I have very dark brown hair- can I have a caramely balayage or will it always go orange?

[Cosmoplease]

Hi,.

So yes, I have long, very dark brown hair and minus the odd semi box dye, I don't have much experience with colour. I've generally played it safe, as I'm scared whatever I have done won't suit me or will damage my already heat damaged hair.

I'm early 30's with pale skin and I think my hair is starting to age me. I'm starting to get several scattered greys now too. It's not just the colour, but the length. I've always wanted to keep it long, but I'm starting to feel a bit witchy.

I made my mind up a few months ago I would have a caramel and chocolate balayage, with possibly a lob style. My hairdresser said my hair was a lovely natural colour and managed to talk me out of it. She also did a test and said that it went a bit orange, as predicted.

I hear this is a common problem with hair tones like mine, but I've seen loads of gorgeous colours and styles recently, just how I want and I can see their base colour is like mine. No orange.

Is it just a case of finding a really good hair dresser with more experience or should I just be happy with what I have like my current hair dresser says?

Like this

pin.it/ih4arduiajgtaf

I think it can be done (I'm not a hairdresser and I haven't ever dyed my hair so don't base your decision on my dodgy knowledge!) I think you have to re-bleach through the orange to get blonder, but that can trash your hair more obviously.

If you have Instagram, look for Nicky Lazou. She's incredible at taking natural dark hair and creating beautiful soft balayage looks. I went to her years ago, when she used to work out of her flat and still charged £100+ a time so goodness knows what she charges now. BUT.... it will give you an idea of what can be done.

It can be done but not in one go I'm about to have my second lot of colour to try and get that kind of look, my stylist said it may take up two three attempts to get it to the colour I want.

Yes it can. It can go light blond if you wanted to so no reason why it cant go caramel shades too

it can be done i think, if you choose light ash colour instead of a honey colour.

Look at Catherine Bodens work. She's in Cheshire and V expensive but her work is sublime.

Thank you!

Both those recommendations look great. I'm almost 4 hours away from Cheshire, otherwise I'd be booking an appointment today!!

Anyone know anybody Cambridgeshire way? I'm happy to travel a bit though!

The ash blonde, instead of honey is a really good idea, bluebell I'm not sure why my hairdresser hasn't suggested it actually.

but dont go very ash tone.
for example there are colours 7.0, 7.1, 7.3 etc. 7.0 or just 7 is good. as it goes 7.3, 7.4 it goes honey.

i think 7.1 is more ash then 7.

Thanks. I was just researching the best hair dressers close to me and found one I thought sounded great. Really good reviews etc, but I gave them a brief outline of what l wanted over the phone and she said "yes, you probably won't be able to get that. We can't perform miracles" I mean, they haven't even seen me! It's surely not impossible to lighten dark hair without looking orange! Challenging perhaps, but a miracle?!

My hair is very dark brown originally and now it's very light blond. Did it myself.

Milliy, before and after pic??...

I think it's perfectly possible to achieve what you want. It might take more than one go, and you would need to really look after your hair, but some people who have really dark hair go super light blonde.

The orange is because that is the base tone of brown hair, so that is what is exposed first by bleaching. But you can bleach again and get lighter. And if your hair hasn't been dyed with permanent dye it should be even easier. Apparently the reason bleached hair goes orange/yellow is because keratin is yellow and that is what is being exposed through bleaching, which is why you can never get your hair totally white without toner.

Caramel has an orangey/yellowy tone to it anyway doesn't it?

Yes you can but it will need a fair bit of regular toning in my experience.

I am very dark and have had highlights which have then had to be very toned down to be the right shade - I needed toner every 4-5 weeks really to keep it nice.

I also have to have a tint too though as I have grey to cover up - so root tint to roughly my natural colour, highlight some sections of it blonde, then tone it to caramel.

My hair is v similar to that photo. It only took one attempt but my hair lifts easily and naturally turns that colour instead of orange.

I would say that your picture has more warm tones than ash tones. They would be right to warn you that it is very difficult to get a light ashy balayage - I would book a couple of consultations with photos and let them know you don’t mind it taking 2-3 sessions if necessary. I know my hairdresser struggles with the expectation some clients have to turn their hair into a copycat of a heavily filtered Instagram shot!!

Cosmoplease sorry don't do online photos privacy reasons. I started doing mine 26 years ago.

Yes you can do it. Ash tones. May need an additional toner. Maintain with purple/silver shampoo.

You could do this yourself with Majirel 6.35. Should be a one step stage if your hair is natural. Any decent hair dresser should be able to achieve this.

Oh my goodness, Paul, I wouldn't be brave enough to do it myself! I wish I was. I'm good with make up etc, but always been rubbish with hair.