Possible to get Medium Ash blonde from brown/red ?

My natural hair color is light-medium brown with LOTS of red undertones, and how would you get a medium ash blonde color ?    Can I get a true ash blonde color (that looks like a darkish gray color) from highlift color or do I have to bleach the strands first?

I love VERy pale neutral blonde with ash blonde lowlights, my favorite color, but don't know if I can EVER achieve it.

I know for the very pale neutral blonde I have to bleach to a color that is like the inside of the banana peel and then put a white lady toner or platinum blonde toner afterwards.

But I just don't know about getting the medium ash blonde lowlights.

Thanks for following me, that's so funny, Fakeizme. I'm glad for your great advice

It makes sense what you said, wow, I didn't know any of that! and I've been reading up on blonde hair color for years to try and learn.

I'll probably reconsider trying to achieve those colors, but I won't give up trying to have nice blonde hair just yet, I guess.

Oh no, you didn't discourage me at all! it's the salons that are messing me up, they NEVER do what I want, they NEVER get it right, they give me UGLY blondish dull brassy hair, they don't seem to know anything about how to achieve pretty blonde hair, and I've been to lots of salons over the years.   So, I'm doing it myself blonde , even if it's HARD to do, lol. They've never used bleach, though, just highlift and a "lightener" which I think was a very gentle bleach, but still not lifting my color past the gold brassy dull stage. And they've never toned it successfully.

Thank you for all your help!!

So, if you're up to it, could you point me to maybe some posts of yours if you've explained what products you are using to bleach your hair, tone, etc?   Thank you so much.   I've read Wellite is good.

I don't really want ash blonde hair, but I was wanting to acheive some medium ash blonde lowlights, but it sounds too difficult.   So, maybe I'm going to try and get medium golden blonde lowlights. Just don't know how to achieve it all, yet.

I'm wanting very very pale/bright almost white/platinum highlights in a few places, then quite a few highlights in one shade darker, then lowlights in just one shade darker than that.   I don't know how, though.

Thank you so much, Fakeizme!   I truly thank you for your time and effort.

I have a question, though, the way I'd LIKE to do it is the second way you suggested, by toning some bleached strands with lowlights, but once hair is bleached, the lowlight color would fade in a few shampoos, wouldn't it?

I've always read porous bleached hair just won't hold onto color.    I've read about "fillers", do I have to use a filler before putting in the lowlights?

I know some people just use "toners" for their lowlights, but don't they just wash out in a few shampoos?

Still confused, as you can see, sorry! But I'm getting there.

I've read about Wella Blondor CREAM bleach is really good, I'd prefer a cream bleach because of allergies to things, I'm hesitant to have to mix a powder, you know? Have you used the Wella cream bleach? Thank yoU!

Thank you so much, Fakeisme. I've been learning lots from you!

I do really appreciate your instructions [IMG]smileys/barmy.gif" align="middle" />

I have another question for you or anyone. I talked to Aveda today because I've been reading their hi-lift blonde colors (no bleach), Eclipse and Dusk, are REALLY really good at hi-lift and better than most hi-lifts, so I called them just to ask them.   And what do you think about what they said? they said...

that they could make me into a very light ash blonde with their hi-lift Dusk or Eclipse blonde color, and I said but it's going to be brassy cuz I've tried lots of times with salons with hi-lift, and it's always brassy. Then they said what I thought they would say, that they would mix ASH into the hi-lift to counteract the red/brassiness from my hair.

Has anyone used Aveda's Eclipse or Dusk hi-lift if you have light-medium brown hair?   Would it "REALLY" work?   I'm not convinced , but who knows, maybe Aveda has some magic stuff in their hi-lift blondes.

Edited by oceanduck - May 29 2008 at 8:20pm

Ok, then, I think bleach is the answer, at least for some strands. Aveda maybe for some strands.

Fakeizme, you know what I read about on another forum, is a bleach that's supposed to be VERY very wonderful, from a line from Spain called "Lakme", but since I've never used it, I don't know. There are some stylists here in my city who use Lakme hair color, so I'm hoping one day to go see what it's all about with this bleach. I don't really know what's so much better about it, but the colorist just commented that it's better than Schwarzkopf, Wella, and Goldwell and Chi and other bleaches and other stylists said they had also seen good things with it.

I also heard that Phytologie's haircolor line called Kydra is wonderful, and the bleach leaves the hair BEAUTIFUL! But I don't know if anyone here in my city uses Kydra hair color or bleach but I hope to try it some day, too.

Wella seems wonderful, though, - and I'll let you know if I try the Latke.

Have you ever seen anyone with Scruples Blazing on their hair? I saw some photos, looks nice, but I think it's very strong odor.

I've never heard of 'Lakme' bleach. It sounds wonderful though and I would love to try it if I could get my hands on some!  I'm always up for finding other great bleaches. I notice the newer bleaches are manufactured to be less harmful to hair and contain way more conditioners for the hair. Love that! If professionals like it, that's a good sign.

I have also heard Kydra color is good. Never tried it; it doesn't seem to be highly discussed on hair sites. Wish there was more info about it.

I have never seen anyone with Scruples Blazing, but just about any hairstylist that has said they used it seemed to really like it. I've read that it's easy to use and really performs. I think it's a toning bleach? Something like Colorgraphics? Think you might be right on the stinky part; heard that too!