Hello.

 

I recently decided to "liven up" my nice grown out natural ash brown hair, after spending a lengthy period of time consulting with a "professional" at a store she had chosen the best color for me to achieve a subtle result which almost matched my natural color. I emphasized that I would rather be purple than have any yellow, orange or red tones which I can not stand. After getting what sounded like very good advice and product I went off and with excitement colored my hair. After washing this thing out I was left in tears as my worst nightmare was lived, my hair turned brassy orange. I turned up at that store the next morning clutching my fists, I was given a dark brown product to "patch things up" and now look like a goth. Later found out that a friend also had the same experience at the same store with the same product and advice.

Having said that, this brought me to this site with hope for some-one to give me some direction as to how I can get my hair to a light ASH brown with SILVER tones. I don’t expect any-one out there to respond but do hope some-one will lend some helping advice. I do not have the time or money to start a relationship with a salon this leaves me to ponder my next "DYI" move.

 

Please, if any body out there has any suggestions I will be most grateful and interested in hearing your advice.

 

Thank You & Regards

Anna.

 

Regards

 

I am so very sorry to hear of your hair color challenges.  While I definitely hate to be the bearer of bad tidings - at this point I would suggest you consider the following options:

 

1.  Do nothing for at least 2 weeks and let hot water (in your shampoo sessions), shampoo and time fade the color a bit. 

2.  Consult with a color correction specialist who specializes in correction of botched colors and restoration of desired colors.

3.  Go crazy with hair accessories and headgear that will remove a lot of your hair from view temporiarily.  Headbands and head scarves are so hot right now that you can use them as a "quick fix".

4.  Check out wigs and pop on hair extensions in the colors you prefer to balance the current dark Goth colors.

 

The real scoop on hair color is that it is very tricky.  The two biggest problems that I received AskKaren email about are botched hair color and bad chemical treatments (mostly perm disasters). 

 

Unfortunately even the most gifted hair color experts are not always able to accurately predict how a particular color or shade will react to a head of hair.  This is because there are so many variables involved in coloring hair.  Depending on previous color treatments applied to your strands, the hair may be very porous which means that the color that is applied may react much differently that hoped for.  It could turn out horribly dark or a variety of colors such as bright orange, beet red or sickly green.

 

The absolute worse thing...in my opinion...that anyone can do when they have one or two challenging color results back to back is to keep coloring the hair with the hope of getting back to the original color.  While I am sure the woman in the store had the very best intentions...if a hair color expert has the risk of color not working exactly as desired...how can a girl at a hair product store be an expert?  I am not excusing her of course but color can be very challenging and it is unfortunate that your hair suffered as a result.

 

While many might love Redken and I know that Redken is a good company - I personally would not recommend Redken because my worst hair color (at the hands of an expeert hair colorist) happened with Redken EQ.  The colorist decided to apply Redken to my previously Matrix SoCol highlighted hair without discussing it with me first.  Not only did the Redken burn my tender scalp for 24 hours (it was on fire), my blonde hair turned beet red.  I had red roots and blonde ends.

 

Robert Hallowell (Mary Louise Parker's hairdresser) and Barbara Lhotan (celebrity hairdresser at Elie Elie in Virginia) talked me through a successful color correction treatment at home which stopped the burning and removed the red.   Since that time I have switched color experts. 

 

It is entirely possible even when going to a hair color expert to experience misshaps.  Unfortunately the worst part is dealing with the aftermath.  If your budget is tight and a color correction expert is out of your plan, consider going to a hair college and ask the color instructor to supervise students in helping you to get back to the color you feel most comfortable having.

 

Another option is to call the manufacturer of the hair color you bought from the girl at the store.  Some of the manufacturers have fabulous phone experts that can talk you through fixing your problems. 

 

At this point a potential problem with repeated color additions is damage to your hair that could take a long time to reverse.  Which is why I suggest in option #1 you just take a deep breath and hang out for two weeks and see if the current colors fade.

 

Clarifying shampoo and shampoo designed to add volume will often speed up the natural color fading process.  So will hot water (although very drying on delicate strands).

 

Hope that helps.  And again...so sorry to hear of your color drama.  I know from personal experience that it is no fun.

 

 

Dear Karen,

 

Firstly I thank you for taking the time to reply to my post, appreciate your advice very much and had fun reading it, it cheered me up. My doo is getting easier on the eye although feels like a shower cap. I have contacted redken ad the color company, both had similar advice with regards to striping the color before anything else so I have made an appointment with a hair dresser for Tuesday, will have a talk with her about the next action plan. I am reluctant when it comes to salons, it's been at least five years since my last visit and my hair dresser has since closed his salon. I now look forward to Tuesday and only hope that Karen (the owner of the new salon) will be able to correct and give me the color I really really want, oh and hope that my hair doesn't fall out LOL!!!

Karen, thank you again, it was delightful to hear from you, wish me luck.

 

Wishing you and your loved once lots of love and happiness and no more bad hair jobs LOL!

 

Sincerely

Anna :)

Also,you may want to wash hair with dish soap like DAWN which also strips hair of color. My advice is to call CLAIROL or go to their website http://www.clairol.com - www.clairol.com   go to CHAT now and you can instant message with a color consulatant free.

I had a HUGE hair disaster and they told me step by step how to fix it...I love them! Now my hair looks wonderfula and very natural.

Cuz I dont know much about what color to use to counteract orange...mine was green.Good luck!

I also bought the METALEX as advised by them cuz I had some greenish tones. The people at the beauty supply stores often have no real idea what they are talking about. At the Sally's I went to,she didnt even know what METALEX was,I had to find it myself. Sometimes they do and sometimes they dont...but the hair color companies it's their job and they hear it all day and help people who have similar expriences. GOOD LUCK! Let me know what you do and if it works for you!