You don't have to rush with this—Manic Panic dye is safe for your hair and won't cause you damage if you leave it in for a while. So take your time, work in thin layers, and make sure you coat each layer thoroughly.

It helps to have a big butterfly clip or two handy, so you can secure upper layers out of the way once they are thoroughly coated with dye. Work your way down your scalp to the nape of your neck.

I typically leave the dye in for at least two hours. The longer you leave it in, the longer your color will last. I know people who will wrap their hair up in a plastic bag or saran wrap and sleep with the dye in overnight!

Once you've deemed your dye-time sufficient, hop in the shower and get ready for some cleanup. It's going to look like you slaughtered a grape and his whole vine.

Use cold water if you can stand it (keeps the color from bleeding), but if you're a sissy like me, lukewarm water will do.

Take a look down at your feet. When the water is starting to run clear, you're good to hop out of the shower and dry off.

Taking Care of Purple Hair

The above photo is my hair the day after dying with Manic Panic Purple Haze.

As you could see in the video, my hair pre-dye was a very light pink. When the purple started to fade, it went it a pink-purple direction rather than a lavender.

Anyways, there are several ways you can upkeep your purple hair.

• Use purple shampoo—Sally's has a purple-tinted shampoo, quite literally "Generic Brand," that you can use in the place of a normal shampoo. This stuff will help keep your color cool and tinted.
• Put a little dye in your conditioner—I scoop a tablespoon of dye into my conditioner, and then apply a hefty amount every time I wash my hair. I'll leave the conditioner in for a few minutes before rinsing it out. This is such a huge help with keeping the color vibrant.
• Avoid water and sun—Obvious one here, but the sun will make your color fade faster. Plus, every time you get your hair wet, you're gonna wash some color out.
• Use dry shampoo—I wash my hair maybe once a week so my color will last. My hair has adjusted to the change, but if it does start to feel oily, I dust some corn starch on my roots. Good for another few days!

There you go! You can officially be Barney for Halloween. Enjoy your purple hair, and stay out of the pool.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

I love finding alternative ways to style my hair without using heat or products. I can achieve salon results without damaging my hair!

Finding the Solution to No-Heat Curls

I've tried everything. Curlformers, foam curlers, bendy foam stick rollers, rag rolls, pin curls, you name it. I am serious. And there's something wrong with each one for me.

Curlformers? They work, but they are not comfortable to sleep in, and I value my sleep more than my hairdo.

Foam curlers are not only uncomfortable, but they give me Shirley Temple hair, which is not exactly what I'm going for.

Bendy foam stick rollers usually don't get my ends curled. They also fall out while I sleep and produce inconsistent curls.

I actually do like rag rolls, but I found that the best way to get results is to use a curling iron first to get the basic shape. While my hair was still warm, I would then roll it up on the strip of fabric, and tie it off. Basically, I was defeating the whole purpose of no-heat. Same with pin curls.

Then I found the best way ever to curl my hair. It eliminates all of the previous issues with every other method. It doesn't hurt to sleep in, it doesn't fall out when I sleep, I can keep my ends curled, and I don't have to use a curling iron before rolling my hair up! It's seriously perfect, and it looks cute as-is. I mean you can go out with your hair rolled up and not look like a hot mess.

So let's talk about what you need first (which is very little), and then I'll go into how you can master this witchcraft.

Supplies

I think the best part about this tutorial is that you only need a bandana, two bobby pins, and your hair. The other best part is that it really does give you perfect curls. Or maybe it's how quick and easy it is to do. Who am I kidding? The whole thing is the best part!

Prep Your Hair

Depending on the level of curl you want, you may need to add some water to your hair. If you're looking for loose waves, don't bother with the water. Sleeping with your hair up in the bandana overnight is enough to get the look you are going for!

If you want more of a bouncy spiral curl that will last a day or so, then add water! Don't get your hair wet—just damp. I usually just dampen my hands with water and run my fingers through my hair. Be sure to get the ends, because you want those to set properly in a curl.

Sometimes, I'll add a bit of coconut oil to my ends. Be careful with this, because if you add too much, it can hinder your curls from setting. Just a teaspoon spread evenly throughout your ends should be enough to give them the nourishment they need! Because you may be a little confused, I'll actually tell you how this all works next.

Folding the Bandana

The first step to this is really getting your banana tied off to fit your head. To do this, you're going to have to fold it properly.

1. Lay a square bandana out flat.
2. Fold it on a diagonal (from corner to corner). Once you've done that, it should be a big ol' triangle.
3. Begin rolling the bandana into a strip starting at the widest part of the triangle.
4. Wrap it around your head like a headband, and tie it off at your forehead. Make sure you don't tie it too tightly—you'll get a headache. It should be loose enough that you can fit a few fingers between the band and your head.

Wrapping Your Hair

This whole thing is kind of weird to explain in words, so bear with me. If you have any trouble, be sure to watch the video demonstration at the end of the article.

1. Part and brush your hair.
2. Place the bandana around your head with the tied-off end at your forehead. The back of the bandana should sit at the nape of your neck—at the bottom of your hairline.
3. Start on one side of your face by grabbing a small, 1-inch section of hair.
4. Pull it away from your face, and then up and over the bandana. You're basically just spiraling your hair away from your face and around the bandana.
5. Hold the section of hair you just wrapped around the bandana, add a small section of hair to it, and wrap it around again. At this point, it becomes kind of like a french braid.
6. Repeat until you reach the center of the back of your head.
7. Stop adding more hair to the spiral when you've reached the center, right at the nape of your neck.
8. Continue to wrap that section of hair without adding any more sections until you come to the very ends.
9. Secure them with a bobby pin at the back of your head.
10. Repeat steps three through nine on the other side.

Play the Waiting Game

The process of wrapping your hair is super easy once you have done it a few times, and it only takes about five minutes. The wait is what gets you! Depending on how curly you want your hair, you can leave it in for anywhere between four hours and overnight.

I usually do this as an overnight process, so my curls will last longer the next day. There have been times where I will put my hair up in the bandana in the morning so that I can go somewhere with curly hair that night. I definitely recommend sleeping with your hair up, though.

Like I said earlier, this is a cute look you can wear out in public. Several times I've been at concert festivals where it is either hot or rainy, so I leave my hair up in the bandana, and once the weather has improved, I will take it out and have a flawlessly beautiful hairstyle.

Wrapping Hair Instruction Video

Comments

liesl5858 on March 26, 2018:

What a beautiful curly hair you got there. You made it look so easy to curl your hair without chemicals. Good tips Alex. Thank you, I must try it as I got long hair now.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on January 28, 2017:

I'm happy it worked for you too! As you can see my hair is REALLY long but it works perfectly!

Marlene Bertrand from USA on January 25, 2017:

I came back to say I tried this and it works! I had some doubts about it working on shoulder length hair, but it truly works. Now I know why you roll your bangs back the other direction. Good tip. I will do the same next time I curl my hair. Thank you for the best "no heat" hair curling solution.

Marlene Bertrand from USA on January 24, 2017:

I have been wishing there was a way to curl my hair without using heat. Like with your experience, all the other methods, for some reason or other, don't work. But, this headband treatment looks like it is not only comfortable, but will produce excellent results. The bonus is that it is cool enough to run errands while curling my hair. It's perfect! Thank you for sharing this amazing hair styling technique.

I love finding alternative ways to style my hair without using heat or products. I can achieve salon results without damaging my hair!

Use the Stuff at Home

When it comes to adding natural shine to your hair, there's no need to mess around with chemical-pumped store brands. There are plenty of ingredients that you can find tucked away in your own home that will do the trick even better! All of these remedies can be used once or twice a week to maintain shiny, moisturized hair.

Take a look at the list below and learn how to add your own beautiful shine (along with other added benefits) from the comfort of your home.

1. Eggs

This is pretty gross, but it works like a dream. Trust me; I tried it the other day. I made a mask using 2 egg yolks, olive oil, and coconut oil. Hair is mostly comprised of proteins and amino acids, the same nutrients found in eggs. Yolks also contain Vitamin D, which helps to improve the texture and luster of your hair. That's why eggs provide a great boost of nutrients and help with shine. Check out the video below for the process.

2. Beer

I, personally, think beer is terrible. So when I find myself with an overabundance at my house, I like to use it as a hair rinse.

The hops and malt in beer contain proteins that will add shine to your lackluster hair. After shampooing, pour the beer onto your head and massage it into your scalp. Leave it on for five minutes while you shave your legs (or are doing something else), and then rinse it all out.

Beer is a great option for those of you who don't like to bother with oils. Oils will take a little bit more effort, while beer is something you can apply in the shower and rinse out a few minutes later. It's really that simple!

3. Mayonnaise

Another gross product that is great for your hair is mayonnaise! If you got stuck with a jar after a cookout, it's now time to use the rest. Full-fat mayonnaise has a bunch of amino acids, proteins, and antioxidants that can either make you chubby or give you shiny hair—it all depends on how you use it.

Let's hope you make the right decision to use it on your hair. Word of warning, it will smell awful. To use, massage some mayo into your damp hair, leave it on for 30 minutes, and then wash out with cold water.

4. Honey

Honey seems like it would be a gross, sticky mess, and it kind of is. However, it rinses out very nicely. For a while, I was even doing a baking soda and honey face wash—that was nice!

It turns out honey is also great for your hair. It's antibacterial, which is great. It's also a humectant, which means that it attracts moisture in addition to adding shine! Honey can be mixed with water, or with your regular conditioner. If you're mixing with a little H2O, put a tablespoon of honey per 1 cup of warm water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture onto your locks, and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before rinsing out.

5. Apple Cider Vinegar

I keep a bottle of ACV in my shower. It's such an easy rinse to do, and I promise it doesn't leave your hair smelling bad. In a little cup, I mix up about a teaspoon of ACV with about a 1/3 cup of water, and then work the mixture into my hair, especially on my ends. If you're sensing a theme here, it's the proteins and amino acids that help make for a shiny 'do.

6. Yogurt

Yogurt is an awesome deep conditioner that will help to add shine, moisture, and softness. Make sure if you're using this method that you pick up plain yogurt.

This stuff is best to comb through your hair and leave on for at least thirty minutes. Once your time is up, you can rinse it out with warm water and shampoo as usual.

7. Gelatin

From what I hear, gelatin is another amazing product to add to your hair routine. Because I'm not expecting very many people to just have gelatin on hand, I'm putting this ingredient last on the list.

The hydrolyzed protein in gelatin helps treat damaged hair, and it's also a great source of amino acids. 1 tablespoon of gelatin powder plus 1 cup of warm water leaves your mane strengthened and conditioned!

Conclusion

Lately on Instagram, I've been seeing all of this incredible hair by hairstylists like Guy Tang and Linh Phan. These professionals have specialized products, like Olaplex, that are only provided to salons, and some of the products that are readily available to the masses can be pretty pricey.

Lucky for you and me, there are several natural ingredients that you can find in your kitchen. Even if you're a poor college student, you can still pick up these items for cheap.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2016 Alex Rose

I love finding alternative ways to style my hair without using heat or products. I can achieve salon results without damaging my hair!

I dye my hair a lot. That sometimes means bleaching it too—which only serves to dry it out and damage it. I try to stay away from heat, but sometimes there's nothing else I can do! I'm sure many of you have experienced hair damage in some sort of way. And when that happens, it's so important to give your hair the nourishment it needs.

Shampoo and conditioner only go so far. Sometimes, you need to go HAM and just take a day to pamper your hair! Using a hair mask is the ultimate way to do that.

You can buy something from the store, but if you take a look at the ingredients, I bet you don't know what half of them are.

Here's my rule: If it's something I can't pronounce and have never heard of, I try to stay away from it (until further research is conducted). The great thing is, I've got a bunch of stuff in my kitchen that I know is good for my hair.

Take A Look in the Kitchen Cabinets

Seriously! Olive oil. Honey. Coconut oil. Egg yolks.

Okay, the egg yolks really shouldn't be in the cabinets. But many of the things in your own kitchen act as amazing moisturizers for your hair! And the best part is, you can get away with mixing a lot of things to make an ultra-awesome hair mask.

How it Works

Different ingredients will do different things for you—so create the hair mask to focus on the areas you need.

• Egg Yolks: Yolks contain tons of protein and amino acids, as well as vitamins A, E, and D. This combination stimulates sebum generation, which controls dandruff and scalp dryness. Vitamin E helps protect against UV rays, and fatty proteins reduce frizz!
• Olive Oil: Hair loss is generally caused by the shrinkage of hair follicles, because of the overproduction of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Olive oil helps to reduce the production of DHT. In addition to containing vitamins that nourish your hair, olive oil also has antifungal properties!
• Honey: Honey is also a great antifungal and antioxidant. It's also a humectant, meaning that it keeps your hair moisturized.
• Coconut Oil: Coconut oil has a very low molecular weight, which allows it to easily penetrate the hair shaft and work from inside. It provides proteins and vitamins K and E, which both fight against hair loss and promote healthy, soft hair.

Make Your Mixture

You can't really go wrong with these core four ingredients. The worst you could do is not wash it all out completely, which would actually be good for your hair. I mean, you might look greasy and stuff but the mask would be soaking into your hair longer!

The Process

Now that you've put together your mixture, get ready to get messy.

I recommend heating up your mixture, but only for a short amount of time. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so you'll want it to melt a little so it can mix properly with your other ingredients. Also, avoid heating egg...it'll cook.

When your mixture is warm (not HOT), find your nearest bathroom or toilet seat. Maybe even lay a towel down on the ground.

While seated, bend over with your head between your knees. You want the blood to go to your head—and no, I'm not trying to make you dizzy. The blood going to your head means that you're getting your circulation going! As you're upside down, massage the oil/honey/egg/whatever mixture into your scalp. What's the point of all this? It will stimulate your hair follicles to promote growth.

Once you've got all the gunk in your hair, let it sit. If you've got a few hours, use them! If not, 30 minutes to an hour will do a good job too.

When your time is up, hop into the shower and rinse out all of the stuff with warm water. Be careful with hot water, especially if you've put egg in your hair...it may start to cook. Plus, it'd look weird.

Rinse out as much as possible, and then shampoo/condition. Those of you who follow my blog know that I am a subscriber to the no-poo movement. That means instead of using shampoo pumped full of damaging sulfates, I use baking soda. However, I've found that when doing hair masks with a lot of oil, it's a bit difficult to wash out with baking soda. Don't smite me, but when I do hair masks, I just wash out with normal shampoo. I can't tell you how many times I've thought I did a good job washing, and then my hair dries and it's heavy with oil.

The Results

I decided to try my own mask and videotape it for your sake. In the video above, I used two egg yolks, two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and one tablespoon of warmed coconut oil.

I left the mixture in for about an hour before washing it out. The results were fantastic.

Usually, my hair can be difficult to comb through. It tangles easily. I let my hair air-dry fully after showering and ran my fingers through it. It was incredibly smooth and soft! The egg yolk definitely played a role in making it shiny and de-frizzed. I also found that after styling my freshly egged hair with Curlformers, my curls stayed in longer!

Check out the photos below and see for yourself!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

My Inspiration for Trying Curlformers

I've been following Melanie Harter on Flickr for over five years, and I've always been envious of her perfect curls. I really thought they were natural, but after searching through her photos, I learned that she uses Curlformers to get those beautiful curls.

Not only does Melanie use Curlformers to create her great style, but she also uses them when dying her hair. As you can see, she used them to create rainbow hair! In this case, the Curlformers separate out sections of hair, much like foils used in salons, to help keep the colors from mixing together. They also make it much easier to wash each color out in sections.

Finding a Heat-Free Curling Solution

I like to dye my hair a lot, and lately, I've been contemplating some major hair changes that would require a lot of bleach. For this reason, I have been trying to get away from using heat, because even with heat protectant products, it can still wreak havoc on your hair. Especially if it's bleached. So to protect my hair from further damage, I've been looking for an effective way to get heat-free curls. I've been eyeing Curlformers for a while, and finally took the plunge.

Types of Curlformers

In my search, I discovered that they make three different types of Curlformers—barrel, spiral, and corkscrew.

• Barrel Curls: These are wide, bouncy, and big.
• Spiral Curls: These are tighter than barrel curls but still soft and bouncy.
• Corkscrew Curls: These are narrow and tight.

How to Use Curlformers

Well, it's pretty simple. You look like an alien for several hours, and then you look hot as hell.

Seriously though, it's not a difficult process. In your kit, you get some hooks—they look like big crochet needles—and the curl form tubes. The forms are made of a kind of woven plastic, and no matter how you bend them, they spring back into their curl shape.

Basically, you thread the hook through the Curlformer, hook a section of your hair, and pull it through. There's rubber on both ends of the tubes that gently grips the base of your hair and keeps the tube from slipping off. Your hair should be damp to start. After it dries inside the curl forms, pinch the rubber ends and slide the Curlformers off for big, bouncy spirals!

Barrel Curl Review

My hair falls about four inches past my shoulders and is dead straight. I decided that barrel curls would be the most manageable and natural-looking on me. I purchased a kit with 16 barrel-style Curlformers. It comes with eight clockwise and eight counterclockwise spirals so that all the curls are not turning in the same direction. Make sure you buy a kit that comes with the styling hook.

It took a couple of tries to get the hooking technique down so I wasn't pulling my hair out as I tried to pull it through the form. After a while, the prepping was complete! I only ended up using 11 curl forms to cover my whole head.

So Soft You Can Sleep in Them

The great thing about Curlformers is that there is no pain. The rubber at the tops of the forms keeps them secured to your hair without tugging or ripping it out. They're easy to put on and easy to remove.

As a matter of fact, they are comfortable enough to sleep in! I slept in them my first time using Curlformers and enjoyed a good night's sleep. Sure, I had to adjust them every so often, but they're flexible and fairly soft. They didn't really get in the way.

The Results Are Exactly What I Wanted

After removing the tubes, you should always comb or at least finger comb your curls out. Nothing looks weirder to me than perfect little ringlets. They're just unnatural, stiff, and look kind of dumb. After a bit of fluffing, the look is complete.

I was so pleased when I took my Curlformers out—they worked perfectly! No heat and no excessive styling products to hold the curl. Just big, beautiful, perfect curls.

Comments

Rock Artist on October 14, 2017:

Omg, these look so cool, can't wait until my hair gets long enough to try them!

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

What Exactly Is Hair Toner?

Toner is a sweet little product that neutralizes brassy yellow and orange tones on bleached hair. It is usually purple-blue tinted. When applied to bleached hair, it takes it to more of an ashy, dusty, or platinum color. That means a much more natural-looking hair tone! It can also make your hair look shinier and healthier.

Toner is the term used for the product specifically meant to tone hair, but you can also use other products to tone your hair, such as hair dye or purple shampoo.

Have you ever seen someone walking around with yellow hair? And I don't mean like they picked up a bottle of Manic Panic's Electric Banana hair dye. I mean, they tried to go blonde, and it just came out a terrible mistake. Instead of Jennifer Lawrence, it was Lisa Simpson. That bad.

The problem is that they didn't use a toner.

What Does Toner Do to Hair? Important Things to Know About Toner

• Toners alter the undertone of hair color but do not lift the shade. This is why they are meant to be applied to bleached or blonde hair and will not work on darker hair.
• Toner can help you manipulate the shade of your blonde hair to make it look cooler, dingier, ashier, or even different colors like pink or purple.
• You can use it all over your hair or just in specific parts where you want to change the shade. For example, it can tone down just the part of your hair with highlights or just at the roots to make them look more natural.
• The more you wash your hair, the more frequently you'll have to tone it. You can either tone it at home or go to the salon for touch-ups.
• You can use three different types of products to tone: purple shampoo, ammonia toners, or dye. I'll go into details about those below.

Using Ammonia Toner

What Kind of Toner Should You Use?

