Hair Color Correction: Achieving Golden Light Brown After a Color Mishap

Question
Hi have hair color ques. I am r3 to have maybe 20 percent gray in my hair not very much. My ques is I asked for a 7 in chi permanent hair color and stylist suggested mixing a 6 and a 7 well my hair came out more like a medium dark brown. He also used coloranse by Coldwell on ends as he said it was not healthy to use permanent color on ends. How can I fix it to a 7 golden light brown without damaging it? My stylist says it will lighten up which I know it will but not that much. Also first time I ever got it but stylist shampooed my hair before coloring. Told him I've always had hair color put in when dry he said with thicker hair if it's wet color slides in better which I heard opposite hair adheres better when hair hasn't been washed for a few days. Please clue me in have u ever heard of that? Is it better for stylist to wash my hair before color

Answer
Cari,
 A few things here. First to the question of whether to shampoo or not. Either way is fine and some color products actually suggest it. There is not truth to the statement that color adheres better to hair not shampooed. The reason that clients are often asked not to shampoo for a few days actually has nothing to do with how the color will take, but rather the comfort of the client. Not shampooing allows the natural acid mantle to remain in place on the scalp, shielding it slightly from the effects of the color, especially if the client has a more sensitive scalp.
 As for getting a lighter color, the only way to do that would be to lift out the current color just enough so that the new color can be applied. If your hair is not damaged now it should still not be after doing this if it is done properly.In the meantime, what you can try to lift the color slightly at home is to shampoo with liquid laundry detergent. Apply like shampoo , lather and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Work it through gently, no need to scrub at all, since the purpose is not to cleanse the scalp or hair, but just for the detergent nature of the laundry detergent to lift out some of the color. Rinse and condition. You should see a bit of a difference after one application.
Best of luck to you.
Stephe (hairman)