Tips for Dyeing Blonde Hair Brown

Blonde to brunette is a transition not often made. However, it will leave you looking like an entirely different person, and can even give you added confidence and a mature feel. If you plan on dyeing blonde hair brown at home, I strongly advise against it. Many have tried this, with disastrous results. Bright orange hair is the most common result, which needs to be left that way for a few weeks before remedial action can be taken. While it is expensive, a professional will get you your desired results and also take good care of your hair. Your course of action will differ, if you are going from a natural blonde to brown, or from a peroxide blonde to brown. Here is what you do in the following scenarios.

Dye Blonde Hair Brown

Natural Blonde to Brunette
If you are a natural blonde, and think that it is time for a change, turning into a brunette is your best option. This is because, if you pick red highlights, you may end up with pink ones because of the way red hair dye reacts to the natural pigment in blond hair. Most blondes who want to go brown are advised to get lowlights, as it allows one to get gradually adjusted to the new look. They are a popular current trend, with many celebs sporting them. If this idea does not appeal to you, you could try a temporary color. As it usually lasts for all of two weeks, many feel that it is money down the drain (literally!). However, if you are a brave soul planning to jump right in and embrace the change, a desirable shade is the natural color underneath your hair. A professional color consultant can help you pick the color accordingly, that will hopefully leave you with natural looking brown hair. Another critical aspect of a good, overall transition is to darken your brows. I do not suggest that you die them, just use a darker eyebrow pencil.

Peroxide Blonde to Brunette
If you've tried to bleach your hair and ended up with a head that would put a tangerine to shame, we have a few suggestions. While the best idea would be to visit a professional, if you don't have the means or are too embarrassed to, here are a few basic tips on how to dye blonde hair brown. However, be aware that each person's hair is different, and likely to react differently. The best color to pick now is a simple 'medium brown' or 'medium ash brown'. Ensure that the color you pick doesn't have too many red tones in it (such as auburn/chestnut shades), or when combined with the existing red tones may turn your hair to a very red shade.

Alternatively, if you've bleached your hair blonde, but just don't like it, here's what you can do. If your hair is completely blonde, applying a brown dye would be a mistake. This is because some browns, ash browns in particular, contain underlying blue and green tones, that combined with yellow can produce some very unpleasant results. You may even end up with green hair, as many have. The correct way to make the transition is in two stages. First apply a warm golden blonde, or a rich red shade to your hair. Leave it in for 25 to 30 minutes, till your hair has turned a ginger or red color. Now for the second wave, apply a medium brown color to your hair. Try to pick a not too dark shade as there is no coming back from that, and definitely avoid one that has a lot of red tones.

While coloring your hair at home, you are advised to wipe and check the color after every 5 minutes, never leaving it on for more that 15 or 20 minutes. Once you've made the decision of dyeing blonde hair brown, just remember to deep condition your hair before and after the treatment. Follow these tips and you will find that the hair coloring can be an enjoyable experience!