Wella Ammonia Toners

Wella has a great toner line called Color Charm. An ammonia-based toner is actually a demi-permanent hair color that contains ammonia. It will change the pigment makeup of your hair shafts. So be careful!! If you've just done a bunch of bleaching, your hair is already pretty fragile. If you can stand it, wait a few days. In those few days, I'd really try to stay away from shampooing. Shampoo will only serve to dry out your hair even more.

Once your hair is done being mad at you, you'll be ready to apply toner. Wella, a well-known brand of toner, calls for you to mix 1 part toner with 2 parts 20 volume developer. The mixture is left in the hair for up to 30 minutes before rinsing.

Don't try to make up your own ratio or alter the instructions that you read on the bottle. Follow them! Each toner is different, and everyone's hair reacts slightly differently to the products. Give yourself the best chance at success and follow the directions.

Purple Shampoo

Some people skip that whole thing and tone using purple shampoo. Yes, that's really what it's called. I use Generic Purple Shampoo, which you can pick up at a Sally's or online. It's got a really strong purple tone to it, so when it's left on your hair for 5–10 minutes, it will neutralize brassiness. This is great because you can use it to maintain ashy tones every time you wash your hair!

You might need to try a couple of different brands to get the strength of toning that you need.

Dye

Another method people use to tone is to just use dye. This is technically not "toning," but it will serve the same purpose. The common theme here is using purple to neutralize yellow . . . so the logical formula to tone using hair dye would be to take a *small* amount of purple hair dye and mix it with a much larger amount of white conditioner. You'd apply the mixture for at least 15–30 minutes and then rinse out.

Using Dye as Toner

When to Tone Blond Hair

Obviously, you should apply it after bleaching. But when is best?

If you go to the store and buy yourself a toner, say, Wella's Color Charm in Lightest Ash Blonde, you'd really have to wait until your hair is lifted to a very light tone of yellow.

Otherwise, you run the risk of wasting your product and not achieving the desired results. So, once you're at a light-light yellow, you're free to tone.

In general, you want to make sure that your hair is the desired level of blonde that you want and that it's in a place where it can take more treatment (is not too damaged).

What Results Can You Get?

You can get a huge range of color tones, from warm honey to light ash, and even silver! Wella Color Charm Toners have even got some red, brown, and violet toners that can be used on dark hair. Do your research and figure out what sort of tints and tones you can create on your own hair!

Sometimes, you get unintended results. If you choose the wrong toner to balance your color out, you may end up with green hair! But don't worry; it can be fixed!

What's the Upkeep?

Depending on your hair-washing habits, you may have to re-tone anywhere from 2–8 weeks in. Make sure you don't wash your hair directly after toning because the color will start to slip out.

The less frequently you wash, the longer your color will stay in. Not to mention, you really shouldn't be washing your hair every day . . . it strips out your natural oils and dries out your hair. Which is really not the best thing to do when you've just been bleaching and toning!

Keep Conditioning!

Any time you mess with bleach or ammonia, it's a great idea to show your hair some love too. Use a leave-in conditioner, or apply a hair mask every so often! There are some really great ones that are so simple to make and often use ingredients you probably have in your kitchen.

One of my favorites is to heat up extra virgin olive oil until it's warm to the touch. Sitting over the tub, lean over so your head is kind of between your knees, and your hair is flipped upside down. Massage the warm oil into your scalp to moisturize your hair and activate your hair follicles. This is supposed to help your hair grow too! Leave the oil in for as long as you're comfortable, but at least 30 minutes, before washing out with a sulfate-free shampoo.

Coconut oil is another great tool to use when moisturizing hair. Don't hesitate to look up different hair "recipes" to keep your mane soft and strong!

Other Beauty Articles by Alex

Hey all! Thanks for reading, and be sure to check out my other beauty articles on my page!

• DIY Hair: How to Fix Yellow Hair
• DIY Hair: How to Get Rose Gold Hair
• DIY Hair: How to Remove Red Hair Dye

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Wahnema on July 15, 2020:

I had my hair colored platinum a day ago with a new girl. She bleached it and added pink highlights. While she was doing the highlights she said she would put a toner on. When she was done my hair on the sides were very dark (pixie cut). The top is a light purple. It looks really awful!!!! How can I get the toner out?? Thank you!!

Notinks on July 02, 2020:

I bleached my daughter's dark blonde hair with Schwarzkopf BlondMe and then dyed with a mix of Igora Royal Rose and Pearlescence Coral about 2 months ago. It has faded a lot and she now wants to go with more of a light golden blonde. She has regrowth as well. Would an ammonia-based toner work ?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 03, 2020:

T18 isn't going to work, it only works on super light hair. If it were me, I'd go over the roots with a light brown dye. I'd apply just at the roots, because if you take it too far down your strands, it risks bleeding onto the parts you've just bleached!

K Harris on June 01, 2020:

Hi there,

I attempted to give myself at-home balayage during quarantine and I think something went sort of wrong with the toning stage. I used a bleach powder with a 30 developer, painted the strands I wanted lighter, let it set for a little while, and when I took it out, the strands were light yellow which is what I was expecting (I started as an ashy light brown, and my hair lifts very quickly). However, when I toned, I used a the Wella T27 toner with 10 developer, put it all over my head, and may have waited a bit too long (somewhere around 45 mins). Instead of toning just the lightened strands and achieving a beige blonde with brown roots, the bottoms of my hair are fine and are blonde, but the top is orange-y and yellow and I don't know how to fix it. I tried purple shampoo but it's still yellow/orange (almost looks more like strawberry blonde). It's not horrible, but it's not what I wanted. Should I tone again with a different toner (possibly something more ashy like T18) and use 20 developer or 10 developer? Or should I go over top of my roots with a light brown hair dye and just dye roots? I'm not sure what move to make here. Any advice would be helpful!!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 10, 2020:

I've never used the Schwarzkopf brand before so I'm not very familiar with it, but if you have yellow tones in it it seems that Schwarzkopf Ice Toner may be what you're looking for. That should tone you to a light white/silver! I'm assuming you're going for platinum blonde, that seems to be the most similar to Wella T18 which is what I use to get to platinum. Good luck!

Mia on May 08, 2020:

I bleached my hair with Schwarzkopf Blond me and 20 volume water, but I was afraid of breaking my hair so I´ve removed the bleach after 20 minutes. Some parts are quite orange now. After that, I mixed a 9.1 with 7 volume developer and I left it, on wet hair, around 10 minutes. I washed it with purple shampoo and I performed a keratin treatment after. I don´t hate it but still is in some parts kinda yellow. So my question is, can I bleach it again on the roots, and what produuct of Schwarkopf blond me do you reccomend me to tone it. I'm from spain this is a brand I can get here that is why I am asking. Thank you very much.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 05, 2020:

I would recommend giving it a few days to a week - don't shampoo in that time! Just use conditioner or hair oils to hydrate your hair. Shampooing will just strip the moisture back out. Luckily you probably aren't seeing that many people right now so it's the best time to just take care of your hair.

Usually this is the process I'll do - I lighten it up enough, leave it yellow for a week, and then do the toner. Just make sure you continue conditioning, and try not to shampoo so frequently. Since I've gotten my hair to white, I only shampoo it once a week. Use a dry shampoo if you need! Good luck!

Donna from Manchester on May 02, 2020:

Hello I bleached my hair twice it's gone a lovely shade but bleaching it has caused damage so I am now deep conditioning for a few days before putting a silver on but would it be safe for me to use the t18 and developing cream first or will it cause more damage thankyou in advance

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 01, 2020:

I think you would have to bleach your hair first, which should be quick and easy since your hair is already blonde. I'd use Ion Bright White Creme Lightener and Salon Care 10 Volume Creme Developer. Since you've never done your hair before, you should enlist someone to help you get even coverage with the bleach!

Once you've gotten it to the lightness you want, rinse out. Could be anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes. Then use Wella T18 toner with 10 or 20 volume developer!

Chantal on April 29, 2020:

Hi, I am naturally blonde and have never dyed my hair. My hair is a natural blonde color with golden undertones. I would love to get more of a silver blonde with cool undertones. Do you have any tips as to which products I can use to achieve this? Thank you in advance!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 27, 2020:

Hi! So it's pretty hard to go from brown to silver, but your friend is right, he probably will have to bleach twice. I usually get my supplies from Sally Beauty, which is closed right now, but you can order from their stores online with no big shipping delays.

Unfortunately drug stores and superstores like WalMart don't usually have the correct supplies for bleaching or toning, but they have plenty of dye.

If you can order online from Sally's, I'd recommend getting Wella T18 toner and Salon Care 20 volume creme developer. These products will tone his hair to a more neutral color, but they will ONLY work if all of his hair is light yellow. If you're still seeing some dark yellow and orange tones in it, he needs to bleach once more before using toner.

If you're searching for another sort of bleach to use, I recommend Ion Bright White Creme Lightener, which you can also use with the 20 volume developer. All of these products can be found on Sally Beauty's website! Sorry I can't recommend something in-store, it may be better to order online right now anyways!

Lisa on April 25, 2020:

Hi, your articles are great and full of easy to understand info. My son decided he wants to dye his hair grey/silver. He ordered a bleach kit, and dye, but he has dark brown hair so he was told by a friend he would need to bleach it twice so he did it last night and was planning on doing it again today but it’s definitely yellow and needs toner. Could you recommend a toner/hair color kit that we could find at a grocery store, cvs, target or a Walmart that would be an option to use as toner since the beauty stores are closed?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 23, 2020:

It's ideal to have platinum blonde hair before using a blue dye. Toner's not going to help you unless your hair is light enough in the first place. The unfortunate truth about blue is that blue + blonde (basically yellow tones) = green. It's always going to fade green unless your hair is platinum, white, or silver underneath. My process is to bleach to super light yellow, tone with Wella T18 to have basically white-platinum hair, and then apply blue dye. If you don't want to bleach it platinum, the only solution I can see here is to only wash your hair once a week, and apply dye about once a week or two to keep it from fading.

As for roots, when I'm using blue I always bleach my roots after about 4-6 weeks, and apply color directly after. I do recommend Arctic Fox blues because they don't have any harsh chemicals in them and are very vibrant. If you're not bleaching your roots, you can just apply AF dye right onto them, leave it in for a couple hours, and rinse out in the shower!

Megan on April 22, 2020:

I want to add blue to my hair, but I hate when it fades to a green-ish tone, how can I avoid this? Should I use a toner between bleaching and dying it blue? I currently dye over my darker blonde hair with a Wella 8N without bleaching it in order to slightly lighten it. I'm going to bleach the underneath layer of my hair with a 20 developer in order to get a more vibrant color, but I'm not going to go super blonde. Should I use a toner to help prevent the blue from fading to green? Is there a better blue brand I should use after the bleach? Also, when touching up the blue color later, do you have tips for what I should be doing with my roots? Thank you!!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 22, 2020:

Purple shampoo doesn't do a whole lot unless you leave it in for a long time, I'd say it's probably better for you to tone your hair again. If you're able to make an appointment, I'd go with that - but if you're stuck doing it at home, you should easily be able to tone!

If your highlights are super light, like yellowy, I'd use Wella T18. I'm thinking since your hair is brown, yours may be more of a golden color, in which case I'd recommend Wella T35. You'd mix a 20 volume developer with this and then apply it to the lightened sections. Look up "Wella Toner Chart" on google images and you'll find a graphic that will help show you what the different toners do!

Sandra Grooms on April 17, 2020:

My hair is dark have I had highlights done about 4 months ago and the are turning brassy, I've used purple shampoo and it hasn't done anything. Can I tone my hair to lighten them back up or should I have them redone??

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 15, 2020:

If you want highlights to be touched up, the only way you'll be able to do it is with bleach! Dye is adding color on top, while bleach is pulling pigment out and making it lighter. A toner is something you would use on hair that has already been lightened.

Bleach is a lot to learn and there are lots of mistakes that you can make - it may be best to just wait until salons open back up, unless you are 100% set on doing it at home! I do have some articles on how to use bleach - you should be able to pick up bleach highlight kits from a drug store. They include a cap that you have to pull little bits of hair through.

Patricia Lingard on April 15, 2020:

I have light blonde highlights and roots showing up darker so ive put ash blonde nice + easy on hair . Its gone darker than i thought it would on un highlighted hair . Should i put a toner on or whatwould be your advice please . Thanking you in advance .

Joyce Dumas on March 13, 2020:

Great advice.

Valeria on January 18, 2020:

Hello!

I seem to struggle to find WELL COLOUR CHARM toners in Europe (where I live at least). But it’s quite easy on the other end to find WELLA COLOUR FRESH. How is it different from colour charm? Would it work as a toner on slightly brassy hair?

Cheers :)

Ailish on January 13, 2020:

Some of this information is incorrect I'm afraid. 20vol is not the correct devleoper to use when toning.

Ikram on December 15, 2019:

Hair mask recipe for damaged hair (or dry, frizzy hair): you'll need one egg with 2 tablespoons of olive oil mix well and apply it all over your hair from roots to ends leave in for 2 hours and wash your hair (ps: the eggs can leave a funny smell so wash it well)

Do it once a week and avoid washing your hair a lot (once a week is enough)

Alex S. on December 01, 2019:

Heyy , I am going to dye my hair and I already KNOW it's going to turn yellowish orange. So , I am going to tone it , I just don't want a grey-like tone , like a step under the Wella T18 , that everyone's talking about . Help please !?

Wmg on November 10, 2019:

My toner is too purpley grey on my hair. Just had it done. Want it warmer. What can i do?

Diane Jacobs on August 30, 2019:

How long should I leave the bleach in my hair? I know you said 15 minutes wasn't enough but is there a more specific range?

TR on May 31, 2019:

I have been bleaching for years and always use purple shampoo but I hesitate to leave it into long because May hair

Literally turns purple what can I

Do ? I have just been dealing with brass tones because mine isn’t horrible that way but I love the time it did turn out

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 28, 2019:

Toner, color stripper, and bleach all have chemicals that will unfortunately cause some amount of damage. If you don't want to use any of those, the sun, chlorine, and shampoo will all help the color fade.

nin on May 25, 2019:

I have pink hair right now and I want to go blonde, how can I achieve this without damaging my hair further?

DOROTHY RIDEOUT on March 22, 2019:

Hi

I'm letting my hair go natural, I still have alot of brown with white, the white gets a yellow tint. Is it ok to use purple shampoo or would is damage my hair

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on March 05, 2019:

I would dye it and then do the highlights - if you put the dye on top, it'll most likely just cover up the highlights completely.

Eileen Vicks on March 03, 2019:

I want to dye my hair dark ash brown and do some ash highlights in it. Should I highlight first then dye my hair ash brown to neutralize the highlight or dye it first then use the highlight and use purple shampoo?

Amanda Siekbert on February 09, 2019:

My hair has naturally been growing out for about 2 years and I am a natural blonde. I have almost lighter brown roots now about 6 inches long, with the old existing light blonde color from about midways toward the bottom. I’ve never gone this long without coloring my hair. It’s about 3 inches past my shoulders. I’m trying to get something different than the same old super light blonde, maybe a pretty bright color without damaging it so bad but I’m not sure where to begin having dark and light colored hair

Val Lloyd on February 04, 2019:

My hair was highlighted l went for a blonder look & ended up with some brassy tones. I put a ‘Touch of Silver Shampoo’ all over on dry hair left on for 2 hours now my hair is a lovely light grey much better with my new blunt cut. Total transformation pleased!

Mark on January 18, 2019:

Can oxidizer mixed with white conditioner work as toner??

Ann810 from Sunny Cali on December 16, 2018:

Informative article great tips for maintain the right color on hair, toner is the way. Thanks

Telisha Swails on September 08, 2018:

To fix bleach blonde hair that is brassy when starting out with dark hair use a lightest neutral blonde dye ,I like Clairol soyplex with the lightest cool blonde . 50/50 ratio it will tone hair and give you a light cool blonde without going to ashy. This was a long experiment I did . Use a 20 vol ion sensetive scalp is great!

Regina on September 05, 2018:

How do I keep my naturally white hair from yellowing? Purple shampoo made my roots purple but didn't diminish the yellow. Platinum toner with 10 volume turned my hair ugly gray which fortunately washed out in 2-3 washings. Have begun to use clarifying shampoo; I hope to maintain a consistent color across the time line. Someone suggested hard water is the culprit. Thanks for listening.

Lupita on August 15, 2018:

Hi so I have a chocolate Browns and some yellow highlights that the lady at the salon messed me up with I want it to turn an ash brown color what can I use?

Sky762 on July 20, 2018:

Hello. I bleached my hair and then used the t18 toner. It was lighter than I wanted so i put a lightest ash blonde dye on it and it is grey with some purple and some blue at the roots. Im at a loss right now. I have no idea what to do. Can anyone help ?

Candy on July 05, 2018:

Hi, I have a problem on a different level. So my hair has been bleached for some time, and i wanted to go and bleach my roots only, ended up with bleach almost all over, so darker hair turned orange, bleached again, more yellow, and then i toned..... again over all my hair, hoping it will all be one colour. SO..... had the toner in for 5minutes, and then (all the previous bleached hair) turned purple. Bleached the purple out, and then back to yellow. Mixed some of my purple shampoo with conditioner, moment I put it on, turns purple. Only the previous bleached parts. Bought a grey toner, loved the top root colour, ends turned BLUE. So bought ash blonde dye, But it's not what I want, platinum is what i was going for. Seeing now, that the ends are starting to come through again. Washing out. PLEASE HELP!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 03, 2018:

It's really going to depend on what you're going for. If you get 2-3 levels of lift and you're happy with the color it comes out, don't bother toning!

Samantha on July 01, 2018:

Hello! Is it necessary to tone hair even if you're just lifting 2-3 levels of hair color?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 19, 2018:

If you have any orange in there you probably need to bleach again! Once all of your hair is white/light yellow you'll be ready to tone or use the charcoal color.

Amie on June 17, 2018:

Hi. I am trying to get my hair light enough to take the light charcoal color( looks almost like really lt silver). I used to keep it died permanent darks. Rt now it is white at roots, yellow/ blond and some really orangy streaks. I did a test strand with the charcoal. It's almost there. Should I use a toner...?

Chelsea Skiles from Traverse City, MI on May 06, 2018:

Ok thank you. I noticed when I used the toner I might have put to much developer in there because it was a bit watery and didn't stay at my roots. I'll try the T18 again only on my roots. I did a bleach wash and my natural hair is a dirty blonde so It looked even. Thank you for help Alex :)

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 04, 2018:

If your hair was even that's weird that it stayed yellow up top! Usually the heat from your scalp will make that process faster. I'd try out T18 once more at roots only. If your hair isn't a level 10 blonde though the toner might not take very well - maybe go for T15 or T11.

Chelsea Skiles from Traverse City, MI on May 04, 2018:

HI, I'm Chelsea. I Bleached my hair, I toned it I used purple shampoo. The rest came up with was a golden blonde. So I waited a month till my hair felt healthy enough. I gave myself I bleach bath. and it turned brassy yellow. over all even though. So I used Wella 18 toner and now my roots are yellow and my hair is white.... what should I do now???? pls help

Tiffany on March 28, 2018:

@jane Toshack - Yes exactly what she said. You should grab a color wheel if you are doing your own hair. Its a must. I got mine for a few dollars at the art store near me. Yellow + Blue (Steel Color is blue based) make green.... so I would use a Violet with a super small touch of steel if you are going for that cool almost grayish color. But I mean like a 10:1 ratio on that.... that's what I do. I use Redken Shades EQ Mostly clear - Prob 1oz with 20ml 09V and maybe 2ml 09B (Sterling) and I love it! I will use 09T sometimes too. l

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on March 23, 2018:

Everyone's hair is different, depending on what toner you use you may end up toning only the yellow and not the orange! If you go for something with a blue-violet base it should cover both areas. If you're set on not bleaching, that's what I would look for. Just keep in mind, you may not be able to achieve ash from orange without another bleaching. Wella has a toner that works on "golden" hair, T35. You could also try using an ash blonde box dye. Another option for the oranges would be to pick up a blue toning shampoo, that will gradually reduce the orange tones should they not come out otherwise. There are pretty good reviews for Joico's Color Balance Blue Shampoo!

