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Home / How to Get Rid of Yellow in Blonde Hair

How to Get Rid of Yellow in Blonde Hair

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Bleaching your own hair is cheap and fun, but it rarely ends up platinum blonde. If you have yellow, orange, or brassy tones after bleaching, cover them up with a toner or color corrector. You can also offset yellow tones with a purple shampoo or a little gentian violet. You can also brighten your hair naturally with lemon juice.

  1. 1

    Use a toner after bleaching. Dark hair often ends up with orange or yellow tones after bleaching. The right toner will cancel out these brassy tones and makes your hair closer to platinum or white blonde.[1]

  2. 2

    Find purple toner in a drugstore or beauty supply store. Just about any pharmacy should carry toner, and you might even find it in the hair product aisle of a supermarket. You can also find purple toner at your local beauty supply store. Pick a purple or violet toner to remove yellow tones. If you have orange tones, select a blue toner.

  3. 3

    Mix it with red gold corrector (optional). If you also have undesired reddish tones in your hair, buy red gold corrector from a salon or online. Mix this with the toner according to label instructions.

    • Green toner will cancel out reddish tones, and blue toner will cancel out orange tones. However, without a corrector, but these toners will leave your hair yellow, not white.

  4. 4

    Use a color wheel to help you choose the right toner. If you're not sure what color of toner or corrector to choose, look at a color wheel. Find the color that matches your hair best, and look at the color directly opposite from it on the color wheel to find the complementary shade. Your toner or corrector should match the color that complements the tones in your hair.

  5. 5

    Mix with a creme developer. Choose a developer with 30 volume or less. High volume developers may make bleached hair weak or even cause it to fall out.

  6. 6

    Apply according to label instructions. Check the toner label to find out how long you need to leave it on your hair. Leaving it in too long can make your hair purple, so don't overdo it.

    • Alternatively, a very easy option is to simply book an appointment with a hairdresser for a toner to be put in. It takes less than half an hour. Pricing will vary depending on the salon, but a toner treatment can be as cheap as about $20.

  7. 7

    Get a professional whitening treatment. If you have the time and money, you can get the best hair-whitening results by going to a salon. This is the best way to minimize the risk of damage to your hair and get a true, brass-free platinum blond, white, or silver look.[2]

  1. 1

    Select a purple shampoo for regular upkeep. [3] A purple color-correcting shampoo will counteract the yellow tones and make your hair appear brighter and blonder. This is not as strong as toner, since it is intended for regular use. Here are a few examples of purple or violet shampoos:

    • Tressa Watercolors Violet Washe Shampoo
    • John Frieda Sheer Blonde Color Renew Tone-Correcting
    • Clairol Shimmer Lights
    • Pravana Pure Light Brightening Shampoo for Blonde, Silver, or Highlighted Hair
    • Matrix Total Results Brass Off shampoo
    • Paul Mitchell Platinum Blonde shampoo
    • Joico Color Balance shampoo
    • Any shampoo with "D&C Violet" or "Extract Violet" in the ingredients list

  2. 2

    Wash your hair with purple shampoo. Follow the directions on your shampoo bottle. Apply the purple shampoo instead of normal shampoo, then rinse out and follow it with conditioner. Most purple shampoos need to be left in for 3-5 minutes for best results.

  3. 3

    Repeat every two or three washes. Too much purple shampoo will leave your hair with a light purple tint. Apply every two or three washes, or even less often once the brassy tones have gone.

  1. 1

    Buy gentian violet at a pharmacy. Find a tiny bottle of this dark purple liquid, at low concentrations (preferably 2%). It will usually be in the same aisle as bandages and antiseptics.

  2. 2

    Mix two drops in a basin of cold water. Don't add any more, or you may end up with purple hair! The water should be a violet color, not dark purple.

    • Careful — gentian violet will stain anything it touches. You may want to try this outside instead of in your sink.

  3. 3

    Dip all of your hair in the basin. Leave your hair underwater for 30–60 seconds. This should lighten your hair color and reduce yellow or brassy tones.

  4. 4

    Dry your hair. Keep in mind that your towel may be stained purple.

  5. 5

    Repeat weekly. Repeat the process once a week for continuous color.

  1. 1

    Treat your hair with lemon juice. Squeeze out some lemon juice and rub it against the yellow areas of your hair. You can also apply it along with your shampoo for a more mild effect.

  2. 2

    Spend time in the sun (optional). Heat and sunlight will help the lemon juice lighten your hair.[4]

  3. 3

    Condition your hair. Leaving lemon juice in your hair too long can cause damage from the acid. Conditioning your hair or using alkali products will help prevent this.

Add New Question

  • Question

    How do I even my hair color out after bleaching?

