Why Did My Blonde Highlights Turn Golden? Causes & Fixes

Question
Hello,

I have very long dark brown hair and recently had half a head of highlights put through my hair. My hairdresser put a toner through it which left the highlights a subtle difference from my natural hair color which is exactly what i wanted. After washing my hair a couple of times the color of my highlights has turned gold... I really don't like it, it gives my whole hair a gold tinge as the highlights are scattered everywhere.
I have been instructed by a lady at a hair products store to use a shampoo (which is brown in color# which is meant to remove the brassiness from my hair. She said instead of it as per the directions on the bottle, to put it on dry hair then leave it for 10 minutes and then wash it out. It works ok but i feel i have to do this every time i wash my hair and it's not easy putting thick shampoo on long hair. It doesn't spread well and i use about half a bottle of shampoo if i do it that way. #Not to mention the shampoo is about $30!) I need to wash my hair every second day as it gets very oily quickly so i cannot afford to keep doing this.
What can i put through my hair in order to make the highlights go back to the subtle light to medium brown they were before they turned gold?
If it's toner, then which one should i use?

Answer
hi natasha, the toner your hair colorist used is a semi-permanent glaze which fades away in about 5-6 weeks. you can also factor in sun exposure as something that will cause the lightened hair to further lighten as well.you always need to use a shampoo and conditioner made to protect colored hair, that will not strip the glaze off before it's time. my advice is to go back to the salon and have the glaze re-applied. if it has been less than a month this should be offered to you at no cost,although all salons are different in their approach.i usually glaze my clients every 6 weeks when they come back for a trim, and then do the highlights and glaze every 12 weeks or so to maintain the overall look. color requires upkeep and maintenance, and the pro color lines are always better to use than what is available at the local pharmacy.if you color it yourself, you may end up with a big mess, and cover those highlights up completely. please go back and let the colorist take care of you. you have every right to express your dissatisfaction within a reasonable amount of time(a month ,tops)but you also should be planning on having to re visit the salon on a regular basis to keep up with the color.glazes do fade and need to be re applied regularly.