Why Are My Hair Extensions Changing Colour?
Why Are My Hair Extensions Changing Colour?
Hair extensions can change colour because human hair reacts to products, heat, sunlight, water and its surrounding environment.
One of the most recognisable changes is lighter extension hair developing an orange or peachy tone after contact with certain sunscreens. Meanwhile, repeated heat and UV exposure can gradually fade colour, while chlorine and mineral deposits from water may contribute to unwanted tonal changes.
Therefore, a colour change does not automatically mean there is something wrong with the extension hair.
The colour the extensions have turned, when the change happened and what the hair was exposed to can often provide useful clues about the cause.
Why Have My Hair Extensions Turned Orange?
If blonde or lighter-coloured extensions have suddenly developed orange, peach or pinkish tones, sunscreen is one of the first things to consider.
Certain SPF products contain ingredients that can contribute to discolouration when they come into contact with hair extensions.
In particular, ingredients such as Avobenzone, sometimes listed as Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, and Octocrylene are commonly associated with this type of staining.
The frustrating part is that you do not necessarily need to apply sunscreen directly to your extensions for this to happen.
Instead, transfer can occur from your:
- hands after applying SPF
- face and skincare products
- neck and shoulders
- back
- clothing or swimwear
- towels
- bedding or other surfaces carrying product residue
Long extensions are particularly likely to come into contact with areas where sunscreen has been applied.
Therefore, colour changes may appear mainly through the mid-lengths and ends rather than close to the attachment points.
Why Does SPF Affect Blonde Extensions More Obviously?
SPF-related discolouration is usually much easier to see on blonde and light extension shades.
A small tonal change that would barely be noticeable on dark brunette hair can look dramatic against an icy, ash or pale blonde.
The colour of the staining may vary too.
Some extensions develop a strong orange tone, while others appear peachy, pinkish or warmer than their original shade.
For that reason, somebody may initially assume their blonde extensions have simply become brassy.
However, sudden orange or peach tones following sunscreen exposure can have a different cause from ordinary colour fading.
How Can You Reduce the Risk of SPF Staining?
Prevention is considerably easier than trying to correct discolouration afterwards.
Start by checking the ingredients in the SPF products you regularly use.
Be particularly mindful of Avobenzone and Octocrylene when lighter extension hair is likely to come into contact with the product.
After applying sunscreen, wash your hands thoroughly before touching or styling your extensions.
Likewise, allow products applied to your neck, shoulders and back to absorb properly before letting long extension hair sit directly against those areas.
On holiday, consider how often the hair comes into contact with sunscreen throughout the day.
Repeated transfer can happen without you noticing it.
Can SPF Damage Hair Extensions or Does It Just Change the Colour?
The most obvious effect associated with certain SPF ingredients is unwanted discolouration.
However, once the hair has changed colour, repeatedly trying to correct it at home can create a second problem.
For example, aggressive toning, colouring or using unsuitable corrective products may affect the condition of the extension hair.
Therefore, avoid experimenting with multiple chemical treatments simply because the hair has turned orange.
Instead, identify the likely cause first and seek professional advice on the safest way to correct it.
Can Orange Hair Extensions Be Fixed?
Sometimes, depending on the severity and cause of the discolouration.
Professional clarifying or specialist treatments may help remove certain deposits or staining.
For example, Malibu C treatments are sometimes used professionally to help remove mineral and environmental build-up from hair.
However, the appropriate treatment depends on what has caused the colour change.
Therefore, avoid assuming every orange or discoloured extension needs the same correction.
Your extension technician or an experienced colour professional can assess the hair before recommending treatment.
Most importantly, address the original cause at the same time. Otherwise, successfully corrected extensions may simply change colour again.
Why Are My Hair Extensions Turning Green?
A green or greenish tone can be associated with exposure to swimming pools or minerals in water.
Although people often refer to this simply as “chlorine turning hair green”, the chemistry can be more complicated.
Metals and minerals present in water can deposit onto the hair. Pool environments can make this particularly noticeable, especially on lighter shades.
Blonde extensions reveal these unwanted tones much more easily than darker hair.
Therefore, a greenish cast after swimming should prompt you to consider recent pool, spa or water exposure.
Avoid trying to correct the tone immediately with random colouring products.
Removing the underlying deposits may need to happen before any colour correction is considered.
Hard Water Can Change the Tone of Hair Extensions
You do not need to go swimming for minerals to affect your hair.
Hard water contains higher levels of dissolved minerals, and repeated washing can allow deposits to build up over time.
Depending on the minerals present and the original extension colour, this may alter the tone, brightness and overall appearance of the hair.