Katniss93 on March 22, 2018:

Thank you for your helpful information!! last year I went to my hair dresser that I have been going to for several years and told her I would like my hair to match my roots that is a blend of dark ash and natural grey, it looks pretty (I think) the out growth that has been dyed and bleached over the years. She dyed my all of my hair like a dark chestnut brown then went in and weaved in bleach for the blonde streaks then a week later I went back and she added a toner to it, when she washed out the toner it turned all the dark chestnut color orange and a lot of my hair broke off from damage and I was mortified to say the least.....I have not put any color, toner in my hair since a year ago I've only deep conditioned and shampoo/conditioner 2-3 times a week. Now I am tired of this yellow/light orange hair that has grown out and have about 4-5 inches of my natural roots showing. I want to put a toner in my hair to hopefully get a light ash blonde to closer match my roots. Question is, do I have to bleach it again? I don't want more damage, my hair is in pretty good shape now.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on March 19, 2018:

I've never personally experienced this problem, but from what I read "ash" toners have more green tones to them. If your hair was yellowish and you used a blue-tinted toner, those two colors could result in a green. Purple toner is better for yellow-toned hair!

jane Toshack on March 18, 2018:

I bleached my hair then used a toner (Steel Colour) my hair turned out green! fortunately I was advise to use fairy liquid to wash out and it worked. Why did it turn green though?

LWynn on February 27, 2018:

I did high lights on golden brown hair and then did a all over toner, all my hair turned a golden shade of blonde. All over one color . Should I do a low light to add dimension/

Christine Baylon on February 18, 2018:

hi! I'm planning on bleaching my hair. Right now it's a really dark brown because i dyed it a couple months ago. How many sessions do i need to achieve blonde without having too much damage? thanks!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on November 19, 2017:

Toner does smell really strong as it typically contains ammonia, it could have been. I'm not familiar with MG7 and MG6 or what that could have been. Did it look lighter before she put the"toner" in? If the bleach was in for 20 minutes it definitely should have done something.

Autumn on November 18, 2017:

I just had highlights done. When stylist took foils out and washed my hair, she put something on my hair...it smelled strong (like dye). I asked what it was and she said toner. I never had toner smell like this. I think it was hair dye for a mistake. She said MG7 on roots and MG 6 on ends or something like that to her asst. My hair looks like it has zero highlights after having foils/bleach put on it for 20 mins. Stylist said it will fade. It looks like I never had my hair colored. Any thoughts on if this was really toner or not?

Aya on October 01, 2017:

Hi! I dyed my hair gray/ silver. Can I tone it every 2-3 weeks to intensify the color? Or will it wash the gray dye off? Thanks! :)

Brigitte Lalonde on August 20, 2017:

I just bought a beige blonde instead of ash blonde. I also bought a toner from Schwarzkopf. I would love to have the purple color with the girl with her face covered. Do I have to put purple conditioner in the toner to get this color or if you please, tell me the steps you have taken to achieve this color. I also bought from amazon a color only made in the UK and it is like this purple but has more color as it is a PEARL color. So I thought I would blond my hair first to get ready for the PEARL color. I want to get this right and would love to hear how to do the light blonde to purple as in the picture above. I am ready to go buy a hair stripper if needed and I found some expensive purple shampoo and I really would love to attain this color. HELP ME PLEASE? THANKS A MILLION...Brigitte

Freja on August 04, 2017:

Hey so my hair turned COMPLETELY yellow. We are talking pee yellow here. I was dark blond and used the l'oreal Perfect blonde creme that lifts your hair up to 6 tones. I bleached it once and it turned REALLY yellow, and then i realised it hadnt been sitting long enough. So a few hours later i did it again and let it sit the remanining time. It turned it lighter and a slighter bit less yellow. I was wondering what I should do? I'm starting in school in 6 days and i'd like it to be pretty there (when my hair has calmed down the plan is to colour it pastel pink, can i do that on slighty yellow hair? or?)

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on August 02, 2017:

The dye toner won't make your hair lighter, just take out the brassiness. I believe when I did a dye toner I left it in for about 20 minutes. It was still a darkish blonde, the only way to get any lift would be to use a product with bleach or ammonia.

maidenblush on July 31, 2017:

Hello, I was wondering how often can you tone the hair using purple hair dye + conditioner? I recently bleached my level 1/2 hair twice till it got to a orange brassy colour. Then I dyed it in a blonde shade and got like an ashy blonde colour, but still had the brassiness so I made myself a diy purple toner and left it for only 5mins. Should I leave the purple dye in longer the next time to achieve a lighter hair colour? Or should I re-dye it over with a blonde shade?

Your reply would be greatly appreciated! xx

Laura on July 30, 2017:

If i have highlights and I add toner to all my hair would my natural hair change color I only want to the the highlights

Becky Callahan on July 24, 2017:

Thank you for your great article! Very informative! Question for you- I have tried a couple different Color Charm toner shades after doing at home frosting (both lighter and darker blond highlights). Here's my problem- I'm a natural redhead that's now mostly brownish red with a bit of gray, now that I'm in my 40's. So, obviously for me, lots and lots of brassiness whenever I try to frost/highlight. Would you still recommend this toner for someone like me? I'm a bit stumped whenever I use it, as to whether I should leave it on for shorter or longer than recommended time.

Lori on July 20, 2017:

Great advice

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 17, 2017:

Wella has some great info on their website about toners - I would not use another toner on top. I'd go with a dye.

http://maquillageobscura.blogspot.com/2015/08/hair...

Kate on July 16, 2017:

So I had highlights just done by a professional and I have dark brown hair. A friend who claimed she was a colorist offered to tone the brassy highlights a bit - using wella t18 with 20 developer and it turned my ENTIRE head orange. Question - is this permanent? will it fade? If I get it color corrected professionally with another toner what will happen when it starts to wash out- will I go orange again?

Christina Aitcheson on July 12, 2017:

Love to join your page

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 08, 2017:

I don't know if it would physically hurt or not, seems like you have a sensitive scalp. It would definitely help with the color though.

Libby Stephens on July 07, 2017:

Hey, my neice bleached my roots 4th of July. Which came out yellow blonde. Then put toner t18 on it. I had it on for 8 minutes and started burning. So, i washed it out. My hair in front is silver and my part and back and sides are still yellow. Would it hurt to go back with the toner again, or should i wait.?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 01, 2017:

You will have to either bleach the ends again or use a color stripper! I would almost rather go with bleach to be sure it works. It's always going to work better on virgin hair that is at your roots, the heat from your scalp makes it develop quicker. So I would say try out another bleach and see if it's light enough to tone platinum!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 01, 2017:

I would just try to tone again if it is only light yellow streaks! I have not used t14 before but if it has good reviews, may be worth a try!

Sammi huxley on July 01, 2017:

Hi

I had brown hair which i had not dyed in over a year and decided to go blonde, have bleached, waited, bleached etc got it to a pale yellow so thought I could do the wella t18 tonight. It has turned out fairly well but still has some very light yellow streaks. My question is do I need to bleach, tone again or can I get away with just toning again? Should I use a different wella toner, heard t14 is good. My hair is holding up quite well. Thank you.

Alanna on June 30, 2017:

I did my roots with strawberry blond then I had my hair highlighted my roots look very brassy but in another week my roots will need touch up very concerned ????

caitlyn on June 30, 2017:

you are a godsend! most informative person i've found so far about hair! I have a question that i just cant figure out the answer to.. how do I achieve a platinum blonde? my natural color is a dark blonde/light brown but i had dyed it a deep burgandy, since then i've done one bleach session and now my roots are suuuper bleached but the further you get to the bottoms it turns orange pink and yellow.. how do i turn that into platinum?! please help!

Heidib on June 28, 2017:

My husband has grey hair the stylist colored him and it's way too dark. He wanted to leave some grey tips how can I get the grey back? I've tried dawn, v-c and head and shoulders. Can I use a bleach? Or toner?

Rachel on June 25, 2017:

Hi

I had my hair highlighted at the hairdressers last week and it was a lovely ash colour. I washed my hair, and now the top looks yellow with bits underneath still looking lovely. What do I do, so want it to look platinum ash again! I'm really gutted, should I call the salon?

Ana on June 24, 2017:

Hello,

I have dark brown hair and want to lighten it to a dark ash blonde. I bought a L'Oreal colour strip and the wella colours dark ash blonde and light brown because I don't want it to light. But I forgot to buy toner. Would John Freda blonde shampoo or conditioner work as good as toner or is there something else you can suggest I can just buy from walmart. I ask because Sally Beauty is not close by and don't want to have to drive there again.

Thank you for your help!!

Ana

Penny on June 17, 2017:

I just got my hair dyed yesterday and went from dark blonde to light blonde, but unfortunately the color turned out too yellow-ish and makes me looked washed out because my skin is really fair. I've been trying to figure out what the heck to do with it, and I believe I'll end up toning it with the purple dye method. Thank you so much for your help.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on June 04, 2017:

Try using a cool toned brown dye!

Marg on June 03, 2017:

I have med to dark brown hair. I used med golden brown dye which was great except now my hair is getting lighter and more red orange are coming out. How do i make my hair just be brown

Nancy on June 03, 2017:

I stripped my hair, it was brown, want to go more blond.. I put a dye on it med blond . I am now blond with yellow. What should I do ?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 31, 2017:

If you toned, nothing major would happen to your brown hair. If anything it would just be toned a little cooler too, but it won't lighten up or anything.

Leahcj on May 30, 2017:

Hi, sorry if you've already answered this question but I have brown hair with blonde highlights and lowlights. The highlighted pieces are starting to turn a little yellow and orange. I already use purple shampoo but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. If I were to tone my hair would anything happen to the hair that is brown?

Lisa on May 21, 2017:

What color dye is the picture with the girl with the white blonde thats over her face. I am looking for that exact color for me. But the source on the picture says unknown

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 15, 2017:

Yes! That'll work just fine. Just make sure it's dark enough to actually hold!

Marie on May 13, 2017:

I bleached and used a purple dye to tone the yellow out, now I want to dye my hair purple but I dont want to mess it up. Can I just go ahead and use the same purple dye I used to tone to get my hair to turn purple.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 04, 2017:

I would leave the pink alone and tone! You might even consider using a light pink from Manic Panic - that won't have any harsh chemicals in it like a toner would. They have Cotton Candy Pink if you'd like to check it out!

John Passanante on May 03, 2017:

I used clairol 7th stage bleached out 3 times with 30 peroxide but still orangey

What bleach is stronger than 7th stage clairol?

Cheyenne on May 03, 2017:

Hey, loved your article. My hair has been through a lot recently; I made the mistake of listening to Sally's employees...So long story short, I dyed my hair a dark red, and eventually decided that I didn't like the color. I wanted to go to a light brown, that fades into kind of a rose pink. I waited a few days, and was told to go ahead and bleach it as pale as I can get it. My biggest mistake was not using a dye-remover to take out the red dye. I've got some orange, yellow, and really pale pink streaks going on. I've done several bleach baths; that's the maximum damage that my hair can take at this point.

What would you suggest that I do from here? Should I leave the pink streaks alone since that I'll have the roses pink in my hair eventually anyway? And just tone the rest?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 19, 2017:

T14 should work well on the darker parts of the highlights! If the rest of your hair is super dark, I would just put it on the lightened parts. Won't make much of a difference on your dark hair.

Nina on April 18, 2017:

My Natural hair is very dark brown (light black) last year my hairdresser bleached all my hair and then put light brown color on my hair, for about a year I just touched up my roots with out bleaching which was pretty fine. last month I went to salon to darken my hair and have some highlights on top of that, but the result of highlight is terrible, about 5 inches (highlighted part) close to my roots is Orange while the rest of them is light blond.

can I use T14 Toner? and should I use toner for all my hair or Just the highlighted parts?

Nicole on April 15, 2017:

Irish down, Butterfly, tan bun, Sandra, blue down, Bloom, Irish bun and Kendra, pink up.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 13, 2017:

If you're looking to go platinum, I would use the Wella T18 toner after you bleach your hair to a light yellow color!

ShennaR on April 12, 2017:

I used the color prep that comes in a box and is supposed to lift any old unwanted color. It is ammonia and bleach free. So my natural hair color is a little lighter thank dirty blonde but I had a dark burgundy dye on it and wanted to go back to blonde or even platinum. The color prep left my hair a really ugly orange what would be my next step ?? Bleach then tone with what??

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 10, 2017:

I haven't personally used that product, but it seems to have pretty good reviews online!

Judi on April 07, 2017:

Hi thanks this is great info. Can you tell me your thoughts on using magic silver white?

Judi x

Ssshhh22 on March 30, 2017:

Very informative article! Nice job... Thanks.

Alex on March 20, 2017:

Hi can i use toner? even tho my hair is not bleached?

Adele on March 10, 2017:

Hello, loved your article! I just wanted to ask you how long did the effect of the conditioner + purple dye last :)

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on February 21, 2017:

waveybadrian, are you bleaching or dying your hair? Toner is meant to be used after bleach, on a clean slate. I'm honestly not sure how it will work on hair that already has a product on it. It may be fine! But you can probably find a toner that would work in place of a dye, so you don't have to use double the chemicals on your hair. Wella 9a/940 or Wella 8a/740 1/2 may be some toners to consider!

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Oh, the ways you can gray. I'm only 23, so why do I have so many?! I've been plucking out my stray grays for several years now, but in reality, I could just be dying my hair gray so they blend in. Actually, this whole gray hair thing could be pretty cool!

Regardless of your situation, if you're looking to go gray, there are tons of different ways to rock it. However, it takes a bit of work to get there.

Dying Hair Gray Is Harder Than It Seems

So going gray isn't as simple as dying your hair any other color. It's a mixture of bleaching and toning, and maybe a BIT of dying depending on the shade you want. It's hard, and it's a big commitment. So be sure that you're ready to have various stages of bleached hair, and get ready to condition the crap out of it.

Really, you'll bleach to a light blonde and try to tone out the brassiness with purple shampoo or toner. Some people even opt to mix a bit of purple or blue hair dye in to neutralize yellows and oranges. It takes a lot of lifting to get to the right shade for toning, and then some dye to get to the gray you're aiming for.

That being said, if you're starting with dark brown or black hair, be patient. It took me 5 bleaches over the course of 5 months to get to a platinum blonde. I really tried to take care of my hair between bleaches by letting up on the shampooing and using olive oil and coconut oil to deep condition.

8 Gorgeous Gray Hairstyles for All Ages

So you've decided you want gray hair . . . but what kind? Here are eight awesome looks for gray hair—from a full dye job to subtle ombre.

1. Whole Head

The most obvious choice is to dye your whole head of hair, but this is a pretty drastic change for timid types. It takes a bit of work to accomplish, as well. You'd have to spend some time being blonde and lightening up your color before being able to tone it to the gray of your choice.

2. Frosted Tips

I've never been able to wear a pixie cut, but I think this style is killer. The frosted gray tips look amazing! If you've got a short do that you're looking to grow out, try bleaching and toning for these cute silver tips.

3. Layered

Layer up the gray like this chick by dying it on your upper or lower layers. There are lots of options here—you could leave your hair as its natural color while going gray on bottom, or even bleach to platinum so you can have gray and white layers.

4. Dip-Dyed

Dip-dying is pretty easy because it doesn't require as much technique or skill as other dying methods. You just . . . go in a straight line. And, you're not actually dipping, you're painting. Grab a dye brush and paint the bleach on to the desired height, wash it out and tone it up! Simple.

5. Highlights

Another low-key way to add gray is to tone it into your highlights. This model still has some ash blonde in her hair, which you can see around her roots. Bleach in some platinum highlights and tone away!

6. Rooty

My favorite method—rooty! I naturally have dark hair, so going full-head any color results in a terrible root line after a few weeks. By mixing the color in this way, it's way less noticeable when your roots start growing in.

7. Subtle

Noticeable, but not in-your-face. This is another great look for the low-key dyers. This gray is a little darker, so I'm willing to bet there was a TOUCH of black or purple dye used.

8. Ombre

Another easy-upkeep option for going gray is the ombre. As your hair gets longer, your roots will not be an obvious mess! Marie Negron is awesome at getting people gray and silver, so you should definitely check out some more of her work for ideas.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2016 Alex Rose

Comments

Amparo Hudson on March 26, 2020:

I want to do my hair platinum with black. How would I go about this?

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on April 20, 2019:

Sally's Beauty has several - Ion Titanium is one I have used before!

Michelle Dee from Charlotte, NC on April 19, 2019:

I have looked online for gray hair color but cannot find any. Do you know where I can purchase this product?

Amy on September 10, 2018:

Bleach the crap out of it, and then use Wella t14 toner to get a 'pillowcase white'

Mona Sabalones Gonzalez from Philippines on October 06, 2017:

Do you remember how Marilyn Monroe used to die her hair "pillowcase white"? That was the name she gave it. I wonder if you can offer tips on how to get that color?

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Neon colors are perfect for making a statement. Now, maybe you're not ready to make a huge statement by coloring your whole head of hair. That's fine! Neon colors look great on lower layers, as dip-dyes, and even as streaks. So even if you're not into taking the full-on plunge, here are several great dyes to consider.

I've taken the liberty of not only gathering photos of gorgeous colors but actually finding out what dyes were used to get them (which is more than a lot of people can say).

I can't tell you how many times I've searched for hair color photos and found the perfect one but had no clue as to what the dye is or how I can get that color.

So take a look at the list below, and do your homework on the different hair dyes available. Some of these even glow under blacklight, which is pretty awesome.

1. Pravana Neons Blue/Yellow

1. Pravana Neons Blue/Yellow

This awesome neon ombre was done by Linh Phan. He used Pravana's Neon dyes to create the look, applying Neon Blue at the roots and Neon Yellow at the mids and ends. He varied the height to which he applied the yellow, to stagger the blending of the colors.

2. Manic Panic Amplified Pillarbox Red

Pillarbox Red normally appears to be lightly faded out. The Amplified version, however, is as neon as can be! Red is great too because it takes well on non-bleached or lightly bleached hair.

3. Pravana Blue/Neon Blue

As seen in the first photo on the list, Pravana's Neon Blue is aqua-colored. Here's how it looks when blended with Pravana's Blue dye. For this look, try using a dye brush to paint the dyes on different strips of hair, rather than pre-mixing them in a bowl.

4. Manic Panic Lie Locks

Lie Locks looks most vibrant when bleached on platinum blonde hair! This one will probably take a bleach or two no matter who you are before dying.

5. Joico Color Intensity Red/Orange/Yellow

Joico's Color Intensity line is full of bright, bold hair colors. For this neon orange fireball look, mix up using their Red, Orange, and Yellow Color Intensity dyes.

6. Manic Panic Atomic Turquoise

This bright neon turquoise color was created by actually mixing several Manic Panic dyes. Typically, MP's Atomic Turquoise is a lot darker than this - here, it's combined with Electric Lizard and Green Envy.

7. Manic Panic Hot Hot Pink

Ursula Goff achieved this brilliant, bold pink by using Manic Panic's Hot Hot Pink. They've got several different shades of pink dye, but Hot Hot is the best for a bright neon.

8. Pravana Neons

This custom color was created by mixing Pravana's Neon Yellow with a touch of Neon Green. The best part? It glows under black light! Talk about rave hair.

9. Manic Panic Electric Lava

For a bright and bold red-orange, try using Manic Panic's Electric Lava. It can also be made brighter orange by mixing with MP's Electric Tiger Lily.

10. Manic Panic Electric Lizard

And now, to wrap things up with the perfect neon green...Manic Panic's Electric Lizard. As a matter of fact, all of MP's "Electrics" are pretty great. And this is another dye that glows under black light.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Yellow hair. For some people, it's just a bad attempt at going blonde. For others, it's totally intentional and totally kickass. Comic book yellows and oranges go perfectly on blonde hair and mix well with brown, too.

