It’s common for natural brown hair to fade or lighten over time due to a variety of factors. When brown hair fades, it typically turns a lighter shade of brown, eventually transitioning to a blond or red hue. The fading process happens gradually, and can start becoming noticeable anywhere from a few months to a few years after your last dye job.
What causes brown hair to fade?
There are a few key reasons why brown hair fades over time:
Sun exposure
Exposure to UV rays from the sun is one of the biggest contributing factors to fading. The sun’s rays act to bleach brown hair strands, breaking down the melanin pigments that give hair its brown color. This sun-induced lightening happens to anyone who spends time outdoors, but it’s especially noticeable for those with chemically colored brown hair versus natural brunettes.
Swimming and chlorine exposure
The combination of chlorine and sun exposure from swimming can be particularly harsh on brown hair color. Chlorine strips away the protective lipid layer on hair strands, allowing the sun to more rapidly bleach brown pigment. Regular swimmers often notice significant fading and blonde highlights after just a single summer.
Heat styling
Heat tools like blow dryers, flat irons and curling irons can wear down brown hair dye molecules over time. The cumulative damage causes brown strands to gradually lighten and change hue. Minimizing high heat styling helps retain rich brown color for longer.
Shampooing and water
Frequent shampooing strips away brown hair dye with each wash. As the underlying natural hair color starts to show through, it interacts with the artificial dye to create subtle, lighter hues. Hard water and mineral buildup can also contribute to fading over time.
Oxidation and sun damage
Brown hair dye contains pigment molecules that bind to hair strands. Over time, oxidation from the sun and environment causes these bonds to break down. As pigment washes away, the natural hair color starts to show through. Similarly, sun damage degrades brown dye molecules, speeding up fading.
How quickly does brown hair fade?
How fast brown hair fades depends on several factors:
Your natural hair color
Those with naturally lighter blond or red hair will notice faster fading compared to brunettes. The lighter base interacts with dye to accelerate lightening. Darker bases help brown last longer before showing signs of fading.
Artificial vs. natural brown hair
Natural brunette hair holds onto color much longer than chemically dyed hair. Natural melanin brown pigment is embedded in the hair strand, while artificial dye sits on the outside. This makes colored hair fade faster as the dye washes away.
Your hair care routine
Frequent shampooing, heat styling and harsh cleansing cause dyed brown hair to fade at a quicker rate. Gentle, sulfate-free shampoos help maximize color retention. Using lower heat tools and protective products maintains rich brown for longer.
Sun and environmental exposure
Frequent sun exposure, swimming and mineral deposits in water cause brown hair dye to break down more rapidly. Avoiding these harsh elements helps slow the lightening process. Protecting hair from UV rays is key.
Your hair’s porosity
For those with highly porous hair, fading happens quicker as the cuticle layers are more open. The dye has a harder time binding and washes out easily. Using products to close the cuticle helps dye take better and last longer.
How long does brown hair dye last?
With proper hair care, brown hair dye can last:
– 3-5 weeks for semi-permanent brown hair dye
– 4-6 weeks for demi-permanent brown dye
– 6-8 weeks for permanent brown dye
Permanent brown shades have better color retention but still fade over time. Semi-permanent and demi-permanent dyes wash out of hair more quickly. To maintain a rich brown hue, plan for touch-ups every 4-6 weeks.
Tips to prevent brown hair from fading
You can prolong the life of brown hair color between salon visits with these helpful tips:
Wash hair less frequently
Aim to shampoo just 1-2 times per week if possible, using dry shampoo to refresh hair on non-wash days. Less frequent cleansing retains more brown dye.
Use cooler water
Wash hair with lukewarm or cool water instead of hot, which accelerates fading. Rinse with cool water as well.
Try sulfate-free shampoo
Sulfate-free shampoos are gentler on dyed hair, helping preserve brown color longer. Look for brands specialized for color-treated hair.
Apply gloss treatments
Gloss treatments deposit pigment between full dye jobs to refresh brown color, counteracting fading and brassiness. Use weekly or bi-weekly.
Protect hair from sun
Wear hats, use UV protective products and limit direct sun exposure to prevent bleaching and fading of brown strands.
Switch to lower heat styling
Use medium heat instead of maximum temperatures, allow hair to air dry when possible and take a break from hot tools regularly.
Get regular trims
Trim every 6-8 weeks to remove faded ends and maintain vibrant color on new growth coming in.
What color does brown hair fade to?
Brown hair can fade to a variety of lighter shades, depending on your natural color and dye type. Common changes include:
Medium golden brown
Rich chocolate browns fade to warmer medium golden brown hues, creating slight highlights. This gives dimension to the hair.
Lighter brown
Dark brown hair fades to a milk chocolate brown. This subtle change mimics natural highlights from sun exposure.
Ashy brown
Cool-toned ash and mocha browns turn an ashy shade of taupe brown as the color lifts.
Caramel brown
Warm brown shades fade to lighter copper and caramel brown tones. These reflect the red undertones coming through.
Strawberry blonde
Brunettes with naturally red hair may notice fading to strawberry blonde or coppery hues. The red base interacts with the brown dye.
Bright copper
For those withminimal red or gold undertones, brown hair can fade to an intense orange or copper before transitioning fully to blonde. This brassiness is common as dye fades.
Can you prevent brown hair from turning brassy?
To prevent brown hair from turning brassy as it fades:
– Use brown shades with ash tones to counter brassiness. Stay away from warm brown hues.
– Incorporate purple shampoo into your routine. The violet pigment neutralizes yellow and orange tones.
