The struggle to maintain healthy, shiny and lustrous hair is one that many of us face. Whether you have natural blonde, brown or red hair, brassiness can become a recurring issue. Thankfully, with a little education, one can feel confident in taking care of it, leaving you with hair that looks and feels great. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common causes of brassiness, and provide practical solutions to banishing brassy hair for good.
What causes brassiness in the first place?
Knowing what causes the copper or gold tone in your hair is the key to banishing brassiness. Often, lightening or colouring your hair, chlorine from swimming pools, product residue, and exposure to hard water can create the undesirable brassy undertones in your locks.
Lightening or coloring
When your hair is lightened and/or coloured, the artificial pigments in the dye lift the natural pigments in your hair, exposing the warm undertones. Especially if you have dark hair tones or if you’ve used hair colour containing ammonia, your hair is more prone to become brassy.
Chlorine From Swimming Pools
The chlorine used in swimming pools can strip the hair of its natural oils, which can cause hair to dry out and become brittle. It can also cause hair to turn a brassy or green colour when exposed for long periods. Chlorine is highly alkaline which can make hair porous and resultantly weaken hair’s strength making it susceptible to yellowing.
Product Residue
It is necessary to make sure that your hair care routine includes washing your hair with products that are suitable for your hair type. Using hair products with harsh chemicals can leave behind residue on your scalp that causes the hair to turn brassy. Especially styling products and those containing sulphates are likely to cause brassiness.
Exposure to Hard Water
Hard water has high mineral content, making it harsh and abrasive to the hair. The magnesium and calcium found in hard water can cling to the hair causing tangles, dryness and breakage. Over time, exposure causes hair to become porous, making it susceptible to yellowing.
How Can You Banish Brassiness From Your Hair?
Now that we know the common causes of brassiness, how can we banish it from our hair? Depending on what’s causing the undertones, different solutions can help to reduce or remove brassiness for good.
Use a purple shampoo or conditioner
Purple shampoo is a popular solution for reducing brassiness in blonde hair. It works by depositing purple pigment onto the hair, cancelling out unwanted yellow or brassy tones. Using a purple conditioner is an excellent alternative for those that favour conditioners. It is best to use this product once or twice a week since overuse can cause a purple tinge in your hair.
Try A Toner
Toners are another popular solution to banish brassiness. Contrary to dye, toners do not alter the hair’s structure, but instead neutralize the warm undertones, leaving you with a cooler color. You can make a toner using products already found at home, like apple cider vinegar and honey or simply purchase one from the market. Choose a toner that is specific to your hair type, one that contains moisturizing agents to prevent drying out.Toning is a process that is usually done by professionals.
Avoid using shampoo on coloured hair too often
The less you wash your hair with shampoo, the less you expose it to harsh cleansing agents that can strip the hair colour, leaving it looking dull and lifeless. Consider using dry shampoo between washes to extend the time between cleansing. Make sure you choose shampoos that are designed specifically for coloured hair and contains moisturizing agents.
Use apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar acts as a natural clarifying agent that helps to remove buildup from the hair. Mix equal parts water and vinegar together and pour over your hair. Let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing thoroughly with water. Apple cider vinegar can assist in closing the hair cuticles, resulting in smoother, more manageable hair.
Avoid exposing your hair to too much sun
Exposing your hair to too much sun can cause the hair to dry out and turn brassy. Use hair hats or a hair scarf to protect your hair during sunny days, or use hair products that contain UV filters to protect your hair whilst outdoors.
Banishing Brassy Hair: Key Takeaways
When it comes to banishing brassy hair, prevention is the key. Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind:
- Avoid using harsh chemicals in your product such as sulfate.
- Avoid washes with high chlorine content or excessive heat as a means of washing colored hair.
- Moisturize on a regular basis by using natural remedies and deep conditioning treatments.
- Be mindful of hard water and avoid using it to cleanse your hair regularly.
- Choose a haircare routine that matches your hair type and the amount of care required for it.
FAQ
Here are some of the most common questions we get about banishing brassiness from hair:
Q1. How can you remove brassiness from dark hair types?
A1: To remove brassiness from dark hair, purple shampoo or conditioner can work wonders too, as can toning. In addition to these measures, you might try to avoid washing your hair using hot water.
Q2. How often should you use purple shampoo to reduce brassiness?
A2: Purple shampoos use stronger pigments than regular shampoos, therefore it is best to use it once or twice a week to avoid excessive pigmentation. Overuse can lead to purple tingeing hence once or twice a week should suffice.
Q3. How can you protect your hair from harsh chemicals?
A3: Protecting your hair from harsh chemicals requires choosing hair products that are gentle on hair or do not contain chemicals such as sulphates, parabens, alcohol, and fragrances. You can protect your hair from exposure to harsh chemicals in other surroundings by using hair hats or scarfs to safeguard your hair from the sun, pool water or excessively low humidity, for example.
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-get-rid-of-brassy-hair#prevention-tips
- https://www.paulmitchell.com/blog/how-to-tone-brassy-hair-at-home/
- https://www.matrix.com/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-brassy-hair