You may also notice that the extensions begin feeling different at the same time.
For example, mineral build-up can contribute to hair feeling coated, dull, rough or more difficult to manage.
If you live in a hard-water area and repeatedly experience problems, a suitable shower filter may help reduce exposure.
However, filters vary in what they remove, so it is worth checking what the specific product is designed to filter rather than assuming every shower filter works in the same way.
Can Swimming Pools Change Hair Extension Colour?
Yes, swimming can potentially affect both the colour and condition of extension hair.
Pool water exposes the hair to chemicals and potentially dissolved metals. Furthermore, repeatedly soaking extensions can contribute to dryness and tangling.
For that reason, avoiding unnecessary submersion is one of the simplest ways to reduce risk.
This is particularly important with very light, cool or highly processed shades where even a relatively small tonal shift can become obvious.
If you do regularly swim, make sure you understand the additional care your extensions require.
Can You Swim With Hair Extensions?
What About Hot Tubs, Spas and Saunas?
Hot tubs and spas can expose extension hair to treated water, heat and humidity at the same time.
Consequently, they are not ideal environments for maintaining extension colour and condition.
Where possible, keep your extensions out of the water.
Saunas do not expose the hair to pool water, but repeated high heat may still contribute to dryness and colour deterioration over time.
Therefore, if maintaining your extension colour is a priority, minimise unnecessary exposure to extreme heat and treated water.
Why Are My Hair Extensions Fading?
Not every colour change involves extensions turning orange or green.
Sometimes the original colour simply becomes lighter, warmer or less vibrant over time.
Human hair can fade with repeated washing, heat styling and UV exposure.
The amount of change will depend partly on the original shade and how the hair was processed.
For example, rich brunettes, fashion shades and cooler tones may show changes differently from natural blondes.
The important point is that human hair extensions are still human hair.
Their colour is not permanently fixed against every environmental influence.
Heat Styling Can Fade Hair Extension Colour
Straighteners, curling wands and hairdryers expose extension hair to heat repeatedly.
Over time, excessive temperatures can contribute to both dryness and colour fading.
Therefore, heat protection is important whenever heated styling tools are used.
Temperature matters too.
Using the hottest possible setting does not necessarily produce a better result. Instead, use the lowest effective temperature needed for your hair and style.
Repeatedly applying excessive heat without protection can gradually leave extension colour looking duller, warmer or lighter.
It can also affect the condition of the hair at the same time.
Why Does Sunshine Fade Hair Extensions?
UV exposure can gradually affect hair colour.
Think about how natural hair can become lighter after spending a summer outdoors.
Human hair extensions can respond in a similar way.
Strong, repeated sunlight may gradually fade colour or change its tone, particularly during summer or extended holidays.
Again, lighter and more colour-sensitive shades may make those changes easier to notice.
Sun exposure rarely happens in isolation on holiday either.
Usually, it occurs alongside swimming, sunscreen use, different water and changes to your normal aftercare.
Therefore, identifying the cause of a holiday-related colour change often means looking at everything the hair has encountered.
Can You Go on Holiday With Hair Extensions?
Why Do Hair Extensions Sometimes Change Colour on Holiday?
Holidays create something of a perfect storm for extension hair.
Within a single week, your extensions may experience:
- considerably stronger UV exposure
- frequent sunscreen contact
- chlorine or pool water
- sea water
- unfamiliar hard water
- more frequent washing
- increased heat
- changes to your normal haircare routine
Consequently, a colour change that appears while travelling may have several contributing factors.
The colour itself can provide clues.
Orange or peach tones may point towards SPF exposure, while greenish tones suggest looking at pool water or mineral deposits.
General fading, meanwhile, may be more closely connected with sunlight, heat and repeated washing.
Can Sea Water Change Extension Colour?
Sea water does not usually create the same green-toned concern associated with some pool environments.
However, salt water can still affect extension condition.
Repeated exposure may leave the hair feeling drier and rougher. As a result, the overall appearance of the colour can become duller.
Furthermore, sea swimming usually takes place alongside strong sunshine and sunscreen use.
Therefore, it can be difficult to isolate one factor when extension hair changes during a beach holiday.
Can Hair Products Change the Colour of Extensions?
Potentially.
Toning shampoos, purple products, pigmented masks and other colour-depositing products can affect extension hair.
Extension hair may also respond differently from your natural hair because it has undergone different processing before you receive it.
Therefore, do not assume that a product which gives the perfect result on your natural hair will behave identically on the extensions.
Overusing highly pigmented products can create uneven or unwanted tones.
Likewise, unsuitable products may affect the condition of the hair even if the colour initially looks acceptable.
