How To Tone Curly Brown Hair To Ash?

how-to-tone-curly-brown-hair-to-ash

Are you fed up with brownish tones appearing in your hair? Well, we’re here to help you with different methods that can help you change the overall tone of your hair to a cool ash shade. 

We all have different hair colors and tones from blonde to black and brunette. While some of us are born with brown hair, the tones of the hair can change over time due to certain factors like excessive exposure to sunlight.

If you opt to change the undertone of your hair from brown to ash, we’ve discussed some of the convenient and effective ways you can try at home. Make sure to check them down below! 

As we mentioned above there are several reasons why our hair may develop a brownish undertone. It could be genetics, too much exposure to the sun, or getting a brown hair dye that leaves a warm brassy hair tone after it fades.

Hence, warm shades like brown should be eliminated by cool shades.

It’s also worth noting that before we try different methods to alter the hair undertone it’s best we pay heed to “The Color Wheel”

Step by Step - Tone Curly Brown Hair To Ash

What’s The Color Wheel?

A color wheel comes in handy when you’re deciding to get a new hair color done at home and it’s also used by salon professionals to identify which color can neutralize another color.

A color wheel depicts the 12 primary colors in a circle that are both warm and cool shades and this can help you choose a color for your hair depending on your hair color and tone.

This is done by learning what your hair color is, finding the color in the color wheel, and looking opposite to the color to know which color can eliminate your hair’s color or tone.

For instance, if your hair has a brassy orange undertone then choose the color that’s opposite to orange on the color wheel, which in this case is blue.

This means any product that has blue pigments like blue shampoos can eliminate orangish hues on your hair.

Similarly, if your hair has yellow undertones then you have to choose a product with purple pigments such as purple shampoos, since purple/violet is opposite to yellow on the color wheel it can neutralize yellow shades.

Ways To Tone Brown Hair To Ash

While there are several ways to change your hair color and tone from brown to ash, not all methods are easy and safe in the long run.

Besides, when choosing a product the intensity of your hair color should be considered as well. 

Now let’s look at some products that can help tone your hair to a cool ash shade.

Blue Shampoos and Conditioners

Keeping the color wheel in mind, we know that to cancel out brassy brown tones, blue shampoos can be used and it’s also the easiest and less time-consuming method as well.

Blue shampoo is similar to an ordinary shampoo but it contains blue pigments that help in neutralizing copper and brown tones and allows your hair to develop a chill ashy shade.

Blue shampoos work well on hair that’s tinted brown and has lost its color due to sun exposure and hair treatments that cause brassy tones.

Blue shampoos can also be used periodically by brunettes as well to develop a rich ashy hair tone.

This blue shampoo deposits blue pigments in your hair to eliminate brassy hair tones and provide a cool shade after 1 wash and it can be used on all hair types.

Wash your hair and apply the blue shampoo to your hair evenly. Let it absorb for a few minutes and rinse your hair. Apply blue conditioner to lock in the moisture and wash thoroughly. Use them daily for your desired ash shade to appear.

Remember to not go overboard when using a blue shampoo because it contains powerful substances that can cause your hair to turn darker with regular use.

Hence, after your desired ash shade appears, it’s advisable to use blue shampoos twice weekly and use your regular shampoo in between to maintain healthy and shiny ash hair.

Hair Toners

A hair toner is a product that’s used after a hair color treatment to add a natural glossy tone to your hair.

They don’t necessarily alter your hair color but rather add pigment to them to enhance your hair’s overall tone.

Hair toners come in a variety of colors hence make sure to choose the ideal hair toner depending on the undertone you wish to eliminate.

If your hair has a more reddish tone then choose a green hair toner to eliminate reddish hues and a blue toner to eliminate a coppery hair shade. This will develop a glossy ash tone on your hair. 

The blue-ash hair toner I’ve used requires the hair to be damp since it’s convenient for the product to get absorbed.

Make sure to wear gloves before using a hair toner and gently apply on areas where brown undertones are prevalent.

Leave it for 40 minutes and wash your hair with shampoo and condition it.

As with many products, hair toners contain chemicals that are a detriment to hair if overused which can make your hair brittle.

Hence, use a hair toner only once a month and wait till a month or more to reuse the hair toner if you don't get desired results.

In addition, toners can only be used on your tresses while your hair color lasts. Once your hair color starts fading, a hair toner would do nothing.

Semi-Permanent Hair Dyes

Semi-permanent hair dyes are by far the least risky way to tone your brown hair to ash.

Unlike hair toners which only last for 5-6 washes, semi-permanent hair dyes can last much longer. It also doesn’t stain your hair like blue shampoos would do.

Semi-permanent hair dyes come in a great variety of colors and shades hence choosing the right shade to eliminate a brassy tone can be complicated.

That’s why all brands of semi-permanent or permanent dyes come with numbers. These numbers depict the color of the dye.

The numbers are from 1 to 10, starting with the darkest color to the lightest.

However, one important factor about these numbers is, that they’re displayed in decimals like 4.2, 6.8, 7.3.

These decimals represent the undertones of the hair color. Since we want an ashy undertone the decimal number we should be looking for in a hair dye should be .2

When choosing a hair dye make sure the shade of the dye matches the current shade of your hair and your skin tone as well.

If you have light brown hair, you should get an ash brown hair dye that’s labeled 5.2 and if you have a dark coppery hair tone, choose a hair dye marked 3.2.

By doing so you can ensure the dye provides you with the perfect ashy tone based on your hair color.

In addition, if your hair is dark it’s recommended to bleach your tresses to lighten them before applying a hair dye. This may require a professional’s help if you don’t have prior experience.

It’s recommended to use a color-protect shampoo after coloring your hair as it prevents your hair dye from fading and resulting in brassy undertones.

You can alter your brassy brown hair to a cool ash shade by using any of these products but it’s always best to ensure the product suits your hair and skin tone.

In addition, pay heed to the product instructions before using them and give them time to work.

Using any of the products moderately can give you the desired results without causing any harm.

How To Tone Brown Hair To Ash: FAQs

How can I tone my brassy hair to ash?

Firstly, it’s required to learn the intensity of the brassiness in your hair. If the hair has a copperish orange tone then it’s recommended to use a blue shampoo to eliminate the uneven brassiness and develop a cool ash tone or if your hair has reddish undertones go for a green shampoo.

Similarly, choose a blue hair toner to eliminate orange undertones in your hair or a green hair toner to cancel out red undertones. Using a semi-permanent hair dye that suits your hair color can also alter your hair color and tone to a silky ash shade.

What happens if you put ash toner on brown hair?

Ash toners are effective in canceling out unwanted and uneven brown undertones in your hair that are either caused by excessive exposure to the sun or your hair dye fading away.

To choose an ash toner you need to ensure its color can cancel out the unwanted colors in your hair. If you have brownish-orange undertones then it’s best to choose a grayish-blue toner.

How do I go from dark brown hair to ash brown?

To change your hair color from dark brown to ash brown you can opt for an ash brown hair dye.

If your hair is quite dark then it’s required to bleach your hair to lighten the color. After bleaching, you can apply the ash brown hair dye to add a natural ashy brown tone to your hair.

How do you get warm tones out of brown hair?

Warm tones like orange and red can appear on brown hair for several reasons. To eliminate them you should choose a color that overpowers the brassy undertones.

If you have an orange undertone use blue shampoos and conditioners because they contain heavy blue pigments that can cancel out warm tones on brown hair.

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