How to Remove Brassy Tones from Blonde Hair and Keep Your Color Cool

Noticing orange or yellow tones creeping into your blonde hair? Those brassy hues (think dull yellow or an orange cast) can make even the freshest blonde look faded.

Brassiness happens to every blonde, whether your color is natural or salon-treated. After a few washes, heat styling, or sun exposure, the cool, bright tones you love can shift into warmer shades.

The good news? It’s completely fixable. With the right at-home routine and a few smart product choices, you can bring your blonde back to its bright, salon-fresh glory.

What is Brassy Hair and What It Looks Like?

Brassy hair refers to the unwanted warm tones, yellow, orange, or even reddish hues, that can appear in blonde hair as the color fades. Instead of a cool, ashy, or neutral blonde, brassy hair takes on a yellow (pale gold), orange (coppery), or red (rusty) cast.

These tones often appear a few weeks after coloring or lightening, especially when hair is exposed to sunlight, heat styling, or mineral-heavy water.

While this shift can make blonde shades look dull or uneven, the good news is that brassiness is both common and easy to fix with the right care routine.

What Causes Brassy Hair

Over time, blonde tones fade and hair’s warm pigments resurface. Several key factors can speed up this process:

1. Oxidation: Exposure to air, UV light, and pollutants can trigger chemical changes in hair dye and natural pigment, causing color to fade and warm undertones to appear.
2. Mineral buildup: Hard water and copper deposits create dullness and amplify yellow or orange tones.
3. Harsh shampoos: Sulfate-heavy shampoos and overwashing strip away toners and color molecules, revealing underlying warmth.
4. Incorrect lift level: If hair isn’t lightened enough or properly toned after bleaching, residual warmth can appear sooner and more intensely.
5. Improper hair care: Skipping color-protecting products, frequent heat styling, or washing too often can all cause uneven fading and expose unwanted warm hues.
6. Chlorine exposure: Chlorine strips natural oils and can cause discoloration, sometimes interacting with minerals in water to intensify brassy or greenish tones.
7. Product buildup: Styling products, shampoos, or conditioners not formulated for color-treated hair can accelerate fading by stripping pigment.
8. Exposure to pollutants: Smoke and other environmental factors can subtly alter hair color over time.

 

Color Theory 101: What Cancels Brass?

Yellow vs. Orange vs. Red Brass

Understanding color theory is key to tackling brassy hair. The principle is simple: to neutralize unwanted tones, use the color opposite on the color wheel.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Yellow brass → counteract with purple
• Orange brass → counteract with blue
• Red brass → counteract with green (more rare in blonde hair)

This is why purple shampoos and conditioners are so effective for blonde hair. They are specifically formulated to neutralize yellow tones.

Similarly, blue toners or shampoos target orange hues, while green-based products are occasionally used for more extreme red undertones.

How to Remove Brassy Tones from Blonde Hair at Home

Brass is completely fixable, and there are several effective at-home treatments to restore your hair’s cool, vibrant look:

Purple Shampoo

Goldie Locks® Brilliant Blonde Purple Shampoo is designed for blonde, gray, or platinum hair that’s turning yellow or brassy:

• Neutralizes brass without leaving a gray or dingy cast
• Hydrates and softens while cleansing, never drying
• Brightens blonde, platinum, and silver tones for true radiance
• Gentle enough for daily use, unlike harsher alternatives

Glosses & Demi-Permanent Toners

Toners enhance shine, refresh color, and adjust tone, making them perfect for cooling down brassiness:

• Apply to clean, towel-dried hair, focusing on areas that need toning. Always strand-test a small section first and follow the package instructions.
• Clear glosses add shine without altering tone, while demi-permanent toners are ideal for correcting brassy tones between color appointments.

Clarifying Shampoo

Goldie Locks® Clarifying Shampoo is formulated for hair weighed down by stubborn buildup that regular shampoo can’t remove:

• Removes buildup that dulls shine and body
• Deep-cleans the scalp for a healthier foundation
• Keeps hair soft and manageable, even after a deep wash
• Extends the life of color and style by resetting strands
• Ideal for oily scalps or anyone using styling products daily

How to Prevent Brassy Tones

At-home toning treatments can help eliminate brassiness, but maintaining vibrant, cool-toned color requires a few additional steps. Keep these top tips in mind:

Weekly & Monthly Cadence

• Alternate shampoos: Use Goldie Locks® Signature Shampoo and Goldie Locks® Brilliant Blonde Purple Shampoo throughout the week. Wash with cool-to-lukewarm water as hot water opens the hair cuticle, which can accelerate brassiness.
• Clarify periodically: Use Goldie Locks® Clarifying Shampoo once per month, or every 2–3 weeks if buildup is heavy, to prep hair for toners or glosses.

UV and Heat Protection

• Shield from the sun: Use hair products with UV filters or leave-in sprays to prevent sun-induced brassiness.
• Lower heat styling: High temperatures can oxidize blonde hair, making it warmer. Keep flat irons and curling irons at lower settings.
• Weekly treatment: Apply Goldie Locks® Signature Hair Mask once a week to maintain hair integrity and prevent fading.

Protect from Chlorine and Hard Water

• Use a shower filter to remove minerals and chemicals like chlorine that can dull color and intensify brassiness.
• Always rinse hair after swimming, as chlorine and salt water can accelerate brassiness.

FAQs

What color cancels out brassy blonde hair?

Purple shampoo neutralizes yellow tones, while blue shampoo is best for more pronounced orange tones, especially in brunette hair.

What is the hardest color to remove from hair?

Red and orange pigments are the most persistent and often require careful neutralization or lifting to fully correct.

Will Dawn dish soap take color out of hair?

While it can strip oils and some hair dye, Dawn is harsh and drying, so it’s not recommended. Goldie Locks® Clarifying Shampoo is a much safer option for removing buildup or prepping hair for toning.

Does vinegar remove brassiness from hair?

Vinegar’s acidity can enhance shine and slightly close the cuticle but won’t neutralize brassy tones. For effective toning, use targeted purple or blue shampoos.

Does Brassy Hair Fade on Its Own?

Some yellowing may soften naturally, but orange and red tones rarely fade evenly. Targeted neutralization with purple or blue products is usually needed for a balanced, cool color.

Final Thoughts

Brass is common and completely manageable. With consistent care, unwanted tones can be controlled and your color can stay vibrant. One-off fixes rarely last, but by following the tips and routine above, you can keep your hair looking its best.

3-Step Takeaway Routine:

Reset buildup: Use Goldie Locks® Clarifying Shampoo.

Neutralize: Apply Goldie Locks® Brilliant Blonde Purple Shampoo.

Maintain: Stick to Goldie Locks® Signature Shampoo, which is color-safe and perfect for color-treated hair.

Banish brass and keep your color vibrant and luminous, all from the comfort of your own bathroom.