    Karen Leight

    Karen Leight is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Karen Renee Hair, a private salon suite inside the Salon Republic Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. With over 12 years of experience, Karen is a licensed cosmetologist specializing in hair color, balayage technique, and women's and men's precision haircuts.

    Karen Leight

    Professional Hair Stylist

    Expert Answer

    I suggest using a purple shampoo to remove the brassiness. If that doesn't work, talk to your stylist about toning your hair.

  • Question

    How much water do I need to mix with gentian violet?

    Ashley Adams

    Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.

    Ashley Adams

    Professional Hair Stylist

    Expert Answer

    You may need several cups of water depending on the size of the basin that you're mixing the water and gentian violet in. It needs to be enough water to fully saturate your hair.

  • Question

    How many drops of violet would I need to put in my conditioner? Does it stain your fingers?

    Community Answer

    It stains everything, but once it's mixed with the conditioner, it can be washed off rather easily. (Still, I highly recommend using latex gloves and some kind of hair dye applicator such as a brush). I usually use three drops per quarter cup of conditioner, but I usually end up with slightly purple hair (which I like) so you might want to add less. But either way, the purple color can be washed out and you do NOT need to bleach your hair again.

  • Question

    Do I rinse out the gentian or leave it in?

    Community Answer

    It depends. If you use it mixed with water, then you don't need to rinse it out. You can also mix gentian with conditioner (as long as it's not yellow) or hair mask, in which case you will need to wash it out. Another benefit of using conditioneriwith the gentian is obviously less hair damage, as gentian does dry out your hair a little.

  • Question

    Can I use straight developer to get the yellow out?

    Community Answer

    No it just stays yellow. You need to use a toner. Gentian violet works well and it's the cheapest. Just only use about a drop or two.

  • Question

    What is the most effective way to get rid of brassy and orange-yellow tones?

    Community Answer

    Lift the hair correctly and consistently. Tone with the appropriate choice of toner and finish with purple shampoo and mask.

  • Question

    I need white hair by tomorrow, and I just bleached my hair. Will using purple shampoo get the yellow out in time so I can dye my hair?

    Community Answer

    In my experience, depending on the level of yellow in your hair, the purple shampoo you can get from the store probably won't remove it all to a desired white color. If you have it on hand, I'd say try the purple shampoo to see if it's effective, and if that doesn't work, use toner.

  • Question

    How effective is lemon juice for this?

    Community Answer

    Its known to be quite effective if you use it out in the sun long enough, but not too long to damage your hair. Lemon juice is probably the most popular method for hair lightening.

  • Question

    How can I get the purple out of my hair? I used too much gentian violet and now I'm stuck with purple hair!

    Community Answer

    Dye your hair a normal color and try again with it or use bleach again. Best of all, take a visit to the hairdressers, especially if that remedy doesn't work.

  • Question

    I had different levels of lightening using bleach, so I have a mixture of yellow, orange and red hair. Can I mix different color conditioner toners together?

    Community Answer

    Yes. Blue and any purple shade will work. Green would work, too as would pink.

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  • It's not always possible to achieve a platinum blonde, especially if you have naturally dark hair. Talk to your stylist about what's possible with your hair color.[5]

  • You can also mix one drop of gentian violet with your bottle of conditioner or shampoo for maximum whitening. Don't put more than one drop in a 500ml bottle. Mix it in a bowl and then put back in the bottle, making sure that all of the shampoo or conditioner is one color. You can also add the drop of gentian violet directly to the bottle and shake thoroughly to ensure a good mix.

  • You can add light brown dye over bleached yellow hair to give it a natural blonde look.

  • Leaving bleach in longer can help prevent yellow or brassy tones, which are left over when the bleach picks up the darker pigments. Use a lower volume developer so you can leave the bleach in longer without damage. Lower volume developers are also recommended near the crown, since the body heat here can speed up bleaching A strand test can help you figure out how to achieve the desired color.

About This Article

Article SummaryX

If you want to whiten your hair naturally, squeeze some fresh lemon juice and rub it against the yellow areas of your hair. For a stronger whitening, sit out in the sun while the lemon is in your hair. Since leaving lemon juice in your hair for long periods of time can damage it, make sure to condition your hair after whitening to keep it healthy. To whiten your bleached hair using toner, purchase a purple toner, which will cancel out any yellow tones. If your hair has orange tones, opt for a blue toner. When you apply the toner, make sure to follow the directions and mix it with a creme developer to avoid weakening your hair. For more tips from our Cosmetology co-author, like how to use purple shampoo for regular upkeep, read on!

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How to Get Rid of Yellow in Blonde Hair

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Whiten-Yellow-Hair