Have you ever jumped down the Colour ladder, skipping a step, only to land face-first into a Colour mishap? Like going from a Lightened Blonde to Brunette and ending up with an unexpected, Lighter Shade with a washed our khaki green Brown instead?
If you're nodding along, it's time to discover the magic of Hair Colour Fillers.
What Is A Hair Colour filler?
A Colour filler is like the cream in an Oreo—it's an intermediate Hair Colour applied before your Brunette Shade. A Colour Filler bridges the gap between your Lightened Hair and Brunette Shade, its job is to rebuild the pigment in your Hair that gets stripped away when you’ve Bleached or Lightened your Hair.
Rebuilding the pigment in your Hair prevents your Brunette from looking Lighter, washed out with greenish or khaki tones. This step is essential for achieving a true, rich Brunette Colour.
If your transition isn’t as drastic, you can skip this step and apply your new Shade directly. And one more thing—if your Hair is Naturally light, without any previous lightening treatments, a Colour Filler isn’t necessary for you either.
When Do You Need A Hair Colour Filler?
To determine if you need a Colour Filler, use our simple formula:
Your pre Lightened Colour number (find the Colour closest on the Natural Hair Colour Chart)
(minus)
Your goal Colour number
=
The number of Shades you need to Darken your Hair.
If the result is 3 or more Shades Darker, you’ll need a Colour Filler to achieve the best results and avoid any unwanted Tones.
What Happens If I Don't Use A Colour Filler?
If you skip the Colour Filler, it's like missing a step on the ladder, leading to a stumble. Without that added Warm Colour pigment in your Lightened Hair, your new Brunette Shade won't have enough pigment to grab and build off. This means you'll have an uneven Hair Colour, with a noticeable difference between your Regrowth and the Lightened ends.
You may find your Hair Colour takes on a Greenish tint, lacking the richness and depth you were aiming for. Instead of the sleek, glossy Brunette you wanted your Brunette will appear Lighter, washed out, and lacking in oomph and vibrancy.
What Hair Colours Should You Use As A Colour Filler?
Because the Lightening process strips Warmth from your Hair, Warmth is exactly what we need to put back in with your Colour Filler. Choose a Golden or Chocolate Hair Colour that is 1-2 Shades Lighter than your goal Brunette and mix with a No Lift Developer. A Colour Filler needs to have a Warm pigment, regardless of the Brunette you want to be. Choose one of these Hair Colours or try our Colour Filler bundle.
What Developer Should I Use With My Colour Filler?
No Lift Developer—because your pre-lightened Blonde Hair doesn’t need any additional Lightening.
No Lift
Developer
Where Do I Apply My Colour Filler?
Apply your filler Colour mixture to your pre-lightened Hair, avoiding your Natural Regrowth.
Where Do I Apply My Goal Brunette?
To achieve your goal Brunette, start by applying the Brunette Colour all over your natural regrowth. Then, work the Colour through to your Colour-filled ends until your Hair is completely covered. Be sure to apply the Colour to dry Hair.
To better understand how a Colour filler can transform your Hair, let’s look at this real-life example.
Lauren has been Lightening her Hair with 10.2 Very Light Beige Blonde and wants to be a deep, glossy Brunette with icy Cool Tones. Her goal Brunette is 5.11 Intense Ash Brown.
After using our formula, Lauren understands she will need to use a Colour Filler and chooses 7.53 Chocolate Blonde because it is 2 Shades Lighter and mixes it with a No Lift Developer. Then she applies it over her Lightened Hair only and processes it.
After processing, Lauren washes out the Colour to reveal a Warm Medium Blonde—success! She’s now ready to apply her goal Brunette, starting at her regrowth and working it through to the ends.
