Can I go back to being blonde after a too dark toner made me brunette?
April 11, 2017 7:04 AM Subscribe
My natural hair is black and I had a full head of highlights to go dark blonde... but a toner has made my hair look dark brown! Is there any hope for me to go back to dark blonde?
I'm not due to see my colorist for another 3 weeks or so and I'd like to know what to ask for or what I can do to prepare before I see him again. Or perhaps there's nothing I can do?
My natural hair color is black (a few greys) but I had a full head of highlights that made me a dark blonde which I loved. I really like my colorist too. The other day my regular salon was booked solid and I wanted a blow-dry and trim ONLY. I figured these things were simple enough that I could go to a new place I never went to before and get them done. Well, even though I only asked for a trim and a blow I ended up not only with shorter hair than I wanted. (Stylist cut more than double the length I asked him to take off) but I also ended up with a different hair color despite not wanting any change to my color! I had about 3 inches of blonde brassiness at the top near my 1/2 black roots and the stylist said they wanted to tone down the brassiness only at the top there. I said no- thanks because I have a colorist and they'll fix the brassiness when I next see them. They insisted that it would not change my hair color at all and that it would take only 5 minutes like a glaze. So I said fine since I know a glaze is temporary and comes out in a couple of washes. Well when they were done my hair was no longer blonde... I now had dark brown hair that was close to the color of my roots! I mentioned it was too dark but they acted like I was being silly and told me it would wash out by the time I went for my touch up. I went home to wash and dry... still dark. Washed, washed. washed again.... Dryed... Still my hair was dark brown. I went out and purchased clarifying shampoo... washed... washed again..... dryed.... faded a tad but STILL DARK BROWN Hair.
I went back to the salon and demanded my money back. Showed them a picture of the blonde I was before and pointed to my now dark brown hair and said.... "See the huge difference? How the hell did I arrive a blonde and leave a brunette when I did NOT book for a color change?" One of the people there said I would have to recolor it because the toner wouldn't wash out while the owner tried to tell me he thought my new unasked for color looked great which made me hate him even more for the arrogant assumption that his opinion mattered in the least.
So now what? I really hate how much darker this toner has made my hair. Is there anything my colorist is going to be able to do to lighten it back up again to dark blonde, or is what this toner did as bad as permanent dye? Is there something my colorist can do or something I can do before I see him? Or do I just have to accept that I'm a dark brunette now if I don't want my hair to burn off?
I'm not due to see my colorist for another 3 weeks or so and I'd like to know what to ask for or what I can do to prepare before I see him again. Or perhaps there's nothing I can do?
My natural hair color is black (a few greys) but I had a full head of highlights that made me a dark blonde which I loved. I really like my colorist too. The other day my regular salon was booked solid and I wanted a blow-dry and trim ONLY. I figured these things were simple enough that I could go to a new place I never went to before and get them done. Well, even though I only asked for a trim and a blow I ended up not only with shorter hair than I wanted. (Stylist cut more than double the length I asked him to take off) but I also ended up with a different hair color despite not wanting any change to my color! I had about 3 inches of blonde brassiness at the top near my 1/2 black roots and the stylist said they wanted to tone down the brassiness only at the top there. I said no- thanks because I have a colorist and they'll fix the brassiness when I next see them. They insisted that it would not change my hair color at all and that it would take only 5 minutes like a glaze. So I said fine since I know a glaze is temporary and comes out in a couple of washes. Well when they were done my hair was no longer blonde... I now had dark brown hair that was close to the color of my roots! I mentioned it was too dark but they acted like I was being silly and told me it would wash out by the time I went for my touch up. I went home to wash and dry... still dark. Washed, washed. washed again.... Dryed... Still my hair was dark brown. I went out and purchased clarifying shampoo... washed... washed again..... dryed.... faded a tad but STILL DARK BROWN Hair.
I went back to the salon and demanded my money back. Showed them a picture of the blonde I was before and pointed to my now dark brown hair and said.... "See the huge difference? How the hell did I arrive a blonde and leave a brunette when I did NOT book for a color change?" One of the people there said I would have to recolor it because the toner wouldn't wash out while the owner tried to tell me he thought my new unasked for color looked great which made me hate him even more for the arrogant assumption that his opinion mattered in the least.
So now what? I really hate how much darker this toner has made my hair. Is there anything my colorist is going to be able to do to lighten it back up again to dark blonde, or is what this toner did as bad as permanent dye? Is there something my colorist can do or something I can do before I see him? Or do I just have to accept that I'm a dark brunette now if I don't want my hair to burn off?
This post was deleted for the following reason: Sorry, you just asked this same question recently; you can try updating in there, or just call your colorist and ask them. -- LobsterMitten
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what this toner did as bad as permanent dye?
Toner is just dye with weaker bleach. Either your hair was pretty porous to start with, or he left it on long enough that it acted like a stronger bleach - either way he totally misjudged the colour (and/or your hair situation), sounds like - but yes, it's permanent. It's going to have to be taken out and re-dyed. Ask for an Olaplex treatment to try to minimize damage.
I hope they returned your money! If they didn't, fight to get it back. Maybe send them the bill for this colour correction (and of course don't let them near you again).
posted by cotton dress sock at 7:30 AM on April 11, 2017 [1 favorite]