Adding Roots to Blonde Human Hair Hair Extensions
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Learn how to add dark roots to blonde human hair hair extensions for a natural, blended look! Easy step-by-step guide using semi-permanent dye or root touch-up for salon-style results at home. For more wig tricks, see my Wig Care page.
With this tutorial, you can make your blonde weft extensions blend better with your natural hair or wigs and give you that cool, lived-in look without the upkeep.
I colored the human hair hair extensions in this post so I could add length and volume to a human hair topper wig that was too thin and short. This info was originally part of my Add Wefts to a Hair Topper or Wig for Volume post. The original post was pretty long, so I thought it needed its own tutorial page to reference how to dye the roots darker on blonde human hair extensions
You can totally DIY your own dark root effect if you are unable to find human hair extensions that are already rooted or root shadowed. Plus, it’s easier than you think!
So if you’re trying to match your bio hair, adding wefts to a wig or topper, or just want that added dimension, here’s a step-by-step guide to getting it done safely.
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Can you color hair extensions? Yes! But…
BEFORE YOU PROCEED, ADDING A WORD OF CAUTION: Coloring human hair wefts can permanently change or damage them if not done correctly. If you do not feel comfortable attempting to try these methods, please seek a professional wig stylist to assist you in coloring your wefts.
I use what’s now called Demi permanent hair color (previously called Semi-permanent) to color my wigs and wefts. This type of hair color gloss has low peroxide and causes the least amount of damage to already fragile processed hair and fades out naturally with minimal damage.
DISCLAIMER: Kim Purvis, Made in a Day, and the Purvis Group LLC are in no way responsible for damaged wefts, wigs, or hair toppers using this advice.
How to Color Hair Extensions
To match my rooted hair topper, my goal was to make the roots of the wefts a light brown color.
To achieve this, I colored the roots of the blonde wefts with 6W Dark Sand, Wella Demi-Permanent (or semi-permanent) Hair Color. I added a drop of a blue color base color additive to the solution so the end result would be a slightly warm neutral color and not brassy or with orange tones.
Let’s talk Hair Color
Can you dye hair extensions? Yes!
IMPORTANT! Using Brown Dye on Blonde Hair: When coloring blonde hair back down to a darker brown shade, you must add a red/orange base to the color solution. If you do not use warm tones the hair may turn green or greyish, not brown.
Using an “ash toned” brown color alone would also cause the hair to turn green or even a shade of grey, depending on the color.
The easiest way to achieve the correct coloring is by using a shade of color with “golden tones,” which actually has red/orange tones in it.
Golden color shades, like dark golden blonde or light golden brown, work perfectly to add the red.
To make the hair more ash/cool and less golden/warm, you can use a small drop of a blue color base hair color additive in the color solution. This will keep the hair color from coming out too warm red or golden.
WARNING WHEN USING COLOR ADDITIVES: Demi(or semi) color brands usually sell base shades in blue, violet, red, and clear to customize their colors. It’s ok to use other additive brands with my brand of choice if they do not have one.
IMPORTANT! A little goes a long way when adding base colors to hair dye. Add a tiny 1/4-1/2 the size of a pea. If you add too much, the hair will pull too much of the color of the base, in this case, blue or grey!
If you’re unsure, test a small weft first before doing the entire set.
Back to the Hair Color Formula…
Q: Why are you using a light color like level 6 to make dark roots? Why not put a level 5 or 4?
I always go one shade lighter than the color I am trying to achieve. You never know how porous bleached processed hair can be. It grabs the hair color rather quickly. I would rather it be too light and go darker a second time around than have it be too dark the first time.
Level 7 is a dark blonde, but it usually ends up looking like light brown if it takes really well. Wella Demi Color Gloss 6G is a golden blonde. So it’s a perfect blend to get a light brown shade.
If you need to go darker, like a level 5 medium brown or 4 dark brown, just go one level above what you want, but make sure it’s a “warm-golden shade”. You can always color it again to get a darker color.
TIP: When coloring human hair wefts, you never know how the hair may react because you do not know how it was processed. Once you get the perfect shade color mix, write it down and save it for next time.
Color Formula to Color Blonde hair Brown
Colors Needed for this Tutorial:
- Wella Color Charm Demi permanent Gloss #6G (you can go darker if needed, but stay in the “golden” shades of color, ex., medium golden brown).
- Wella Color Charm Developer 10 volume
- Blue base color additive corrector
Wella Color Charm Demi Color Gloss Mix is 1:2, which means 1 part hair color gloss to 2 parts developer. Mix 1/2 oz of #6G with 1 oz of 10 volume developer.
Add a tiny 1/4 pea-sized or smaller drop of blue color additive to the color.
Remember, a little color additive goes a long way. Less is more. Mix to blend the color solution well. Apply to hair.
If you can’t find Wella Color Charm Demi colors, you can also try other Demi-permanent hair color brands in the shade 6 Dark Golden Blonde.
Color the Roots of Human Hair Hair Extensions
SUPPLIES:
- Demi Permanent Hair Color (as discussed above)
- Peroxide Developer
- Color Application Brush
- Mixing Bowl
- Gloves
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Lay an old towel or trash bag down on a large surface to work on.
- Lay the wefts out into rows. I rolled up the ends so I wouldn’t get any color on them. See pic below.
- Put on the gloves and use your tint brush to apply the dye to the top 1 to 2 inches of the extension wefts. For longer roots, just paint the color longer, lower onto the weft.
Paint the color on quickly, or do them in small batches, because the wefts will process fast and be ready to wash them out in around 5-7 minutes.
- Fold the wefts in half and rinse the wefts from the hair color to the base.
WARNING: Do not let the water run down the shaft of the hair, it will darken the ends.
- Shampoo and rinse the base/root area, only leaving the ends of the wefts alone. Or wash the whole weft after shampooing the color out of the roots or the top of the weft.
- Let them air dry, and they are ready to use!
Add Your Newly Colored Wefts to a Wig or Topper
Sew in wefts to add volume or length!
Adding dark roots to your blonde extensions is such a simple trick to make them look more realistic and easier to blend with your natural hair. It adds depth, dimension, and a little bit of edge, all from the comfort of your own home!
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