Red tones can change the overall look of brown hair, making your hair color look warmer, brighter or less balanced than you’d want.
The red tones can develop gradually over time, or show up after coloring your hair, and it can be frustrating when the shade no longer look natural, rich or even.
Why Brown Hair Starts To Look Red
When your brown hair starts to look red, it is usually because you have underlying warm pigments, which become more visible as your hair color fades, or lightens.
According to basic color theory, brown isn’t a single shade – it is built from mixing red, orange and yellow. When darker or cooler tones soften, the warm tones then show through, so you brunette starts to shift towards red.
If you use hair dye, on previously colored hair, you’ll notice the red tones more prominently. As your hair dye breaks down over time, the cool toned components disappear first, leaving the warmer toned base.
Natural sunlight also plays a role, as UV exposure subtly lightens the surface of your hair, making the red tones easier to see. More time spend outdoors during the brighter months will speed that process up.
Your hair health also matters, if you hair is more porous or dry, the faster the pigments will escape the hair, and the warm tones will appear quicker.
Common Causes Of Red Tones In Brown Hair
Even if you take really good care of your hair, there are daily habits which can encourage the red tones to be more noticeable.
Frequent hair washing and using harsh shampoo formulas will speed up your hair color fading, stripping away the cool pigments first, and leaving the warmer tones behind. Plus, hot water and heat styling makes the issue worse by roughing up the hair cuticle, so the color will leak out faster.
As I covered in the previous section, the UV rays have an effect, as they break down both artificial and natural pigments, especially in the outer layers of your hair shaft, so the brown gradually shifts to a warmer and brassier shade.
If you have product buildup, it can also have an affect. Layers of silicone, dry shampoo or your styling products will trap minerals and pollutants against the hair, giving you a dull and reddish cast.
How To Tell If Your Hair Is Pulling Warm
Start with identifying your hair’s undertone by standing in natural daylight, away from the direct sun, and look closely at the mid-lengths and ends of your hair.
If your hair color looks at all brassy, rusty or orangey-brown, compared to your roots, that means it is pulling warm.
You can use color theory by placing a cool-toned item (like a silver necklace or a gray tee) near your hair. If your brown color looks dull, coppery or it clashes, it means the warm tones are peeking through.
If regular heat styling with flat irons, curlers and hair dryers, clarifying shampoos or sun exposure make your hair color shade change quickly, your hair needs targeted hair maintenance and color correction to minimize the red tones.
Difference Between Red And Orange Undertones
The color undertones might seem subtle, but there’s a big difference between red and orange warmth in brown hair.
Red undertones look rich, wine colored or cherry colored, and they reflect deeper crimson or burgundy hues. Orange undertones, however, appear coppery, brassy or rusty, especially under bright lights or in photographs.
When you do undertone analysis with basic color theory, red sits closer to violet, whilst orange sits between red and yellow, and that matters for hair dyeing and color correction. Red-based tones usually need green or ash-toned neutralizing tones, but orange responds better to blue-based correctors.
