How do I lighten my dark copper hair?

Author: Timothy Fay DDS  |  Last update: Monday, December 15, 2025

How to Lighten Hair Dyed Too Dark with a DIY Approach
  1. Mix equal parts baking soda and lemon juice in a bowl to form a paste.
  2. Apply this mixture to your strands.
  3. Leave it on for 45 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
  4. Shampoo with a color-safe shampoo and condition as usual.

What cancels out copper tones in hair?

Blue (silver) toned shampoos will cancel out copper brassiness. This works because blue and purple are opposite orange and yellow on the color wheel, effectively counteracting the brassy tones. There is a wide variety of options, ranging from affordable drug store versions to pricey salon products.

How to tone down copper hair color?

Neutralize the Tone: To cover copper, consider using a hair dye with ash or neutral tones, as these can help counteract the warmth of copper. Look for colors like ash brown or ash blonde. Darker Shades: If you're looking to go darker, a rich brown or even black can effectively cover copper tones.

How to lighten dark ginger hair?

Mix a 1:1 ratio of 10 volume developer and bleach powder.

Mix them together with a hair dye brush until they form a smooth paste. You can find bleach powder and developer at most beauty supply stores. Use a different strength developer based on how dark your hair is and how light you want it.

What if copper hair came out too bright?

Try a blue conditioner and see if that helps tone some of the brightness down. You can also mix a small(very small) amount of blue temp dye in to conditioner to make your own if you need a bit more pigment than what the conditioner on its own has.

Hair COLOR THEORY mini class: HOW TO lift DARK base colors without bleach or brass!

How to lighten dark copper hair?

How to Lighten Hair Dyed Too Dark with a DIY Approach
  1. Use a Paste of Baking Soda and Lemon Juice: ...
  2. Wash Your Hair with Apple Cider Vinegar: ...
  3. Take Some Vitamin C Tablets: ...
  4. Wash Hair with Clarifying Shampoo: ...
  5. Use Purple or Blue Shampoo for Brassy Tones: ...
  6. Do a Bleach Bath: ...
  7. Bleed the Color Out: ...
  8. Use Hair Lightener or Toner:

What neutralizes copper hair color?

Orange or brassy tones are best neutralized with blue, while red tones find their match in green. OVERTONE offers a range of award-winning Coloring Conditioners as well as Toning Conditioners designed specifically for these correction needs.

How can I lighten my dark hair that is too dark?

Use Hair Lightener or Toner

Hair lighteners or toners are great for lifting darker shades and achieving a lighter shade. Apply the toner or hair lightener to your hair according to the product's instructions. Rinse it out once you've reached your desired color.

How to lighten copper hair to blonde?

A 30-volume developer is best if your hair is between light copper and dark red. It can lighten your hair more than 3 shades. However, if you hair is a very, very dark red, you might need to use a 30-volume developer in more than 1 round of bleaching.

How do I make my brown hair less copper?

Try a Blue Or Purple Toning Shampoo

Blue sits across from orange on the color wheel so brunettes with unwanted orange tones should look for a toning shampoo specifically designed to help fix brassiness in brown hair, like blue shampoo.

Does purple shampoo work on copper hair?

Yes, purple shampoo can be used on red hair, particularly for those with dyed red hair. While it won't fade the red, it can help tone down bronzy or brassy hues, enhancing the overall color. Natural redheads may notice minimal effects.

How long does it take for copper hair dye to fade?

If you want to keep your colour looking rich & vibrant, you must commit to refreshing your Copper gloss every 5-6 weeks, but if you don't mind the journey of the fade, you can go a little longer! Here is @phoebekypreos_ colour FRESH vs 4 week FADE. Still smokin 🔥 but fading golden🔆

How do I tone down my copper hair?

As you can probably imagine, blue shampoo contains cobalt-colored pigments that help offset orange and other copper-leaning tones. Use it in place of your regular shampoo once or twice a week to help fend off unwanted warmth.

What shampoo cancels out copper?

Blue shampoo: Neutralizes unwanted orange, red and copper tones that shows up in lightened hair.

What happens if you have too much copper in your hair?

An elevated copper level on a hair tissue mineral analysis indicates a condition of bio-unavailable copper. Although copper is present in excess in body tissues, it cannot be utilized properly.

How long should I leave lemon juice in my hair to lighten it?

For a lightening effect, spritz lemon juice onto the hair and leave it on for one hour while in direct sunlight. How long does it take for lemon juice to lighten hair? Depending on your natural hair color, it may take three to four, one-hour applications of lemon juice to lighten the hair noticeably.

Does hydrogen peroxide lighten hair?

Hydrogen peroxide penetrates the cuticle to reach the cortex, where natural pigments are found. As an oxidising agent, it causes a chemical reaction which breaks down these pigments, leading to lightening or discolouration of the hair. The degree of lightening is influenced by the volume of hydrogen peroxide used.

Does vinegar lighten hair?

Raw honey and vinegar: Plain vinegar and raw honey can lighten the hair. It is believed that results may be seen after using these ingredients even once. You can even apply this solution at night and sleep your way to natural highlights.

Will Dawn dish soap lighten dyed hair?

Dish Soap

Fortunately, if you go through the effort of using this drying soap on your dyed hair, it can help remove unwanted color. You'll need to do many washes to fade it out, but it is a step in the right direction if you want to remove a color.

What is the healthiest way to lighten dark hair?

Natural bleaching agents like apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, chamomile tea, or cinnamon and honey can lighten hair gently and naturally with minimal damage.

How to get copper color out of hair?

Use our Blue Crush Shampoo and Blue Crush Conditioner to get rid of those orangey, reddy hues, and reveal cooler-toned brown hair. These brass-fighting brunette superheroes hydrate, care for and nourish brown hair, and contain a tri-dye blend of blue, purple and teal dyes to knock out stubborn brassy, copper tones.

What happens if you use blue shampoo on copper hair?

Similar to purple shampoo, this product is designed to tone hair color. Blue neutralizes orange, red, and copper undertones. Like its purple counterpart, it helps to correct brassiness in your hair color.

What color does your hair turn with dissolved copper?

The technical term for green hair is chlorotrichosis, and, contrary to urban legend, it is the interaction between hair and copper salts that cause the green color rather than between hair and chlorine. However, copper can do more than just turn hair green.

Previous article
Is it a sin for a man to cover his head?
Next article
What style do Gen Z wear?