Quick and Effective Ways to Fix Uneven Hair Color

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1Quick Fixes

2Correcting Dye Mistakes

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If you colored your hair and ended up with patchy, uneven strands, don't despair! There are plenty of ways to fix your mistake. For best results, visit a professional hairstylist—they'll have all the tools and techniques to make your tresses look great. In the meantime, try a simple remedy to even out your color and get on with your day.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Quick Fixes

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1. 
   1
   Spray a color blending product over off-color roots. As your hair grows in, it may look obviously different from your original dye job. If you’re in a pinch, spritz a tinted dry shampoo product over the roots, which helps make your roots look even with the rest of your hair. Look for products that are advertised as “concealers,” or that have the phrase “color blending” in the name.
2. 
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   Tone down chunky highlights with colored dry shampoo. Look in the mirror and identify where your highlights look the most obvious. If you’re looking for a quick, temporary solution, spray some colored dry shampoo over the patchy sections. Look for products specific to your base hair color, like brown or blonde.
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3. 
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   Disguise patchy hair with a stylish braid. Patchy hair can look pretty obvious when you wear your hair down, but there’s no need to fear! Twist your hair into a single braid, or style it with 2 braids for a more dynamic look. If you have the time, contact a stylist and see if they can offer any long-term solutions for your situation.

   • French and Dutch braids are great solutions for this type of problem.
   • For more obvious dye mishaps, tie up your hair in a ponytail in the meantime.
4. 
   4
   Curl your hair if it looks one-dimensional. Even when you apply your hair dye correctly, the finished product can look a bit underwhelming and flat. Instead of dyeing your hair all over again, grab a hair iron and see if you can add some texture and life to it. Curl small sections of hair with your curler to give your hair more volume and dimension, which

   • If you want to play around with color, spritz some color sprays over your locks to help add some highlights or accents.
5. 
   5
   Fix your brow color with brow gel if it doesn’t match your hair. It’s no big deal if your newly dyed hair and natural brows aren’t a perfect match. Apply a bit of brow gel or brow corrector product over your eyebrows, so they’re only 1-2 shades darker than the rest of your dyed hair. You can also bridge the gap a bit by dusting over your roots with concealing powder.

   • Your brows don’t need to be a perfect match to your hair. Many people have brows that are darker than their hair.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Correcting Dye Mistakes

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1. 
   1
   Fix harsh ombre lines with a warmer hair dye. Pick out a hair dye color that’s a bit warmer than your regular hair color, which can help transition your natural hair with the blonde section of your ombre. Spread and apply the dye from the middle of your hair to the very bottom, which may help blend your current ombre into something more aesthetically pleasing.

   • You only need to use a semi-permanent dye for this.
2. 
   2
   Touch up any patchy spots with a darker hair dye. As you apply hair dye at home, your scalp can heat up different sections of your hair unevenly, which can make certain parts of your hair look lighter than others, like the roots. Grab a hair dye that’s a shade darker than what you used originally and spread it over any uneven sections of your roots.

   • The next time you’re dyeing your hair, apply your dye to the ends of your hair first, and apply color to your roots last. This way, your scalp won’t have as much time to heat up and mess with the dye color.
   • You can also try using a purple shampoo to help balance out any yellow tones in pale blonde hair.
3. 
   3
   Mix the developer and dye together properly. Double-check the recommendations on your bleach powder and developer to see how long it takes to create an even mixture. Stir the proper proportions together so your bleach mixture is completely consistent throughout. If there isn’t a consistent texture, your hair may look uneven later on.
4. 
   4
   Apply your color mixture evenly so it looks consistent. Spread the bleach or dye over your hair with smooth, even motions, so all of your hair is covered with the same amount of the mixture. Don’t apply more bleach or due in 1 area and then apply a thin layer in another—if you do this, your hair will likely look uneven.

   • It may help to ask a friend or family member for help whenever you bleach your hair.
5. 
   5
   Contact a colorist to fix your hair for the best results. If you have the time and resources, a colorist or stylist is the best bet to getting you the hair color you really want. A hair professional can offer more specific recommendations, and lead you to a solution that you really like.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  How do purple and blue shampoo help hair?

  

  Michael Van den Abbeel
  Professional Hair Stylist

  Michael Van den Abbeel is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar in Orlando, Florida. He has been cutting, styling, and coloring hair for over 17 years. Michael loves showing his clients how to wash and wear their hair easily and effortlessly. Mosaic Hair Studio and Blowout Bar is recognized as a Diamond Top Tier level Wella salon.

  

  Michael Van den Abbeel

  Professional Hair Stylist

  Expert Answer

  Those shampoos add just a hint of color to the hair, which can cancel out an unwanted tone. Blue cancels out orange tones in hair, and purple cancels out yellows. For instance, if you use a purple shampoo on pale blonde hair, it will look more icy.

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Tips

• If you get any hair dye on your skin, dab it off with a cotton pad soaked in rubbing alcohol.
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• Treat your hair with a nourishing mask if it feels excessively dry.
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• Wash your hair with detox shampoo if your dye is too dark.
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