Hair Disaster! Help!

[Arraminta]

Decided to try a new supposedly 'award winning' salon in my local town. I'd let my usual ashy hi-lights grow out, so my hair was it's natural dark blonde/mousey colour. I told the stylist I wanted an all over colour, not hi-lights, and I wanted a soft, beige blonde that was brighter than my natural colour.

So she applied the colour. After washing it off she told me my hair was 'looking a bit golden' so applied a tiny. Washed it off and proceeded to dry it off, to reveal.........tangerine coloured hair!

I'm not even joking. It's the oddest pastel peach colour. Like I've used a cheapy box dye and not read the instructions. Not paid a professional £85!

She saw how horrified I was, and tried to tell me it looked much 'brighter' (I'll fucking say, you can probably see it's orange glow from space).

I am beyond upset. I have a big weekend lined up with our DDs in London, and I look frankly ridiculous! I don't want to leave the house.

I asked if there was anything that could be done to correct, but she insisted there wasn't? And she was the owner, so no one higher to appeal to. WTF do I do now? I've applied several coats of purple shampoo but it's not doing anything.

HELP!

I hate to downplay, but perhaps it isn't as bad as you think and you're just not used to it? I would leave it for a few days, adding more toners or blue shampoo can do more damage at this point. If you still hate it in a few days, then maybe go back and she can add some low-lights.

I'd go for this toner. It's strong stuff. Use gloves. Barrier cream on ears etc. do a strand test that's timed to see what shade it goes.

www.weareshrine.com/products/silver-hair-dye

Non-permanent box dye? Maybe one which only lasts up to 8 washes (rather than 28 washes) so you can see if you like it? I had to do that years ago after a so called top salon mucked up my hair shortly before I was due to be a bridesmaid. Absolutely infuriating. I’d also go back and complain if I were you.

Did you have a regular hairdresser before? I'd go to them - or at least another one you trust and ask for a professional view. It may be a two-stage approach, something to get you through the long weekend (like a semi permanent and a blow dry you don't touch or wash while you're away) and then something to calm it down longer-term.

I had a similarly awful experience - but when it was too bright, they went too far on the toner; I ended up with purple hair they tried to say was "just the lights" I went to a new hairdresser on personal recommendation and got the purple tint calmed down to an ash, but after a month or so only to end up with too yellow hair. The hairdresser was able to put a mousey tint over it, which I repeated every other month until the yellow started to grow out. Hence my warning that it might be a staged approach rather than a quick fix.

Id dye it semi permanent in ash light brown

Thank you everyone. Woke up this morning hoping I'd imagined how dreadful my hair was, but no. It's still apricot. DH is being very sweet and saying it's strawberry blonde and he likes it! Bless him.

Anyway, I've managed to get an appointment this afternoon at a salon that specializes in colour correction. The technician was so lovely over the phone (I think she could sense my desperation) and assured me she will be able to help.

I will keep you posted x

Oh you poor thing
DD wanted a pale pink wash over her blonde hair once and came out with highlighter pink!
There were many tears but with a lot of washing and some good old Fairy Liquid it faded to the extent that she would leave the house.
Seeing a specialist is a much better idea though, I hope she sorts you out and you have a lovely weekend in London

Bless you, thank you. I'm so incredibly grateful they can see me today. Just figuring out the very closest I can park to the salon (or do I wear a hat?).

I am sure that they will have seen worse if they are experts in disaster recovery!
My Nan used to have a lovely apricot rinse 😁

I bet it's not as bad as you think but I hope they can fix it for you.

This purple shampoo is amazing at taking warmth (yellow and orange) out of the hair.

The salon should be offering a correction though and I would be pushing hard for this.

https://www.lookfantastic.com/p/kerastase-blond-absolu-bain-ultra-violet-shampoo-250ml/12434454/?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&affil=thggpsad&kwds=&thg_ppc_campaign=20739597553&adtype=pla&product_id=12434454&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-fXioM-6pAskTZjaMxDy3gf5Cht&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7se8BhCAARIsAKnF3rxz8cH8Duna9UyYNrpBioFwdR2DAb8B_6VIwx26tvslEQOtjd24-ucaAv3MEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

A happy update! I am now extremely blonde, a proper platinum. But the technician explained that the only way to get rid of the dreadful rusty apricot colour was to bleach it out.

So, at least now I look like I've had a professional stylist colour it platinum blonde for me, as an (albeit) statement 'look'. Rather than it looking like a cheap box dye that has gone horribly wrong.

Also, after my hatchet job last night, the texture of my hair was like straw, too. So today they have used Olaplex to repair it and it's soft and shiny again.

It's not perfect. I think at my age (54) the platinum blonde is too harsh maybe? Especially as I already have a pixie crop. But it's certainly a lot better and I won't feel ashamed to leave the house.

@Arraminta
Thank you for the update! That is good news about your hair!
A platinum pixie sounds like a really cool look! I am sure you look great!

(Can I also say, what a lovely and supportive DH you have.)

I hope you and you DDs will have a great weekend in London!

Oh great! I once had a platinum pixie - play around with clothes and make up to get it to work for you. Pinterest can help too. I found I needed more makeup but kept in neutral shades if that makes sense.
Have a fab weekend rocking in the new hair

Thank you. He is a star.

Though our DDs are disappointed not to have witnessed my horror hair (I refused to send photos, as I knew they'd be used against me every birthday 😆).

Thank you. Yes I've been browsing Pinterest tonight. Having a strong lip colour seems important. Something to do with balancing out the strong hair colour, I think?

I found I had two looks I) statement look black clothes, stronger makeup as you saying balancing it out or 2) muted blues, greys clothes, browns and neutral makeup but still definitely some which seemed to blend it all in a softer way. I'm mousey blonde and fair normally so I know different things work for different base colouring.

Sounds fab, and darken eyebrows with light blonde, gives a fab contrast.