My hair is purple. What have I done?

October 25, 2007 1:00 PM

My hair is sort of a light purple-y gray. It was supposed to be dark blond. Now what?

So, the longer version. I originally had dark brown hair. Used Blondissima (by L'Oreal basically a lightener or to remove dark colours from your hair) to get from the dark brown to a very light yellow blond-ish colour. Waited a couple hours, then applied a dark blond colour (Feria). I've done this once before and the result is about a medium to light blond. This time, however, I'm left with a light purple/gray. Which, while sorta cool, is not really going to fly when I go back to work tomorrow. I can't go to a salon. I have about $20 to fix this before tomorrow. My thinking right now is go back and get another colour to put over this, but...what colour? Or is there a better option?

My hair isn't super dyed, if that's important. The colour I removed was the only other colour on top of my natural hair colour.

I know home hair colour is always a crapshoot, so I'm well aware this is my own fault.

Also, I'd post a picture but I don't have access to a camera at the moment.

posted by heavenstobetsy to clothing, beauty, & fashion (10 comments total)

this is why I own wigs.

I'd call the 800 number on the Feria box and have them talk you through fixing it. Or I'd go to the nearest Sally's and have someone there talk me through fixing it.
posted by crush-onastick at 1:03 PM on October 25, 2007

My hair reacts that way to any ash blonde dye. I've always redyed it light brown. (Yes, it happened more than once before I learned my lesson.)
posted by Ruki at 1:03 PM on October 25, 2007

Can't you put a honey-caramelly color on top of it, at least to make it look work-presentable? That way, it's at least in between the shade you were and the shade you want.

Or is that a pacifying answer? Sorry if it is. I'm just thinking about what I'd do in that situation.
posted by damnjezebel at 1:08 PM on October 25, 2007

Crush-onastick knows of whence she speaks. Get thee to Sally's. They will talk you through it. (They talked me through a horribly brassy self-bleach job once)
posted by The World Famous at 1:19 PM on October 25, 2007

Unfortunately, being in Canada I don't have access to Sally's. Actually there may be a few in Canada but not near me, sadly.
posted by heavenstobetsy at 1:23 PM on October 25, 2007

Sally Beauty Supply - maps.google.ca
655 Fairway Rd, Kitchener - [phone]

?

(surprised me; I didn't think they were in Canada, either. A Google for "Kitchener beauty supply" brings up a couple of other places, too)
posted by kmennie at 1:28 PM on October 25, 2007

oh, i know exactly what happened. those home kits have a color toner in them that give you the ash/gold/red effect you want along with the lightening. it will wash out after about a week, leaving you with ash blond hair.

call the 800 number for more advice.
posted by thinkingwoman at 1:29 PM on October 25, 2007

it sounds like you need something to neutralize the blue base they put into ash blondes to give the color coldness. i don't know what would do that, though.

chances are if you walk into a colorist's studio, and tell them you're broke, they'll probably give you pointers on getting it out. not everyone charging for a service is dead set on keeping proprietary info secret to make a buck, especially when it keeps you looking like a dip.
posted by patricking at 1:33 PM on October 25, 2007

Oh wow. Thanks kmennie! And everyone else too! I'm still undecided so if anyone has anything to add please feel free.

Though I will be stopping by Sally's to see what they say!
posted by heavenstobetsy at 1:34 PM on October 25, 2007

If your hair looks purple, add a golden blonde or brown shade over it. The warm tones of the golden shade should cancel out the bluish ash ones.

And don't forget to use the moisturizer that comes with the color. You'll need it after all that processing! ;)
posted by frosty_hut at 3:44 PM on October 25, 2007