Why are my blonde highlights turning brassy with CO washing?

[Goose]

I get my hair highlighted blonde and it turns brassy fairly quickly..

I have been CO washing sometimes and shampooing on alternate days. I CO wash with Suave Coconut or Aussie Cleanse and Mend...

My Hair loves CO wash and turns out frizz-free but I notice my highlights get darker/brassy when I CO wash.

When I shampoo my hair is blonder but has frizz. :(

I don't think its the conditioners that are causing it. ..I would think CO washing would preserve highlights instead of darkening them....I suspect its my hard water thats doing it...

Has anyone else had this experience with hard water? I just ordered the Jonathan Beauty Shower Filter (not cheap) but gets great reviews on Amazon and Sephora...I hope this helps...

Any thoughts are welcome...:) I want to continue with CO washing but need to preserve my highlights in the process.

[Jimothea]

As far as I can tell, this is just an issue blondes face, both highlighted and natural...I suspect it's a combo of the extra moisture (hooray!) with the dinge-ness of hard water. I face it too, but I've gotten used to it. :rolleyes:

Maybe you could use a chelating shampoo (or maybe club soda, isn't that supposed to chelate???) when it does come time to suds up finally, to see if there's any difference? If there is, then it's probably a water issue and the filter will fix it. If there's not a difference, my guess would be that it's more the extra moisture COing imparts, and not so much that your actual highlights are changing; the light is just striking your hair's darker tones. If that's the issue, and you don't want to change from COing, maybe you could go for, hmmm, more ashy highlights next time, to help combat brassiness? Or a toner every now and then?

I don't know if I was any help, but I'll definitely keep an eye on this thread!

[missdelarocha]

I agree with Jimothea, I think the shampoo probably helps it look more translucent and creamy because it'sfluffed up because it's been stripped a little more and perhaps doesn't reflect the colour very well? Perhaps something in your co takes away your toner, I have no idea lol.
You could put a one-step (no developer) violet toner in your conditioner, slightly blueish if you get more orange than yellow. I only know of LIVE temporary colour, Manic Panic semi permanent and I think Directions has one too.

I hope the shower filter helps!!!

[Coan-Teen]

I can't find the thread where I saw it, but I believe coconut oil has been known to tarnish blonde hair and make it appear brassy, so that could be exacerbating matters, but CO seems to do this to all blondes. It's one of the reasons I stopped CO washing. I've just started stretching washes instead. My hair likes its own natural oils way better than moisture. :)

Basically if you want to continue CO washing this will likely be an on-going thing. I would recommend changing your conditioners to something not coconut based in addition to the water filter and see what results you get.

[Panth]

It can be an issue with both hard water and with coconut oil. I don't know much about CO washing so can't comment on that.

I'd first try a chelating shampoo to remove any mineral build-up from the water. If that doesn't work, try using a different oil or a different washing method.

[Oksana]

I've been Co'ing for months now and i haven't noticed any problems :confused:

[jojo]

cheleating your hair will get rid of this and white vinegar rinses, not ACV are better for blonde hair!

[caiti42]

Maybe try purple conditioner that deposits small amounts of toner into hair and reduces brassyness

[Thumper]

Maybe try purple conditioner that deposits small amounts of toner into hair and reduces brassyness

I second this, but I would also agree about the hard water which is where I am at right now and looking to go to bottled water from now on.
The purple shampoo is fantastic, put it in and leave it for about 5-10 minutes and it really brings out the color and shine!