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How to Fix Orange Hair After Bleaching Easily at Home
Is post-bleach orange hair giving you nightmares? You can get rid of orange brassy hair right at home, without breaking your head or the bank.
We all have had those days of experimenting with our hair at home. From a popsicle pink to a peacock green, the hair has undergone quite some trial and error. But the mistake that may have got you cringing the most is the brassy orange tone. A bleaching failure or that fancy color fading out got you thinking about how to fix orange hair color. Although orange color has a huge fan base, getting bad brassy hair is something you won’t want after a bleaching session. It's crucial to neutralize orange tones to avoid making your hair appear patchy. While it may seem like it will cost you a bomb at the salon, worry not! We are about to tell you how to get orange out of hair without breaking the bank. Not just that, though, we will also share a few fix orange hair tips only to never see it the next time you bleach at home.
What Is Orange/Brassy Hair?
If you are an ardent lover of coloring your hair blonde, blue-green, fuschia, etc., you may know the unwanted orange/brassy hair tone we are talking about. Bleaching hair regularly to lighten hair shade or fading hair color results in the appearance of red, orange, and brassy warm tones. When you color your hair more often than not, you start seeing orange tones in your hair either on the strands or just the roots, spreading all over your hair giving it an uninvited orange/brassy appearance. 
Why Did My Hair Turn Orange After Bleaching?
Brassy orange hair appears after you have failed at bleaching your dark tresses to get to a lighter shade or when your chic, offbeat hair color starts to fade. Dark hair has the most orange and red undertones. Bleaching lightens hair color and strips off the natural pigment (1). Hence, if dark hair isn’t appropriately bleached, or let’s say enough, the pigments remain to give you a disappointing brassy orange color.
Our hair color is largely determined by color pigments, which include the visible as well as the underlying color. Darker colors contain more pigments, while those with blonde and brunette color have an orange base pigment. After the bleaching process, our hair shows pigments (usually red or orange) that are not visible otherwise. Hence, knowing how to get rid of brassy hair can help you restore the vibrancy of your hair color and flaunt tresses wherever you go.
If you are someone with light hair and are already wondering how to fix orange hair after bleaching, let us tell you why you got brassy tones in the first place. If you use sulfate products, there’s a possibility of mineral and chemical buildup on your hair (2). That's the reason why you have orange hair even though your natural hair color is light. In addition, too much saltwater dipping or exposure to chlorine water in pools can also result in the brassiness of hair (3). Now that you know why your hair has turned brassy, keep reading to learn how to get rid of orange hair.
What Color Covers Orange Hair?
Are you wondering what color cancels out orange? Let’s break it down by traveling back in time. Remember the color theory that you learned way back in school? That’s going to come to your rescue now! If you go back and recall which color you used to cancel out the orange or yellowish shade, you will visualize the calming shade of blue.
Yes, that’s right! If you look at a color wheel, you will realize the various shades of blue counteract the shades of orange. Hence, blue neutralizes the color. Toning shampoos contain blue or purple pigments to cancel out orange and yellow tones. This elementary cancelation trick is all you need to remember when you begin wondering how to get orange out of hair at home.
How Do I Fix My Orange Hair?
If you can bleach and play around with your favorite hair colors at home, then fixing brassy hair is no big deal. It may seem difficult to figure out how to fix orange hair color at home, but the science behind all of this is as simple as neutralizing the color.
We have listed some of the most tried and tested ways to fix orange hair color at home. While the process might seem daunting as you read on, it is as easy as bleaching or dyeing your hair at home with the proper knowledge, tools, and equipment. So here are some ways to get orange out of bleached hair.
1. Tone Out Orange Hair
Toners are transparent hair dyes. Hair toners contain enough pigments that improve hair color. Toning your hair will neutralize the orange and brassy tones, revealing a cooler shade of blonde or a lighter shade of brown. To get orange out of hair, you must mix the toner with the right amount of peroxide and apply the mixture right after you bleach your hair. However, you might need more than one session of toning to give you the desired hair color. Hence, you may have to repeat the process a few times until you can tone orange out of hair completely.
