- Yes, you can put brown hair dye over red hair but consider your shade of red.
- If your hair is dark red, apply a dark brown 3 or a dark ash brown 3.1.
- If your hair is medium red, apply a brown 4 or an ash brown 4.1.
- If your hair is light red, I recommend you apply a light ash brown 5.1
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Maybe you’re here because you’re tired of red hair dye maintenance.
Alternatively, you may have dyed your hair red for the first time, and you notice it fades fast and you’re disappointed.
Then, you think, can I apply a brown hair dye over my red hair?
Of course, you can. You actually have several options. Usually, the more options you have, the more doubts may arise.
For example, you may not know what shade of red your hair is.
Maybe you don’t know because you have dyed your hair in a salon, or because even though you dye your hair often, you don’t remember your number.
In this case, I have two tips for you.
- If you don’t know what shade of red you have in your hair and you usually dye it at a salon, go to your colorist for advice on what shade of brown to apply over your red hair. Usually, colorists create custom colors for our clients. <li>
- If you don’t know what red you have, even though you always apply the dye yourself, I also recommend you go to a salon. If you apply a very dark brown, and then you don’t like it, you’ll most likely have to bleach your hair. And bleaching is a very aggressive process for the hair. A colorist will be able to advise you on the best brown hair color options to cover your red hair without exposing it to breakage or serious damage.
Now, if you know what shade of red your hair is, read on. You’re one step away from transforming your red hair to brown.
To cover dark red hair you can apply a dark brown hair dye 3
First, let me congratulate you on your boldness. Although dark red dyed hair is stunning, it takes lots and lots of maintenance because it fades quickly.
So, I understand why you want to apply another color over your red hair.
And in this case, your best option is dark brown 3. If you apply any other shade of brown, your hair will turn reddish after a few washes.
You can even go a step further and dye your hair dark red with dark brown 3.1 hair dye.
What is the difference between dark brown 3 and dark brown 3.1?
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The difference is that dark brown 3.1 contains ashy pigments. So, it’ll neutralize any reddish tones that may remain in your hair after application.
Lastly, I want to prepare you for what’s to come.
Once you apply the dark brown over your hair, the red will continue to appear even up to three renewals of the brown.
Don’t forget that red is a very persistent color. But after you dye your red hair brown at least three times, the red will eventually disappear.
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To cover medium-red hair, apply brown hair color 4
In this case, you can also apply ash brown 4.1 to further neutralize any red tones that may appear after a few washes.
And the good news is that the reddish tones won’t reappear after two renewals of the brown dye.
To cover light red hair, you can opt for light brown hair dye 5
Light red hair can be a little trickier to cover.
Why?
As it’s a light shade, the color molecules are very light. Therefore, they mix with the brown color molecules and the result is a reddish-brown color.
Therefore, you should apply a 5.1 light ash brown hair color and maintain it with a green toning shampoo.
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If you use a green toning shampoo, you’ll neutralize any reddish tones that may arise every time you wash your hair. Green shampoo neutralizes unwanted reddish tones and contains no developer, so it won’t damage your hair.
It simply works by depositing a film of color on the outer layer of the hair.
I recommend the green shampoo two to three times a week for three to seven minutes, according to the brand you use.
That’s right. As its result is cumulative, you should continuously check your hair color after each application. Otherwise, you could end up with brown hair that is too greenish and dull.
Conclusions
Now you know which brown you can apply over your red hair. Remember to maintain a hair care routine to keep your brown hair free of unwanted red tones.
Use sulfate-free shampoo, wash your up to three times a week, and don’t abuse heat tools. Finally, include green toning shampoo in your maintenance routine.
