Simple Ways To Fix Hair Colour Mistakes

Most women (if not all), have at least one hair colour-related sob story to tell. And the universal salt in the wound is that it often takes place right before one of the biggest milestones in your life.

Whether it’s a botched DIY dye job, a not-so-subtle streak of highlights or an unfortunately bad balayage experience, before you lose all hope and reach for the scissors consider this: Most colour catastrophes are fixable over time.

RELATED: Where to go from balayage?

To help you cope with whatever colour crisis you’re currently working through, we’ve got the intel on how to fix these hairy mishaps.

#1 SEEK ADVICE

If your colour job left your locks with more brass than a Michael Bublé album, your first instinct might be to book in a quick fix. But, for the sake of your hair, consult an expert before doing anything. Since tones, formulas and techniques can be so varied, a professional assessment about when and how your hair can be processed again is crucial, as they’ll be able to determine what is best for maintaining the health of your hair.

#2 START SHAMPOOING

There are a number of products you can use in the shower to help kick-start the correction process. If you feel like your blonde ended up a little too dark, use a clarifying shampoo to help remove unwanted tones.

bh recommends: Moroccanoil Clarifying Shampoo, Oribe The Cleanse Clarifying Shampoo, Sukin Purifying Shampoo, Hask Purifying Shampoo - Charcoal with Citrus Oil, Scott Cornwall Precolour Clarifying Treatment Shampoo

And if you’re colour is looking a little too golden, give it a rinse with purple shampoo to counteract it for a creamier finish.

bh recommends: Provoke: Touch of Silver Brightening Shampoo, Lush Daddy O Shampoo, TIGI BedHead Dumb Blonde Violet Toning, Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo

#3 MASK IT!

Alternatively, if you’ve ended up with locks that are too light, try sleeping in a deep conditioning, colour treatment mask 2 - 3 nights in a row. Through over-conditioning, this will help fade the unwanted colour.

bh recommends: Molton Brown Mer-rouge Deep Conditioning Mask, L'Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Absolut Repair Lipidium Masque, Kerastase Bain Chroma Captive

#4 BALANCE BRASSINESS

One of the easier colouring mistakes to correct, a too-brassy dye job calls for toner. Brassiness can be a result of a darker base not being processed enough, so applying toner helps get the job done. If you can’t wait for your next trip to the salon to nix those brassy tones, a purple or blue-tinted shampoo which contains correcting and neutralising pigments is a temporary solution.

bh recommends: De Lorenzo Novafusion, Models Prefer Blonde Bombshell Shampoo, Original & Mineral Conquer Blonde, L'Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Silver Shampoo, KMS COLORVITALITY Blonde Shampoo

#5 SOLVE STRIPEY HIGHLIGHTS

If skunk-like highlights weren’t exactly what you had in mind, solve the issue by blending the highlights with a toner to match your natural colour and lessen the contrast. Alternatively, book an appointment at the salon for more highlights. Use a shade slightly darker or lighter to fill in the spaces

bh recommends: Goldwell Dualsenses Blondes & Highlights Anti-Brassiness Shampoo, Fudge Clean Blonde Shampoo, John Frieda Sheer Blonde® Colour Renew Tone-Correcting Shampoo

#6 LIGHTEN UP

Even if you start with the best of intentions, and follow the directions on a box to a T, sometimes hair colour mishaps just happen - and even to the most skilled DIY colourist. If you find yourself reconsidering your newfound Morticia Addams-inspired strands, a colour softener or colour remover is an immediate way to fade out those unwanted darker tones.

bh recommends: Scott Cornwall Decolour Stripper

#7 BAD BALAYAGE

Despite it being one of the most coveted hair colour trends, many people still have the wrong idea on what balayage actually is and as a result, sport dark roots and light ends. In fact, the term means “to sweep”, and is always done freehand by a colourist. Don’t risk the ‘top deck’, dip-dyed look by attempting this at home - go see a professional who will give your hair effortless, naturally sun-kissed colour instead.

Have you got a hair colour horror story? How did you fix it?

64 Member Comments

Yohanna 10 Apr 2020 3:54 PM

Did it again. So toning goodies to the rescue! hahah...fanola vegan no yellow saved the situation

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GeeJ 1 Jan 2018 7:50 PM

No matter what, going to a professional is always the best option, although tough on the pocket.

HXCmate 9 Nov 2017 12:24 PM

thanks for the advice but its not hard to do ombre at home just saying

Hayley644 1 Oct 2017 8:43 AM

That hair in the photo is a shocker, I wouldn't even want a photo taken it looks so bad.

