Darker Hair for Blonde Women

Woman with short dark blonde hair
Photo: Rade Kovac/Shutterstock
Q: I'm a natural blonde with very blonde hair on top and a medium blonde underneath. I wanted to dye my hair to match the medium blonde color that I have.
 
I was told that natural blondes can't dye their hair because we lack green pigment and any color other than blonde will turn my hair green. Is that true?
 
A: Well, fortunately for the millions of hairdressers out there what you were told is patently false. Otherwise, we’d lose out on TONS of business from blonde women who want darker hair. While it is true that blonde hair doesn’t have “green” pigment, this is only because “green” pigment is not naturally occurring.
 
Hair color (natural hair color that is) is formed through the combination of the two types of melanin: pheomelanin is predominantly responsible for the golden to red shades of hair color, while eumelanin creates the brown to black shades. The amount of each type of melanin and balance between them determines the exact shade of your natural hair color.
 
Generally, what causes “green” color results from coloring blonde hair is the use of an artificial hair color with a blue color base on golden blonde hair. The blue and golden colors combine to create a green cast to the hair.
 
This requires a correction of color when it occurs (which can be achieved through the use of a gentle red toner to counter the green). Of course, a skilled stylist/colorist can generally avoid the undesired results by identifying the potential for color conflict before performing a service.
 
So, the bottom line is: don’t hesitate to change your hair color. Visit your local salon and talk to the colorist about what you want. He/she can help you to match your medium blonde color and even out the two-tone color you currently have.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
Hair colors and coloring
 
Hair color with signs of a greenish hue
 
Swimming pools turning hair green