Beauty Calculators
Hair colour correction.
Hair colour works on the colour wheel: a tone you do not want is cancelled by the colour opposite it. Pick the tone you see, or the level you are lightening to, and get the colour to use. Runs in your browser.
What do you need
Colour to use
Fill the form and press Calculate.
Worked example
You lightened dark brown hair to a level 7 and it looks orange. At level 7 the underlying pigment is orange, and the opposite of orange on the colour wheel is blue, so a blue or ash-blue toner or shampoo cancels it (hair that orange often needs more lift first, see Limits below). If your blonde has gone yellow at level 9, the opposite is violet.
How it works
The colour wheel puts each colour opposite the one that cancels it: yellow and violet, orange and blue, red and green. Mixing opposites makes a neutral, so a small amount of the opposite colour removes a tone you do not want. Shades next to each other on the wheel intensify rather than cancel.
When hair is lightened, it passes through a sequence of warm pigments before it reaches pale yellow. The pigment that is left at the level you stop at is what you will see:
| Level | Underlying pigment | Neutralised by |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | pale yellow | pale violet |
| 9 | yellow | violet |
| 8 | yellow-orange | blue-violet |
| 7 | orange | blue |
| 6 | red-orange | blue-green |
| 5 | red | green |
| 4 | red-violet | yellow-green |
| 3 | violet | yellow |
| 2 | blue-violet | yellow-orange |
| 1 | blue | orange |
Limits. A toner only deposits a little colour, so it can only fix hair that is already close to the target level: a violet toner needs hair near level 9 or 10 to look neutral. Orange at level 6 or 7 usually needs more lift first. Green correction and big colour changes are risky at home. Names for the in-between pigments vary slightly by brand.
Not medical advice. Colour and bleach can damage hair and skin. Always follow the directions printed on your product, do a patch test 48 hours before colouring, and see a doctor if you get a reaction.
Sources and basis (checked 2026-10-05): the artist's colour wheel (complementary pairs) as applied in hair colouring, and the underlying-pigment-by-level chart printed by professional colour manufacturers; exact pigment names differ slightly between brands. Related: toner picker for orange and yellow hair.
FAQ
What colour cancels orange hair?
Blue. On the colour wheel blue sits opposite orange, so a blue or ash-blue toner or shampoo neutralises orange and copper brass. Hair that is still very orange usually needs more lift first.
What colour cancels yellow hair?
Violet or purple. A violet toner or purple shampoo cancels brassy yellow on light blonde hair, level 8 to 10.
What cancels red tones in hair?
Green. A green-based or matte shade cancels red and rusty tones, but it should be used lightly because it can leave a murky or flat result.
What cancels green hair?
Red or a warm copper-based shade, as red sits opposite green. Green from chlorine or too much ash often fades with clarifying care; a big correction is best done by a colourist.
Why is my hair orange after bleaching?
Lightened hair passes through red and orange pigments before yellow. If you stop at about level 7 the underlying pigment is orange. Lift further, or tone with blue once the hair is light enough.