Can I Use Red Hair Dye As A Filler?

“Can I use red hair dye as a filler?” is a popular question that many have when attempting to repigment the hair.

Fillers play a vital role in the coloring process since they restore pigment to your hair, establishing a solid foundation for the following dyes to adhere to. 

Indeed, the filler is excellent since it not only adds coloration but also coats your strands and smoothes out breakage.

In this post, we will look at what fillers are and whether you should use red hair dye as a hair filler. Let’s check!

What Is A Filler In Hair Color?

A color filler is similar to the cream center of an Oreo. It is a color that is used between your present color and the color you want to be.

The porosity of the hair after bleaching can impair the dyeing process, causing the hair color after dyeing to become dull and uneven, and may not even be able to preserve the color of the hair.

When attempting to color one’s hair from a very light color to a darker one, a filler in hair color is necessary. 

The filler would essentially serve as a transition color between your regrowth and base color, adding pigment and depth to the hair before you add the final dye.

Also, it aids in the even saturation of the final hue. If you have severely bleached or very light natural blonde hair and want to deepen it, fillers are typically advised to be used in the coloring process.

Can I Use Red Hair Dye As A Filler?

You can use red hair dye as a filler as long as your hair dye contains red pigment. 

Bleached hair loses brown, red, and yellow pigments. So, it is vital to replace the lost pigment while dyeing brown, for example. The amount and shade of red you use will rely on the brown you want.

That is, using red hair color as a filler when dyeing your hair brown makes sure that you will get the perfect brown tone. Simultaneously, the red filler will make your hair look bright and lively rather than lifeless and brassy. 

As a result, red hair dye aids in the pre-pigmentation of your hair. 

Before applying the brown dye, the lost pigments during bleaching must be replaced, which is known as re-pigmentation, and it is handled with color filler.

If you ignore the application of red hair dye as a filler, you might end up with poorly brown hair with a greenish hue.

Read more: How To Remove Green Tones From Brown Hair?

The numerous pigments used in hair color provide an infinite number of choices and brown tones.

Level 4 dark browns, for instance, have more red pigment. Level 6 lighter browns contain more yellow pigment, while level 5 medium browns get more red pigment. 

Can I Use Red Hair Dye As A Filler On Any Hair Color?

As previously stated, you should only use red hair dye as a filler if your final color comprises red pigments, like brown.

If your final color is not a shade of brown, you had better avoid red filler since you will be putting pigments that are not in your final desired color, resulting in a disaster.

Assume you intended to darken your hair from a level 10 extra blond to a level 7 dark blond using a red filler. As blond hair is composed of different pigments than brown hair, the effect would be a horrible pinkish yellow.

You wanted a dark blond, but what you got was something in between red and yellow. How frustrating it was!

That is why you should have a final discussion about the hue you desire before using a color filler.

How To Apply Color Filler?

Before putting the brown dye, a red color filler must be used. Since the hair filler adds pigment to your hair, it aids in achieving the ideal brown hue. 

It is similar to coloring your hair twice, with the exception that filler does not require a developer.

You do not require a developer with them because the purpose of applying filler is just to repigment the outside layers of hair strands so that they may absorb the dark color readily later.

Preparation

The following items are required while applying red hair dye as a color filler:

• Red hair dye kit
• Brown hair dye kit
• Gloves 
• Hair dye brush

Instructions

• First of all, you had better wait 48 hours to shampoo your hair before applying the red color filler. This enables your hair’s natural oils to develop a protective coating. (Read more: Should You Wash Your Hair Before Dyeing It?)
• Then, carefully comb your hair to remove any tangles that may interfere with the application of the red dye.
• Next, apply the red dye to your entire head of hair without mixing it with the developer. Allow the color to sit for 20 minutes before shampooing your hair.
• After rinsing, your hair will be a brilliant red. Then, take the brown hair dye kit and equally combine the dye and developer. 
• It is time to apply the mixture over your red hair with a hairbrush. Make sure that no strand is overlooked. Also, be patient throughout this stage and take care not to leave any dye in your hair.
• Finally, allow the color to stay for 40 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water. Make sure all the color has been washed out of the hair. (Read more: How Long to Leave Hair Dye in Your Hair?)

Your hair will now appear gorgeous with the appropriate brown tone, luster, and shine.

Indeed, red dye serves as a great filler, resulting in a more dazzling and long-lasting impact. As a result, utilizing it as a pre-color treatment is critical for achieving the best tone.

Read more: Can You Apply Hair Dye Without a Brush?

Mistakes to avoid

Even if you correctly followed our instructions, the end outcome may not be what you expected. Why?

