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Red undertone dilemma . . . plus.

Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Hair Talk
Forum Name: Hair Color
Forum Description: The tricks and tribulations of changing your hair color
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=30521
Printed Date: February 15 2026 at 6:40pm


Topic: Red undertone dilemma . . . plus.
Posted By: Ruhe1986
Subject: Red undertone dilemma . . . plus.
Date Posted: May 07 2005 at 1:47am

I was born with it . . . lived with it and hate it. My hair is dark brown these red undertones, just barely visable. But whenever I put in any lighter color it turns out Auburn. My mom, said I cant die my hair anything lighter or it will turn out red. I am so ticked off. I want light brown hair, but it comes out Auburn EVERYTIME.

See when I was a todler I was a red head, and then it slowly turned to this strange Ashy blonde color, then brown, then dark brown. everytime it has these red undertones that shows ESPECIALLY in the sunlight. I have no idea why my hair color changed color over the years, I didnt know hair color could. I avoid dying it, but I really would like to have lighter hair. To add on to it, my mom has natural Strawberry blonde hair, we have irish in the family, and I found out the hard way, I dyed it. the box said light brown, but It came out Auburn. YIKES.

What should I do?? What color can neutralize this red mess. I cant live like this. sorry. any ideas I can do myself without spending lots of money at a beautician?

Thanks




Replies:
Posted By: eKatherine
Date Posted: May 07 2005 at 9:02am
Yes, it's normal for hair to get darker as you get older. In your case, that means you went from red to auburn.

The box color you bought is intended to lighten the hair two levels. So first it lightened from auburn to red, and then it tried to color over it with light brown, which wasn't really intended to cover red. So it stays red.

Generally a green-based dye is used to neutralize red colors. While you can get this at Sally's, I suggest a consultation with a colorist to make sure you're doing it right the first time.

Not what you want to hear, but red hair is really popular right now. I have to work to get my hair medium auburn.

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Just looking for a few good hair slaves - is that too much to ask?


Posted By: leia1979
Date Posted: May 07 2005 at 11:43pm
Red can be a tough color to get rid of, and I absolutely agree with Katherine.  Consult a colorist first.  It may be very difficult to neutralize the red color, but green or blue based dye is the way to do it.


Posted By: irishroyal
Date Posted: May 09 2005 at 1:09pm

 The only way to get the red out of your hair is to bleach it until it's out of the red level which is level 8/9, but I would not recommend this as you would have to do this to your hair every 3 weeks as the dark regrowth would start to show. You would have to use bleach with 20vol on the scalp area and 40vol for the mid shaft & ends and you would have to do this twice to get the pigments out  and then you'd need to tone it to the color you want, way too much trouble.

 I've never recommended this when clients come into the salon wanting this, so please, #1 this is something you can NOT do to yourself, #2 your hair will feel like straw and #3 it won't look good on you because that's not your coloring, you're better off in the auburn familt of tones because you are a brunette.

 Don't fight Mother Nature, she always wins.

 - Mags Kavanaugh ASKMAGS.COM




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