If you are unsure what products are appropriate, continue with our dedicated guide.
What Products Should You Avoid With Extensions?
Why Might Your Natural Hair and Extensions Fade Differently?
Your natural hair and extension hair have different histories.
Your own hair may have been coloured using one process, while the extensions were coloured and processed separately before you purchased them.
Therefore, even when they begin as an excellent colour match, they may not respond identically to UV, heat, products or washing over time.
This does not necessarily indicate poor-quality extensions.
It simply means you are dealing with two different heads of human hair that have undergone different journeys.
Maintaining a seamless colour match may occasionally require professional adjustment as the hair ages.
Should You Colour Extensions That Have Changed Colour?
Do not rush to colour them before establishing why the change occurred.
If the hair contains mineral or product deposits, adding colour on top may not produce the result you expect.
Likewise, extension hair can respond differently to colouring than your natural hair.
Therefore, professional assessment is the safer approach.
Once the cause has been identified and any deposits appropriately addressed, an experienced professional can advise whether colour correction is suitable.
If you are considering colouring extensions generally, our dedicated Q&A explains what you need to know.
Can Hair Extensions Be Coloured?
Does a Colour Change Mean the Extensions Are Poor Quality?
Not necessarily.
High-quality human hair is still human hair.
Therefore, it can still respond to sunlight, heat, minerals, chlorine, pigmented products and other external factors.
Hair quality certainly influences how extensions perform and age.
However, even premium extension hair cannot be completely immune to its environment.
For that reason, unexpected colour changes should be investigated rather than automatically treated as evidence of poor-quality hair.
What Makes Hair Extensions Premium Quality?
How Can You Prevent Hair Extensions Changing Colour?
You cannot prevent every degree of natural fading forever.
However, you can significantly reduce avoidable colour changes.
Be particularly mindful of sunscreen contact when wearing lighter shades.
Check SPF ingredients and wash your hands before handling the hair after application.
Use suitable heat protection and avoid unnecessarily high styling temperatures.
Meanwhile, limit prolonged direct sunlight where practical and take additional care around swimming pools, hot tubs and spas.
If hard water is a recurring issue, investigate whether an appropriate water filtration system could help.
Finally, use suitable extension aftercare consistently.
Protecting the condition of the hair helps maintain its overall colour and appearance for longer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hair Extensions Changing Colour
Why Have My Blonde Extensions Turned Orange?
Orange or peachy discolouration in blonde extensions is commonly associated with contact with certain SPF ingredients, particularly Avobenzone and Octocrylene.
Sunscreen can transfer from your hands, neck, shoulders, skin and other surfaces onto the extension hair.
Why Have My Hair Extensions Turned Green?
Greenish tones can be associated with minerals or metals in water and may become particularly noticeable after swimming.
Light extension shades tend to reveal these tonal changes most clearly.
Can Hard Water Change the Colour of Hair Extensions?
Yes, mineral build-up from hard water can potentially alter the appearance and tone of extension hair over time.
It may also affect texture and manageability.
Can Sunlight Fade Hair Extensions?
Yes.
Repeated UV exposure can gradually fade human hair extension colour, just as prolonged sunshine can affect natural hair.
Can Straighteners Fade Hair Extension Colour?
Repeated excessive heat can contribute to colour deterioration and dryness.
Therefore, always use suitable heat protection and avoid temperatures higher than necessary.
Can Purple Shampoo Change Hair Extension Colour?
Yes.
Purple shampoo and other pigmented products can deposit tone onto extension hair, and the extensions may respond differently from your natural hair.
Therefore, use toning products cautiously and follow professional advice.
Can You Fix Hair Extensions That Have Changed Colour?
Sometimes.
The appropriate solution depends on the cause. Mineral or environmental deposits may respond to specialist treatments, while other colour changes may require professional colour correction.
Avoid experimenting with strong corrective products before establishing what caused the change.
Colour Changes Usually Have a Reason
Hair extensions rarely change colour for no reason at all.
Instead, the change often provides a clue about what the hair has been exposed to.
Orange or peach tones may point towards SPF contact. Greenish tones can indicate mineral or pool-water exposure. Meanwhile, gradual fading may be linked to sunlight, heat, repeated washing and normal wear.
Therefore, identifying the cause should come before trying to correct the colour.
Once you know what has happened, you can take the appropriate steps and, equally importantly, reduce the chance of it happening again.
Human hair extensions respond to their environment.
With suitable aftercare, sensible heat protection and additional awareness around SPF, sunshine, hard water and swimming, you can help maintain their original colour for considerably longer.
If your extensions have changed in texture as well as colour and now feel noticeably dry, continue with our dedicated guide below.
