You leave the salon with a cool-toned brunette, blonde, or black shade—only to find that, within weeks, it fades into warmth. Why does this always happen? The answer lies in your hair’s natural underlying pigment.
What Is Underlying Pigment?
Every natural hair color contains an underlying pigment—the base tone that determines how your hair lifts and how it reacts to color.
- Black hair → deep red undertones
- Dark brown hair → warm red-orange undertones
- Medium brown hair → orange undertones
- Dark blonde hair → golden yellow undertones
- Light blonde hair → pale yellow undertones
When you lighten hair with bleach or permanent dye, the natural pigment is exposed. This is why:
- Dark hair lightens to red/orange before reaching blonde.
- Blondes often battle yellow/brassy tones.
Even if you start with a cool-toned salon color, your underlying warmth will always try to resurface as the artificial dye fades.
Why Hair Color Fades Warm Over Time
Even when color is deposited into the hair, warmth eventually returns due to:
- Color molecule breakdown – Over time, cool-toned pigments fade faster than warm ones.
- Oxidation from air and water – Exposure to oxygen and minerals in water enhances warmth.
- Heat styling and washing – Frequent heat and shampooing strip away ashy and neutral tones first.
How to Keep Hair From Fading Warm
To prevent unwanted warmth, you need both preventative care and salon maintenance:
✔ Use the right toning shampoo – Purple shampoo cancels out yellow, while blue shampoo neutralizes orange.
✔ Glaze or gloss between color appointments – This refreshes cool tones and enhances shine.
✔ Minimize heat exposure – High temperatures accelerate color breakdown and oxidation.
✔ Wash with cool water – Hot water opens the cuticle, allowing color to fade faster.
✔ Invest in professional products – Drugstore shampoos contain harsh sulfates that strip color.
At Shear Underground, we customize every color with the right balance of cool and warm tones to keep your hair looking fresh for as long as possible.
Struggling with brassy tones? Book a toning treatment with us today!