Why does brassiness happen?
All hair colour — natural or artificial, with the exception of white — contains yellow pigment. When hair is lightened, this yellow is progressively revealed. To achieve the lightest, brightest blonde while keeping the hair in good condition, a small amount of yellow pigment must remain. Lift the hair further than this sweet spot and it will start to break — from heat tools, brushing, even just blow-drying.
Getting lightening right is a highly specialist skill. A good colourist has to assess the current colour and condition of your hair, choose the right type and strength of lightener, decide on the method, and then have the expertise — and the nerve — to take the hair exactly to that point between too warm and damaged. It's not something to rush, and it's not something to guess at.
What we do in the salon
At Hair Gallery we are bleach and balayage specialists, and your hair's integrity is always our first priority. Once we've achieved the right level of lift, unwanted yellow tones can be neutralised using our bespoke toner formulations — mixed specifically for your hair, not off a shelf.
Toners are semi-permanent, which means they gradually fade with each wash. To keep your colour fresh and cool, we recommend a toner top-up roughly every four to six weeks. It's a quick, affordable appointment and makes a significant difference to how your colour looks between bigger colour visits.
What you can do at home
Purple shampoo works by using colour theory — purple and yellow sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, so purple pigment effectively cancels out yellow tones. Our current favourite is the Olaplex No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo, which tones while repairing the hair at the same time.
One important note on purple shampoo: it should be used selectively, not every wash. Overuse can dry the hair out and make the colour look flat and dull — the opposite of what you want. Use it when you notice warmth creeping back in, and leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing.
Still struggling with brassiness?
If your hair consistently feels too warm or yellow even straight after a salon visit, that's a sign that something in the process needs adjusting — whether that's the level of lift, the toner formula, or how your hair is being maintained at home. Come in and have a proper conversation with one of the team. We'll look at your hair, talk through what you're noticing, and put together a plan to get you where you want to be.
Your dream colour is achievable. We just need to get the foundations right.
Thanks for reading — Catherine x