Maybe you bleached your hair to dye it a lighter brown or because you wanted to try the platinum look? Whatever the reason, you are ready for a change of mind! Dyeing bleached hair brown is a delicate process, especially if the hair has lost its natural warm highlights. To get the color you are looking for, apply a tinted protein filler, which will give your hair the warm tones it has lost. Then apply a brown stain, a few shades lighter than the desired final color.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Make your hair warm tones
Step 1. Choose a red protein filler
This product will color and strengthen bleached hair. Look for a filler with a strong red tint, which will bring warm tones to your bleached hair. This will prevent your hair from turning green or taking on an ashy tinge when you dye it brown. The product will also help the dye to adhere to your hair for an even, crisp result.
Layering colors can be tricky. If this is your first time using a red protein filler, seek the advice of a professional colorist before you begin
Step 2. Wear old clothes and cover your shoulders with a towel
While most protein-colored fillers wash off, you still need to protect your skin as much as possible. Put on old clothes you don't mind getting dirty or a hairdressing cape. Then cover your shoulders with an old towel, to protect them from the product.
You will also need to put on a pair of latex gloves, so as not to stain your skin
Step 3. Wet your hair before starting to apply the filler
Fill a spray bottle with water and spray it on your hair, until it is slightly wet. Don't try to soak them with water: just spray the water until your hair is wet like after drying it with a towel after getting out of the shower.
Step 4. Pour the filler into a clean spray bottle
Since your hair is already wet, it will not be necessary to dilute the filler. Simply pour the product as is into a spray bottle and screw the cap back on firmly.
To avoid contamination, be sure to use a clean spray bottle for your filler
Step 5. Spray the protein filler on your wet hair
After putting on your latex gloves, begin spraying the product directly where the discoloration begins on your hair. Work section by section, lifting strands and then coating them with product, until all of your bleached hair is thoroughly covered with filler.
The filler should only be applied on bleached or dyed hair. Do not worry about your natural roots, since they have not been weakened by chemical treatments
Step 6. Comb your hair with a wide comb
By combing your hair, you will distribute the filler as well as possible on the strands. Start at the roots or where the discoloration begins, then gently pull the comb through your lengths, to the ends. Once you have combed all of your hair, rinse the comb and allow it to dry.
Make sure to use a wide plastic comb, which you don't worry about getting dirty
Step 7. Leave the filler on for 20 minutes
Set a timer and let the filler work on your hair for a full 20 minutes. Once the time has elapsed, do not rinse the filler. Leave on your hair until you have dyed your hair brown.
Part 2 of 3: dye your hair
Step 1. Choose a color lighter than the desired color
Since bleached hair is porous, even with a protein filler, it will absorb more color than healthy hair. The same dye will then give a much darker result on bleached hair than on untreated hair. To counter this effect, choose a dye 2 or 3 shades lighter than the color you want your hair to be.
If you are purchasing hair dye based on the image shown on the box, choose a color that is slightly lighter than the color you are looking for
Step 2. Protect your skin and clothing
Before you even start mixing the dye, put on a pair of latex gloves and place an old towel over your shoulders to protect your clothes. The stain will color any surfaces it comes in contact with. Make sure to wear old clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.
So that the stain stains are not visible, use a dark colored towel
Step 3. Mix and apply the stain
Mix and apply the stain following the instructions on the product box. With an applicator brush and a plastic bowl, measure and mix the correct amounts of stain and developer from your kit. Usually, developer and dye will need to be mixed at a 1: 1 ratio, but these dosages could vary depending on the brand. Make sure to follow the package directions and mix the products together until you get a creamy consistency.
Some kits will also contain a moisturizer
Step 4. Divide your hair into 4 sections
Using the pointed end of the applicator brush, draw a line down the middle from your forehead to the back of your neck. Then draw a line from one ear to the other. Secure each section with plastic clamp, to prevent them from mixing together as you work. Peel off the sections one by one and coat them with stain one after the other.
Step 5. Apply the dye to your hair
Detach a first section, then take a good dose of dye on the applicator brush. Coat a wick about 1 cm thick with a thin layer of product. Start the application at the roots and apply the product on both sides of the strands, so that they are perfectly covered.
- Apply the dye as close to the roots as possible, without touching the scalp.
- If the stain color is the same as your natural roots, try to blend the color into your roots, so you don't have to worry about regrowth. Finding a color that is the same as your natural color can be difficult. Unless you have experience in the field, the easiest way will still be to dye all of your hair.
Step 6. Leave the dye on for the time indicated on the box
Most brown hair colors should take 30 minutes, but always refer to the instructions for use. Monitor the progress of the process every 5 to 10 minutes, until the 30 minutes have passed.
Step 7. Rinse off the stain with lukewarm water
In the sink or in the shower, let the water run over your hair, running your fingers through your lengths, to remove all the dye. Watch the water flowing from your hair: once it's clean, the rinse is done!
After rinsing off the product, apply conditioner for colored hair, following the product directions. This will help seal in the color
Step 8. Let your hair air dry
Avoid using a hair dryer, as the heat can greatly damage your freshly colored hair. Instead, dab your lengths with a dark towel to remove excess water, then let your hair finish air-drying.
Part 3 of 3: Caring for Treated Hair
Step 1. Do not wash your hair within 48 hours of treatment
During this time, the dye will still be oxidizing and sticking to the hair. Washing your hair too early will risk removing the dye altogether. Avoid this at all costs!
- You may then need to skip a workout or two, so you don't have to wash your hair right away.
- You could also wear a shower cap to keep your hair dry while washing.
Step 2. Wash your hair every other day or less
Since repetitive shampooing will fade your color, only wash your hair on alternate days at most. You could even let 3 or 4 days pass between washes, as your hair will likely be drier after being colored.
If your hair tends to get greasy between shampoos, use a dry shampoo
Step 3. Use hair products for colored hair
Choose a shampoo and conditioner specifically designed for colored hair. The formulas of these products help the dye to last longer and will allow you to maintain healthy hair. Look for products with ingredients that will hydrate your hair and remove styling residue, without stripping away color, like keratin, natural plant oils, and natural minerals.
Step 4. Do not use heat tools on weakened hair
After the chemical treatment, your hair will be more fragile. You should therefore inflict as little heat on them as possible. Avoid using a curling iron, straightener, or hair dryer.
- If you still must use heated tools, remember to spray heat protectant first and use the appliance's lowest setting or cold airflow.
- In particular, avoid using heated tools in conjunction with heavy styling products, such as gels, special volume products, hairsprays and foams.
Step 5. Apply a hair mask once a week
If your hair is still dry and brittle, use a hair mask once a week. Work the product into your hair, focusing on the ends, then run a wide-tooth comb through your lengths to distribute the product. Leave the mask on for 20 minutes (or the exposure time indicated on the product), then rinse thoroughly.
- Look for a moisturizing mask specifically formulated for colored hair.
- This is especially important if you are using heated tools to style your hair.