Many people who try DIY hair dyeing often end up visiting professional stylists for color correction treatments. How long hair color is left on tresses contributes to whether dark locks turn the desired shade of blonde or end up with a noticeable orange tint. If you have a rusty-colored mane after hair dyeing, the following explains why it happened and offers color correction options to explore for a more flattering shade.

Why Dyed Hair Turned Orange

When looking at your hair under a light, you’ll see the color is comprised of numerous light and dark hues. It’s the red pigment undertones that give black and brunette hair its rich, deep color.

When hair color isn’t left on strands long enough, the mane will turn orange instead of the desired blonde. That’s because the lightening chemicals didn’t completely dissolve the red pigment to turn strands yellow.  

How Professionals Fix a Bad Dye Job

A color is canceled out by the one that sits opposite it on the color wheel. If hair had reached the yellow stage during the dyeing process, a violet neutralizer would have toned down the brassiness to achieve the desired shade of blonde. For color correction, a stylist would use blue-based toners to neutralize the orange tint. The blue neutralizer will turn hair icy blonde or light brown depending on how much red pigment remains in locks.   

As some strands are naturally lighter and darker than others, not leaving the hair color on long enough can leave hair looking patchy, too. To cover orange and yellow streaks, dyeing locks again might be the best solution. A stylist will apply brown or black dye to mask the blunder.

For color correction to fix a DIY dye-gone-wrong, contact the staff at Bloom Beauty Lounge in New York City. The Chelsea hair salon is known throughout Manhattan and the neighboring boroughs for providing color corrections, Balayage treatments, and haircuts that turn heads and promote healthy, new growth. See how the experienced stylists will change your hair color online, and call (212) 255-9355 for an appointment. Don’t miss salon news on Instagram.