The Hair Color Wheel: Color Neutralization & Tone Correction Explained
Achieving the perfect hair color is an art form—a blend of creativity and science.
Yet, sometimes, our journey to the ideal color can take unexpected turns, leading to hues that are more brassy than classy, or more startling than stunning. This is where a fundamental understanding of the color wheel and color theory comes into play, transforming mishaps into masterpieces. Let's dive into the colorful world of hair color correction, focusing on the importance of selecting the right neutralizing tones to combat common hair color woes.
Understanding the Hair Color Wheel
The color wheel depicts colors and their relationships to one another. For hair colorists and DIY enthusiasts alike, the color wheel is an important tool in understanding how to neutralize unwanted tones. Opposite colors, or complementary colors, have the power to cancel each other out. This principle is the cornerstone of effective color correction in hair coloring.
Purple Toning Conditioner
Blue Toning Conditioner
Pink Toning Conditioner
Hair Color Starter Kit
The Bleach 30 Volume Hair Lightening System
Color Neutralization Using the Color Wheel
Hair, like a canvas, can exhibit undesired tones—yellow, brassy, or orange hues that detract from the desired outcome.
Identifying and neutralizing these tones is crucial. The key lies in selecting the correct opposite color on the wheel to neutralize the unwanted hue. For instance, if your hair has taken on a yellow cast, purple (aka violet) can be your savior.
Recommended Colors for Neutralization
For unwanted yellow tones, purple-hued products are recommended. Orange or brassy tones are best neutralized with blue, while red tones find their match in green.
OVERTONE offers a range of award-winning Coloring Conditioners as well as Toning Conditioners designed specifically for these correction needs. Depending on your hair color, unwanted undertones, and intensity level, there's a perfect color-correcting product for you.
Mixing and Applying Neutralizing Colors
Mixing the perfect neutralizing color involves taking a look at the hair color wheel and determining the complementary color (or color opposite the color you are trying to neutralize).
For instance, If you have highlighted dark brown hair that you've applied Extreme Blue Coloring Conditioner to and the color keeps shifting to a teal or green shade, it's likely because the yellow undertones in your highlights are mixing with the blue pigments.
To counter this, try mixing 1 part Extreme Purple Coloring Conditioner to 3 or 4 parts Extreme Blue (adjust depending on the level of color correction needed).
The purple pigments, when mixed with the blue, will help cancel out the yellow and only the blue tones will be visible.
This method can be used with other colors, especially if you are sporting shades from the Vibrant, Extreme, or For Brown Hair collections. Find the color opposite from the undertone you'd like to neutralize on the color wheel and select the intensity to match.
If you have platinum to light blonde hair or are wearing any of the Pastel shades, try the following method for color correction.
Color Correction with OVERTONE Toning Conditioners
For those with lighter hair colors, OVERTONE's Toning Conditioners offer a simple yet effective solution. Neutralize unwanted undertones, hydrate and correct your color in as little as three minutes while you shower.
Unwanted green/teal tones? Reach for Pink. Orange/brassy tones? Think Blue. Yellow/brassy? Go Purple. It couldn't be simpler.
Preparation: Bleaching Before Color Correction
Achieving the optimal color correction result often requires lifting the hair color through bleaching. This preparation step is essential to reduce unwanted undertones and ensure that the hair is ready to fully absorb the desired color.
For flawless color prep, try The Bleach 30 Volume Hair Lightening System, formulated with Toning Violet Micro Pigment to lift hair up to 7 levels while neutralizing unwanted yellow and brassy tones.
Remember, whether you're dealing with the aftermath of a color gone wrong or aiming to perfect your shade, the color wheel and OVERTONE's hair-healthy toning solutions are here to guide you back to brilliance.
So, the next time your hair color journey takes an unexpected detour, turn to the color wheel to find your way back to your ideal shade.
OVERTONE's award-winning vegan and cruelty-free Coloring Conditioners are a clean, less-toxic alternative to traditional hair dye. They're formulated with hand-selected ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, evening primrose oil, spearmint oil, and rosemary oil to nourish and care for your hair and scalp.
Condition your way to healthy, shiny, long-lasting hair color.