How to Avoid Brassy Hair when you go Platinum Blonde
How to Avoid Brassy Hair when you go Platinum Blonde
It’s easy to neutralize brassy undertones. Just follow these tips to bleach your hair like a pro.
Feel like you were born to be platinum blonde but the onset of brassy yellow undertones gets in the way of professional-looking colour? Trust us: Glam Hollywood blonde is within your reach. But first, you need to understand a bit of colour theory.
How bleach works
The main goal of bleach is to remove pigment from the hair, whether that pigment is natural or from a previously used dye. Bleach is made up of two substances: a developer (traditionally ammonia), which lifts the hair cuticle, and bleach powder, which removes the pigment and lightens the hair several levels.
The cause of yellow and orange tones
In theory, the bleach process should allow you to obtain a mane as clean as a blank page, but it is actually very difficult to attain a perfect white. Why? Because every mane of hair has hidden undertones. Blondes have yellow undertones, brunettes have orange and black hair has red tones. When you bleach your hair, it’s as though you have covered a yellow, orange or red canvas with white paint. You will still be able to see the undertones through the white, especially as you wash your hair week after week and the white begins to wear away.
How to bleach without yellow or orange undertones
To neutralize yellow, orange or red, there are professional quality solutions that are offered in the at-home colour category. Here’s what you need to know to choose the right product for you:
1. Keep your base shade in mind.
If you have light brown hair (level 5), you can reach the blondest of blondes (level 10) by using B++ Bleach, which will lighten your hair five shades. If your base shade is very dark (level 1 or black), you will reach a nice medium blonde (level 8) by using B+++ bleach, which lightens seven shades.
2. Choose ammonia-free bleach.
Olia promises ammonia-free colour that’s gentle but still effective. As a bonus, the developer formula is enriched with 25 percent oil to protect hair while colouring it.
3. Try a formula that offsets the undertone of your hair.
Here lies the secret for neutralizing yellow, orange and red tones. Ashy or blue tones counteract red and orange tones, while purple pigments fight against yellow. That’s why Garnier Laboratories developed technology called Neutra+, which is a subtle mix of blue and purple pigments that eliminate a yellow, orange or red cast to create the most beautiful blonde.
If you are fair and want to become blonder, colour and lighten your hair with a natural or beige blonde (110 or 112).
If you have darker hair, bleach your tresses by five to seven levels and then wait 48 hours to colour your hair with shades 110 or 112. Then let us know if blondes really do have more fun!