Having orange or copper colored hair can be fun and stylish, but it can also be difficult to manage. The orange pigments in hair can be stubborn and hard to cover up completely. However, with the right hair color and technique, you can effectively cover orange hair and achieve the shade you want.
Understanding Orange Hair
Orange hair occurs when there is a high concentration of red and gold pigments in the hair shaft. These warm pigments are found naturally in hair, but become more pronounced with hair lightening or when artificial red/gold dye is deposited.
Some factors that contribute to orange hair include:
- Natural hair pigmentation – Those with warm undertones may be prone to brassiness.
- Sun exposure – The sun’s rays can oxidize hair pigments.
- Lightening treatments – Lightener lifts hair’s underlying pigment.
- Red dye – Gold tones may mix with red dye molecules.
The oranges and reds in hair lie on the larger end of the color spectrum. This makes them difficult to cover up, especially with shade discrepancies between root and ends. But properly filling the hair and using color-neutralizing pigments can conquer orange problems.
Best Colors for Covering Orange Hair
Certain hair dye colors are very effective at neutralizing and covering orange hair:
| Hair Color | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Ashy Brown | Neutralizes brassiness; cooler than regular brown |
| Ash Blonde | Cancels warmth; avoids new brassiness |
| Black | Covers orange powerfully; requires commitment |
| Deep Burgundy | Dark tone overwhelms orange; needs purple shampoo |
The ash shades are formulated to counteract unwanted warmth in hair. Ash brown and ash blonde have green/violet pigments to cancel red and gold tones. This makes them ideal choices for coating orange hair.
Meanwhile, black offers full coverage by simply overwhelming any orange with deep, dark color. Burgundy is dark enough to cover brassiness, but may require purple shampoo to maintain its cool shade.
Application Tips and Tricks
Here are some tips for applying color to achieve maximum orange coverage:
- Start with freshly clarified hair – Remove product buildup so color applies true.
- Use a filler or bonding additive – Fills in porous areas to prevent uneven dye uptake.
- Apply a protein treatment – Strengthens hair before a process like lightening.
- Don’t shampoo after lightening – Retains needed warmth for toner application.
- Apply toner thoroughly – Saturate all sections of hair evenly.
- Use a tint brush for roots – Helps precisely target regrowth.
- Rinse with cool water – Prevents cuticle from opening and losing color.
It’s also smart to leave the color on for the full processing time listed on the box. This allows the pigments to fully penetrate and neutralize unwanted tones.
Best Techniques for Stubborn Orange
For really stubborn orange tones that resist coverage, you can use these more aggressive techniques:
- Pre-pigment – Dye hair a darker shade first before your target color.
- Double process – Lighten then tone in separate steps.
- Low-volume developer – 10 or 20 vol to gently lift and deposit.
- High-lift color – Lightens up to 3 levels while depositing color.
- Porosity equalizer – Improves color uptake.
Pre-pigmenting gives extra coverage power since dye adheres better to darker shades. Double processing allows precise lightening and toning in separate steps. Using lower volume developers reduces damage while still moving the color needle.
High-lift color kills two birds with one stone, boosting lightness and depositing color simultaneously. Lastly, a porosity equalizer or filler ensures even results by closing the cuticle.
How to Cover Different Degrees of Orange
The level of orange hair you’re working with matters for the coloring strategy. Here are tips for different degrees of orange:
Subtle Orange Tones
- Tone with an ash demi-permanent shade close to your level.
- Rinse with blue or purple toning conditioner.
- Use a toner mask weekly.
Medium Orange Tones
- Dye with an ash permanent shade one level darker.
- Spot correct very warm areas as needed.
- Alternate blue and purple shampoo.
Intense Orange Tones
- Lighten hair further to pale yellow.
- Toner with an icy blonde shade.
- Touch up roots frequently.
- Use a weekly toner mask.
For light orange, an ash demi and toning products can neutralize brassiness. For medium orange, go a shade darker with ash permanent color. Intense orange requires aggressive lightening to pale yellow so very ashy tones deposit properly.
Aftercare to Reduce Fade
Once you’ve conquered orange hair, maintaining your color means keeping it fresh as long as possible. Here are pro tips:
- Use color-protecting shampoo and conditioner.
- Wash hair in cool water.
- Limit washing to 2-3 times per week.
- Apply weekly toner or gloss treatments.
- Avoid chlorine, salt water, and sun exposure.
- Deep condition hair weekly.
Washing hair less frequently preserves your shade longer. When you do shampoo, use a formula for color-treated hair and finish with an ash toner mask or gloss. This helps counteract color drift over time.
Also be mindful of environmental factors like sun and chemicals that can oxidize dyes and release brassiness. Regular conditioning ensures hair stays healthy enough to hold onto color.
When to See a Professional
If you’ve tried covering orange hair on your own without success, don’t despair. Seek help from a professional colorist who can assess your hair and situation to create a customized plan.
A pro can offer services like:
- Strand test – Checks how your hair takes to color.
- Corrective color – Fixes color mishaps.
- Olaplex – Strengthens hair during lightening.
- Custom toner – Precisely neutralizes orange tones.
- Root shadowing – Softens regrowth transition.
With the right mix of artistry and chemistry, professional color correction can help remove every last trace of orange from your hair. The investment is well worth it to finally achieve your ideal shade.
Conclusion
Orange hair meets its match with the right color techniques. Understanding orange pigments, using ash shades, and taking a thorough approach allows you to cancel brassiness for good. With wise color selection and proper maintenance, you can keep your cool new tone looking flawless.