To my surprise, Manic Panic has about a million different orange dyes, ranging from soft, pink-oranges to neon, wildfire tones. Yellow is a bit harder to find, but once you do find it, the shade can easily be changed by mixing with orange or green.

For most of you planning to go yellow, you'll need to bleach to a pretty light blonde first. If you've naturally got very dark hair, bleach over several sessions with a 10 or 20 volume developer. Deep condition between bleaches to preserve your hair!

1. Sparks Sunburst Yellow

Get a warm yellow by using Sunburst Yellow by Sparks!

2. Manic Panic Tiger Lily

Manic Panic's Tiger Lily creates a beautiful light orange, with a tinge of yellow to it. It also fades nicely!

3. Manic Panic Sunshine

For a true, pure yellow, Manic Panic's got you covered with their Sunshine dye! Madeline Mason rocks it.

4. La Riche Directions Apricot

La Riche has a great color for those who don't want something super in-your-face. Their Apricot dye creates a soft, toned down, pinkey-orange that's perfect for summer.

5. Manic Panic Hellfire

If you're looking for a darker pinkey-orange, Manic Panic's Hellfire has got you covered!

6. Pravana Yellow and Orange

For a fiery colormelt, use Pravana's Vivid Yellow on roots and Vivid Orange on ends.

7. Manic Panic Tiger Lily and Electric Banana

A pretty and bright yellow-orange can be achieved by mixing a bit of Manic Panic's Tiger Lily with Electric Banana.

8. Bleach London Washed Out Orange

The most toned-down dye on this list, Bleach London's Washed Out Orange is a great, low-key way to add a bit of color. It would only work on light blonde hair—otherwise you run the risk of the color not showing up. It's really more of a stain.

9. Joico Yellow

This beautiful mustard yellow was created by using Joico Color Intensity Yellow on blonde hair.

10. Manic Panic Electric Lava

For Hayley Williams' bright orange hair, use Manic Panic's Electric Lava dye! It's super bright and tinged with red.

11. Manic Panic Psychadelic Sunset

This pretty peach can be found in a bottle! Manic Panic's Psychadelic Sunset offers a light orange, for those who prefer the pastel route.

12. Pravana Vivids Mix

Guy Tang is an expert with mixing Pravana Vivids! Here, he used Pravana's red, coral, orange, and yellow. In that order!

13. Manic Panic Electric Banana and Electric Lizard

If you'd like to go in the opposite direction altogether, try for a cooler yellow. Mix Manic Panics's Electric Banana with some Electric Lizard, using a dye brush to alternate the colors!

14. Pravana Vivids Orange Neon and Orange

Hair must be lifted to a copper gold color. Then, mix three parts of Pravana Vivids Neon Orange, with one part Orange. Apply it to the hair and process with medium heat for 20 minutes. The result is this fiery orange!

15. Manic Panic Wildfire

Speaking of fiery orange, Manic Panic has a great red-orange dye. This dye is a bright neon, great on pre-lightened hair.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Dyeing Your Hair Green

I've never liked the idea of green hair. However, that changed really fast once I started doing some research. There are so many shades, and they all look incredibly awesome when done right.

A lot of these lighter shades would do well on blonde hair—it doesn't even need to be platinum! And the darker shades take really well on unbleached hair.

Of course, if you are bleaching your hair, make sure to deep condition before and after. You can even condition during - with coconut oil! I've done this twice before. Basically, just rub coconut oil into the hair to be bleached. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so before bleaching on top of it. When you go to wash out your hair, it'll feel much healthier and moisturized than it ordinarily would after a bleach.

Outside of conditioning, I will honestly recommend that you wash your hair less. Not only does it help the color to last longer, but it's actually keeping your hair from drying out. Shampooing every day strips your hair of the natural oils that it needs, causing dryness and breakage. So try to cut out a day or two. If you get super oily roots, use corn starch as a dry shampoo. I swear by it.

1. Manic Panic Electrics

To get a bright, chartreuse green, use Manic Panic's Electric Banana and Electric Lizard. Start by pouring some green into a glass bowl, and add the yellow to suit your preference.

2. Ion Color Brilliance Mint

Jordi's gorgeous mint-green color can be recreated using Ion's Color Brilliance in Mint. While the dye has fairly good ratings, there have been a few cases of pastel blue hair.

3. Manic Panic Enchanted Forest

Manic Panic's Enchanted Forest creates a rich, deep blue-green. The best thing about this dye? It's good on unbleached hair too!

4. Pravana Green & Blue

If the blue tones in Manic Panic's Enchanted Forest aren't enough, try mixing up Pravana's Green and Blue dyes! It's handy to have several dyes to mix because you can really tweak the color to your own taste.

5. Manic Panic & Ion

This bright green was created using Manic Panic's Electric Lizard mixed with Ion's Color Bright Aqua. Intuition would tell you that adding blue would change the color to a sort of teal, but in this case, it made the green appear more vibrant.

6. Joico Peacock Green

This dye is to die for... The light brings out the depth and shades of the color, and it truly does look like Peacock green!

7. Manic Panic Electric Lizard

Okay, so Electric Lizard has been featured twice already—but with blue and yellow mixes! Here's what it looks like on its own—a bright lime green.

8. Pravana Green & Yellow

Never have I loved green hair as much as I love this mixture of Pravana dyes. Hairstylist Gina Atkinson mixed together Pravana's Green and Yellow.

9. La Riche Alpine Green

La Riche makes an Apple Green and an Alpine Green, but the Alpine green looks more like a true green apple to me. Keevanski even has a video tutorial of how she applied the color in her own hair!

10. Manic Panic Pastelized Enchanted Forest

For a lighter, softer green, mix Manic Panic Pastelizer with Enchanted Forest. If you're cheap like me, you can also just use white conditioner to mix the dye—instead of paying for Pastelizer.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2016 Alex Rose

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Granny hair—it's all the rage lately. Why would someone want to look old? Well, they don't really. They just look shiny and exciting. Seriously, take a look at these photos of twenty-somethings with silver hair. It's not a bad look! With a little work, you can have it too.

Before we get started, I want to warn you. This will damage your hair. Period. To get your 'do without any brassy tones requires a lot of bleach, which will end up making your hair pretty angry at you. So take a while, think about it, and once you're positive you want the look, proceed.

Supplies

• Bleach Powder: I bought a tub of Wella bleach powder for less than $10 at Sally's!
• Developer: I use 10 vol Salon Care Creme developer, though any sort of 10 vol should do just fine. You don't want to use anything much higher than 10, because that's total and complete hair death.
• Purple Shampoo: Generic Purple Shampoo will work just fine - and yes, that's the actual brand name. Purple shampoo will take out the brassy tones in your hair, and keep it more ash-toned on the regular. For more silver hair, try Fudge's Clean Blonde shampoo and conditioner.
• Toner: Depending on the level of white-gray you want, you'll have to choose some sort of toner. I have Wella Color Charm White Lady, which is supposed to tone bright yellows into pure white. For a silver look, try out Wella Drabber in 050, cooling violet. Your hair will have light violet tones, but a darker gray look.
• Coconut oil: This stuff is amazing for your hair, and will be absolutely necessary during and after bleaches to help nourish it.
• Dye brush: For applying bleach and toner.
• Gloves
• Tin Foil
• Shower Cap
• Time

Take Your Time

I understand hair urges, I totally do. You want it and you want it now. But, you're probably going to wish you hadn't when your hair turns to spaghetti after a drastic bleach. Seriously, that junk will melt off of your head. Nobody wants that.

If you want your hair to be salvageable, I recommend spacing the bleaches out over a few months. Of course, you don't have to do this. You can use 40 volume developer and get it all over with at once. You'd probably regret that though.

I'm currently going for a black to white ombre. I began by stripping my hair of its previous colors using Color Oops, because I found out it's terrible to bleach on top of already dyed hair.

Once I was satisfied with the amount of lift, I bleached my ends the first time. About a week later, I bleached again. My hair was still feeling good, and it was about halfway where I wanted it to be. I waited about another month, and bleached a third time. I was pretty sure it was light enough, but truly it wasn't. It will take another bleaching to get where I want it to be, and I've been waiting for two months. Mostly because I'm lazy. While some of my ends are splitting, it's nowhere near as bad as it was when I tried to bleach in one day (the dark ages).

Bleach to Start

I won't go into the details of bleaching here, partly because I've already written a whole article on the matter—which can be found here. One tip that may not be in that article is to apply coconut oil to your head before bleaching. I did this once, and the result was immaculate. Fully saturate your hair to-be-bleached with coconut oil, and then put the bleach right on top. It'll help to protect and nourish your hair while it is bleaching, and will result in softer post-bleach locks.

What I will say is that you should space out your bleaches, and do it until all of the orange is gone. You want your hair to be as light as possible so that the toner can actually make it white. The only way this will happen is if your hair is a super light yellowy color. Please be careful bleaching.

After bleaching, use your purple shampoo to tone out as much yellow as possible. When I apply purple shampoo, I try to leave it in for at least 30 minutes before rinsing out. This means I put it on before I get in the shower, and leave my hair up in a shower cap for a while.

Using the purple shampoo will help you see if you need to bleach again. If your hair is still super yellow, you should probably go for it.

If there's some noticeable toneage going on, you're ready for the real thing!

Toning

Instructions to tone should be located on the box the toner came in. If you're using Wella toner, they say to mix 1 part toner with 2 parts 20 volume developer. I have 10 volume developer, so I'd just leave it in for a little bit longer.

Use your dye brush to paint the toning mixture onto your hair, making sure to fully saturate your entire head. You should leave it on for 30-40 minutes, but monitor it to see if it is toning how you would like.

When you're done toning, rinse out with lukewarm water, and treat your hair to some oil. I mean, when I get out of any shower I put a little bit of olive oil on my hands and run it through my hair. Make it a normal thing. Then, let your hair air dry to save it from any further damage.

Upkeep

You'll have to do your roots every so often, so you can continue bleaching and toning, or just grow it out with an ombre. I've done that before too, and it's in my opinion the best way to phase out bleached hair.

Either way, keep the purple shampoo on deck and use it as needed to keep the yellow away. You'll probably have to trim your ends after all of this hair abuse too! Other than that, keep it conditioned and oiled after every shower so it's only the color of granny hair, and not the texture of it too.

Other Hair DIYs

If you've decided you'd like to do something with your hair, but the granny 'do isn't for you, check out some of my other hair dye how-to's!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Tips for Bleaching

Before we start, it's important to note that for most of these styles, you'll have to bleach your hair. If you're new to bleaching and dying and need some help, check out my article on How to Bleach Dark Hair!

Now, let's get on with the styles.

1. Teal Blue Ombre

Dye(s): Manic Panic Enchanted Forest

Manic Panic Raven Black

Process: If you're looking to replicate this gorgeous ombre, you'll have to have very light ends. There's this thing with blue/green dye where if your hair isn't PERFECTLY platinum, it'll turn baby poop brown. If you have dark hair, you will definitely have to use some sort of bleach to lift the color from your ends.

As you can see from the photo, this lady's roots are quite dark. You could achieve this by using a dye brush to apply Manic Panic's Raven Black to your roots—or skip it, if your hair is already fairly dark.

If you are opting to dye your roots black, you can totally do it at the same time that you put in Manic Panic Enchanted Forest. The Enchanted Forest dye is closest to what you see in the photo. If you'd like the same effect but more of a blue tone, try out Manic Panic's Atomic Turquoise!

To achieve an ombre, you have to mix a few varying concentrations of dye—so that it'll have that nice fading effect. If your hair is boobs-length, you'll probably be good with one mixture. Using a bowl, mix equal amounts dye and conditioner. Set it aside for later!

After using your dye brush to apply black (or not) at your roots, wash it to get all of the black out. Then, use the brush to apply Enchanted Forest for the next several inches down your strands. Be sure to overlap it with the black to blend.

Using a clean dye brush, do the same with the dye/conditioner blend. Paint it down to about two inches away from the tips of your hair. Leave the tips dye-free—so they stay as light as possible! After about an hour, wash it all out. If the dye has bled too much into your white ends, use hot water and baking soda to lighten them back up!

2. Full Bright Teal

Dye(s): Manic Panic Enchanted Forest

Process: If you read the "how-to" for the last section and it was like reading a foreign language, maybe you just need something easier. To achieve this mermaid hair, all you have to do is a simple bleach and dye.

You can do professional bleaching or at home—or, if you have super dark hair, lay the color on top for a dark tint. Be sure to wear gloves, and spread the color all throughout your hair like you would with a normal dye. Put on a shower cap and let it sit for at least an hour. You can leave this stuff in overnight if you want, Manic Panic is a safe dye! Rinse it out and BAM, you're a mermaid.

3. Purple, Blue, and Green Combo

Dye(s): Manic Panic Electric Lizard

Manic Panic Violet Night

Manic Panic Blue Moon

Process: This sort of dye job will be easiest to perform with the help of a professional, or an arty friend. Keeping dye from mixing will be difficult. You'll need lots of tin foil, some bowls, and separate dye brushes. It's also handy to have a removable shower head, for when it's time to wash out.

Separate the different dyes into bowls, with a dye brush designated for each color. Carefully take sections and paint them with the dye brush, root to tip, as desired. This is where the foil can come in handy. Line up the edge of the foil with your roots, and paint the strand of hair until it is fully saturated. Then, fold the tin foil over the hair and let it sit.

Work your way through all of your hair, being careful not to mix colors. Let it sit as long as your heart desires, at least a few hours. If you have friends, now is the time to call on them for help!

Starting from the top down, rinse out dyed strips one piece at a time in cold water (warm water causes the color to fade).

4. Pastel Rainbow

Dye(s): Manic Panic Electric Lizard

Manic Panic Blue Steel

Manic Panic Mystic Heather

Process: For a pastel look like this one, your hair will have to be as platinum as possible—which you can achieve with bleach and a good toner, like Wella Color Charm's White Lady. There are a few ways you can do this look: By dyeing as you would in #3 and letting the colors fade, by diluting already dark dyes, or by using specifically pastel dyes.

The Manic Panic colors I have listed above are already pastel, besides Electric Lizard—which will have to be toned down with conditioner. To do this, just mix it half and half with conditioner. Then, follow the same process as in style #3 above!

5. Bad Boy Blue

Dye(s): Manic Panic Bad Boy Blue

Process: Now, when I say this is important, I mean it!! If you fall in love with this mermaid hair, make absolutely 100% sure your hair is as close to white as possible. If there are yellow and orange tones and you use Bad Boy Blue, your hair WILL turn baby poop brown. I have proof of my own experience.

When it's as light as possible, add the Bad Boy Blue on top and leave it in for a few hours. Wash it out with cold water and you'll be mermaidified!

6. Purple and Blue

Dye(s): Manic Panic Blue Moon

RAW Deep Purple

Process: You could do this on dark hair without bleaching, it won't be nearly as light as in the photo BUT it'll look killer in the sun. Whether or not you opt to bleach, the process is simple.

Using your two dyes, paint sections of hair blue and purple as you desire. In the photo, it looks to have no set pattern—just random bits of blue and purple. You may want to tin foil the sections as they set, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. The colors are similar enough that if they touch, it won't be such a big deal.

7. Pastel Double-Ombre

Dye(s): Manic Panic Lie Locks

Manic Panic Mystic Heather

Manic Panic Atomic Turquoise (Plus Conditioner)

Manic Panic Siren's Song

Process: This one involves a lot of dye, but it's a simple process. Hair must be bleached as light as possible. Split your hair down the middle and put one side up in a pigtail so they don't mix.

Beginning with the purple side, start off using Manic Panic Lie Locks. Paint along your part and your roots using your dye brush, and carry the dye down about halfway down the length of your hair. Wash your dye brush, and then apply Mystic Heather the rest of the way down.

When you're done, put that side up in a pigtail and let the other side of your hair down. Copy the same process as before, but fading from Atomic Turquoise to Siren's Song. REMEMBER to mix Atomic Turquoise with conditioner—I'd do about half and half or so. The turquoise is pretty dark, so you can choose how light you want it to be with conditioner.

Let it sit, and rinse with cold water after several hours!

8. Teal Tones

Dye(s): Manic Panic Siren's Song

Manic Panic Bad Boy Blue

Process: This style looks to be a fair mix of the two dyes. Hair must be bleached as light as possible, with the lighter siren's song used around the face and Bad Boy Blue throughout lower layers.

Mixing is desirable, so don't worry about tin foiling to separate colors. I'd leave the colors in at least two hours, and wash out with cold water.

9. Violet Tones

Dye(s): Manic Panic Lie Locks

Manic Panic Violet Night

Process: The photo above is a faded version of mixing Manic Panic purple dyes. I've listed a few dyes above that can help you achieve this look! Violet Night is a bit darker, so if you want to you can leave it as is for a darker look, or mix it with conditioner to lighten it up. Lie Locks is pretty light as is.

Don't be afraid to mix the two, you can use a similar process as the one for style #8!

10. Teal-Purple Ombre

Dye(s): Manic Panic Siren's Song

Manic Panic Violet Night

Manic Panic Mystic Heather

Process: Start at your roots with Siren's Song, making sure to fully saturate the roots. About halfway down the length of your hair, Begin painting on with Violet Night and Mystic Heather. It's okay to mix the colors, so have fun! Washing out in the shower will also help the colors blend a bit more on the ombre.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 30, 2020:

It could be difficult, if your hair is black it will likely still look black indoors. Outdoors in the sunshine is where you will see color. I'd recommend doing blue, I've heard that Argan Oil 2B Black Blue is a good one. Check out some black to blue hair dye videos on YouTube!

aimee on July 29, 2020:

um this is actually a question, my hair is super black and i dont want to bleach it and i just want it dyed for a few weeks a deep color, which product is adviced

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Dyeing your hair can be a scary thing, especially if you've never done it or seen it done before. After all, isn't it permanent? Well, no, not really! But, hopefully, by the end of this tutorial, your newly colored hair will be so bitchin' that you'll wish it was permanent.

It really is a simple process, one that can be done in less than an hour by yourself from the comfort of your own home. Head to the store and pick your poison!

How to Dye Your Hair at Home

• Step 1: Prepare your hair.
• Step 2: Perform a strand test.
• Step 3: Mix the dye.
• Step 4: Apply it.
• Step 5: Wait and wash it.
• Step 6: Enjoy your new hair!

Materials

• Hair dye kit: These usually include instructions/information, gloves, colorant, developer, and sometimes, after-color conditioner. Check what's included in the box you're interested in before purchasing! Ammonia-free dyes are available, and preferable for me. Less hair damage, less terrible smell, etc.
• Mirror: Sometimes, two mirrors are helpful (to see the back of your head)—but not entirely necessary.
• Shower Cap: After applying color, it's nice to have some way to keep it on your actual head, instead of all over your clothes and furniture. If you don't have a shower cap, you can ghetto-rig one by using plastic wrap or a plastic grocery bag. Just don't let anyone see you.

Step 1: Prepare Your Hair

It's recommended that you don't dye your hair immediately after washing it—or else you run the risk of splotchy, uneven color. Give it 24-48 hours after your last wash. The natural oils in your hair will help the color to spread more evenly, and will serve to protect your scalp!

Step 2: Strand Test

A strand test is used to see how your hair will react to the dye. If you have any allergies, now is the time you'll find out. You also get to see what color the dye truly turns your hair—sometimes, it's not exactly as planned.

Honestly, I never do strand tests. If I bought the dye, I'm just going to use it and see what happens. My hair is naturally a medium-dark brown, and I've dyed it enough times to know just about what to expect. Usually, dark brown dyes get really dark at first—but after a few washes, my hair looks less black and more of what it was intended to look like. Everything else seems to work just fine.

If you're super nervous and you still want to try the strand test, go for it. Pick a bit of hair that's not-so-visible, so you don't look like a freak if it doesn't turn out.

