It's a classic argument over whether blondes or brunettes have more fun. Studies might show brunettes are taken more seriously, and gentlemen may indeed prefer blondes, but one thing's for sure no matter what your hair color, when summer comes we all fight brassiness. It is widely agreed that ORANGE is not a color anyone is happy to see hit their strands at the beach. I have been asked about this subject and how to get rid of red tint in hair many times so I thought I would give you some tips on fighting back!
Coloring you hair is really just a process of depositing colors on to the cuticle of your hair. Your color is a combination of red, yellow and blue in exactly the right mixture.
But even when you find the IT color combination for your hair type, the challenge is preventing the brassy side effect that happens over time because of oxidation. The blue molecules tend to leave first, leaving you with red and yellow, which we all know from elementary school make orange, BINGO!The biggest hint to solving this issue again comes to us by viewing the color wheel and seeing that the opposite of orange is blue. It is precisely those violet pigments that can shut down the brassy-orange shade in your hair that you've been obsessing about. This is why those DIY recipes of using grape Koolaid powder actually work when you mix it with your shampoo, but there are so many better options than Koolaid which could leave you with a bigger problem if things go wrong. Shampoos and conditioners that are specifically designed for color treated hair to use just once or twice a week to keep colored locks looking their best.
You want to keep your hair as healthy as you can, damaging your hair cuticle causes it to become more porous, and it is harder then to keep color in. I recently read that playing outside in the sun for a week long vacation can be as damaging on your hair as leaving peroxide on your locks for 30 straight minutes!
Another way to filtering out harmful chemicals. metals and ions in your water is to use pure beauty water to wash it with - You can do this for less than $100 by attaching a purification system to your shower head. You can find them at Home Depot or at jonathanproduct.com
Some violet based products to try are Loreal Colorist Collection Blonde, John Frieda Sheer Blonde Colour Renew line and my favorite ~ Clairol Shimmer Lights (just a warning for blondes that this may be a bit too intense, but is perfectly suited for brunettes) Don't be afraid to buy these if you are a brunette because the label says for blondes - these are the shampoos that work and the ones I use. (It's one of my inside secrets I want you to know about too!)
Another cool new technology to try out is a styling product called Color Wow Brass Banned Mousse. It immediately counteracts brassiness by using a mouse that is teal tinted for brunettes and a purple-violet shade for blondes.
Color correction is a fascinating concept that stylists and makeup artists have kept mostly to themselves, but it's such an easy idea to understand, that I hope you embrace. Check out my post about how to use green concealer to cover acne or any redness on you face flawlessly {HERE - Best way to Hide and Conceal Acne}
For more tips on how to reduce the oxidation from the sun and water this summer check out my post {HERE - Prepare Your Hair for the Plunge}
