my hair always goes orange from dye. What colour should I have it?

[itsboiledeggsagain]

I thought this problem would be solved by going to a proper hairdresser frequently, but it is as bad as ever. My natural colour is mousy brown, and I have a lot of grey coming though.

I have a professional job, so it can't be too crazy, but I hate my boring orange tinted brown hair.

(i am nearly 40, and it is nearly shoulder length for the full info)

What do you ask for? Full tint or highlights? I'd ask for a colour with no red tones

asked for that.
he went a shade darker but it still comes through.

highlights plus tint normally.

I am looking at silver grey lustfully

Its not that you need it darker just that it should have no red tones in it. What colour are your highlights? I get highlights without a tint and my hair is mostly blonde now after starting with a mid brown colour

So do you dye it brown and it goes an orangey brown? It sounds like the dyes are too warm toned and the orange is being left behind. The other thing is that each time you dye your hair with permanent dye the developer lifts your hair a bit, and the undertone of all hair is yellow/orange depending on the depth, so that is what is left behind when you lift it (which is why when you bleach your hair really light it always goes yellow until you use toner, it's because keratin is yellow).

Anyway, Loreal Majirel are the professional colours you can get from places online like Sally's. You can get really bespoke colours, because you mix a 'base' shade to give you the level of colour, with an undertone shade. If you choose a shade with no red/orange in it then it should cancel out the tones in your hair. In fact I think Majirel has a 'cool colours' range to solve this exact problem.

If you Google 'Mumsnet Majirel' there are loads of threads which explain it in great detail and are really helpful.

Purpley / ashy blonde

But if you are paying a salon to colour it, they shouldn't be making this mistake surely?

In terms of highlights you just need to keep on top of using blue/purple toners to cancel out the orange/yellowy tones.

Bleach London Silver Shampoo works surprisingly well for this.

Id like an answer too. I'd like to go White/lilac/platinum, but mine just goes yellow.

Do you use a toner over the yellow as that's what neutralizes it to give the lighter colour?

You need to be using a high quality purple shampoo / toner. Not the supermarket stuff. To help get rid of the orange.

Maybe see a better hairdresser.

I'd like to go White/lilac/platinum, but mine just goes yellow.

Yes you need purple shampoo. Bleached, then toned silver at the hairdresser and purple shampoo and conditioner at home

I use Shimmer Lights but not sure if you can get that in the UK.

Id like an answer too. I'd like to go White/lilac/platinum, but mine just goes yellow.

You will never get 'platinum' hair from bleaching alone, because the keratin in hair makes it yellow. You need toners and purple shampoos. You can get loads in Boots, mostly these ones don't use developers but some do (bleach London white toner for example). But you can get ones online eg. The Wella Colour charm etc ones, or Loreal Dialight, which are 'professional' Toners and use developer. If you do a bit of research you should be able to find one that is right for you.

Why don’t you go for a nice copper and make the most of the warmth?

because I hate it, and it doesnt really suit my cool skin tone

Is this the kind of orangey colour you get when your hair dye washes out? I'm always left with an orangey light colour and end up dyeing over it and the cycle continues. If I got a purple shampoo or conditioner, would this help me to grow it out? Any recommendations for one I can get at boots or superdrug?

Are you using a permanent dye? That shouldn't really 'wash out' as such although they do still fade, usually to an orangey tone because apparently most box dyes have warm undertones. Look for permanent dyes with 'cool' in shade name, or look online at Majirel which is loreals professional line of hair dye where you can get dyes with no warm undertones at all.

Purple shampoo only really works on blonde hair that has gone brassy/yellow, it won't work on darker orangey hair.

Achieving a clean light cool blonde seems to be beyond the skills of most hairdressers, cheap or expensive. It's the holy grail. My hair always wants to be brassy yellowy warm blonde and it's a bloody awful colour. You have to find the right hairdresser and then keep on top of it with toners and purple shampoo.

@ShakeYourTailFeathers thankyou, trying it.

@RockyFlintstone thank you.

I find Pinterest is great. I don't speak hairdressers language. I show pictures with 'This is what I want' and 'This is what I DON'T want'. 'Do you understand?'. Helen Mirren is often my example. I've gone a bleached pixie (use salon recommended purple shampoo) and I love it.

If you have any red/warm/golden tones at all in your hair then when you get it lightened you need to ask for ash blonde as any warm or golden blonde will go orange/brassy.
I have red tones in my hair so I go for ash blonde highlights woven with two darker colours and it looks nice and natural, I get a toner and use purple shampoo and conditioner afterwards to keep on top of potential brassiness.
The key is in finding a decent hairdresser who really does colour properly.