Why is my dyed brown hair turning ginger?

Author: Bailey Towne MD  |  Last update: Sunday, May 11, 2025

To avoid it going ginger or red then you must check what shade you are using. For example if the colour says golden, chocolate, mahogany, red, warm brown etc, these will all look 'ginger'. To achieve a rich colour, a basic shade must be added to create the depth (how dark it is).

Why is my brown hair turning ginger?

Sun Exposure: Prolonged exposure to sunlight can lighten hair, sometimes giving it a reddish tint, especially in brown hair. UV rays can break down the pigments in your hair. Chemical Treatments: If you've used hair dyes, bleaching agents, or other chemical treatments, these can alter your hair color.

How to stop dyed brown hair from going ginger?

To neutralize the ginger tone in your hair you can use a blue toner or blue shampoo to help tone down the brassiness and get rid of the orange hue. Also applying a semi permanent shade that you like, like a cooler tone darker blonde will counteract the ginger tone.

Why did my hair turn orange after dying it brown?

Oxidation: Over time, hair can oxidize, especially if it has been previously colored or treated. This process can lead to a change in tone, often making brown hair appear more orange or red. Water Quality: Hard water, which contains high levels of minerals, can effect hair color.

Why does my brown hair dye keep going red?

Darker colors pull red because the underlying pigments in darker colors contain red. If you don't want to pull red you need to add green to your hair color or Ash tones.

How to Go from Blonde to Red, Ginger, or Brown! Hairdresser Tips & Tricks!

How do you fix brown hair that turned red?

Just as a purple shampoo neutralises brassy tones on blondes, using a blue shampoo on brown hair neutralises orange and red tones for brunettes.

Why does my dark brown hair look red?

To put it simply, brown hair can look red in the sun due to the UV rays having a “bleaching” effect on your locks, revealing the underlying red tones in your hair.

How to stop brown hair color from turning orange?

Try using a toning shampoo containing blue, purple, or green pigments to remove the red, orange, and yellow tones. Secondly, always wear a hat or use UV protectant spray to prevent sun damage, which leads to oxidization.

Should I dye my hair again if it turned orange?

If you were unfortunate enough to end up with hair that is not only brassy but also has patches of orange or yellow, it's probably best to cut your losses and dye your mane dark again. Select a brunette hair dye that's either close to your natural color or dark enough to cover the orange, and breathe easy once again.

What cancels orange in brown hair?

And what that means for your brown hair with highlights is that blue shampoo is the best way to knock out the brassy, red, and orange tones.

Why has my hair gone ginger after dying it?

Darker hair is made up of several underlying pigments which give your brown, dark brown or black hair depth and dimension, and red and orange are the most dominant undertones. So if your at-home bleaching didn't remove enough of these red and orange pigments, the end result is orange hair.

What is the best toner for brassy brown hair?

Best Hair Toners For Brunettes
  • Color Wow Color Control Blue Toning + Styling Foam for Dark Hair. $18 at Walmart$19 at fragrancenet.com. ...
  • Matrix Total Results Brass Off Shampoo. ...
  • Pureology Color Fanatic Top Coat + Tone Hair Gloss. ...
  • John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Color Deepening Treatment.

What does purple shampoo do to brown hair?

Purple shampoo works the same way to eliminate brassiness on brown hair as it does on blonde. It helps to prevent color fade, while emphasizing shine, keeping brown hair vibrant and rich. Using purple shampoo on brown hair regularly will take out any unwanted warm tones in your strands.

How to stop brown hair dye going ginger?

Here are our six tips to help prevent unwanted brass in color-treated brown hair.
  1. Switch to Products for Color-Treated Hair. ...
  2. Reduce Sun Exposure. ...
  3. Step Away From the Heat Tools. ...
  4. Use a Neutral-Toned Hair Dye. ...
  5. Use a Glossing Treatment. ...
  6. Try a Blue Or Purple Toning Shampoo.

Will blue toner fix orange hair?

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.

Why is my black hair turning reddish brown?

Environmental Factors: Certain factors like exposure to the sun can cause black hair to lighten, taking on a red, copper, or even blonde hue. Natural oils produced by the scalp may also interact with the sun's ultraviolet radiation to alter hair color over time.

Why is my hair orange after dying it brown?

What Causes Hair to Turn Orange or Red? “There are two primary causes of your hair color turning out too red or orange,” says Papanikolas. “Either the color you chose was too light, or you picked a color with warm undertones.

How to fix ginger hair?

How can I fix my orange hair at home?
  1. Tone it up with blue or purple shampoo. You'll either need a blue or purple toning shampoo that helps neutralise brassiness to reveal the lighter hair colour you're aiming for. ...
  2. Use a Dark Ash or Dark Cool Blonde Demi Permanent Colour. ...
  3. Go for a hair gloss.

Why does my grey hair go ginger when I dye it brown?

To avoid it going ginger or red then you must check what shade you are using. For example if the colour says golden, chocolate, mahogany, red, warm brown etc, these will all look 'ginger'. To achieve a rich colour, a basic shade must be added to create the depth (how dark it is).

Why does my hair turn copper?

Sun Exposure

"These tones can turn due to sunlight, washing with the wrong shampoo that doesn't protect colored hair, or a mistake made by a colorist, like not using a toner," says Rago. "The sun will dry out the hair by opening the cuticle on the scalp, which will lift the color out, causing the hair to look brassy."

What happens if you put grey hair dye on brown hair?

If your hair is brown, you may need to bleach it more than once before you apply the grey dye. It's important you get your hair as light as possible before you attempt to turn it grey – this will help ensure a more even tone and vibrant, all-over colour.

How do you get orange brassy tones out of brown hair?

Try a blue or purple toning shampoo

Yes, you read that correctly! Blue or purple shampoo can help your client get rid of the brassiness in their hair.

Why is my hair turning ginger?

Sun exposure, hard water build-up, diet, and even certain deficiencies such as Vitamin B12 could be responsible for this color shift. Age, genetics, medications, stress, and diet can also induce changes in hair color, potentially leading to a red hue (source, source).

How to fix reddish brown hair?

Basically whatever you do to your hair is going to stay in your hair unless you remove the pigment. Toner is a temporary solution, but will still be your best bet. to cancel red, you need a green base, and to cancel orange (brass), you need a blue based toner.

Why does my light brown hair look ginger?

With hot roots, the hair color near your scalp is usually redder, and can appear orange. This can occur with any shade of hair color, from blonde to brown, redheads, even black hair color.

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