Almost everyone has experienced a hair color mishap at home. While these disasters are fixable, many people worsen the problem by attempting incorrect solutions, often resulting in expensive salon visits. One common mistake is trying to correct brassiness by lightening the hair, which only exacerbates the issue. Others darken their hair excessively, leading to an undesirable result. Understanding basic color correction principles can prevent these problems.
The color wheel, a tool used by artists, is essential for hair color correction. It consists of primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) spaced equally around a circle. The secondary colors (green, orange, purple) are placed between the primary colors, created by blending the adjacent primary colors (e.g., yellow and blue make green).
To correct unwanted tones, consult the color wheel. For example, if your hair is orange, find orange on the wheel and look directly opposite it. The opposite color, blue, will neutralize the orange. Therefore, choose a hair color with a blue base (often described as ‘beige’ or ‘ash’ tones) to counteract the orange. Avoid unnecessary lightening or darkening.
Instead of stripping the unwanted color from your hair, use the color wheel to identify and apply the neutralizing tone. This approach saves time, money, and frustration, leading to successful at-home hair color correction.