By Brianna Peters
Have you ever returned from a beachy escape feeling refreshed, but with brassy, brittle, and dry hair? Experts weigh in on how to restore hair to its glossy, shiny state.
Other than a brief stint as a brunette (and redhead) for a few months in high school, I’ve been blond my entire life. I was born blond, and I’ve been highlighting my hair for almost two decades, so it’s safe to say I’ve learned a lot about how to care for my hair color. But even with my strict routine and diligence, I learned the hard way that salt water and sunshine can negatively affect the color and texture of your hair. After spending a week in Mexico with my family, I returned home with my cool blond lengths drier than hay, with an unglamorous brassy tinge.
After panic-texting Madison Garrett, a colorist at Spoke & Weal salon in New York who has done my color for over 10 years, I ended up in her chair getting a professional demineralizing treatment, which removes the harsh chemicals and mineral buildup contributing to brassiness. One hour and a wash later, my color was restored to its former bright, fresh radiance. There are a few main culprits behind brassy hair: “Hard water, product buildup, skipping regular salon visits, and overexposure to the elements, like sun, chlorine, and salt water, can all contribute to oxidation in hair,” Garrett says.
Brassiness doesn’t just affect blondes or people who dye their hair. “Brassy tones can affect anyone, depending on what your hair color is and what the underlying pigments are,” says Nicole Rojas, a colorist and stylist at Pearlita in New York. “On darker hair shades, brassiness can look like red or orange, whereas on blond or gray hair, it will look more yellow or orange.” Other than color, you’ll notice dullness and a lack of dimension too. “A good tell is to look at your ends. If your hair appears strawlike with a plasticky shine, almost like Barbie hair, it’s likely suffering from mineral buildup,” Rojas says. The good news is that preventing brassiness doesn’t have to be a full-time job. These preventative tips from the pros will save you lots of time, money, and trips to the salon, plus they’ll keep your hair looking and feeling shinier, healthier, and more vibrant for longer.
Try a Filtered Showerhead
Different cities have different mineral content in their water, which makes the water hard or soft, which changes the way your hair looks and feels. A filtered showerhead can be your first line of defense in weeding out color-changing minerals. “High mineral content in water can create buildup on your hair, which creates a cast of discoloration on hair over time,” Rojas says. “I swear by my Jolie filtered showerhead.” Bonus: Jolie has a feature on its website that sends you a free water report if you’re curious about your local mineral content.
The top color-changing minerals to look for are calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. When in tandem, calcium and magnesium can create lime scale that sticks to hair and can affect your texture, weigh hair down, and leave it dull and discolored. Iron is a main contributor to making hair look brassy. Light hair will appear orange, while dark hair will look darker with a red tint. Last, copper can oxidize and build up in hair, causing blond hair to turn green or dark hair to look darker.
Choose the Right Shampoo
Since your shampoo is one of your most regular products, it can make or break whether your strands are bright and vibrant or brassy. If product buildup is your concern, a clarifying shampoo can work wonders on brassy hues. For blondes, purple shampoos can help counteract yellowish, orange tones. Ask your stylist for specific recommendations when it comes to purple shampoo. “Purple shampoos serve their purpose, but some can deposit too much coolness and leave hair feeling dull, with a gray or blue hue,” Garrett says. If you’re already in love with a purple shampoo and want to ensure it won’t leave hair too cool, Garrett has a brilliant at-home trick: “In a pinch, you can mix a pigmented purple shampoo with a clear shampoo to dilute it and soften the tone.” And while they can work magic, purple or clarifying shampoos can be drying, so use them sparingly instead of every day. “Use shampoo that’s gentle and super hydrating every day to keep hair soft and moisturized,” says Rojas.
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Condition With Color
If you’re worried about stripping your hair of moisture, try replacing your normal conditioner with one that boasts specific pigments to neutralize brassy tones while it hydrates. “I love and recommend tinted conditioners and masks because that way, you’re not compromising moisture whatsoever and still get the toning effects,” says Rojas.
Mask Once a Week
A nourishing hair trick experts swear by is smoothing hair into a slicked-back look with a repairing mask. Garrett’s favorite is Christophe Robin’s Shade Variation Baby Blonde mask. “It not only tones out warmth and brassiness, it also conditions the hair for major shine and softness,” she says. She also recommends K18’s leave-in mask paired with Redken’s Bonding Concentrate Leave-In. Apply the K18 mask and wait a few minutes before following with Redken’s leave-in. “I love using a bond-repair treatment with a bond activator,” she says. “It’s like a double shot treatment for glossy, shiny, healthy-looking hair.” Consistency is key, so mask at least once a week but up to two to three times a week.
If you’re traveling, Rojas recommends bringing along a mini version of your favorite anti-brass hair mask with you to “soften or buff out any unwanted tones” no matter where you are.
Use Protection for Your Hair
One of the best hair-color-preserving tips: “Our hair needs protection from the sun’s rays, just like our skin does,” Rojas says. “Always use a leave-in or mist with UV protection specifically for your hair to prevent sun exposure. Think of it like SPF for your hair; a little protection now will prevent hair from oxidizing over time, whether you color it or not.” Rojas suggests packing UV protection in your everyday bag so you can apply it on the go.
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You’ll also want to protect your hair against other elements like dirt, pollution, chlorine, and salt water. “Apply oils and leave-ins or soak your dry hair with water before swimming in the ocean or a pool,” says Garrett. “Because hair is porous, it will soak up the nourishing, conditioning ingredients from your treatments first, so it will absorb less drying salt water or chlorine.”
Apply Demineralizing Treatments at Home
For regular maintenance, Garrett recommends applying a mineral remover, like Malibu C’s Hard Water Treatment, once every eight weeks. The one caveat? “Consult with your colorist first if you’ve colored your hair darker, red, or get a specific gloss for your blond in the salon,” says Garrett. “Otherwise, it could potentially lift out your color as well.”
When in Doubt, Go to the Salon
If you think your color is beyond at-home repair, book an appointment with a professional colorist to find a solution. “I like to meet with my clients to determine where the unwanted brassiness is coming from and formulate a plan from there,” Garrett says. Those plans can include a gloss, highlights, or a professional demineralization treatment (like I received). “If the brassiness is coming from mineral buildup, a demineralizing treatment like Malibu’s Crystal Gel works great to restore vibrancy and shine,” Garrett adds. “If the brassiness is coming from exposure to the elements, a gloss is an amazing option to tone out unwanted warmth.” Rojas also loves a gloss because it’s “totally customizable and will leave you with longer-lasting results.”