How to Select a Toner?
The tricky part of toning your hair is to find the perfect toner to cancel out orange. The rule of thumb of this process is to observe the current color of your hair closely. If you have more orange undertones, you may choose a blue toner to get orange out of hair. You can also opt for a blue shampoo instead of a toner to get rid of orange brassy tones.
Equipment Needed
- A blue toner
- A plastic bowl
- An applicator brush
- Hydrogen Peroxide of 20-volume
How to Apply Toner?
- Make a smooth mixture of the toner and hydrogen peroxide in a 1:2 ratio.
- Using an applicator brush, apply the mixture to your hair, especially the orange, brassy tones.
- Leave the toner on your hair for 45 minutes exactly.
- After 45 minutes, wash off your hair with a blue toning shampoo or with a sulfate-free shampoo.
Now, enjoy the cooler shade of your hair.
2. Fix Orange Hair with Box Dye
It is unfortunate if you end up with brassy hair that feels blah and has patches of blonde, orange, and yellow undertones spread unevenly across the hair. This is possible if you skipped enough dye or bleach to color or lighten your hair. Although it might seem hopeless now, you may use a box dye to recolor and fix orange hair. To help you with this task, you may ask someone at home or a friend to lend a helping hand.
Follow the steps listed below to fix orange hair with box dye:
- Choose a hair dye close to your natural color or dark enough to cover the brassy orange tones completely.
- Comb your hair and divide it into small sections for easy coloring.
- Using an application brush, apply the dye properly for even coverage.
- Leave the dye on for the amount of time recommended.
- After time’s up, shampoo and condition to enjoy breezy, non-brassy hair.
3. Use a Gloss Or Glaze for Fixing Orange Hair
You may opt for a hair gloss or glaze if your hair hasn’t turned orange horribly. Known to add shine and smoothness, a hair toner will fix brassy hair over time. Or choose a hair gloss based on your desired hair color. This option offers you the flexibility to pick a color of your choice, i.e., you may go back to a dark brunette or stick to the previously used hair color to get the chirpy vibe all over again. If you pick this option, remember to use a gloss or glaze after six weeks since you last colored your hair. This will lessen the possibility of hair color fading. However, remember this may not work on bright orange or brassy tones. Nevertheless, the silky sparkle of using a gloss is truly unmatched.
4. Use a Blue Shampoo
Scroll through the internet, and out of the many solutions you must have come across, a blue shampoo is a common answer for getting rid of orange hair after bleaching. As mentioned before, the layman’s logic behind fixing orange hair is to use a color that neutralizes it.
Made of blue-violet pigments, a blue shampoo converts warm hair tones into cooler ones. It not just removes brassiness but also gives you refreshed hair with a salon-like finish. So, grab a bottle from the nearest store and do the following to tone out orange hair:
- Wet your hair thoroughly with hot water to open up the cuticles.
- Apply blue shampoo to your hair and let it be for 15 minutes.
- Wash the shampoo off with cold water to keep the color intact in your hair.
- You may use it once or twice a week, depending on your hair type.
5. Lighten Your Orange Hair
If you have the mind and heart at the right place to try bleaching again, and this time to fix orange hair, lightening your hair may seem a good option. If you are a blonde fanatic, opt for re-bleaching your hair after a week or two. Bleaching again will bring your hair down to a yellow tone that is easier to neutralize than orange.
How to Bleach at Home?
- Keep a pair of gloves, a bleaching kit, a plastic bowl, and an application brush handy.
- In a plastic bowl, mix the bleaching powder and developer in a 1:2 ratio.
- Apply it to your hair and leave it on for 30 minutes.
- Wash your hair and enjoy a lighter shade of blonde with yellow undertones.
Notes: You may use an ash blonde box dye after two days of bleaching to neutralize the yellow tones or get a lighter brown shade.
