My red color is too brown!

Hello! I've had my hair professionally colored by a medium-red/auburn color (similar to Debra Messing's) for quite a while. My natural hair color is dark brown. Lately, when I go in for a touch-up, I notice that the root area - from the actual root to about two inches down, is the correct color (red) but, from two inches from the root to the ends, the color is much more brown as opposed to red. It actually blends well together, but I simply don't understand why the color is richer (redder) in the first two to three inches from the root than the rest of the hair. My hair is long - to the middle of my back. Is there anything that I can do to make the ends of my hair as rich and red as the root area? Any and all suggestions/advice are greatly appreciated.

Thank You.

The ends of your hair will usually be lighter than roots. However, when you go for a color, after she colors your roots, does she comb thru the rest of your hair and let it sit for 10-15 minutes? When i used to go to the salon for a color, we usually had to do this to refresh the color.

kitty18 had some good advice regarding the color depositing shampoo/conditioner. I color my hair red and always use either a depositing shampoo or conditioner on my hair. You don't necessarily have to use it on the roots but i concentrate on midshaft and ends. Aveda, Artec have shampoo and conditioners; i am currently using Matrixs' depositing conditioner in True Red.

i've colored my hair red for 6 years and have only used color depositing shampoo/conditioner for 3. I can say that it really does make a difference for me. I am natraully dark ash blonde and my hair lightens significantly on the ends, especially in the summer, when i'm in the sun a lot.

My fave is a conditioner. In the shower I wash my hair first, apply my conditioner (concentrating on ends), comb thru and finish my shower routine, sometimes even shaving my legs before rinsing it out. I start using it immediately after coloring and always concentrate more on midshaft and ends of my hair.

My stylist is a redhead and alternately uses the shampoo, then conditioner. One wash she uses the shampoo with a regular conditioner and next wash uses regular shampoo with color depositing conditioner. She has brunette hair and has a problem with the red fading out, too.

Hope ya' find something that works for ya'!