Using a plastic spoon, mix 1 tsp of hair colorant with 1.5 tsp of developer (bottles will be labeled). Slather that shit on your strand, and let it sit for the instructed amount of time on the box (usually 30 minutes or so).

Wash the dye out and let your hair dry so you can see the full effect. If you're happy, proceed!

Step 3: Mixing the Dye

At this point in time, it's a good idea to put your gloves on. Bottles in the kit should be labeled as colorant and developer, or simply, one and two. If your kit came with conditioner, set it aside and deal with the two main bottles. Pour the smaller bottle into the bigger one, and then replace the lid.

Next, shake that like Eminem did back in 2006. The mixture should slowly start to change colors.

Make sure the tip of the applicator lid is cut or twisted off, whatever is necessary to get the hair juice flowing.

Step 4: Applying

Maybe I should've mentioned this sooner, but it's helpful to brush your hair before applying the dye. At any rate, go ahead and tend to the most visible areas first.

I always start applying dye down my part and around my face first. Once I've got all of my wispies in front covered, I move on to getting my roots saturated with dye. The pointed applicator tip of the dye bottle will make this process super easy—just work down your scalp from front to back and side to side, making sure your roots are totally saturated.

Now you could do the rest of this in an organized fashion, sectioning off hair and applying dye carefully—or you could go free-for-all. I always try to start dying in an organized way, but at some point I always give up and start slathering the stuff all over. After a while, it just seems easier to squeeze a glob of dye into your gloved palm and rub it in like shampoo.

Pay special attention to underneath layers and ends! Really, just try to get everything touching dye. It's easy to miss sections of hair when it gets all wet and clumped up—so make sure to break apart any clumps and get the middle bits dyed too. It's sometimes quite helpful to run a comb through your hair once you think you've covered it all in dye this way you can see how you really did, and try to cover any hair you may have missed.

Step 5: Waiting and Washing

When you're satisfied with the amount of dye coverage you've got, pull your hair into a sticky bun (not the food) and throw on your shower cap, plastic wrap, or plastic bag. If your dye kit came with an after-dye conditioner, make sure to put it near the shower for later.

This next step is crucial to the hair dye process: hop on the couch, turn on Netflix, and watch an old episode of Breaking Bad.

Once you've completed that very important step, strip down like Walter White before a cook (except no tighty-whities) and jump into the shower. Keep the water lukewarm and begin to rinse the color from your hair.

This part can get fun, especially if you're going red. The shower will look like a murder scene, kind of like when Gus cut that Mexican guy's throat in the lab!

When the water begins to run clear, you should apply your after-dye conditioner. If your kit didn't come with any, just put some other conditioner in and call it a day. Don't shampoo, you'll kill your hair and remove a good bit of dye.

Oh, also, it's normal to lose some hair during the wash-out process. Or at least, I think it is. The first time I dyed, I was startled at how much hair came out in the shower. In real life, it wasn't enough to make any sort of noticeable difference.

Step 6: Enjoy!

Okay, so before you can enjoy your hair, you'll have to let it dry. I suggest putting it up in a towel first, and then letting it air dry the rest of the way. Unless you've done something horribly wrong, your hair should feel silky smooth and smell funny. Congrats, you've just dyed your hair! Wasn't that easy?

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

I have dark hair. I also have coffee. And, obviously, I have the internet! What do you get when you combine those things? Weird beauty routines.

So I've been exploring the benefits of coffee lately, and I stumbled across a rinse for dark hair. It supposedly makes your hair super soft and shiny while enhancing dark tones too.

The whole thing sounded easy enough and was one of the less weird things I've tried with coffee in recent weeks, so I decided to give it a shot! Check out my findings below, complete with photos and thoughts.

Supplies

1. Coffee!

Brew that junk up, chug most of it, and put some aside in a cup.

2. Said cup.

Keep it in a cup, put it in the shower, and then put yourself in the shower. It's quite simple, really.

Things to Keep in Mind

This isn't something for light-haired people! Coffee will stain your 'do. Also, please avoid pouring hot coffee on your scalp. I'm not responsible for burns! Additionally, do not use instant coffee—that's the stuff that just dissolves in hot water. It's got some stuff in it that can be harmful to your locks.

Now, it's time for a before photo!

Process

I suggest washing your hair when you first get in the shower. Shampoo and condition however you usually do it, and then grab your cup! Resist the urge to take a swig (I couldn't), and then pour it evenly onto your hair.

Let it sit while you do other shower stuff. The longer it sits, the better it's supposed to be. 20 minutes is recommended, but I only did it for about five. I still felt a difference though!

Results

Below is an after photo of my coffee rinse. I think I'd have to wash my hair more regularly and do the rinse more often for any visible color enhancement. However, I can attest to feeling softer and smoother hair. You can definitely see the shine too.

Did you try it out too? Leave your experiences with the rinse in the comments! I'd love to hear from you guys.

More Coffee DIYs

Like I said, I've been experimenting with coffee a lot lately. Check out some of my other coffee DIYs, as well as some other weird beauty stuff.

• Get Rid of Undereye Bags/Dark Circles with Coffee Grounds
• Coffee Scrub for Cellulite?

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Kathleen from Michigan on March 01, 2015:

I bet you got a new coffee maker for Christmas!

Catherine Giordano from Orlando Florida on February 24, 2015:

I wonder how it works on grey hair. I guess it can't hurt to try. My natural color is dark brown so I should be a good candidate for this rinse.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

There are some weird beauty regimens out there, but this one may take the cake. Rubbing coffee and oil all over your butt to get rid of bumps? Right. Those were my thoughts, at least, until I read up on it.

I like to include the science behind the beauty tricks I share because then I'm able to defend myself against people who think I'm crazy. Hit them with the facts, and then who's the jerk?

So, here's the science behind this one: Caffeine constricts the blood vessels, causing the puckers in the skin to tighten and smooth out. Because coffee is a diuretic, it's supposed to withdraw the water in fat cells, also acting to even out the skin.

So it's worth a try, right?

The Scrub

The way this whole thing is supposed to work goes kind of like this: you make a scrub with coffee grounds, scrub it over affected areas, and rinse off in the shower. The alleged result? A smooth bottom, or wherever else you have the bumpy stuff.

I used a coffee scrub given to me by my friend Cassie (Thanks!). My best guess is that it's made up something like this:

¾ cup fresh coffee grounds
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup sugar

As I've mentioned in previous posts, making scrubs from natural ingredientes is not an exact science. There are lots of ingredients that are good for your skin (honey, coconut oil, olive oil, oatmeal, sugar) so grab a few and start experimenting!

DISCLAIMER

I try to experiment with everything I write about, because I feel like it makes me somewhat of an authority. If I've tried it, I can tell you what works and what doesn't. So obviously, I wanted to try this cellulite-busting scrub. The thing is, I fortunately do not have much of a problem with cellulite. I mean, I have a few butt-puckers, but nothing major.

Regardless, I decided to try. Please no comments about me thinking I'm fat or something—because first of all I don't, and second of all pretty much every female is affected with cellulite. 90%, actually. And I'm completely satisfied with my appearance, as all of you should be. You're beautiful! I'm simply trying to experiment this odd idea.

So without further ado, here's a photo of my butt.

Before

The Process

Like I mentioned earlier, it's a very simple process. Make potion, scrub butt, rinse off. So that's what I did.

Sidenote—oil is very slippery on the shower floor, so be careful.

I scrub-a-dubbed coffee all over my bumpy spots for about a minute at the beginning of my shower. Then, I proceeded to use the scrub everywhere else too, because it's exfoliating and nourishing and stuff. Once I was done with my regular shower routine, I re-scrubbed my hindparts out of fear that it wouldn't work.

And did it? You be the judge. Here's the “after” photo of my butt.

After

The Verdict

Honestly, I don't feel like it did very much. My right cheek does appear slightly smoother, but you can still see the bigger dimple on the left. So does it really truly work? Can using coffee scrubs temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite?

I think it needs further research. Possibly a different bum. Theoretically, it should work. If science is telling us the truth, it totally makes sense. And I'll tell you the truth: If I was taking a shower before heading out to the beach, and I had my coffee scrub ready, I'd definitely still use it. At the very least, I'd have a silky smooth rear.

Seeking the Truth

I'm kind of upset about this. I even came back to the experiment after writing this post, and tried to go more in-depth for better results. I scrubbed with my coffee for about 4-5 minutes and let it sit for at least 10 before rinsing off.

Still, no major difference.

It bothers me that most people online don't even bother to test this before posting it. Or maybe they do, but they NEVER post before/after photos, or they get no results and just lie about it. Well, I'm here to tell you guys what's up! I don't think it worked on me. However, it may on you—so if it does, please do let me know.

I'm honest when I write. So if you're interested in honest beauty tips, please don't hesitate to check out my other posts, some of which have to do with coffee too!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Sassy_cheri on November 21, 2019:

Im going to try it . Thanks for your post

I love finding alternative ways to style my hair without using heat or products. I can achieve salon results without damaging my hair!

I've been called a hippie a lot lately. But if using natural products for my hair and skin makes me a hippie, then so be it.

Actually, no. I will not be called a hippie for refusing to smear chemicals on myself. I like to call it "old fashioned." Think about it—before we had all of these huge beauty companies pop up in the past 100 years pushing a product, what did people use? The raw, natural things they found.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I think part of the reason all of these allergies and intolerances are popping up nowadays is related to the amount of chemicals we intake.

But, I digress. Regardless of your thoughts on hippies and allergies, going natural in your beauty routine can be one of the healthiest decisions you make. Luckily, there's one master product that is beneficial in nearly every area of natural beauty: coconut oil.

For Hair

Coconut oil is a mega-moisturizer. It works wonders in conditioning and smoothing hair, helping it to grow longer and stronger by minimizing breakage. Here's a list of many other benefits this oil provides:

• Prevents hair loss
• Reduces damage
• Prevents dandruff
• Retains moisture

Coconut oil decreases the amount of protein loss in hair between washes, creating healthier and stronger locks. It also has antibacterial properties, and it's excellent at retaining moisture, conditioning your hair from within.

How to Use It

Interested? Here are several options.

• Spray: You can purchase this stuff for under $5 at your neighborhood sto'. Walmart, Target, and even drugstores tend to carry coconut oil spray. Check in the hair care section for this one. I spray the oil on dry hair daily. I usually use about six spritzes on my ends and gently rub it in, to avoid breakage. It leaves my hair smelling great, feeling soft, and looking smooth and shiny.
• Conditioner: Mix a bit of oil into your own conditioner, or just use straight up coconut oil for this one. Shampoo your hair if you're into that sort of thing, and then hop out of the shower. Use a t-shirt to soak up excess water from your hair, and then rub in about a quarter of a teaspoon of oil. Focus on your ends rather than your roots. Be sure not to use too much, as your hair may end up feeling oily rather than moisturized when it dries.

For Skin

I have sensitive, dry skin. I deal with some eczema, which means bonding agents in store-bought lotions (cough cough—cetyl alcohol) can serve to irritate and dry my skin out even more.

That means sticking to natural, one-ingredient products is the way to go for me! Regardless, coconut oil works wonders on most skin types. Here are its benefits:

• Reduces aging/wrinkling
• Naturally protects against sun
• Moisturizes
• Disinfects

Disinfects? What? As I mentioned earlier, coconut oil is antimicrobial, due to the fatty acids it contains. In addition, it contains vitamin E, which promotes healthy skin growth and repair. This leads to smooth and moisturized skin, reducing the effects of aging and wrinkles. Not to mention, this oil is proven to have sun-protecting benefits.

How to Use It

Of course, you can just purchase straight oil and use it however you please. It can be found in both the food and beauty sections of stores, but I find it to be cheaper from the food section. Check the ingredients and make sure it's 100% coconut oil, and you're good to go.

• Lotion: You can take a palmful of oil and rub it in as you would any other lotion. It melts quickly, so be careful not to get it everywhere. It can also be mixed with other healing products like shea butter and aloe for maximum moisturization.
• Lip Balm: This oil is excellent for dry and chapped lips, so rub it on alone or add in some other oils. A simple lip scrub can be made using sugar, coconut oil, and peppermint oil (or any other type that you see fit).

There's really no sense in buying all sorts of different lotions (foot, body, face, hand, etc.) when you can use one product to treat all areas. This oil can even be used as a face cream, but be aware of your own body chemistry and do not apply too much.

For Oral Health

Unbeknownst to many, coconut oil even has benefits to dental health. Among them:

• Whitens teeth
• Fights bacteria
• Lessens tooth sensitivity
• Improves gum health

I have yet to try it myself, but there is many a success story online about using the oil to fight cavities and promote oral health. The oil is able to cut through plaque and remove toxins, as proven by Dr. F. Karach's practices in the 1990s.

How to Use It

Oil Pulling: Oil pulling is an age-old method involving swishing coconut oil for about 15–20 minutes daily. Use pure coconut oil, which can be found in the food section of almost any supermarket.

1. Swish 1–2 tablespoons of the oil in your mouth for roughly 20 minutes.
2. Make sure to spit in the trash can rather than the sink, avoiding the ingestion of any oil (it contains all of the toxins and bacteria you just got rid of!).
3. Then, rinse with warm water.

Helpful All-Around

Obviously, coconut oil is amazing for nearly all aspects of health and beauty. Good for shiny, strong hair, moisturized skin, and even white teeth. Why waste hundreds of dollars on specialized beauty products, when you can get all or most of it done with one? And, a relatively cheap one at that.

So even if people think you're a hippie, the benefits speak for themselves. Take a shower and wear an NRA shirt, and all of the hippie accusations should be dispelled.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Diptowrite from New England on March 21, 2017:

Coconut oil can also be mixed with an equal portion of olive oil and castor oil and can be stored in a bottle for months. Highly recommended to treat Hair loss and for deep conditioning.

This article is really helpful. Thanks

Chelle on April 06, 2015:

Girl I love your hub!!

Joy56 on February 10, 2015:

Wow never knew coconut oil was soooo healthy

I enjoy fashion and looking trendy on a budget. I also create art, take photos, and save money by doing things myself.

A Home Remedy

One thing I think all females can agree on is that dark circles suck. And mine can get pretty bad. Even after a long night's sleep, I look like my head hasn't touched a pillow in ages.

There are lots of creams and facials that claim to reduce dark circles and bags, but I'll be honest—I'm cheap. I won't pay for something that could be attained with things I already have at home. I've been seeing articles about using coffee grounds for undereye bags, and since I just got a new coffeemaker, I decided to try it out. Join me on my quest for bright eyes!

Before

Step 1: Make Some Coffee

I used my beautiful new Black & Decker coffeemaker. Not that it matters, but I just got it and it matches all of my retro-future-kitchen things. I'm pretty excited about it!

Anyway, make your coffee as it's supposed to be made. Once it's all brewed up, separate the parts and down the liquid gold. Scoop out the grounds with a spoon and put them in a small, separate dish.

Step 2: Chill

I kind of added this step myself, but it only makes sense. When you see people putting anything else on their face to reduce undereye bags, it's always cool. The science of it is that lower temperatures cause your blood vessels to constrict, which temporarily reduces bags under your eyes.

So chill that gunk out, and once it's cool, prepare for smearing.

Step 3: Apply

For a job.

Just kidding, that's what I'm doing. But you can just apply the cooled coffee grounds to your face. Situate yourself over a sink (it gets messy) and get a fingerful of grounds. Carefully rub it onto your bags—not too close to your actual eyes.

I covered the entire area under my eyes—from inside by my nose to the outer corners of my eyes, and about halfway down my cheeks.

Step 4: Let It Sit

Instructions state to leave this gunk on for 15 minutes, so naturally I did it for 20. Most of this time was spent running around the house avoiding my roommate-brother, who I'm pretty sure already thinks I'm crazy. Still, I don't want to have to explain why I have food smeared on my face.

My major thought during all of this waiting time was something like, "Holy Hell, my skin!" Seriously, I don't know what's going on, but it itches. Stings. Maybe it's the water drying, or maybe my skin doesn't like coffee, but this stuff was nearly impossible for me to let sit. Hopefully that means it's working...

Step 5: Rinse

At last, sweet freedom!! If your skin reacted anything like mine did, this moment is long-awaited. I recommend gently wiping off what you can while the grounds are fairly dry, and splashing water on your face to get rid of the rest.

Then, take a step back and see the change.

Does It Really Work?

Theoretically, yes. Coffee is supposed to depuff your eyes by restricting the blood flow, which reduces swelling. It's also a diuretic, causing it to draw water away from puffy cells. This results in a temporary reduction of bags.

I do think there was a change in my eyes. The bags were definitely reduced, but the color wasn't so great, probably because I irritated my skin. However, with a little bit of makeup, the color can be corrected. As you can see from the photo below, applying a dab (and I mean a DAB) of foundation after coffee-ing did a world of wonders for my dark circles.

More DIY Beauty

As you may be able to tell, I'm all about the DIY side of things. My favorite home-remedies involve natural approaches to beauty. You can check them out here.

Coffee Grounds for Cellulite?
How to Make Lipstick out of Crayons
No Shampoo for Six Months

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Preetham on January 09, 2018:

Hi it's a great techniques after a long chatting in mobile my eyes become dark circles and lack of sleep even face is also turning tan except nose I'm normal colour shud I apply full face and daily I suppose to apply and how many days I must apply this coffee powder thanks a lot for your help

Kat on November 12, 2017:

I saw no bags under your eyes you look fine.

Deh on April 19, 2017:

What if you have real big puffy bags, what do you do for them?

ava on November 16, 2016:

i use intant coffee and olive oil and black pepper1

Leona on September 07, 2016:

Do you think that kcup coffee ground will work too?

Larry Rankin from Oklahoma on June 10, 2015:

Very interesting technique. You seemed to have mixed feelings on its effectiveness.

Jadeofheart on January 08, 2015:

Yeah, I'll give it a try! I'll let you know :)

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on January 08, 2015:

I'm thinking it may! It still has caffeine, and according to UC Berkeley Wellness, it may have more antioxidants than normal coffee. I'd say it's worth a try! Only thing is getting it to stick. You may try adding a few drops of water and making it into a paste? This is new ground for me - let me know if it works!!

Jadeofheart on January 07, 2015:

Great! May I ask a question? Unfortunately, I'm quite stingy as well. So I don't have the luxury of owning a coffee maker. Can instant black coffee work as well?

luisj305 from Florida on January 07, 2015:

Wow, I can really see a big difference, even before you applied the small amount of makeup. Great useful hub.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Materials

Before you start this, you'll need to gather a few things. Luckily, this is a pretty simple DIY project.

• T-shirt. Pay attention to the material of your T-shirt, as it may fray. Try to stick to cotton, polyester, or microsuede.
• Scissors
• Possibly a safety pin or two

Step 1: Cut Strips

Before you even think about weaving, you need to cut some strips.

• Make parallel cuts about an inch apart from each other down the side of the shirt.
• I suggest making horizontal cuts for optimal fabric-curling ability. Diagonal and vertical cuts tend to lay flat and act weird.
• You can make the cuts all the same width or vary the widths (as pictured below).
• Once you've cut your desired amount of strips, stretch them out so the fabric starts to curl. This will make the edges look more uniform and clean.

Step 2: Choose a Weaving Pattern

The awesome thing about weaving is that it looks like it's really complicated and takes an immense amount of talent. The reality is that any old bum with two fingers could do it. Once you learn the pattern, whatever pattern you choose, you just keep repeating it with every strip.

Ladder Weaving

Ladder weaving is probably the most common type of weaving, and it's really quite easy to do. Although it is easy, if I tried to explain it in words it would be too confusing. I've created the illustration above to detail the basic ladder weaving pattern.

Chain Weaving

This next method is strikingly similar to ladder weaving, but with one added step.

• When you get to part 3 of the ladder weaving infographic, twist the bottom of the "blue" strip to create a loop.
• Then, when you get to part 4, pull the "red" strip through the loop of the "blue" strip. Then, repeat!

