How to Use Ash Hair Colors

For those who are lightening hair from a medium brown or dark blonde you might not need as much ash, unless you have the type of hair that often has a gold tint to it after the coloring process.  To many of us it may look “red”, especially if we have the darker brown shades to start with, and that is why we would be choosing ash color because we do not want our hair to look that way.  Here are a few pointers for choosing and using ash hair color.

• Ash hair color always begins with green.  So if you want to eliminate gold or red tones in your hair you will want to choose an ash hair color.  The box or bottle will have an A behind the number meaning ash. Some manufacturers will say ash right on the box to make it easier to understand the lingo.  The green base color (ash) is used to counter any red or gold tints you would like to get rid of in your hair before or after coloring. Since green calms down the red in your hair as it does on the color wheel.

 â€¢ So you may be asking, how do I know which shade to choose?  Well, you will want to determine the color you want to be, as with any color job you do.  The darker your hair is determines how strong of a developer or processing solution you will use.  So if you have dark brown hair and you want to be a blonde, make sure the color you choose can lift your hair that light.  Sometimes it may cause a real issue if you cannot get the hair light enough, and I have seen it happen many times.  It can take a very long time to lighten your hair if you do not use the proper developer, and in some cases it won’t work at all. Then you will have to go to a professional for a color correction, and it could not only jeopardize the condition of your hair, but you’re sure to foot a pricy bill at the end.

 â€¢ If you are just trying to freshen up your color and you have already used and ash based color, you may want to continue using an ash based color.  Switching around the tones may counter the color you have and the color you want to be in a way you do not want.  If you want to darken your hair, be careful when using ash based colors.  Most high lifted hair, which means you have lightened your hair from a darker to a lighter shade, will soak in almost every color you don’t want.  I would recommend using a natural shaded color for covering up blonde hair to a darker level, for the simple fact that you may risk turning yourself green or who knows what other color.

 â€¢ The best advice I can give is don’t mix colors that aren’t the same brand. Even though they both may be a 6A, each manufacturer mixes the shades and tones differently.  So one company’s 6A may be another companies 4A.  It just depends on the company.  You can use one brand one time, and then another brand the next, but don’t mix them together for one application.

I would recommend using the same brand or manufacturer every time you color.  It will be easier to determine what color you want to be, and you can learn how to use that color to your advantage.  It’s easier to fine tune your color if you know how it works for your hair.