Have you recently bleached your roots only to be left with brassy yellow tones that just won't seem to budge, even after applying a toner? This post is here to help you understand why this may have happened and provide you with solutions to fix it.
Why your freshly bleached roots remained yellow after bleaching and toning
Tell me if this sounds familiar..
You have quite pale, almost white blonde hair. When your roots come in, they're quite dark in comparison.
You apply bleach to your roots. When you wash the bleach off, you find that your roots are very yellow - almost like a yellow highlighter.
So, you apply your favourite toner - the one you use for your lengths - to your roots. But when you wash it off.. there's really no change.
Usually, when I'm speaking with women who have just freshly bleached and toned their hair and found their roots are still yellow it's for one reason:
You needed to leave the bleach on for longer.
Otherwise, your toner really isn't going to do much. Let me explain why.
Firstly, most of your favourite blonde toners are designed to work best on very pale blonde hair (think the inside of a banana). Applying your regular toner to the highlighter yellow isn't enough. This shade needs a combination of toners to fix it - more on those in a second.
And secondly, as a blonde, your previously bleached lengths (even those close to your roots) are likely quite porous. This means they will soak the toner up quicker. Your roots, on the other hand, will be much less porous and therefore will not soak up as much of the toner. What this means is that the difference between the two sections of hair (roots and lengths) will be even more noticeable after toning.
Here's where I have to say: healthier hair all over is obviously the goal - it will give much more predictable results, better colour and more longevity. It is possible to have brass-free, healthy blonde hair that isnt overly porous or damaged.
Your toner will work so much better on healthy hair. If you'd like to see how that's possible for your hair, click here to fill out my simple 3 step form and we'll chat about your exact hair issues and how to solve them.
How to fix brassy yellow roots after bleaching and toning
If your freshly bleached roots are still yellow after toning, there are a few steps you can take to fix the issue.
Now we know that next time you need to leave the bleach on for longer. But for now..
One option is to re-bleach the roots to lift them to a lighter level before toning again. You need to get them to that very pale yellow - think the inside of a banana. This will help to ensure that your favourite toner can effectively neutralize any remaining yellow tones and match the rest of your hair perfectly. However, it is important to be cautious when re-bleaching the hair, as over-processing can cause damage.
If re-bleaching isn't an option for you, you can try a combination of toners to target that strong yellow brassiness at the roots. The toners you select will depend on the look you're trying to achieve, but my favourite combination is:
Wella T28 & Wella T14. The mixture of these two toners will give a more natural, slightly darker root. It is still strong enough to target that yellow and won't be warm.
Personally I think this combination gives a more professional, natural finish.
Whether you choose to re-bleach those yellow roots or use a combination of toners to address the brassiness, it is important to take care of your hair and avoid over-processing.
Please feel free to consult with me if you'd like more help!