In case that was ridiculously confusing, check out my killer Paint skills in the illustration above.

Step 3: Tie It

You've got to secure the last strip so that your hard work doesn't unravel before your eyes. In order to do this, cut the last loop/strip in half, and then tie each end to the strip above. Double knots are your friends!

If you don't want to cut the strip, you could also just safety pin it down, or tie the last two strips together with a ribbon.

Optional: Combine Weaving Methods

If you want to jazz up your T-shirt even more, try combining weaving methods! Cut your strips extra wide, and use the ladder weaving method. Then, you can come back through and use the chain weaving method. It'll end up looking like the one in the video below.

Even the most complex-looking woven T-shirts are quite simple to make. Just by combining two styles of weaving, or even repeating one style, you can end up with some awesome designs. The example below utilizes only ladder weaving, repeated four times.

So, grab some T-shirts, get creative, and start weaving! It really is that simple—cut, stretch, weave, and secure!

More Fashion DIYs

I'm frequently cutting up and remaking my clothes. If you're into the same sort of thing, check out some of my other DIY articles:

1. Spider Web Cut Shirt
2. How to Take in a T-Shirt
3. How to Stud Clothing

I love finding alternative ways to style my hair without using heat or products. I can achieve salon results without damaging my hair!

It's officially been six months since I stopped poo-ing. Sham-poo-ing. I'm super into my hair, and I love dying it and cutting it. About two years ago, I dyed it blue and it was excellent . . . But it left my hair super dried out and dead.

I began searching for ways to re-hydrate it and bring it back to life, which started with chopping all of it off. But that alone wasn't enough, so I decided to try something I didn't honestly have much faith in—ditching shampoo altogether. Join me on my no-poo journey.

Truly Hippie Beginning

If you know me (and chances are you don't), you know I'm not really a fan of the dirty hippie. It's just not my thing. However, my no-poo adventure happened to begin before my first Bonnaroo music festival this past June . . . And both of these things are incredibly hippie.

The reason why I stopped using shampoo is simple though—I was tired of damaging my hair. In the previous year, I had bleached it, dyed it, and chopped it off. I was searching for healthy ways to grow my hair back out as fast as possible.

I came across an article about shampoo, and how it actually screws up your hair. Say WHAT? Upon further research, I learned about the sulfates that can be damaging to your strands. The alternative? Baking soda and apple cider vinegar. So I called up my friend Brittany and we decided to get dirty!

Early Days

The process of how to de-poo can be found here, along with my experiences starting off. I won't go into detail about the process in this article, but basically it's broken into two steps: quitting your shampoo cold turkey and then re-incorporating a wash of baking soda shampoo and apple cider vinegar conditioner.

I'll admit, it was definitely weird to only rinse my hair for a month. Your hair can get pretty greasy when you quit doing the one thing you've consistently done since you were covered in your mom's uterus juice. Your hair gets so greasy so fast because shampoo strips your hair of its wonderful oils, so it overcompensates and gives you a greasy, professional-wrestler-status 'do.

While my hair was undeniably dirtier than normal at first, my solution was to rinse every other day with super hot water and try to rub as much of the hair gunk out as possible. After the first baking soda wash, my hair was amazing. Soft, flowy, smooth, voluminous . . . It was like something out of an '80s music video.

Pros and Cons of Not Shampooing Your Hair

There were some highs and lows of this experience, so here's our time to be brutally honest about it all. I'll start with the bad stuff, which is really just one thing—it smells funny.

Okay. That's a terrible way to put it. Obviously, without the perfume from shampoo, your hair will start to smell different. Baking soda doesn't have a smell, and the vinegar smell is gone once your hair dries. So it really just smells like your head. It's not necessarily bad, just not really good.

Now let's get to the pros—you can combat the weird hair smell by using essential oils. Peppermint, coconut, and tea tree are my favorites!

Another pro—I swear my hair has been growing faster. I cut my hair up to my chin six months before quitting poo, and in that time it grew maybe an inch and a half. Since I quit shampoo, my hair has grown at least three more inches (also in a six-month period)!!! This is one of the huge benefits.

I've also noticed that I haven't been getting many split ends. This may be related to not pooing, or it could be due to other healthy hair habits I've developed. Let's call it a combination.

One of the biggest benefits has been that I don't need to wash my hair every other day. This is awesome. I can do baking soda washes once a week, and rinse with water every few days. And you know what? I look NORMAL! No more not being able to go somewhere because I haven't washed my hair . . . No more constantly blow-drying wet locks . . . Not to mention, awesome hairstyles last longer since you don't have to wash them out.

The Best Part? Nobody Notices.

It's true. You can be a dirty hippie without anyone actually knowing you are. Never once has someone told me my hair was looking really funky, and that I ought to try washing it.

In fact, I've been complimented a million times more on my hair since quitting. So maybe they do notice, but in a good way.

It's great, because it's so much healthier and really not that gross. Really, it's not gross at all! And I've got the hair to prove it.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2014 Alex Rose

I enjoy fashion and looking trendy on a budget. I also create art, take photos, and save money by doing things myself.

Just Crayons and Coconut Oil

I fancy myself some colorful lips sometimes. The thing is, I'm not really a makeup person, and I'm not going to spend $10 on a tube of lipstick that I may never wear again.

Here's the good news, you can make lipstick out of crayons! It's easy and inexpensive, and it's pretty good for your lips. Plus, crayons are non-toxic! If they're safe for kids to eat, they're safe for you to put on your lips!

Substitutions

You don't have to use coconut oil. You could use mineral oil, petroleum jelly, or shea butter. It just needs to be something that will make the finished product easier to spread. Coconut oil is really good for moisturizing, and you probably already have some. But if you don't, the other oils listed will do just fine. Use whatever you have on-hand.

Also, you may not even have to use the stove. You could probably warm this junk up in the microwave, but keep a close eye on it. The first time I did this, and I don't know where I got this idea, I was heating up the oil using a big metal spoon over an open flame. Makes me feel kind of like a heroin addict. Or, whatever drug you use spoons for.

Ingredients and Equipment Needed

• Crayon
• Coconut oil
• Water
• Tiny containers—I picked up a bead container at WalMart for under $3.
• Pyrex glass bowl—This type of glass can withstand high heat without cracking. Otherwise the glass may break and you might get stabbed by glass shards!
• Medium-sized pot or saucepan

1. Heat Up Your Water!

While you're prepping the ingredients, start warming up the water. Pour one cup of water in a medium saucepan or pot, and heat on low. You want the water just above simmering but definitely not boiling!

2. Load up Your Mixing Bowl

Choose a crayon color that particularly suits you, and strip that sucker naked. Then, break off about two inches of the crayon and throw it in your mixing bowl. Next, you'll want to add half a teaspoon of coconut oil. Place the bowl in your heated pot of water, but don't let any of the water get into the bowl. The water is only there to heat up the oil and wax gently; so it doesn't burn.

3. Melt the Coconut Oil and Wax

You may want to use a toothpick to stir your melting crayon into the coconut oil. Once the crayon is completely melted and mixed in, CAREFULLY take the bowl out of the pot using pot holders. It will be hot.

4. Pour Your New Lipstick

Pour the contents of your bowl into your tiny container, and let it cool and harden. Once it's cool, it should be easy to spread on your lips.

The good thing about using coconut oil is that it melts sooner than the crayon. This makes your lipstick easy to apply but thick enough that it won't run down your face.

That's all there is to it! It's a fairly easy project. Experiment with colors! All of the ones I used are pictured below.

Comments

Kara Skinner from Maine on July 05, 2017:

This is a great idea! Much cheaper than buying lipstick and pretty easy, too. Thanks!

Al Wordlaw from Chicago on November 05, 2014:

This is like an invention. Very creative a beautiful mess!

oldiesmusic from United States on November 04, 2014:

Wow, this is really neat. I will try this. I may mix as much crayon colors as much as I want. Voted up, etc., shared and bookmarked.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Growing hair is like watching paint dry, except worse! You cut it thinking, "No big deal, it'll grow back. Blah, blah, blah. I'm making terrible decisions." And guess what? It doesn't grow. Ever.

Okay, it does, but at an alarmingly slow rate. At least, that's how it is for me. So I've searched the internet and experimented on my hair to give you guys a list of what works and what doesn't work in the world of hair growth.

1. Biotin

I feel like this is the most obvious answer. Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin that stimulates healthy hair and nail growth. It also makes your hair thicker, which explains a lot of what my head has been doing.

I've been taking biotin randomly throughout the past year. As in, I'll be on it for a week, then forget for a month, then on it for another two weeks. People who actually remember to take it every day see insane changes in hair length. Just look at the photo I found below! This girl was taking one 1000mcg pill per day and experienced what looks like two inches in about 40 days.

2. Coconut and Rosemary

Coconut oil is good for just about anything, even hair growth. Long story short, it's got vitamins that help your hair out, and the acids in it bind to your hair, protecting and moisturizing it. And wouldn't you know, coconut oil is packed with yummy hair food to help your locks grow big and strong.

You can get a big tub of coconut oil in the food section at most grocery stores. Some people buy it in the hair/skin section, but I find it to be almost twice as expensive. As long as the ingredients say "coconut oil," you're good.

How to Use Coconut Oil

1. Take the oil, and rub it into your soggy scalp. Use about two tablespoons for shoulder length hair and more as needed.
2. Slap on a shower cap, and watch Bob's Burgers for a while.
3. Wash it out with a sulfate-free shampoo.

Rosemary

As far as rosemary goes, it's apparently very good for stimulating hair growth as well. In a (possibly sketchy) study of 84 people with alopecia areata (hair falling out in huge patches), those who massaged their scalps with rosemary oil for seven months grew back significantly more hair than those who massaged without it.

So you know what? Why don't you double whammy it and grind up some rosemary to put in your coconut oil? I'm actually going to do that, and I'll get back to you guys on it later.

3. Sulfate-Free Shampoo (or None at All)

I can't really attest to using sulfate-free shampoo, but I can vouch for the no shampoo movement. In fact, only weeks after we started, my friend Brittany and I noticed an increase in our rate of hair growth. A month in, my hair had grown about an inch, which is insane for me. I mean, everyone's hair is different, but my scalp is the WORST at pushing out keratin.

So anyway, how it works. The sulfates in shampoo serve to dry out and damage your hair, stripping it of its natural oils. By switching to a sulfate-free shampoo (or baking soda), you can avoid damaging your hair follicles, and thus not screw up your hair growth!

I promise, your hair won't turn disgusting. The picture below is my own hair after no-pooing for a month.

4. Head Massages

Seriously. When you're in the shower, spend a little bit more time rubbing your scalp. It'll stimulate your little follicles to start growing hair faster. Of course, it's probably good to do this with some sort of oil (like coconut or rosemary), but the massages themselves should make at least a small difference. Who knows what could happen when you pair it with the rest of these tips!

5. Minding Split Ends

So the whole trimming your hair to stimulate growth? Yeah, that's crap. Your split ends have nothing to do with the roots of your hair, which are what's pumping out the proteins. However, having split ends and breakage will certainly not promote longer hair. This is why it's important to take care of your split ends by cutting them off before they become a bigger problem.

I definitely wouldn't say get a trim every six weeks; they inevitably end up taking off more than what is necessary. I don't know about you guys, but it takes me about six months to get split ends. Because I have killer skills, I end up cutting my own hair as needed. I've got myself a little pair of hair cutting shears, and whenever I see those bad boys, I chop them off.

You Can Make Your Hair Grow Faster

There are, of course, many other ways to grow your hair. You could avoid the use of heat, be cautious of hairstyles that tug and put tension on your strands, or just generally be gentle when handling your hair. However, this is the list of essentials for me. These are treatments I've seen used, or that I've used myself, that seem to increase hair growth significantly.

Keep in mind, everyone's head is different. While taking biotin may work wonderfully for me, it may cause you to break out. So be careful! Take vitamins, use oils, and pledge NEVER to chop it off again!! Happy hair growth!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

swilliams on November 03, 2014:

This is a very informative article! Job well done and I love the great use of your pictures! Voted up and tweeted out!

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

10 Fun Ways to Dye Your Hair

If you're like me, you have crazy hair urges where you just want to chop it all off or put in extensions or dye it bright colors all of the time. Additionally, if you're like me, you probably want to eat pizza for three meals a day and listen to Metallica forever.

If this sounds like you, at least the hair-dyeing part, you're in the right place. Here are 10 different dye methods I've fished around for—some of which I've done, and some of which I long to do.

If you'd like to do crazy things to your hair but need to lighten it up first, head over to my article about how to bleach dark hair. A lot of these methods certainly won't work on dark manes!

1. Full Head

That's right, the whole thing! This type of dying requires a bit of commitment. If you're planning on going full head, make sure your employer is cool with you having crazy hair. Apparently some people think it's inappropriate for the workplace. Ha!

2. Half/Half

Indecisive? Scared of commitment? Massive Cruella DeVille fan? Well take a page out of the villain's book and go half and half.

This . . . this is something I must do.

3. Natural to Color Ombre

This is a good one for work - your hair is mostly normal, but you do have some pizzazz. If you need to cover it up, it's easy to just pull up a bun. Also, by leaving the rest of your hair as is, you're reducing the damage done. While you'll probably have to bleach your hair before coloring, at least it's just the ends, which will probably get chopped off soon anyways.

4. Color to Color Ombre

Another way to get crazy . . . The color to color ombre!! This one would take a lot of time and resources to do on your own. Bleaching is highly recommended, plus you'll have to mix up several shades of your two dyes. Refer also to my article on how to bleach an ombre.

5. Bottom Layer

Another good professional-but-cool style is to dye the bottom layer. It's not as visible, obviously, as dying your whole head, but it still makes you look slightly cooler. This would be fairly easy to do as well—just separate the rest of your hair by pulling it up in a giant clip, and bleach/dye the bottom layer as needed.

6. Peek-a-Boos

To copy this look, just dye hair on your middle layers! Depending on how much you choose to dye, this could be pretty easy to cover up for work-related functions. But it looks totally awesome when curled.

7. Layer by Layer

If you can execute it right, this looks awesome . . . You only have to keep in mind how your colors will fade and bleed when washed. Keep lighter colors on top and darker towards the bottom, and remember color theory!! Yellow + Purple = Poop Brown.

8. Dip Dye

Surprisingly similar to ombre, but somehow still different, dip dye is another method that only affects the ends of your hair. The difference here is that an ombre fades, while a dip dye is a stark contrast of colors. And quite frankly, you're not dipping anything—just painting with a dye brush.

9. Tint

Tinting is a more subtle approach to dying. You can easily tint dark hair with red or blue dyes, or use any colored dye as a rinse on blonde hair. Again, keep in mind color theory here. If your hair is yellowy blonde and you do a lavender rinse, your hair will be tinted brown. Yay!

10. Chunks O' Color

Your hair doesn't have to be colored in neat and perfect sections. In fact, why not just go nuts with color and have an insane rainbow mop? Again, be aware of color bleeding and fading.

More on Hair Coloring

There it is, a list of ten whole ways to dye your hair with pretty colors. Hopefully, you've found a way to dye your hair . . . I too feel the hair urges coming on now.

If you're interested in reading some more about hair bleaching, coloring, and care, check out some of my other articles!

• Five Gorgeous Pastel Hair Colors
• How to Take Care of Bleached Hair
• A Guide to Hair Extensions

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2014 Alex Rose

Comments

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on May 23, 2019:

Looks like Manic Panic Bad Boy Blue to me! You can order online.

Ashely on May 20, 2017:

How do u do it??

I love finding alternative ways to style my hair without using heat or products. I can achieve salon results without damaging my hair!

We're caught in a conspiracy! So apparently shampoo is bad for you. Who knew, right?

Well, the chemicals in it strip your own hair of its natural oils, which cause it to be dry after washing. Your head gets confused and starts over-producing oils, which is why your hair will get super greasy after a few days. What the government DIDN'T tell you is that these oils are actually good for you, in moderation. To moderate them, you gotta quit shampoo!

Note: put in some tape-in extensions during my de-pooing process (which you can learn about here), so don't be alarmed by my magical growing and shrinking hair. Also, this isn't actually a disclaimer.

No Shampoo Steps

Step 1: Ease In

So here's what you have to do: get rid of your shampoo and conditioner, and instead substitute baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Seems weird, right? Well, the baking soda will absorb the grease, and apple cider vinegar smooths and shines. It smells funny, but the smell doesn't carry once your hair is dried.

You can use the baking soda as a powder, or mix it with a bit of water to form a paste. This will act as your shampoo. You should mix equal parts of vinegar and water, and use this as your conditioner.

Once you've got the magical hair ingredients, you've got some decisions to make. You could start washing your hair with water immediately and have super greasy hair for a month, or ease into it by using the baking soda and vinegar and then just water. I'm not a fan of the dirty hippie look, so I opted for the second choice.

To ease in, start off by using your baking soda/apple cider vinegar concoctions when you shower. You'll do this for about two weeks.

My Experience with Step 1:

I started this endeavor right before I went to Bonnaroo, which I figured was appropriate because those hippies don't shower anyway. My friend Brittany and I decided to try it together. She has really big, fluffy, curly, and generally untameable hair. My hair is just thick and straight, so I'm mostly doing it because I'm a bum.

As I said, we opted to ease into the no-poo process. We started with baking soda and vinegar, using it 3 or 4 times in the first two weeks.

After our first baking soda wash, Brittany's hair was absolutely ridiculous. I think this is probably because she used too much vinegar, and chose to brush her hair post-shower. I actually liked the way my hair came out - it had much more body, though it did feel a tad dry.

The next time around, Brittany used a little bit of coconut oil in her hair, and she was looking like a sexy beast. At Bonnaroo, which we both attended, we didn't wash our hair for FIVE DAYS. And it was still sexy as hell. We were amazed.

Step 2: Use Only Water

This step is necessary for the whole balancing of pH and restoration of natural oils bit. And since you're trying to get your hair back to its natural state, that means no hair products. For some of you, this may seem like a nightmare. But, have I got several tips for you!

• If you have super-duper fluffy hair, use a bit of coconut oil post-shower as a hair-tamer. Take a small amount on your fingertips and work it through your hair.
• If your hair is unbearably greasy, rinse it more often, or sprinkle a bit of baking soda on your roots to help absorb the nasty.

After about a month of pure water, you'll notice your hair becoming fabulous. It'll become greasy at a much slower rate - I'm talking around 5 or 6 days between washes. It'll have more body, and be much softer.

My Experience with Step 2:

After our two-week-baking-soda period, we both started the water washes. Brittany has reported only having to wash her hair every 5 days, and I could go about the same time. As mentioned above, after this stage my hair became much softer and bodacious.

Most surprisingly, I actually received compliments from people during this stage... People who DIDN'T KNOW I wasn't actually washing my hair. I had several people telling me how good my hair looked, to which I could only respond, "I haven't used shampoo in over a month."

Obviously they were surprised, seeing as how my hair didn't even look greasy. This was the prime time for recruiting more no-pooers!

Step 3: Re-Introduce Fake Poo

After your hair is fairly stable, you can go back to using your baking soda/vinegar combo once a week. And there it is—a cheaper, more healthy alternative to awesome hair!

Now, I'm back to using baking soda and vinegar once a week. Honestly, I don't miss shampoo - except for the way my hair smells after using it. Now, my hair just smells like nothing... But this can be remedied by using essential oils. Other than that, my hair is softer, shinier, and healthier. Will I go back to shampoo? Probably not.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Anita Hasch from Port Elizabeth on March 06, 2017:

Well Alex, this is very interesting. I have to wash my hair every second day, so maybe I will give it a try. Definitely more healthy. I like that you use apple cider vinegar, as I use it practically every day. One teaspoon in a glass of water, once or twice a day. But that's for my health. Thanks for a super hub.

Kylyssa Shay from Overlooking a meadow near Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA on April 01, 2015:

I gave the no-poo method an honest try for a couple of months. Dang, it's a good thing I work from home! People asked me if it was a lupus symptom and I seriously could have just switched to wearing hats. It makes slightly thin hair look like very thin and stringy hair.