You are most likely to have made one of the following mistakes. So pay attention and avoid them to save time, money, and your sanity!

• Red or copper should not be used to fill formulas

Leaving out warm tones in a formula can produce a murky end color. 

If you own a hair salon and the client requests a chilly or ash tone, the use of red or copper still allows the ash to manage the warmth and produce a lively finish.

• Hair filling should not be rushed or skipped

Take your time and only fill two levels at a time. Filling in the hair allows the color to remain longer and is essential for avoiding hollow color. Thus, take your time because it is a necessary part of the process.

For more information, you can have a look at this video:

What Are Some Alternatives To Color Filler In Addition to Red Hair Dyes?

Many individuals are concerned about what they can use as a color filler. In brief, you can consider using protein fillers. 

They equalize porosity by using hydrolyzed proteins to fill in damaged regions in the hair fiber, ensuring that your selection’s final color is distributed evenly.

Protein fillers are excellent for repairing green hair caused by chlorination as well. 

Protein fillers are typically employed as a pre-treatment and remain neutral. So if the porosity is more important to you than levels, this should be the filler to use.

When selecting a filler, keep in mind that you should avoid any product that requires a lot of lifting developers.

Can I Use Permanent Red Hair Dye As A Filler?

Using permanent red hair dye as a filler is not a good idea. 

The reason is that if you use permanent dyes as a hair filler, you will expose your hair to high ammonia levels throughout the procedure. Doing so could severely damage your hair if your hair has already been lifted.

Nevertheless, some professionals advise that if you must use permanent red hair dye to color fill the hair, you should not use more than a 10-volume developer.

It is vital to remember that if you use a permanent filler, you will most likely need a color correction if you lighten your hair again. Other stylists, on the other hand, might prefer a semi-permanent filler because it only serves as a latch.

In contrast, semi-permanent and demi-permanent colors are ideal alternatives to red hair dye to be used as a hair filler because they are both relatively safe.

Semi-permanents are indeed a great option because they do not include ammonia and do not necessitate a hair developer. Demi-permanent colors frequently require a developer but with very little and low volume.

Read more:

• Can You Mix Semi-Permanent Hair Dye With A Developer?
• Demi-Permanent vs Permanent Hair Color Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you fill blonde hair with red dye?

Filling blonde hair with red dye is possible, but only if the final color you wish your hair to contains red pigments, like brown. It is because natural hues are taken from hair fibers as they bleach or lift.

This is particularly true for individuals with level 9 or 10 hair color tones. Because extensively bleached hair lacks a variety of pigments, it is necessary to apply a filler to restore color. 

The amount and shade of red hair dye to be applied are determined by the level of brown needed.

What hair colors should I use as a color filler?

Your color dye needs to meet the 2 following requirements to be used as a hair filler: 

First of all, it must be a hair color shade with warm or golden pigments. When you lighten your hair, you remove the warmer red and orange pigments that are utilized to develop dark hair colors.

Once you begin the process of darkening the hair, you must reintroduce these warm pigments into the hair so that your new darker color has a stable foundation to build on.

In addition, for your filler color, pick a color that is 1 – 2 shades lighter than your desired color brunette.

Does color filler help to make your hair color stay longer?

Color fillers are primarily tinted protein enrichment solutions intended to provide substance to hair that has been weakened or damaged by color or other chemical processing.

Since the colored protein links to the inside structure of your hair, it strengthens it and gives the color a boost that is more difficult to wash out.

You can also get neutral protein fillers, which have no color of their own but bond with hair that has been damaged by previous procedures. 

As a result, it gives the hair a greater internal structure with which the color may bond to provide a deeper, richer color that lasts longer.

What happens if I don’t fill blonde hair?

Hair filling is the process of replenishing pigments previously taken from or did not occur naturally in the hair. It is also known as “tint-back” or “repigmenting.”

To get a pure level of 9/10, all warmth is removed from the hair throughout the lightening process. If you have blonde hair and wish to embrace your dark side again, you must first fill it to regain the lost warmth. 

Otherwise, one of two things may occur: The color will be uneven or fade to intriguing colors such as green, mushroom brown, or even violet.

Read more: How to Lighten Hair with Developer and Shampoo?

Final Thoughts

To summarize, red hair dye can be used as a color filler when dyeing your hair, provided that you are not going for a darker natural blonde or applying a permanent dye. Also, it is critical to have your end objective in mind while selecting the colors to add back into the hair during the filler step. Moreover, if your hair is susceptible to breaking, you should avoid anything that can further harm it, like harsh chemicals.

Read more: Can You Use Hair Dye To Dye Clothes?