6. Try Apple Cider Vinegar with Hollyhock Herb
Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid (5) which makes its pH level 2-3. Thus, it may help balance the pH levels of the hair. It might come as a surprise, but this is a home remedy that may help get orange out of hair, and help you get healthy hair.
- To boiling water, add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and a few purple hollyhock flowers.
- Cook the mixture until it thickens, and then let it cool.
- Apply this mixture to your hair and massage.
- Use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to wash it off after 10 minutes.
7. Use Green Tea
Green tea is rich in antioxidants and polyphenols that help protect skin and hair from oxidative stress, resulting in healthier skin and hair (5), (6). Trying green tea can help get rid of brassiness and get beautiful hair.
- Take a few green tea leaves and add to 2 cups of water.
- Bring it to a boil and strain.
- Allow it to cool and use it as a post-shampoo rinse.
8. Lemon Water Rinse
Lemons have skin-lightening effects, and being rich in vitamins and antioxidants may also help strengthen your hair and prevent hair damage (7).
- Boil a cup of water.
- Squeeze the juice of half a lemon and add to the water.
- Rinse your hair with this mix to get stunning-looking hair.
How to Prevent Orange Hair?
You may minimize brassy orange undertones by doing the following:
- Follow instructions appropriately while bleaching or coloring at home.
- Use color-protecting shampoos and conditioners.
- Use paraben- and silicone-free hair products on color-treated hair.
- Protect your hair from UV rays exposure.
- Avoid getting hair wet in salt or chlorine water.
What Is Yellow Hair?
Yellow hair simply refers to hair that has a yellowish color. The bleaching process removes the natural pigments of hair, leading to unwanted tones.
How to Fix Yellow Hair?
Just like orange hair, yellow hair, too can be fixed by using purple toners and shampoos. Plus, keep away from the sun and avoid shampooing your hair too often to boost hair health and tone brassy hair.
How to Turn Orange Hair into Blonde And Brown Shades?
You can transform your orange highlights into different shades to flatter everyone. Below are some tips on how to get rid of orange hair and achieve a newly transformed shade:
1. Orange to Light Brown Shade: Use a medium ash blonde hair dye to tone brassy hair. You can also wait for some time to allow your orange hues to fade and then use a brown hair dye on your hair to achieve beautiful light brown locks.
2. Orange to Ash Blonde Hair: To get ash blonde hair, you’ll need to try a medium ash blonde dye on your hair and neutralize orange tones.
3. Orange to Dark Brown: If you want to get rid of orange hues and get luscious-looking dark brown hair, then a dark brown hair dye with a cool tone can be a game-changer. You can also try a dark brown color-depositing toner to get a dark brown shade.
4. Orange to Blonde Shade: Blonde hair always looks ravishing. To get a blonde shade, re-bleach your hair after 2 weeks. After re-bleaching, use an ash-blonde dye to maintain your blonde locks.
Conclusion
To see your hair with brassy orange tones instead of your desired color may feel disappointing. Improper bleaching or fading out of hair color from hair prone to regular coloring causes orange tones that look not so pleasing. However, getting rid of orange hair at home is easy with the proper techniques. Toners, glosses, glazes, blue shampoos, box dyes, and a few natural remedies may save you the salon money while restoring your desired hair color. And if nothing seems to help you enough, an expert hand at a salon may correct your hair. Have you tried any of these methods to get orange out of hair? Let us know in the comments.
Citations:
1. Research on Hair Bleach that Causes Less Hair Damage and Smells Less Pungent than Ammonium Hydroxide
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/5/2/39
2. Pro and Contra of Cleansing Conditioners
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6489037/
3. Hair color damages caused by exposure to chlorinated water in the presence of ultraviolet radiation
4. Comparison of Cultivable Acetic Acid Bacterial Microbiota in Organic and Conventional Apple Cider Vinegar
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5105631/
5. Preparation and Optimization of Garlic Oil/Apple Cider Vinegar Nanoemulsion Loaded with Minoxidil to Treat Alopecia
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/12/2150
ALSO READ: How To (Safely) Bleach Your Hair in the Comfort of Home
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