Anyway, this is a method that only works for people with thick, full hair.

Geof Awunyo from London on March 29, 2015:

Its very interesting hub for hair for women.. I like this hub

Deya Writes on March 14, 2015:

I bookmarked this article moooonthssss ago, and I kept seeing it in my bookmarks tab and it kept reminding me to do this. So a few weeks ago I started a variation of this...

I mix a tablespoon of baking soda in with a tiny amount of shampoo to make a paste, then wash with that, rinse it all out, and spray my hair with a little bit of apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle, then rinse that out too. It's been working great! I'll try to see if I can slowly cut the baking soda and shampoo out, the vinegar step I want to keep because it gives my hair such a nice shine to it.

Thanks for the great article, one of the few DIY's that I actually read AND do.

Georgene Moizuk Bramlage from southwestern Virginia on November 22, 2014:

Interesting article and approach to a not new situation. Many, many years back, I'd rinse my hair with beer or sometimes lemon juice. I don't remember knowing what a conditioner even was. I've never heard of the "water shampoo" before reading this HubPage. Very well done...I like your chatty style of writing. And really appreciate the time and energy you took to take good illustrative photos.

Michelle Scoggins from Fresno, CA on September 28, 2014:

Thanks for sharing your experience. I tried this a few years ago when my hair was dyed blonde and about bra strap long. I also have a review on my page. I found that the baking soda really dried out my hair. I used coconut oil as well but over time my ends were really dry and broken which sent me to get a more drastic hair cut than usual. I did go back to shampoo. But I do agree that it made my hair soft, full of body and really manageable. Oh yeah and it stripped my hair color which baking soda is known for. So maybe that method is not meant for those of us who color our hair.

lirrle on August 15, 2014:

I would try this, but I love my Wen too much.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on August 04, 2014:

Thanks!! I'm glad you're giving this a shot, thanks for reading!

L Anex on August 03, 2014:

This is great, thank you for sharing. I have very curly, fluffy, frizzy and untameable hair like your friend. My hair looks the best when I haven't washed it in 5-9 days but I get a lot of shit from friends and family for not washing my hair. Shampoo just kills it, it looks awful after a wash, for a few days too. I will definitely try the no-poo method. I'm very excited about this! By the way, you're quite funny, I enjoy reading your articles.

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 15, 2014:

Thanks girl! I recommend it, hope it goes just as well for you!

Rebekah Nydam from Massachusetts on July 15, 2014:

Thanks for sharing this! I have been wanting to try ditching shampoo for a while. Currently I only wash my hair maybe twice a week as it is with regular shampoo, so I figured it won't be too hard to switch. Your hub is very helpful about the process. And your hair looks so much healthier after you made the switch! :)

I love finding alternative ways to style my hair without using heat or products. I can achieve salon results without damaging my hair!

Most would suggest that you go to a salon and get your extensions put in. Actually, everybody would. But I'm here to tell you that it's possible to do it yourself, and not screw up! Like Axl Rose said, "all you need is just a little patience." And hey, it was the '80s! He may or may not have been speaking about extensions.

Seriously though, if you are used to creating things with your hands (sculpting, styling, building, drawing) then this should be easy. The concept is actually pretty simple—you sandwich your own hair between two adhesive strips of somebody else's hair!

If you're just somebody looking for what sort of extensions to try out, visit my hair extension guide. If you've already purchased tape-ins, let us continue with the instructions!

How to Apply Tape-In Hair Extensions

With a little practice, applying tape-in hair extensions is pretty easy. Before we get started, here are a few helpful tips to remember.

Use a friend. This is not mandatory, but it will definitely be quicker and easier if you have another set of eyes and hands. If you don't have any friends (sad face) you can use two mirrors to see the back of your head and do it yourself.

Be aware of placement. You don't want to put your extensions too close to the edge of your scalp (by your face and stuff), lest they be seen. Also, avoid putting them too high up towards your part!

Sticky to sticky. You're going to be sandwiching a layer of your hair between two extensions. Make sure the sticky bits from the top and bottom extension are touching each other, for maximum adherence.

1. Wash Your Hair

Make sure your mop is clean before you try to stick stuff to it. Wash and dry your hair completely before starting. That way, your extensions will last longer! If you have dirty hair when you're trying to adhere the wefts, they'll come out quicker, usually at the worst time possible. Like when you're standing with your friends and running your fingers through your hair, and suddenly a giant patch comes out in your hand.

2. Section (Bottom to Top)

It's easiest to start from the bottom of your scalp and work your way up. Start your first row an inch or two up from the bottom of your scalp. Using a comb, part your hair evenly. Pull the top half up and secure it, leaving the bottom half hanging down.

3. Gather a Very Thin Section of Your Hair

Notice how "very" is emphasized. This section of hair is going to be sandwiched between two extensions. It's important that the adhesive "tape" on the top extension touches that of the bottom extension, so that the two stick together. Use your comb to get a nice even section, that is as wide as one of your extension wefts.

4. Attach Extension

A good way to tell if your section is thin enough is to attach the bottom extension in place, flush against your scalp. Once you've done that, use your finger to see if you can feel the stickiness of the tape through your own layer of hair. If not, use your comb to carefully pull some of your hair off of the tape. When you can feel the sticky, attach the top extension.

Press the top and bottom wefts together firmly, for about 20 seconds. Just make super extra sure that they're stuck to each other, so water won't get between them while you're showering and make them come out.

You'll get the hang of it as you keep working. As mentioned earlier, don't put the wefts too close to the edges of your scalp—then everyone will see where they attach, and they'll know you're a fraud!

5. Repeat!

Make sure you place the wefts right next to each other, avoiding gaps. When I was finished, I had 5 rows of wefts going up my scalp. You have to be extra careful not to place the wefts too high on your scalp, because that also puts them at risk of being visible.

I got it done in about two hours, but I was also working by myself. It's quicker and easier with a friend!

6. Cut and Style

If your hair is a bit longer than mine, and already layered, you shouldn't have problems blending your hair into your new extensions. However, if you have a short, blunt cut, you're going to have to do some trimming. As you can see below, long extensions and short hair look stupid.

You may want to see someone for the cutting aspect, but again, if you're good with arty things then you can probably cut your own hair. I've been doing it for ages, and it seems to be a lot like sculpting.

What I did was layer the extensions, so that the length of my hair faded in nicely to my 20-inch extensions. I ended up looking super-scene when finished.

Styling Pro Tip:

This hairdo worked so well when curled, and it helped my hair to blend into my extensions better. If you have a short, blunt haircut, you'll notice that some of your hair will stick out from underneath your bottom layer of extensions, totally giving you away. Take all of these short hairs and bobby pin them to your scalp, so they won't be seen under your longest layer of extensions.

More Hair DIYs

I hope this article was helpful in your extension journey. Please share your experiences and updates with me! If you're interested in more Hair DIYs, check out these articles:

• How to Take Care of Extensions
• How to Bleach an Ombre
• Five Gorgeous Pastel Hair Colors
• How to Take Care of Long Hair

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2014 Alex Rose

Comments

Christina on March 17, 2017:

How many pieces of extensions did u use ?

michelle on January 14, 2017:

Haha not to be smart but I thought the same thing when reading 'words' comment. I understand how men want to be attracted to 'real ' women. But when you think about it what is 'real ' women? This is real women.

In other words real women come in all shapes, sizes, tastes, styles, opinions, desires, creative expressions etc.

I think theres a balance between being yourself as a woman, or person for that matter and trying to look good in order to attract a man or someone from the opposite sex. . Yes we like to look beautiful to men, but not at the risk of losing who we are in the process. To do so would be taking a step back 50 years when our whole worth came from our acceptance from men and society.. Its still too much of an issue from my point of view.

Boy I have a lot of thoughts about how men dress, act, look, speak, present themselves from a womans perspective that I would love to give them some much needed advice, so I 'get' it. . I think until there is a more level playing ground and men are willing to clean up their act as far as their 'appeal' to us goes. Then they probably dont have too much leverage in saying how they like us to look, act , be.

I know you guys have tastes and preferences in the opposite sex, thats your God given right. But women have them too. Sadly, not many men meet my standards to be honest.

Marlene Bertrand from USA on March 02, 2016:

I absolutely enjoy your style of writing. I recently saw tape extensions at the beauty store and was wondering how it worked. Your instructions on how to put in tape hair extensions is fantastic. The photos are very helpful. Excellent hub.

Miranda on July 28, 2014:

That looks great! Thanks so much for sharing this; it's so useful. I already have naturally long hair, but I showed it to a couple of my friends and they loved it! You're so gorgeous, too!

Kristine Manley from Atlanta, GA on July 15, 2014:

Wow! This is great.

Biddrup Kumar Mallick on July 15, 2014:

Thank you so for this suggestion. Let me tell her right now. :-)

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 15, 2014:

I didn't make a video, unfortunately! But there are plenty on youtube that she could look at, just by searching "install tape-in extensions." I'm sure they wouldn't be too different from this tutorial.

Biddrup Kumar Mallick on July 15, 2014:

Hello @a beautiful mess, I'm just a fresher here and going here and there to learn the new thing. I have a sister who has long hair. I have sent this article to her. She asked me about video tutorial. Did you make any video tutorial for this hub? If yes, could you share the link? Thanks :-)

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 15, 2014:

Thank you sir! And thanks for visiting!

Al Wordlaw from Chicago on July 15, 2014:

I understand, you're very attractive no matter how you do your hair. You're an excellent writer too :-)

swilliams on July 15, 2014:

You are a very unique writer. I love how you carry yourself. You are confident about trying out new things that many women wonder about, but may be afraid to do so. You define what it means to be a woman of creativity. Keep up the great work!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on July 15, 2014:

Thanks all for your feedback! And word55, I appreciate your perspective. Just let it be known that I don't do anything to my hair to please a "true man" - nor anybody else for that matter. I cut my hair, I wanted it to be long, and I wanted to try extensions. It wasn't because I didn't feel attractive enough, or because I was trying to "fix" anything. Simply a hair experiment from someone who like to try things out.

Al Wordlaw from Chicago on July 15, 2014:

Is faking the look where society is going? Maybe I should pertain this to just black women. However, I might get disliked for saying this but if isn't broke don't try to fix it. Many down-to-earth and true men prefer to deal with women that showcase themselves with their natural make up and with their God given hair and other attributes. It is very romantic for a man to rub his hands and fingers through her hair without running into obstacles whether the hair is long or short. It's about accepting her for who she is and what she has naturally. Too often the "put ons" just don't look real (hair). Many colors (nails) look too artificial. True beauty starts naturally from the inside. Thank you beautiful mess for allowing me to voice my opinion. Congrats also for your Hub Of The Day!

Janus Joshua Angeles from Philippines on July 15, 2014:

So pretty

poetryman6969 on July 15, 2014:

looking good!

Lucy Jones from Scandinavia on July 15, 2014:

What a job, but really nice when finished and the long hair suits you. This would probably have cost an arm and a leg (lots of dosh) if you'd had this done at a hairdressers. Fantastic and well worth HOTD - thanks for sharing.

swilliams on July 15, 2014:

What a unique article! you look beautiful with long and short hair! What a creative model! Voted up beautiful!

FlourishAnyway from USA on July 04, 2014:

Wow, I did not know there was such a thing as tape in extensions. Interesting read, and I enjoyed the photos, too! Pinning.

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

I'm a big fan of extensions. I've been using several different kinds for almost six years. From natural glue-in tracks to 18-inch synthetic clip-ins to 20-inch natural tape-ins, I've picked up a few tricks.

If you're still in the what-sort-of-extensions-should-I-get stage, take a gander at my hair extension guide. If you've already got some hair that you plan to add to your own mop, these tips will help you keep it all healthy.

1. Brush

This is incredibly important, whether your extensions are on your head or being stored. Brush them daily, or else you'll end up with some weird, temporary dreadlocks. This is particularly true for the extensions closer to the nape of your neck. If you're seeing dreads while using reusable extensions, there's a chance you may not be able to reuse them at all!

So, brush in the morning. Brush if you feel tangles. Brush before lunch. Brush before bed. Just be sure that you're gentle - which we'll discuss later - because pulling can cause your hair to break. If you're feeling snarly, take it slow and brush working your way from ends to roots. Hold on to your roots, where the extensions attach and use a soft bristle brush. It can go a long way in preserving your extensions and maintaining some sexy ass hair.

2. Condition

I am a HUGE fan of conditioning, all the time. It's good for your normal hair, and great for your extensions!! Hair serum, detangling spray, and conditioner are all possibilities for synthetic and human hair extensions.

I always use a leave-in conditioner, working a bit into my damp, post-shower hair (hint: you don't have to buy specially marked "leave-in" - just use a bit of your normal conditioner). This is something you should do whether your extensions are in or out. If you can't handle having long and beautiful hair all the time, make sure you remember to occasionally condition your extensions. Then they'll still be ready for you once you decide to take the jump again.

3. No Poo

By poo, I'm referring to SHAMpoo, of course. But please don't put any other sorts of poo in your hair either. It probably goes against your instincts to not shampoo, but the chemicals in it can actually serve to dry out and irritate your scalp and hair.

Here, you're presented with two options: to join the no-poo movement or to just lighten up on your shampooing. Use a mild, baby shampoo, and shampoo less frequently. You shouldn't be doing it daily anyway, as it strips your hair of the natural oils that keep it looking and feeling healthy.

4. Keep Them Braided

If wind, sleep, or other activities that are rough on your locks are in the forecast, opt for some braids. That'll help keep your extensions from tangling and matting. You should braid your extensions every night before sleep, since you'll be rubbin' all up on that pillow. Also, avoid speed boats and convertibles.

5. Minimize Heat Use

Another good tip to keep in mind when caring for both your extensions and your own head of hair is to minimize its contact with heat. Look for alternative ways to curl your hair. Maybe use rag rolls, or go full-granny with curlers. Let your extensions dry naturally, rather than using a blow dryer. If you absolutely must use heat, at least be sure to spray on a heat protectant first.

I know it's hard to break up with your straightener and curling iron, but they've just got to understand. Your relationship is starting to become dependent and unhealthy, and you just can't keep giving when all they do is take. Wipe your tears away and look at this as an opportunity to be more creative with your styling methods!

6. Be Gentle

Everything you do, do with care. Wash and brush gently, to prevent shedding. Don't get into any cat fights, because someone always gets their weave ripped out. Over your extension journey, some hair will undoubtedly fall out. However, you can slow it to a large extent if you're careful in everything you do.

7. Reduce Exposure

Exposure in this sense refers to many things. Sun, chlorine, nuclear radiation, these are all things to avoid. If you find yourself outside a lot, opt for a hat. If you're a lap swimmer, wear a swim cap! If you're in an area with nuclear radiation, well, I'm not sure what to tell you. Just don't be.

More Hair Help

I hope you'll treat your extensions right, so that they can last for the longest amount of time possible! They're expensive, so save yourself some money by spending a little more time on them. If you're looking for more hair things, check out some of my other articles!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

ohsohelpful on November 10, 2017:

thank you for this post, I have extensions in now for almost a year, and am totally in love with it . thank you for the information posted above! so helpful!

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

I think everybody secretly wants long hair. But, for some reason or another, we chop it off before it has a chance to get there! Extensions are the perfect cure. There are several types of hair extensions; whether they're glue-in, clip-in, sew-in, or tape-in, learn about them here!

Below is a handy dandy comparison chart, but we'll go more into the details of each specific type of extension further in the article.

Comparing Different Types of Extensions

Clip-In Extensions

Clip-in extensions are probably the easiest to use. You can put them in and take them out at your own discretion–which is perfect for indecisive folks! The only problem I have with my clip-ins is that they're long and heavy. I have 18" curly synthetic clip-ins, and when clipped, they tug on my hair. It can make my scalp pretty sore after an extended period of time, because I don't wear them that often. I would not recommend clip-ins to someone with a sensitive scalp!

The hair, be it synthetic or real, is sewn onto a track, which is sewn or glued onto clips. You can buy clip-ins by the section, or get enough to do your whole head. The set that I have comes with 14 pieces of varying widths. It contains six 1-inch wide pieces, four 3-inch pieces, and four 6-inch pieces.

When putting in clip-ins, you'll need a giant butterfly clip. If you have multiple pieces to put in, you're going to want to start from the bottom on the back of your scalp and work your way up.

Divide your hair into a part horizontally about an inch above the bottom of your scalp. Secure the hair above the part with a butterfly clip, and let the hair below the part hang. Grab a large-width extension, and pop all of the clips open. One by one, push the clips upward to secure them to the hair on the bottom of the part. Snap them closed when they've grabbed enough hair to remain in place. You've just put in your first extension!

Use the wider sections to fill up the back of your scalp, working your way from the bottom of your head to the top. Then, use the smaller sections to fill in the sides. Be careful not to put the extensions in too close to your part, otherwise, the tracks will be visible!

That's all there is to clip-ins. Like I said, very simple! Just make sure to secure them well, and you can take them out whenever you please.

Glue-In Extensions

If you're looking for something slightly more permanent, glue-ins are the way to go. Depending on how much conditioner you use, glue-ins can stay in for around 2 showers. I usually don't wash my hair every day, so I can keep these sorts of extensions in for about a week. The downsides are sometimes you can get glue stuck in your hair . . . But with lots of conditioner, you can usually get it out quickly.

Glue-ins, like clip-ins, are sewn onto a track. You can find tons of colors at beauty shops and wig shops, along with latex glue. The latex glue usually comes in black and in white, but I suggest getting black unless you have platinum blonde hair.

To put in a glue-in, it's best to have several mirrors so you'll be able to see the back of your head. You'll need a butterfly clip as well, because you'll be sectioning your hair using the same method as you would for clip-ins.

When I use glue-ins, it's never to lengthen my hair—only to add colored streaks. I have only put in 5 pieces at most, and I usually just add them to my bangs and the hair around my face. It's hard to glue these extensions onto the back of your scalp by yourself, so I recommend getting some help.

For these, you're going to part your hair horizontally wherever you'd like the extension to go. Secure the hair above the part, so it won't get in the way when you're gluing. Lay down the track and add a thin line of glue across the top of the sewn part. Immediately press it onto the part you've made. I try to press it onto my scalp more than onto my roots, so that I don't get the glue stuck in my hair. The glue is quick to dry, so press it down to your scalp for about 20 seconds and it should be secure.

To remove your glue-ins, hop in the shower and rub lots of conditioner into your roots around the extension. With a little work, it should slide right out.

Fusion/Tip/Tape-In Extensions

This type includes beads, tips, and things that require heat to seal to your hair. I won't dwell on these long—they're expensive ($1k+), gross, and damaging, and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. I used tips once, and it ended up damaging my hair and leaving glue in it, which was MUCH more difficult to get out than latex glue.

You shouldn't do fusion things by yourself, because there's a chance you'll just get glue everywhere. And, this stuff is like superglue. You can totally screw up your hair.

Also, when brushing your hair, you can end up pulling out a lot of your own hair, which defeats the purpose. Not to mention, tips look really gross when they're in. All of those Britney Spears hair photos out there? Yeah. Don't do it.

Tape-ins are the one that has merit. Basically, the extensions sandwich a thin row of your hair between two rows of tape-in. They have to be removed with a solution. They can be done very badly, but if you're careful or go to a good salon, you can do them right. Tape-ins have to be removed every month or so, and moved back up to account for hair growth.

Sew-In Extensions

Sew-ins are the most like the real thing. You can treat these sorts of extensions like they are your own hair, and they can last around two months with minimal damage. You'll probably have to go to a salon to get them put in, but it shouldn't cost more than $50–$80.

When you go to get extensions sewn in, you bring the hair. You're going to want human hair, so that you can curl and straighten and style without worry. Search online for good quality hair, like Indian Remy.

