The key to fixing orange hair is usually to neutralise the orange with its opposite colour – blue.
Yes, blue neutralizes orange. The Joico Color Balance blue conditioner is light blue and might neutralize the orange. However, once hair has been color treated (regardless of the formula of color) the only way to lighten is with BLEACH. You cannot use a higher level (lighter) shade to get a lighter result.
Purple is one of the best colors to neutralize orange in your hair. Applying purple mask to orange hair is one of the best ways to get rid of unwanted brassy tones in your hair. However, there are many things to consider before deciding to fix orange hair with purple dye.
Actually blue Dawn dish soap will pull the majority of the color out. Red (and therefore orange since it's red+yellow) fades the fastest of any color, so don't worry it'll come out. Dawn will make your hair dry as hell but will do no damage.
Purple shampoo can help neutralize the orange tones. Look for a high-quality purple shampoo and use it a few times a week. Leave it in for a few minutes before rinsing to let the purple pigments work. Consider applying a toner specifically designed for blonde hair.
Orange hair to light brown: Try using a medium ash blonde hair dye, as it can help neutralize the orange tone and achieve a cool light brown hue. Another option is to wait for the orange tones to fade and apply a light brown hair dye over it, making sure to choose a shade with ash undertones to neutralize the orange.
Blue toning formulas can help counteract orange tones in the hair. The reasoning goes back to basic color theory: Shades positioned opposite on the color wheel are complementary and effectively cancel each other out when combined.
For the natural redheads who simply want a switch-up, brown dye is a straightforward solution.
Q: For folks who don't want ashy hair color, is it hard to fix? A: It's super easy to fix. When formulating your shade, your colorist will likely use a copper or golden tone to counteract the ash.
“Also look for ash-based colors (blue or green) to neutralize the underlying red/orange pigments that everyone has.” Once you reach your desired hair color, it's important to have a hair-care routine to help maintain it.
Using top-quality professional hair color, stylists can cover unwanted brassy orange tones by applying a shade of ash blonde to the client's hair. When helping a client whose hair is showing more prominent brassy tones, stylists can get a little extra help from salon-trusted brands.
Orange is opposite blue on the color wheel. This means blue cancels out orange. If you've got dark hair with balayage, ombré or conventional highlights, if you've lightened your dark hair completely, or if you have a combination of dark and light hair with highlights, blue shampoo is your solution for brassiness.
Just as a purple shampoo neutralises brassy tones on blondes, using a blue shampoo on brown hair neutralises orange and red tones for brunettes.
The key to fixing orange hair is usually to neutralise the orange with its opposite colour – blue.
Use Purple or Blue Shampoos
If you're looking for an at-home remedy, Kaeding suggests reaching for a blue or purple shampoo. It's a simple matter of color theory, relying on the complementary colors of a color wheel to cancel out unwanted tones.
Although Cecetaite says the color could start to fade from one month onwards, there are plenty of things you can do to help it last longer, like keeping hair washing to a minimum. "If you don't wash your hair as often, then you won't have to top it up as much," explains Cecetaite.
You've got it: blue! Since red and yellow make orange, that means blue is the missing primary color. Blue and orange are complements on the color wheel, which means that blue will neutralize an orange hair color.
If you have any orange left in your hair, T14 is probably the best for your hair over T18. T18 is only effective if your hair is a level 10 or higher (purely yellow). Putting the wrong toner in your hair won't necessarily harm it, but it likely won't affect the color at all.
Cool shades of blue or green can also add contrast that will calm down the warmth of orange.
Our favorite color-depositing conditioner is the dpHue Gloss+ thanks to its wide range of shades, easy application, and ability to soften and hydrate hair. For a clear gloss that adds shine to any hair color, we recommend the Pureology Color Fanatic Top Coat + Sheer.
So not only are they safe to use on all hair types (straight, curly, wavy, thin, even damaged), but all the experts we spoke with agree they're actually recommended for folks struggling with heat damage and flyaways (since again, the main selling point of a gloss is boosting shine).
Baking soda for orange hair
Baking soda is a gentle abrasive that can be used to remove unwanted hair color. Simply mix equal parts baking soda and shampoo, and apply it to your hair. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.