– Get a gloss treatment. Semi-permanent gloss neutralizes brassiness and refreshes brown color.
– Use leave-in toners and anti-brass masks weekly to reduce warmth.
– Go for demi-permanent color rather than semi-permanent to increase fade resistance.
– Schedule regular touch-up appointments to combat new growth brassiness before it spreads.
– Protect hair from sun exposure which interacts with dye to increase brassiness.
With vigilant hair care, you can slow down fading and attenuate brassiness as brown hair dye starts to lighten. Professional color services help maintain a natural-looking chocolate brown.
Should you dye your hair again soon after it fades?
It’s best to wait at least 4-6 weeks between brown hair dye jobs. Redyeing too soon can cause:
– Damage from overprocessing – repeated dyeing dries out strands
– Uneven results – new growth and faded areas absorb unevenly
– Color buildup – excess dye leads to darkened results
– Lack of dimension – solid recoloring eliminates highlights
– Brassiness – quick reapplication can make unwanted orange tones worse
– More rapid fading – hair needs recovery time between dye jobs
Instead of redyeing right away, extend the life of brown hair color by:
– Using a weekly glossing treatment
– Switching to color-preserving shampoos
– Using semi-permanent toners on faded sections
– Getting creative with hair accessories, braids, hats
Allow hair time to rest before applying permanent color again. Limit dyeing sessions to every 6-8 weeks for healthy hair and shine.
What’s the best brown hair dye to prevent fading?
Look for these qualities in a long-lasting brown hair dye:
Permanent dye
Permanent color lasts significantly longer than semi-permanent or demi-permanent dyes. The oxidizing formula deeply penetrates and binds to hair.
Ash or neutral tones
Cool ash and neutral browns counteract unwanted brassiness as hair fades. Avoid warm brown shades which turn brassy more quickly.
Conditioning formula
Look for ingredients like keratin, jojoba oil and argan oil. These nourish hair to prevent dryness and damage from repeat dyeing.
Ammonia-free
Ammonia-free permanent color is just as effective but gentler on hair. This allows you to dye more frequently while minimizing damage.
Multi-dimensional color
Multi-tonal browns with lowlights and highlights appear more natural and blend nicely as the hair fades.
Salon brand vs. drugstore
Salon brands like Redken, Matrix and L’oreal Pro Fade use higher quality pigments that stick better to hair for longer-lasting color.
How to transition hair color from brown to blonde
To seamlessly transition dyed brown hair to blonde:
– Get balayage or subtle highlights first to gently lighten strands
– Use a clarifying shampoo to strip brown dye before going blonde
– Ask your stylist to hand-paint bleach rather than doing full foils
– Tone hair with purple shampoo and conditioning masks
– Get bayalaged highlights touched up every 8-10 weeks until blonde
– Use Olaplex or bonding treatments to prevent breakage
– Upgrade your hydrating and repairing hair regime
– Expect the process to take several months to avoid damage
– Cut hair into a shorter style if nape area lifts slower than rest
Patience is key when transitioning from brown to blonde hair. Aiming for bright blonde in one session risks major breakage. Work with your stylist over time to slowly lighten hair for the healthiest transition.
How to know if brown hair will suit you
Wondering if brown hair is the right choice for you? Consider these factors:
Your skin’s undertone
Brown hair complements all skin tones. For warm yellow undertones, go for caramel and chestnut browns. Cooler skin looks great with ash and chocolate shades.
Your eye color
Brown hair brings out the color in any eyes beautifully. For blues and greens, opt for deeper espresso hues. For brown eyes, rich chocolates add definition.
Your natural hair color
Brunette dye works well even for blondes and redheads. For those with darker black hair, stay within 2-3 shades of your natural level to look natural.
Your lifestyle
Busy lifestyles and low maintenance routines are complemented nicely by brown hair. The color shows fewer roots and grows out gradually.
Your personality
Play it safe with neutral soft brown. Make a statement with reddish mahogany. Complement your style with dusty bronde balayage. Browns work with any personality!
Maintenance requirements
As brown hair fades gracefully and complements all complexions, it’s one of the easier colors to maintain. Expect touch-ups every 6-8 weeks.
Overall, brown hair is extremely versatile and suits nearly everyone! It’s one of the most low-commitment colors to try.
FAQs about fading brown hair
Why did my brown hair turn orange?
Orange hair is caused by brown dye fading and revealing underlying warm pigments. This brassiness is common with darker brunette shades. Use gloss or toners to neutralize and correct.
How do you fix faded brown hair?
To fix faded brown hair, use a demi-permanent gloss treatment or toner to refresh color between salon visits. Purple shampoo helps reduce brassiness as well.
Should you tone hair after brown dye?
Toning after brown dye is optional and helps boost shine and reduce brassiness. Opt for a gloss or demi-permanent toner in similar cool ash shades.
Does brown hair fade faster than blonde?
No, blonde hair tends to fade faster than brown hair dye. The lighter shade shows roots and grow out quicker than darker brunette tones.
Is brown or black hair easier to maintain?
Overall, brown hair is easier to maintain than jet black hair. Brown shows fewer roots as it grows out, requires less frequent coloring, and fades more gradually.
The takeaway
It’s perfectly normal for dyed and natural brown hair to gradually lighten and fade over time after continuous washing, sun exposure, chlorine, and heat styling. While fading is inevitable, there are many ways to prolong the longevity of brown hair dye and conceal the lightening process through salon touch-ups and proper at-home care. WORKING THE ARTICLE TO 5000 WORDS taking into account fading and color transitions is an expected part of the journey for any brown-haired beauty.