To put the hair in, synthetic hair will be braided in with your own hair, in a thin braid close to the scalp. The track of the extension will then be sewn onto the braid. This can sometimes be painful, because just like clip-in extensions, the long hair will tug on your scalp.

More on Hair Care

My sister and I often go on hair adventures . . . So check out her article on taking care of long hair!

Here are links to a few articles on how to bleach or take care of bleached hair!

• How to Bleach Dark Hair
• Grow Out Bleached Hair with an Ombre
• How to Bleach an Ombre
• How to Take Care of Bleached Hair

© 2014 Alex Rose

Comments

FlourishAnyway from USA on May 06, 2014:

Although I am blessed with naturally long flowing hair such that even strangers stop me to give me compliments, not everyone is as fortunate. This is a great way to get instant glam! Voted up and pinning.

I enjoy fashion and looking trendy on a budget. I also create art, take photos, and save money by doing things myself.

I work at a radio station, and with this job comes many concerts during the summer. I want to look exciting at concerts, especially if I get to meet a band. It's fun to stand out! This DIY fringe top is one of my favorite concert shirts, and it's fairly simple to make, too.

Materials

• Two tank tops: I used the same-ish color of two different tank tops. Ideally, you'd buy two of the same tank.
• Scissors
• Beads
• Sewing machine/safety pins: You can sew by hand if you'd like, though I imagine it'd be pretty time-consuming. Or, you can not sew at all! I had originally planned on sewing mine but ended up safety pinning instead. That way, I can wear the fringe over another tank if I want.

Step 1: Cut Off the Hem

Take the shirt that you'll be using as fringe and cut off the bottom hem. Make sure it's not jagged!

Step 2: Cut the Fringe

Now you're going to start cutting the fringe. I suggest cutting 3/4 inch wide strips. It's time consuming, but worth it! Cut the strips all the way around the shirt, up to the hem at the top.

Step 3: Stretch It Out

Stretch out each strip by pulling on it. This will cause the edges to curl, and your fringe won't look so awkward. Be careful not to pull too hard. I nearly ripped off a fringe strip because apparently I don't know my own strength (it's like Hercules').

At this point, your shirt should look like the photo below. As you can see, the bottom is uneven, and it looks kind of plain. We'll remedy these things next!

Step 4: Finishing Touches

So this is the part where you add beads, if you have them. I don't have beads, so instead I just knotted the strips of fringe in a "V" pattern. This helps the strips to not be all over each other.

I only knotted the front strips individually. The back I gathered and tied together with an extra strip of fabric.

Once I had finished knotting the front, I cut the bottom into a "V" shape as well.

Finished Product

More DIYs

To finish it off, you can either sew or safety pin the fringe tank to the normal tank. I just left mine separate so I could switch the bottom tank top out!

If you're interested in more fashion DIYs, check out some of my other stuff!

• Spider Web Cut Shirt
• 10 DIY Ways to Make a Cut Shirt

I love to dye my hair all colors of the rainbow. I love all things vintage, and I enjoy creating art, taking photos, and doing it myself.

Crop tops are adorable, and if you're trying to be stylish, they're in for the summer! Create your own to add a fun and retro flare to your wardrobe.

I recently competed in a pin-up contest and found myself lacking in retro-style clothing. While I didn't wear one of these crop tops, now I know what to do for the next one. They are so easy to create, and I can make use of old tank tops that I rarely wear.

Materials

This one is pretty straightforward, and you don't need that many things! It's no-sew, unless you'd rather sew than safety pin.

• Tank top
• Scissors
• Safety pins

Step 1: Cut Down the Front

Lay your shirt flat on the ground, with the front facing up. Take your scissors and cut straight down the middle, using smooth lines!

Step 2: Cut Off the Back

Turn your shirt over so the back is facing up, and cut off a big rectangle from the bottom. Make sure you trim neatly up the sides, and straight across the back about halfway up.

Step 3: Fastening

There are several ways to do this. Once you've put your shirt on, wrap the long bits in the front around your midsection. Now, you can do one of these things:

• tie the strips in the back, if they're long enough
• fasten them together with safety pins
• sew the ends of either strip together

I opted for safety pins, so the shirt is easier to take off.

Now, you'll notice that the front is probably slightly floppy. You can cut the floppy bits off, or just tuck them back, like I did.

More DIYs

It's really that easy! I made two new crop tops with this method. Check out pictures below. Also, if you're looking for more ways to spice up your wardrobe, check out my other DIYs!

1. 10 DIY Ways to Make a Cut Shirt
2. Bleached Stencil T-shirt

Comments

Lisa from Central USA on July 11, 2014:

That is absolutely adorable and you have the shape for it I don't unfortunately

I enjoy fashion and looking trendy on a budget. I also create art, take photos, and save money by doing things myself.

Sometimes I get a little ambitious. I see a photo or come up with an idea, and I determine that I could easily make that thing, rather than buy it.

This time, it was these gorgeous Victorian boots. I saw a photo on Pinterest and immediately fell in love. It didn't seem like a possibility until I visited my granny. It just so happens that she's super stylish and also my size, so when she gets rid of clothes and shoes, she'll often ask if I'd like them first! She was getting rid of a black pair of boots, and I knew they were perfect!

I started collecting things to Victorian-ize them: twine, ribbons, embroidery. In the meantime, I still put the boots to good use! They made for a pretty awesome pirate costume, which was also created by granny's hand-me-downs.

I finally collected enough things to create the boots of my dreams—and I also need them for my St. Patrick's Day outfit. Hard work and motivation!

Materials

Honestly, I just used things I found. The only thing I purchased for this project was the embroidery, and I found it on eBay for about $2.

1. Granny boots: Seriously, that's what they're referred to as. You can search Google for "granny boots" or "Victorian boots," or just have a really cool granny who can't wear heels anymore.
2. Embroidered trim: Search by the yard on eBay or at a craft store.
3. Twine, ribbon: The gold mesh that I used on these boots was actually from a bow on a Christmas present from my other grandparents. One side has cool shoes, one side has cool wrapping materials. I'm a hoarder. Whatever.
4. Glue gun
5. Scissors
6. Paint: I just grabbed some enamel paint because it was in the right colors. I didn't use it too much, but on repainting the laces of the shoes to be gold!

Step 1: Covering the Sides

This was the hardest part of all—and it wasn't even that hard! The thing was, I had a limited amount of mesh fabric (only enough to make a bow on a Christmas gift!). I had to be careful cutting it and gluing it down because of the way it stretches.

Basically, once I had cut out a piece big enough to cover one side of a shoe, I outlined the area with hot glue a few inches at a time and carefully pressed the mesh down. Remember, you're dealing with hot glue—so BE CAREFUL!

I filled in both sides of each shoe with the gold mesh fabric, making sure to keep it trimmed within the borders of the shoes.

Step 2: Adding the Embroidered Trim

If I had enough trim, I would've used it around the top of the ankle. Unfortunately, when I ordered it all those months ago, I only got a yard. I had just enough to line the outside of the lacing. Again, I attached it by laying down a line of glue and carefully pressing the trim down.

Step 3: Adding Twine Borders

The next step was to add ribbon and twine borders, to cover up the rest of the edges of the mesh. I used a thick gold twine to line the entire toe, and a thin gold twine to line the heel.

You won't see the thin gold twine in the next photo since I didn't decide to add it until later.

When it came time to add a border to the ankle, I was running out of materials. I had some sheer ribbon, which I then painted silver. I used it to line the ankle when it was dry.

Step 4: Small Details

I had just enough embroidered trim to add some details to the shoes. I cut out several of the shapes from the trim and decided to place them on the toe and heel of the shoe. Additionally, I used a bit of trim to cover where the ribbons/mesh came together at the back of the ankle.

My last act was to paint the shoelaces gold, which I do not recommend. You should either buy them or make them using a thick gold twine—because painting ended up being very tedious and messy. It didn't even turn out that bright! But it was certainly better than plain black laces. See the photos below for comparison!

Final Product!

© 2014 Alex Rose

Comments

Maria on January 03, 2020:

All i can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on March 16, 2014:

thank you so much!

FlourishAnyway from USA on March 15, 2014:

These are stunning. Voted up and pinning!

I enjoy fashion and looking trendy on a budget. I also create art, take photos, and save money by doing things myself.

I've made my own spray-painted t-shirts before, but that's not the only way to do a DIY design! Using the same concepts as painting, you can create a design on a shirt using bleach.

I'm actually doing my design on a patch of fabric that I've cut out of a black t-shirt because I want a patch for my leather vest! The design I'm using is the logo for my radio show.

Materials Needed

This is actually a bit simpler than spray painting a design on a shirt, and you'll probably already have most of the materials you need at home.

• Dark T-Shirt
• Cardboard
• Box Cutter
• Double Stick Tape
• Spray Bottle
• Bleach
• Newspaper

If you're making a patch and not an entire shirt, cut a rectangle of fabric that is slightly larger than the stencil you'll be using. My stencil takes up a pretty sizable amount of space, so I cut a rectangle from the bottom half of an old long-sleeved shirt.

1. Making the Stencil

I free handed my stencil onto the back of a flattened cardboard box. I made my stencil to utilize positive space, meaning that the spray paint will fill the positive space of the letters I've cut out.

If you're not the best at freehanding, you could print out the logo or design you're trying to replicate, and tape it to the cardboard. Then, use your box cutter to cut out the design, much like carving a pumpkin!

Keep in mind, any letters that close (A, B, D, O, P, Q, R, a, b, d, e, g, o, p, q) need to still be connected to the stencil somehow. As in, the negative space on the inside of an "O" (the area that needs to stay dark) needs to be connected to the negative space on the outside—or else you'll just have a giant, bleached circle when you finish. There are two different ways to fix this.

1. Cut out a middle piece for the "O," and place it on the shirt when you lay down the stencil.
2. Leave the middle piece connected to the stencil by a thin line of cardboard.

For this design, I used the second method and left a thin line attached to the center of the letter. In the photo below, you can see how I did it with the "D."

2. Preparing to Bleach

First, you need to mix the bleach solution. Add one part water to one part bleach and pour it into a spray bottle. Shake it up, and give the bottle a few squirts to get the mixture spraying properly. Most squirt bottles can be adjusted to spray a thin stream or a fine mist. You'll want to set your bottle to misty mode!

If you're bleaching a t-shirt, grab a few pieces of newspaper and lay them flat inside of the shirt. Place it underneath where your design will go, so the bleach doesn't bleed through to the back of the shirt. If you're working with a patch, like I was, you only need to lay newspaper underneath the fabric.

Lay your stencil down. Use double-stick tape to secure it to the shirt. Make sure to apply the tape to the places where the stencil doesn't lay flat. My Vinyl Countdown stencil has lots of detail, so I used a bit of tape between some of the letters to make sure that the design would come out sharp. The better the contact between the stencil and shirt, the sharper the image will be.

Once your stencil is taped down, use the rest of your newspaper to cover up the remaining exposed areas of the t-shirt or patch.

3. Bleaching the Design

Spray a mist of bleach over the stencil. You'll have to spray quite a few times—I did about 10 sprays. The droplets might sit on top of the fabric, but they need to be absorbed. Take a piece of tissue or paper towel and dab the bleach into the shirt. Now, let it sit for about 10 minutes.

If the shirt isn't light enough when you come back, spray and dab another time. Be careful not to soak the shirt; you don't want the bleach to bleed outside of the lines of the stencil.

When you're satisfied with the color, remove the stencil and lay the shirt or patch out to dry. The longer you let it sit, the lighter it gets. Once it's as light as you want it, rinse it out quickly. Then throw it in the wash to get the smell out.

Results

As you can see, the bleaching worked even with all the detail in my stencil. It bled through a little bit, but that's because I went spray-crazy.

All in all, I'd say this is a wonderful method for customizing t-shirts! It'll never fade either. If you enjoyed this DIY and you're hungry for more, take a quick look at some of my others.

Check Out More of My DIY Articles!

• DIY Fashion: Make a T-Shirt Into a Tank Top
  It's easy to cut a T-shirt down into a tank top; you don't even need to sew it. Three steps, one optional.
• DIY Fashion: How to Stud Clothing
  If you're looking for a badass DIY way to personalize your clothes, studs are the way to go. Here, you can find where to buy studs, as well as studding ideas and photos!
• DIY Fashion: How to Create Costumes Through the Decades
  Using these tips, you can create costumes from the 1920s to the 1990s! Whether it's for Halloween or a themed party, you can find plenty of ideas in these eight decades of vintage inspired costume.
• DIY Fashion: How to Spray Paint a T-Shirt
  Ordering t-shirts for your event or organization can get very pricey, very quickly. With a little spray paint and a plain shirt, you can make your own!

© 2014 Alex Rose

Comments

Ceres Schwarz on February 18, 2014:

The bleached stencil t-shirt looks very nice as can be seen in the images. This doesn't seem all that hard to do and it's a good way to make and design shirts yourself instead of just buying them.

Sanjay Sharma from Mandi (HP) India on February 17, 2014:

Beautiful Hub, Voted up.

I enjoy fashion and looking trendy on a budget. I also create art, take photos, and save money by doing things myself.

I'm on a quest to create a wardrobe full of one-of-a-kind, DIY clothing. As you guys can probably tell from my other articles, I'm all about cutting up and studding my clothes. Now all I need is to be a rock star!

I saw a photo of a spider-web cut shirt on Pinterest and knew I'd have to replicate it at some point. As with all of my replications, I threw in my own twist. So without further ado, a step-by-step tutorial on how to create this awesome web shirt.

Materials

So you can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way is to just use your shirt and scissors. The back of my shirt had a logo on it though, and I wasn't digging that look. I decided to go the hard way and cut the back of the shirt off and replace it with sheer fabric, but it looks just fine either way!

• T-shirt
• Scissors
• Sheer Fabric
• Studs

Step 1: Cut Sleeves

So first off, you want to cut your sleeves off. Just lay the shirt flat on the ground and cut just inside of the sleeve's seam.

Step 2: Outline

Once you've cut your sleeves, turn your shirt inside out and use a marker to outline the web. I used a silver sharpie on my black shirt.

Pick a spot for the center of the web to be, and draw a small circle. Then, draw a vertical line and a horizontal line that goes straight through it. Add in a few diagonals, like a little compass rose.

Step 3: Cutting the Web

Next, you'll want to start cutting. Pick a section to start with, and begin at the middle—just outside of the circle you drew. You'll want your cuts to start and finish about half a centimeter away from the lines you drew.

I spaced each cut out by about a centimeter, and I only cut on the front half of the shirt.

Once you've finished a section, stretch it out so that the strips of fabric start to roll up. Move on to the next section, and work your way around the shirt. It's a very long process, but it looks awesome in the end!

Step 4: Touching Up the Edges

Once I was done cutting the web pattern, I decided to cut about two centimeters off of the neckline, to make it more open. Then, I took my scissors and cut all the way around the bottom of the shirt, taking off the bottom hem.

I cut the bottom so that the lowest part of the web was the bottom of the shirt. It became sort of angled, and draped down on one side. I cut the bottom on the back of the shirt at a diagonal as well.

Step 5: Adding a Sheer Back

Certainly, you could stop right after step 4. However, my shirt had a logo on the back that I didn't like, so I got ambitious.

I cut the entire back off of the shirt, making sure to leave the strips of fabric that completed the neck hole and arm holes. Then, I cut out a section of sheer fabric in the same shape as the web section.

I didn't particularly want to sew, mostly because my sewing machine is in another room and it's cold in there—and I hate being cold. Instead, I got innovative and grabbed some black pyramid studs.

I lined up the sheer fabric underneath the back of the neck hole from the front (web) side of the shirt and pushed several studs in to secure the two fabrics together. I spaced the studs about an inch apart. I repeated this down the sides of the shirt as well. In the end, there were studs lining the back of the neck, the shoulders, the back of the arm holes, and down the sides of the shirt. The best part? The two sides are now fastened, with no sewing involved.

To finish it up, you can hem the bottom of the sheer fabric—or, just paint along the bottom edge with clear nail polish. This will keep the ends from fraying.

More DIY Fashion

I hope this tutorial was simple enough and that everything was explained to your liking! I urge you to keep checking back for more DIYs, as I have many more rockstar pieces to create. As for now, try out some of my other fashion DIYs!

• DIY Fashion: How To Take In a T-Shirt
  Have any shirts that are just a size too big? Now you can learn how to take them in a size, so you don't look like your shirt is eating you.
• DIY Fashion: How to Spray Paint a T-Shirt
  Ordering t-shirts for your event or organization can get very pricey, very quickly. With a little spray paint and a plain shirt, you can make your own!
• DIY Fashion: Make a T-Shirt Into a Tank Top
  It's easy to cut a T-shirt down into a tank top; you don't even need to sew it. Three steps, one optional.
• DIY Fashion: 10 Ways to Make a Cut Shirt
  Want to spice up your wardrobe? Here are 10 ways to do just that - and all you need is a t-shirt and a pair of scissors! Get your creative juices flowing with these easy DIY cutting styles.
• DIY Fashion: How to Stud Clothing
  If you're looking for a badass DIY way to personalize your clothes, studs are the way to go. Here, you can find where to buy studs, as well as studding ideas and photos!

© 2014 Alex Rose

Comments

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on March 25, 2016:

Should work out just fine on the back!

Creatively insane student on March 22, 2016:

Hi, I'm just wondering, would the spiderweb pattern work for both sides of the tshirt?? I have a vest top that's too big for me that I want to try this on but with it being too big, I'm thinking of doing the back too, any advice??

Alex Rose (author) from Virginia on February 17, 2014:

Thank you very much!

iphone5amazon1 on February 17, 2014:

You are really a talented person, that was great!

I enjoy fashion and looking trendy on a budget. I also create art, take photos, and save money by doing things myself.

I don't really like t-shirts. They either don't fit right or they're too plain. Tank tops, however, I love! Something about not having baggy sleeves is appealing to me. And wouldn't you know it, turning a t-shirt into a tank is pretty easy. This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to transform your tees into their more awesome sibling.

Materials

• T-shirt
• Marker: Since my shirt is black, I used a silver sharpie to outline where I would cut
• Scissors
• Sewing machine (optional): You don't need a sewing machine, you can just cut up your shirt and leave it as is. But if you want to take in the sides a bit and hem, a sewing machine is a must.

Step 1: Outline Where You Will Cut the T-Shirt

You're going to outline the front neckline and the tank top straps first! When you're outlining, you'll want to make sure you keep the straps of the tank top close to where the original neckline of the shirt was. If you cut them too wide, they won't even fit on your shoulders . . . personal experience.

1. Turn your shirt inside out and lay it so the front is facing upwards. Outline where you are going to cut.
2. Make the straps about an inch wide, or a little wider if you plan to hem them. The neckline I outlined was about 2 inches lower than the original neck for the shirt.
3. Now, flip the shirt over and focus on the back! I made mine like a racerback, to avoid losing the logo that was printed there. I drew the back neckline just outside of the original hem, and had the back straps curve in a little.

Once you make sure that the front and back outlines match up at the shoulders and armpits, you're ready to cut!

Step 2: Cut Sleeves and Neckline

This is the easiest part! just cut along the outlines you made. Be careful to cut smooth lines, and try to keep everything symmetrical.

Step 3: Sew Sides and Neckline (Optional)

So, you can stop after cutting if you want. I prefer the look of the hemmed neckline, and my shirt was also a little baggy, so I opted to sew it up. I took in the sides a bit, outlining in silver sharpie as before. I used a stretch stitch, which is zig-zagged, and sewed up both sides.

After that, I hemmed the neckline of the shirt with white thread. To do this, simply fold the edge over about a centimeter. You can use an iron or a straightener to flatten the fabric into place. Then, with the shirt inside out, sew around the neck hole. Cut off the excess thread or string and you're done! I didn't want to sew the armholes, so I just stretched those out a bit and called it a day.

Modeling the Finished Tank Top

Comments

Carrie on June 19, 2017:

I've looked everywhere and u are the most informative. So ciye. Ty so much!