Using a box dark dye over highlights.....

[Ilikecakes]

Hair is naturally very dark brown and I’ve been having highlights for the last six months or so. They look great straight after being done, but turn brassy/gingery within a couple of washes, even with using purple shampoos in practically every wash. I’ve been heading back to the salon for re-toning but it’s the same story: looks great for a week or so and then the brassy tinge creeps back in. I have 4 DC, DH away with work a lot so I’m finding it impossible to commit the time to all this upkeep.

I’ve read all the horror stories about the dishwater green results of putting a home colour over highlights, but my question is whether you could simply throw another box colour over the top of that after a couple of washes, to dye out the green? Would that cover it? My hair is very strong and has taken a lot of pain over the years (pink straw anyone?) so I’m not worried about breakage, I’m just keen to find the quickest way to fix it without spending more time and money at the hairdressers!

Thanks in advance

I've done it loads and my hair is same colour as yours you need to pick a dark brown with warm red tones in, the red supposedly fills in the lighter bits better, it's always worked fine for me!

And the lighter bits don't go pink or anything, it just covers perfectly.

Thanks @bobstersmum, think I’ll just go for it. Fingers crossed!

Because your hair is naturally dark, you probably needed another lightening session to further remove the orange base colour of your highlights. Blue shampoo would have been more effective then purple shampoo. Toner/purple shampoo can only do so much if your hair hasn’t been lifted enough.

I think you’ll be fine to place a brown box dye over it without it going khaki if your highlights are warm/brassy - in fact your issue may actually be the lighter hair getting brassy again! After several washes, you might have a slight warm tint to the brunette.

In case anyone’s interested, see before and after pics attached. All fine with a bog standard box of home dye, in fact looking at the pics now I’d almost say that my colour before was approaching dishwater/khaki!

As @browzingss predicted, it’s actually quite warm now but I guess those are the red tones I’ve put back in. I’ll give it a week or two and then put an ashier/cooler brown on top.

Thanks for help all!

It looks fab!

I like it! Your lengths/ends look so much fuller and healthier!

What did you use please?

@Ilikecakes What dye did you use please?

This one!