What to Do if Your Brown Hair Has Turned Brassy

After dyeing your hair, the first thought that probably crosses your mind is how great is looks— quickly followed by the dreaded notion that your new hair color could turn brassy. And it turns out that those with blonde hair aren’t the only ones who have to worry about brassiness—it can happen to those with brown hair, too! If you’re a brunette, chances are you don’t want any unexpected red or orange tones making their way onto your mane. So, how can you fix brown hair that’s turned brassy? We’ve got you covered—just follow the hair care tips below to help prevent brassiness in brown, color-treated hair and learn what to do if your brown hair has already turned brassy.

HOW TO HELP PREVENT BRASSINESS IN BROWN HAIR

So, you just got a dye job—congrats! Now, it’s important to make sure that you’re taking care of your color-treated hair properly. Here are our best tips to help prevent unwanted brassiness.

1. Use a system of shampoo and conditioner designed for color-treated hair. Yep, shampoo and conditioner aren’t one size fits all. Colored hair requires something special to get the job done. Look for a system that is designed especially for color-treated hair, like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Repair & Defend Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Repair & Defend Conditioner. Gently massage the shampoo into wet hair, then rinse and follow up with the conditioner. 1-2 times a week, use the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Repair Remedy Balm in place of conditioner.

2. Cover up your hair when you’re out in the sun. While you surely know how important it is to protect your skin from the sun by wearing a broad-spectrum SPF daily, you may not be aware that it’s just as essential to protect your hair color from the sun, too. That’s right, UV rays can affect your color. If you know that you’re going to be spending a prolonged period of time outside in the sun, make sure to shield your hair by wearing an oversize, chic hat. You can also swap out your standard hair spray for one with a UV filter, like the L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray Extra Strong Hold with UV filter for Color-Treated Hair.

3. Step away from the heat tools. Heat from the sun isn’t the only kind that’ll wreak havoc on your hair color. Heat styling, with blow dryers, hair straighteners, and curling irons, can affect your color, too. Instead of risking your color to heat style your hair, consider this your opportunity to embrace your natural texture—whether your hair is straight, wavy, curly, or anywhere in between! When your hair is wet, apply a heat-free hair styling product and let your hair air dry. Try the L'Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Wave Swept Spray to help create loose waves. Just spritz your hair when it’s damp, then braid. When you let your locks down, your strands will have shape and body.

HOW TO HELP FIX BROWN HAIR THAT’S TURNED BRASSY

Of course, preventing your pretty brown hair color from turning brassy is easier said than done. If you’re already dealing with brassiness, try these tips.

1. Use a gloss treatment. If yellow, orange, or red tones have popped up in your brown hair, consider using an at-home gloss treatment, which can help to tone down the yellow, orange, and red.

2. Try a toning shampoo. Bottle blondes practically can’t live without their purple shampoo, but they aren’t the only ones who can benefit from the use of a toning shampoo. Look for one specifically designed to help fix brassiness in brown hair. Generally, you’d use a toning shampoo once a week.

3. Pay attention to your surroundings. Now that you know that UV rays and heat styling can affect your color, keep that in mind as you go about your day to help avoid even more brassiness.

4. When all else fails, visit your colorist! Sometimes, hair color is best left to the pros. Don’t be afraid to call up your salon to book an appointment with your colorist if you’re looking for a way to get rid of brassy tones in brown hair.

Now that you know you can be a brunette without turning brassy, consider changing up your color to one of these 9 Pretty Cool, Warm, and Neutral Shades of Brown Hair.