Yohanna 1 Oct 2017 8:11 AM

I did make a bit of a mess, but did not bother to fix it yet. Fried the ends from leaving dye too long and blowdrying almost daily. Still my hair is quite damaged (very!) and may fix it with small trim and waiting for some goodies to arrive to treat the rest ^^

sootyblack_14 30 Sep 2017 1:44 PM

Great tips and tricks to try!!!

Goddess..... 27 Sep 2017 9:50 AM

Great article. I like the women in the photo & that hair colour it's very trendy & fashionable.

Chrystalage 26 Sep 2017 11:38 PM

If I wanted my hair coloured I would go to a hairdresser. I tried DIY and it wasn't just the colour that was the issue, my hair needed up bleached and over processed - like straw

maggieball 26 Sep 2017 8:42 PM

I didn’t know that conditioning masks could help fix bad colour. I’ve had a few mishaps - too dark or too orange. For dark, repeated washings with Head & Shoulders (which I wouldn’t otherwise use - but my husband always uses it so it’s in the house) seems to do the trick. I’ll try conditioner next time though...if there is a next time (who am I kidding...there will be a next time).

freaky 26 Sep 2017 6:34 PM

wow Ciara! Thats a shocker!ha ha, more brass than a Michael Bublé album! Thats funny! Great tips here. I remember I went overboard with a spray in lightener and my dark brown hair turned into an orangey brassy colour. It was wrong!

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Sally10 27 Sep 2017 2:12 PM

Ohhh I had one of those spray in lighteners, and I too ended up with the orange/yellow look....not good at all!

Orchid27 8 Sep 2017 12:45 AM

Oh Dear, this reminds me of the time i poured straight bleach on my brown hair and left in for 1 hour. Totally surprised now that my hair didnt just fall out. Funny though, i though it looked awesome. Mind you, this was the 80's and the fashion was a shocker so i blended right in. I'm now 47 and i have dark purple hair. I constantly get told by strangers that it looks great. So there !! LOL

dimmieloves 10 Aug 2017 5:42 PM

Brassiness is major one here!

Aliza 7 Aug 2017 9:58 PM

I used to bleach my own hair. It basically went like jelly on the ends. Totally tragic

blackkittykat 23 May 2017 8:16 PM

This reminds me of the time that I tried to dye my brunette hair blonde, at home, when I was 16. Disaster!

Thalia. 7 May 2017 2:49 PM

Definitely go to a professional if you're not experienced or confident in your own hairdressing skills and if it's already too late, the same advice applies. Never underestimate a good hairdresser!

cosmoslyn 1 May 2017 8:26 PM

yes sometimes have no choice but to go all paid

FaceAttire 20 Apr 2017 12:55 PM

I'm so bad for not going to the hairdressers! I've never had a good experience there though. I've definitely done some really bad jobs on my hair but I've always managed to save it in the end!

TheGlowManifesto 15 Apr 2017 12:19 AM

Some great tips here, especially the one with the mask. I also find putting a little treatment oil in works to smooth and tame some tresses.

onlyoni 28 Mar 2017 8:45 PM

I don't have a horror hair story because I stick with the same hairdresser who knows my hair, knows what I like and how open I am to change, and knows my lifestyle.

Cheryl Mandy 23 Mar 2017 12:03 PM

Great article, I am in the process of fixing up a bad going blonde job. My hair is frazzeled and dry and will use some of the products recommended by bh, thanks and heres hoping my hair looks great again!

TheDevineOne 14 Mar 2017 1:12 AM

I have a really good way of lightening up hair that has been dyed too dark! If your hair is too dark (from hair dye) put a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent in with your shampoo for the next few washes. It'll strip the dark colour from your hair. I've done this a few times after some botched home dye jobs and it really works!

Petal 8 Apr 2017 3:27 PM

Dishwashing detergent is basically sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and some other ingredients. The dishwashing detergent that you used must have had industrial strength SLS in it!

CherryBlossom 13 Mar 2017 7:51 AM

I'm had bad colours and bad perms, I wanted loose soft curls and the stylist cut off all my hair and gave me an afro, so she cut off most of my hair and curled it off. I was literally speechless from the shock of having so little hair!

Sam91 12 Mar 2017 8:25 AM

I've had a hair nightmare. I ended up having to use protein strengthening treatments, deep conditioners and then grow it out due to damage. I had to wait to fix the colour :(

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