Why won't my hair stay ashy blonde?

Author: Ignacio McLaughlin  |  Last update: Monday, April 14, 2025

For ash blonde hair, the single most important rule is to always use a shampoo and conditioner set that's designed to maintain light tones. Thanks to the innovations of hair science, stylists have come up with a solution to keep brassy, yellow shades from ruining your perfect platinum.

Why won't my hair stay ashy?

Improper washing and styling aren't the only things that can wreak havoc on ash blonde hair. The sun can actually cause your ash blonde hue to fade.

How do I keep my hair ashy blonde?

Use Purple Shampoo: To maintain your ash blonde color and prevent yellow tones from reappearing, incorporate a purple shampoo into your routine once a week. Regular Conditioning: Keep your hair healthy with regular conditioning treatments to avoid dryness.

Why does my ash blonde look grey?

If the color used is too cool or ashy, it can create a gray tone instead of the desired blonde shade (1). Hair porosity: The porosity of your hair can affect how it absorbs and retains color. If your hair is highly porous, it may not hold the blonde color properly, resulting in a grayish hue (2).

How do I make my blonde hair more ashy?

When deciding how to tone yellow hair to ash, try using a violet shampoo first. As purple is the opposite of yellow on the colour spectrum, the shampoo's purple pigment draws out the yellow brassiness from your blonde, neutralises those unwanted tones, and makes your colour look cooler, healthier and more vibrant.

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Does purple shampoo make blonde ashy?

Purple and yellow are opposites on the color wheel, which means they can be used to counteract one another. Since blonde hair that's turned brassy looks yellow, a pigmented purple shampoo can actually neutralize the yellow hue and take you back to the ashy blonde color you wanted in the first place.

What helps ashy hair?

Use A Clarifying Shampoo

If you have ashy hair and want to tone the color down, then clarifying shampoos will do the trick. These shampoos and not the same as regular shampoos and used for color-treated hair because they have color-correcting agents in them.

What color cancels out ash?

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.

Why does my ash blonde hair look orange?

If you were a blonde to start with and you've ended up with orange hair after bleaching, it could be due to a build-up of chemicals or minerals in your hair. Brassiness can also happen if you've been in the sea or a chlorinated pool frequently.

Why does my hair turn gray so fast after coloring?

It could be that your hair is resistant to tint, especially when the hair texture has changed as a result of going white. But also it could be that by going lighter, either all over, or by introducing (subtle) highlights you would not see the regrowth strip quite as quickly as if it were lighter.

What shampoo is good for ashy blonde hair?

Purple shampoo is the key to maintaining ash blonde hair. This is due to a little secret called color theory. Purple and yellow sit on opposite sides of the color wheel. This means violet hues counteract brassy tones.

Is it hard to maintain ash blonde?

Ideally, ash blonde hair color requires a root touch-up once every eight weeks. Cover hot roots and go for regular trims, depending on how fast your hair grows. All in all, maintaining ash blonde hair color is easy with a combination of proper care, attention, and the right products.

Why does my hair look so ashy?

Ashy hair results when there is an absence of those warm tones, so it has a blue, violet, or greenish cast. This can happen after adding blonde highlights without the right kind of toner. Blonde hair can also fade to an ashy gray after swimming in a chlorine pool or showering in hard water.

Why do I get ashy easily?

When the cells in your skin are not getting enough hydration they become dry and start to flake off, leaving an ashen appearance. Other possible causes include exposure to harsh elements such as the sun or cold weather, use of irritating skincare products, medical conditions like eczema or psoriasis, or simply aging.

Does ash blonde turn brassy?

Select a cool haircolor, like one with the word “ash” in the name, since it's less likely to turn brassy than one that's warm.

Does ashy hair age you?

Going ashy.

The wrong ones, like ash, can instantly age you. “Warm tones reflect light, while ash tones absorb light.

Why does my ash blonde look yellow?

The underlying pigments in your natural hair colour can influence the final result of hair dye. If the ash blonde dye doesn't fully neutralize the warm undertones in your hair, the colour may shift towards yellow as it fades.

What toner cancels out 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.

Why does ash blonde look grey?

Highlighted hair is often porous and can take on ash tones heavily – the hair then appears greyish or sometimes even silver. When you say your blonde highlights look grey, it is often because they take on a grey-blue tone, sometimes all over and sometimes in patches.

How do I make my blonde hair less ashy?

Steps
  1. Purchase a clarifying shampoo that contains acetic and citric acid. ...
  2. Massage a generous amount of clarifying shampoo into wet hair hair. ...
  3. Rinse out the clarifying shampoo thoroughly with warm water. ...
  4. Wash your hair 1-2 more times to get rid of stubborn ashy color.

How to keep hair ashy?

Use a blue shampoo to maintain the ash color of your hair. You can also use a tinted conditioner once every 1-2 weeks to keep your hair cool-toned. Look for natural or organic products. They are less likely to discolor your hair.

Why does my hair go brassy so quickly?

Sun Exposure + Colour Fade

The sun's powerful UV rays can break down hair dye molecules, fading the cool tones faster than the warm tones. This can lead to the hair taking on a brassy, orange, or yellow tint.

What shampoo is best for ashy hair?

Best Purple Shampoo For Ash Blonde Hair
  • JoicoJoico Color Balance Purple Shampoo 300ml. ...
  • JoicoJoico Blonde Life Violet Shampoo 1000ml. ...
  • JoicoJoico Blonde Life Violet Shampoo 300ml. ...
  • BiolageBiolage Colorlast Purple Shampoo 400ml. ...
  • BiolageBiolage Colorlast Purple Shampoo 1000ml.

What toner makes hair ashy?

SHRINE Tail Comb

Our new toner drops eliminate brassy blonde for a cool just-left-the-salon finish at home - no appointment necessary. Our toners provide a subtle tint of colour to a light base and remove any brassy tones. Ash Blonde cools down warm tones to create that salon fresh ash hue.

What does icy blonde look like?

Icy blonde hair is ashy and cool-toned, often appearing white or even silver in color.

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