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28.06.2026
How to Help Clients Transition From Red Hair to Brunette
What do you do when your client wants to make the switch from red hair to brunette? Whether their base is strawberry blonde, auburn or bright cherry red, it takes a special level of care to achieve this transformation. Your goal is not only to deepen their colour, but to balance orange undertones and maintain richness. So, let's get into the potential challenges, and the steps that make their transition seamless...
Why Transitioning From Red to Brunette Can Be Tricky
Red pigments are some of the most stubborn to correct. Even when they appear faded, underlying warmth can sometimes remain, disrupting the final brunette result. But knowing the challenges ahead of time
Lingering warmth: even after colour correction, red and orange undertones can resurface, affecting the neutrality of the brunette result.
Patchiness: uneven porosity in previously coloured hair can lead to inconsistent absorption, creating blotchy or uneven results.
Fast fading: red-based colour molecules can fade quickly, often revealing warmth underneath and softening the intended brunette tone too soon.
How to Choose the Right Brunette Shade
When you're working with a red base, your main goal is to neutralize the underlying warmth. However, even with corrective tones in your formula, red pigments can easily overpower lighter brunette shades. That's why (at least for your client's first appointment) we recommend choosing a brown at the same level or darker than their existing colour. This ensures enough depth and coverage to effectively counteract the red.
In practice, it could mean taking a bold copper to a rich chocolate brown, or transforming a deep burgundy into an intense espresso brunette. Once you've chosen the depth, consider the undertone. As a general rule, you should work in harmony with your client's skin tone:
- Cooler complexions tend to suit ash and cool brown shades.
- Warmer skin tones pair beautifully with golden, chestnut and chocolate brunettes.
- Neutral complexions can wear both warm and cool hues with ease.
Image Credit: @calumtierney
Image Credit: @hairbygerrileigh
How to Transition From Red Hair to Brunette
1. Use a Colour Reducer If Their Red Isn't Natural
For clients whose red comes courtesy of a salon or home hair colour, you can start with a colour reducer to remove as much of the dye as possible. Color Renew is your zero-damage option, powered by Vitamin C and Citric Acid, which gently deoxidizes the colour molecules. The result: a toned-down and a cleaner base for your client's brunette transformation.
2. Decide How Much Warmth to Keep
Your client's red base may work in your favor if you're creating a soft auburn tint or deep mahogany brown. You can layer on a red-brown hair colour that builds on the existing warmth. But if your client wants a truer shade of brown – think a warm toffee tone or a cool espresso – their colour formula must counterbalance the hints of red in the base (including any orange hues left behind after using colour reducers). Before you mix up their colour, talk with your client about their expectations, and ask for visual examples, so you can fine-tune the undertones.
3. Neutralize Red Undertones with Ash or Green Hues
For clients who want a pure brunette that covers their existing red, we recommend adding hints of ash or green to their hair colour formula. When mixed into shades of brown, these cool hues help to neutralize red undertones, while a small shot of blue will cancel out any orange hues (ideal if your client had a ginger or pumpkin spice base).
4. Use a Shine-Enhancing Hair Colour
Your client wants their fresh brunette hue to shine, so opt for a colour product that guarantees true-to-tone vibrancy, a healthy-looking glow and flawless fading. Color Touch is a great demi-permanent option for a 'spoilt for choice' palette of rich brown shades, while Koleston Perfect is your permanent pick, with the bonus of up to 100% grey coverage. Both feature Metal Purifier technology, which helps the colour develop and fade true to tone. Think pure, predictable results, for shades that look just like their reference photos.
5. Apply the Colour and Fully Saturate Each Strand
Once you've mixed up your client's new brunette hue, it's time for application. Focus on full saturation, as this will guarantee the most even results. Start from the roots to ends, working section by section until every last strand is covered. Then, let it develop according to the recommended time for your chosen colour product.
6. Rinse, Refine (If Needed), and Style
Rinse out your client's colour formula, then decide if a gloss is needed to refine the result. When neutralizing brighter reds, you may find this necessary to neutralize any stubborn warmth. A SHINEFINITY gloss is the perfect final touch, helping you tailor their shade to perfection with a translucent veil of colour. Not only does it correct, but the zero-damage formula leaves your client with up to 3x shinier hair*. The dream for fresh brunettes.
How to Maintain Your Client's Brown Hair
Once your client has officially made the transition from red hair to brunette, their next goal is to keep it rich and radiant for as long as possible. So, before they leave the salon, share these easy but essential maintenance tips:
1. Wash Hair with a Gentle Shampoo
Mild (yet effective), colour-safe shampoos are key to preventing shade fade, so if there's one product your client needs in their kit, it's ULTIMATE COLOR Shampoo. The gentle wash still boasts a rich texture for that satisfying lather, and also packs in metal-purifying ingredients to remove shade-distorting metals. Suggest they focus it through the roots of their hair while washing. The lather will run through the lengths as they rinse, resulting in an even more delicate cleanse.
2. Reduce Rinsing Steps with a Leave-In Hair Mask
Every rinse counts when it comes to colour maintenance. Water exposure can gradually strip away your client's shade, so encourage them to switch to leave-in treatments (where possible) to reduce their rinsing steps. ULTIMATE COLOR Miracle Leave-In Mask is designed to be used after shampooing, with a delicate formula that boosts shine and hydration, while veiling strands in UV protection. And don't be fooled by the name; while it is a hair mask, it's designed to be used for every wash day, giving your client up to 10 weeks of colour vibrancy**.
3. Protect Hair from Heat and UV Exposure
Heat styling and sun exposure can accelerate colour fade, especially in the first few weeks after a colour service. So, encourage your client to apply a heat protectant (like ULTIMATE REPAIR 5-in-1 Protective Leave-In) before blow-drying, straightening or curling their hair, and to shield strands from prolonged UV exposure whenever possible. This simple step helps preserve the depth and richness of their brunette shade while keeping their hair healthy-looking and beautifully glossy.
Red Hair to Brunette FAQs
Can You Put Brown Dye Over Red Hair?
Yes, but the underlying red pigments can influence the final result. For the most even brunette shade, it's often necessary to neutralize excess warmth before applying brown colour.
Will Brunette Completely Cover Red?
In most cases, yes. Darker brunette shades provide the best coverage, while ash, green or blue-based tones can help neutralize lingering red and orange undertones.
Why Does Brown Fade Warm?
As brunette colour fades, underlying warm pigments can become more visible. This is especially common when transitioning from previously red hair or when colour-safe maintenance products aren't used.
Can You Go Brunette in One Session?
Often, yes. However, the process depends on the intensity of the existing red colour, the condition of the hair and the desired brunette result. Some clients may require additional toning or refinement appointments.
* Vs. pre-damaged hair in an instrumental test.
** With regular use of ULTIMATE COLOR regimen from salon to home.