Have those pesky orange streaks gotten you in a rut and ruined your post-hair dye glow-up? We’re here to help! Here are all the ways to get rid of orange hair through easy-to-make, at-home remedies.
What Is Hair Bleaching?
The process of hair bleaching strips away the natural hair color. This hair collor stripping process is done by opening up the hair cuticle through an alkaline agent (usually hydrogen peroxide). Then, through an oxidative process, it penetrates the thickest part of the hair strand and interacts with the melanin, which is the natural hair color, removing it.
That does not mean that the melanin molecules are destroyed – they are just colorless. Lightening your hair is irreversible. The longer you keep bleach in your hair, the lighter it should lift.
Because bleaching is such a harmful process to your hair, if you want a drastic change (from dark hair to platinum blonde hair, let’s say), but still want to keep your hair’s integrity as much as possible, you have to understand that it will take several sessions at the salon until you get to the color your desire.
Why Does Hair Turn Orange?
While your hair may seem to be a single color, in reality, it is made up of pigments of different shades. At its base, all hair colors have red hair pigment: dark-haired people have a base of dark red pigment, while brown hair has more of an orange pigment (which is still a product of red and yellow).
When lightening the hair, the black hair color is the first one to be stripped out of the most visible pigments, revealing the hidden ones in the process, which are usually the warm red and orange hair tones. To simplify things, cool tones are the first to be removed by bleach because they have smaller molecules, while warm tones are the last colors standing because of their larger, hidden molecules.
Most times, darker hair tones lift orange hair tones since they are vastly warm-toned and have a lot of pigment. Lighter, blonde hair colors usually lift to yellow more easily.
Other than that, hair can turn orange from lighter colors from the absence of toner, hard shower water, or even visits to the pool (the chlorine is the culprit).
At-Home Remedies for Orange Hair
Here are all the at-home remedies you can use to get rid of orange hair tones:
Blue shampoos, conditioners, and/or hair masks can help fix orange hair after bleaching. They work like magic because of simple color theory: blue and orange are opposite colors, therefore they cancel each other out. In the same way, if you have undesired yellow or orange hair tones and wish for a more platinum or gray look, you should use purple shampoo or other purple-toned products.
Re-bleach and Re-dye
You can also try bleaching the orange areas again, after a while, although that would damage the hair more. You might also try dyeing your hair the color you desire if you’re not looking for a natural look.
Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo
Apple-Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a great help in combating brassy hair, beyond its added benefits to hair healthiness, so you can use it to fix orange hair after bleaching. Use equal parts ACV and water, then rinse your hair with it after shampooing. Let your hair soak it up for about 10 minutes, then rinse again using just water.
Apple cider vinegar can also be used in more complex combinations. For instance, one method is adding hollyhock herb and ACV to boiling water until they form a thick solution which can be used as a pre-shampoo hair treatment once cooled down.
And, of course, you can also choose an Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo.
Mix one teaspoon of lemon juice with water and a bit of conditioner to get a runny solution that might also do the trick. Section the hair and apply it to the orange areas, letting it rest for about 30 minutes, and then rinse it. This is considered a conditioning treatment, therefore you have to wash your hair with shampoo beforehand.
How to Take Care of Bleached Hair
On the other hand, here's what you can do to take good care of your bleached hair in the long run:
Invest in high-quality organic products
Bleached hair is usually prone to breakages because it has been stripped of its natural oils. That’s why you should get into the habit of using additional nourishing treatments, such as a highly-moisturizing coconut milk hair mask.
More than that, you should also look for products containing many healthy, nutrient-filled oils like castor oil, almond oil, and jojoba oil. As mentioned before, ACV also contributes a lot to your hair’s integrity, so consider incorporating it somehow into your routine.
Use a clarifying charcoal shampoo every week or two
Protect your hair at the pool
If you are an avid swimmer, wear your hair in a protective hairstyle and put a cap/scarf on once you’ve gotten out of the water, or alternatively, wear a swim cap while you’re doing your laps. The chlorine found in pool water is a harsh chemical that can strip out the color, cause orange and green hair tones, and even wash out the friendly products that were on your hair.
If you’re more of a tanning person than a swimming person, be sure to wear something to protect your hair against the harmful UV rays! Not only are they dangerous for your skin, but they damage hair as well.
Buy a shower filter
The minerals in tap water can sometimes be harmful to the skin and hair, drying them. To make sure you are taking that extra step for your beautiful hair, get a filter installed for a softer, mineral-free showering experience.