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How to Tone Down Hair Color That is Too Light?

Sometimes coloring the hair can end up being a big miss.

One of the worst hair disasters you will face is ending up with hair that is too light. In the world of colorimetry, one of the easiest things to do is toning down hair color that is too light.

Lightening your hair is usually the hardest part because applying dye on dye doesn’t lighten it. However, the path to toning down your hair is pretty simple and less thorny.

Image Credit: Luminous hair

To end up with hair that is too light, you probably just finished bleaching it.

Bleaching is an aggressive process, even you tried bleach hair without damage.

Before you decide to tone down the hair color again, you should keep in mind the health of your hair. Your hair may seem okay, but after bleaching it, it probably has collateral damage.

Before you put your hair through the toning down process, take a very close look at it beyond the lightness:

  • Does it have split ends?
  • Is it breaking?
  • Does it feel fragile?
  • Is it as soft and healthy like it was before you bleached it?

If your hair has any or all of the above features, you will need to repair it first before you tone it down. Moisturize your hair with a deep conditioner for bleached hair to help it recover.

Again, you will need to respect the golden rule: Must wait at least 7 days after bleaching your hair before you can dye it again.

(Read details at: How long to wait to dye hair after bleaching? and How long do I have to wait to bleach my hair again?)

During those recovery days, you must take the following measures to repair your hair:

  • Oil it with coconut, argan, or olive oi, from right in the middle to the ends, and leave it for 2 hours.
  • Strengthen your hair mask by using a moisturizing mask and shampoos, conditioners with keratin in it.
  • Lubricate your ends with some silicon oil to help them recover as well.
Tone down hair color that is too light (Image: hairby_chrissy)

Once your hair has recovered from the bleaching process, use a hair color that is two colors darker than your current shade to tone the color down.

If you are looking to town down on hair color that is to light, choose a color that is at least 2-3 shades darker than the hair.

How to tone down hair color that is too light?

Method 1. Use clarifying shampoo 

You should skip frequent shampooing if you have newly colored hair because it continues to strip your hair of its pigment.

However, washing your hair daily with a clarifying shampoo if you bleached it too lightly can help tone the hair color down. Avoid using gentle shampoos and use clarifying shampoo instead.

If you can think of a detergent with potent ingredients, use it to wash your hair to remove your hair’s pigment.

However, this method may strip your hair of its natural moisture, so be sure to use conditioner afterward to replace the lost moisture.

Method 2. Use curlers and flat irons to style your hair

If you are in love with your hair color, you should avoid heat treatments to strip the color off.

On the contrary, you can use heat to balance out the hair color that is too light.

By curling your hair using flat iron and curlers, you will not only achieve the dolled-up look, but you will also balance your hair color gradually.

Use curlers and flat irons to tone down hair color
Use curlers and flat irons to tone down the hair color that is too light (Image Credit: Fashionista)

Method 3. Use highlights instead of one-dimensional hair color 

Take advantage of the lighter hair color by highlighting it rather than leaving it flat.

Curls will help your hair reflect positively, but strobing and balayage techniques will revamp your look and make it look stylish.

If you decide to use the freehand method, your stylist can simply balance the lighter tone on your hair, and then the very light shades that you don’t want can be retained as highlights.

Method 4. Get a professional to fix the hair for you 

Most products used for correcting hair color are meant for salon use.

Again, the professionals will be able to know better the right amounts of product to use on your light hair.

Note that to tone down hair color that is too light, you must understand the kind of product you used.

To fix some products, you might need to use ammonia or bleach, while other products will call for lesser damaging effects.

Ways to darken natural hair naturally

Method 1. Lemon and baking soda 

For whiter teeth, lemon and baking soda are the perfect weapons.

The good news is that these two can also be used to tone down hair color that is too light as well.

Make a thick paste by mixing the two. Wash your hair and then apply the paste on your hair. Let the paste sit on for 20 minutes.

Image Credit: Fitness health forever

Using warm water, rinse out the mixture, and then let it dry. Do this 3 times a week until you see some noticeable difference.

Method 2. Use olive with coconut oil 

These two oils can do wonders for your hair. They will not only strengthen your hair, but they will also give it a healthy, soft, and vibrant look.

Warm the oil, then apply it to your hair. Use the pan or microwave to heat the oil, then let it cool before you use it on your hair.

These oils are gentle, so no damage will be done if you leave them on for long or even overnight.

See also: How to Use Coconut Oil Before Coloring Your Hair?

Method 3. Vinegar and vitamin C

The acidity in vitamin C and vinegar will be very helpful in removing the unwanted pigments from your hair.

If you opt for vinegar, mix it with shampoo first, and then apply it to your hair. Shampoo the hair and then rinse it.

Do this until you start seeing a noticeable difference in your hair color.

If you are using vitamin C, mix it with water to create a paste, then apply it to your hair. Sit with it for an hour and then wash your hair as usual.

Image Credit : The vreeland clinic’s blog

Color correcting hair that is too light

  • If your highlights look too light and stripy, take some tinted shampoo and blend it out. A professional would recommend the balayage technique to remove the strips and give you a more natural look.
  • If your roots have different shades compared to the rest of your hair, use color blend concealer, tinted shampoo, or cover-up sprays to correct the color.
  • If you have blonde hair that is looking too yellow and light, use purple toning hair products for a quick fix. (Jump to: Best purple hair dye for dark hair without bleach)
  • Purple toning treatments are also perfect for fixing hair that has turned orange and is too brassy.

Struggling with hair color is hard, but taking on the advice in this article will fix your hair while giving you a refreshed look.

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Aida

I’m Aida and this is my blog where I write mostly about beauty & make up related stuff, but I like to spice it up a bit with lifestyle and photography posts. Or with whatever that comes to my mind. Hope you will enjoy the reading enough that we will ‘see’ each other more often!

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