photos courtesy Hollywood Tuna
No one is probably brave enough to tell you your hair looks brassy. But it does. That orange/gold/yellow unintentional tinge to your highlights or full head of hair after a long summer in the sun are the result of oxidization of the pigments in your hair. It is a natural occurrence for anyone with fair hair that can worsen with chlorine and/or hard water exposure. The solution for brassiness these days does not have to mean a trip back to your colorist. A few at home treatments exist that can bring back the baby blonde you spent hours and dollars successfully achieving.
If you have a good hair stylist, hopefully they have clued you in on the benefits of toning for highlighted or color-lifted hair. The basics of toning involve depositing an opposing pigment (check the color wheel) to the hair to nullify a hue you don't want present. So in the case of many blondes, the color wheel shows that purple/bluish tones will oppose the yellow or brassy tones in the hair, creating a cool or neutral tone where a warm one existed. Cool-toned canaries like Sienna Miller (above) and Kate Bosworth (below) clearly know the benefits of toning to keep their pale blonde and platinum hair looking brass-free.
photo courtesy Beauty Riot
At-home toning product recommendations:
Clairol Shimmer Lights Blonde/Silver Shampoo: An old-school product with a cherished reputation among the highlight-crowd. Color-depositing products are notoriously drying, so you are best off using this or any other color-depositing shampoo first and then following up with your favorite moisturizing conditioner. Be sure to let the shampoo "sit" on your hair for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing to get optimal color depositing results.
Joico Color Endure Violet Conditioner: If you insist on using a color depositing conditioner, this is the one you should use. It offers the superior "condition" compared to similar products on the market, and can be further balanced by adding a few drops of your regular moisturizing conditioner before coating the hair.
Natural Instincts Hair Color in Linen and Sandalwood: These semi-permanent at-home hair dyes are a great fix for highlights gone wrong and because of their temporary nature, offer a quick and minimal commitment band-aid for any mishaps. Both colors (and similar cool-toned/ ash blondes colors on the market) will effectively eliminate brass from hair. Care should be taken, however, when matching the resulting tone to your overall complexion.
Here again is Sienna Miller (and her buttery locks) and Dennis Quaid at the G.I. Joe photocall.
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