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advice for going lighter from ash brown

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=43750
Printed Date: October 05 2025 at 5:08pm


Topic: advice for going lighter from ash brown
Posted By: velvetnstars
Subject: advice for going lighter from ash brown
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 9:32pm
Hi, I could really use some color advice so I'll just give an excessively detailed hair history hoping you all can help me! 11 months ago I damaged my hair with a chemical straightener (I didn't know that you couldn't use it if you had used a color remover previously, huge disaster) but now my hair is really healthy except for the bottom 1-2 inches, which I will probably cut off soon anyway. I had been avoiding color while letting it grow out and just did my first color in a year about 1 month ago. I went for a medium ash brown home color to counteract the red tones in my light brown hair (I've never gotten the result I want from a salon, always too reddish), but the problem is that now it is too ashy, and darker at the ends. I've been shampooing with a mix of dishwashing liquid and shampoo to remove the color and deep conditioning afterwards, and that has helped some. My natural color is a very light, warm brown and I would ideally like to get back to that. Any ideas would be great, thanks.



Replies:
Posted By: KarenNJ
Date Posted: May 28 2006 at 11:51am
You have a couple of options.
If you want to use a lighter dye, you do need to use a color remover first.  Whenever you add dye, remember the ends will soak up color faster, so only pull the color through to the ends for the last 10 minutes of processing time.
(Always be sure to do a strand test first.)
An alternative to removing color and re-dying would be to add in some highlights.  I like Clairol Instant Whip (use as directed with 20 volume developer and activating crystals) available at Sally's.  It's easy to control how much color you lift by the lenghth of time you leave it on.  A few strategically placed foil highlights may brighten things up to your satisfaction.  (Again - strand test.)
After you do whatever you choose to do, I would definitely recommend trimming off those unhealthy ends.  :)
Good luck!



Posted By: velvetnstars
Date Posted: May 28 2006 at 9:39pm
Thanks, I guess I've been putting off cutting it since I want long hair...but there's no point in having long hair that turns two different colors :-) I'll look into what you suggested.

-------------
I don't need the money, dear. I work for art.
Maria Callas


Posted By: Claude
Date Posted: May 28 2006 at 9:52pm
Originally posted by velvetnstars velvetnstars wrote:

Hi, I could really use some color advice so I'll just give an excessively detailed hair history hoping you all can help me! 11 months ago I damaged my hair with a chemical straightener (I didn't know that you couldn't use it if you had used a color remover previously, huge disaster) but now my hair is really healthy except for the bottom 1-2 inches, which I will probably cut off soon anyway. I had been avoiding color while letting it grow out and just did my first color in a year about 1 month ago. I went for a medium ash brown home color to counteract the red tones in my light brown hair (I've never gotten the result I want from a salon, always too reddish), but the problem is that now it is too ashy, and darker at the ends. I've been shampooing with a mix of dishwashing liquid and shampoo to remove the color and deep conditioning afterwards, and that has helped some. My natural color is a very light, warm brown and I would ideally like to get back to that. Any ideas would be great, thanks.
 
OK first of all you can't lighten previously colored hair by putting lighter haircolor on it. HairColoring just doesn't work that way. NEVER! NEVER EVER! Put color over previously colored hair to lighten it.
 
Once you color your hair the only thing that will remove that color and lighten it's haircolor is bleach.
 
My advice is get that damaged hair cut off if it's as bad as you say it is it's probably the best thing to do.
 
Seek a professional stylist and have some foils thrown in your head to lighten up your previously colored hair.
 
Using color remover and then trying to recolor your hair will not work....once you take virgin hair and color it you can't make it virgin hair again.....FYI.
 
G'luck



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