BEFORE and AFTER: Brassy Hair

The never-ending brass battle and what I found that works!

Jun 22, 2025

Before we talk about brassiness, let’s rewind to a time when many of us intentionally turned our hair orange. Remember Sun-In? That lemon-scented bottle of chaos? We’d spritz it on like perfume, cue up our Discman, and sprawl out in the backyard sun, convinced this was our shortcut to California blonde. What we got instead? Crunchy copper streaks, fried ends, and the unmistakable smell of scorched citrus and summer delusion.

These days, brassiness hits different.

It’s not just a misguided summer experiment, it’s a full-blown disruption. One glimpse of that warm tint creeping into your strands and suddenly, you're back in a version of yourself you thought you’d outgrown.

Except now, I’m a pro. I know what causes it. I know what to do.
And still... it shows up. Quietly. Persistently. Like hair’s way of reminding us that even beauty has its rebellious phases.

And it’s not just a blonde thing. My brunette clients feel it too. We’ll spend hours crafting the perfect cool-toned chocolate, and four weeks later they’re texting me: “Why does it look red now?”
The answer? Minerals. Heat. Water. Life.
Color fading into copper like a slow betrayal. And no, the lighting at Target definitely isn’t helping.

Fresh from the salon, you feel luminous, polished, grounded. Like the best version of yourself. But then somewhere between wash three and a stretch of dry shampoo survival, the glow starts to fade.
You catch that off-tone glint and think, When did I become an orange creamsicle?

It feels personal. Like your hair has shifted a few shades away from your best hair day.

This is one of the most common things I hear behind the chair, and one of my own ongoing battles. Even with a dialed-in routine and 25 years of experience, brassiness still sneaks in. After vacation. After a week of topknots. After life happens.

So I’m always testing. Always chasing that unicorn product that can stretch the time between toners. Something that feels like care, not correction.

Because brassiness isn’t a failure. It’s chemistry. It’s buildup. It’s mineral-heavy water, UV exposure, heat styling, pH shifts. It’s life.

But when it shows up, it messes with more than just your color. It shifts something in how you see yourself. Not broken. Just a little off tone. A little dulled.

So I do what I always do. I clarify. I reset. I go full hair nerd.
And if you’re there too, you’re not alone.
Let’s get you back to feeling like you. Just with better lighting this time.

Which brings me to my recent discovery: the Clarifying Hard Water Scalp Treatment, the the Clarifying Shampoo, and Conditioning Mask from Act+Acre, the brand founded by trichologist and fellow Substacker Helen Reavey (whose newsletter Between Washes is a smart, generous deep dive into all things scalp and strand).

I’ve followed Helen for years. Her knowledge is clinical, but her delivery feels like you’re texting with your friend who just happens to have a degree in scalp science. When I saw her products were designed to remove hard water buildup, a major culprit in the kind of brassiness I see in clients (and my own reflection), I had to try.

The Test

I had just come off a trip. A week of Mediterranean sun, salty hair, and mineral-heavy showers. My brunette highlights looked dull, brassy, and a little lifeless. The roots felt coated. The ends, kind of defeated.

So I went all in. Full reset mode.

I started with the Clarifying Hard Water Scalp Treatment, mixing the powder into a paste and massaging it into my scalp and hair until it felt like everything lingering on my strands had been stirred up. After rinsing, I followed with a double cleanse using the Clarifying Shampoo, working from the nape of my neck upward. Finally, I smoothed on the Conditioning Hair Mask and let it sit while I cleaned up the chaos around me (read: my toddler’s bath toys). Then rinsed.

Here is a video of my experience:

And here’s what I noticed:

My scalp felt clean, not stripped. Like it could breathe again.
The brassiness? It was a significant improvement after just one wash. I'm writing this a few weeks later after having tested it again and again and it truly delivers! My hair looks noticeably brighter, clearer, and that orange dreamsickle was gone without having to get a toner for my highlights.
The texture changed. My strands weren’t weighed down or squeaky. Just… clean.

No fake purple tone masking. No rough, over-cleansed feel. Just a real, visible difference that held up through the next few days of styling.

How to Use the Act+Acre Reset + Repair Clarifying System

Here’s the rhythm that’s worked for me:

Clarifying Hard Water Scalp Treatment: This one’s the pre-game. Once a week (or after travel or a product-heavy week), I mix the powder into a creamy paste, massage it into my wet scalp and roots, and let it sit for about three minutes. It’s a detox moment—but gentle. Then rinse.

Clarifying Hard Water Shampoo: This is the follow-up cleanse. I apply it to soaking wet hair, starting at the nape and working upward. I always do two rounds to get that real clean feeling without stripping. It’s clarifying, not punishing.

Conditioning Hair Mask: After the shampoo, I work this through mid-lengths to ends. I usually leave it on for 2–5 minutes while I do the rest of my shower routine. When I have time, I leave it in for 20 minutes and wrap my hair in a warm towel. Either way, my hair feels balanced again—hydrated, soft, not slippery or coated.

This whole routine takes less than half an hour, but it hits reset on my tone, texture, and scalp in a way that feels both low-lift and luxurious.

My BEFORE is the top left and my AFTER is bottom right. You can see how much more vibrant my highlights are and how much less brassy my hair is overall.

Reset + Repair Overview

This isn’t a miracle. It’s maintenance that actually works and feels good to use. The Act+Acre Reset + Repair system is basically a three-step comeback story for tired, coated, dull hair.

Here’s the promise, based on what I’ve seen in the mirror:

Day 1: Hair feels like itself again. Lighter. Cleaner. Less "ugh”. Less creamsickle.
Day 15: The shine comes back. So does softness. That subtle swish when you move your head? It’s back, too.
Day 30: Your hair is no longer clinging to its past life (or the buildup from your last vacation). It’s stronger, healthier, and way more manageable.

Clarify, hydrate, strengthen. In that order. It’s not about stripping down—it’s about starting fresh.

Why It Works

Let’s talk chelating agents for a second, because they’re the unsung heroes of this whole reset. Unlike standard cleansers that just remove surface dirt or oil, chelating agents go deeper. They bind to stubborn minerals like calcium, magnesium, and copper (the kind that live in hard water or chlorine-filled pools) and lift them off the hair so they can actually rinse away. It’s like sending in a cleanup crew with tiny magnets.

Why does that matter? Because minerals distort your tone. They stick to the cuticle, dull the shine, and push blonde or brunette color into that dreaded brassy zone. So while this shampoo is clarifying, it’s also protecting your investment in your color—by getting rid of the stuff your regular wash can’t touch.

Now, here’s what makes this treatment lineup different:

Clarifying is one of the most underrated moves in hair maintenance. But most people either overdo it (weekly is not necessary for everyone) or are afraid to try because they’ve had a bad experience with drugstore options that leave the hair dry and crunchy.

What makes this treatment lineup different:

The Clarifying Hard Water Scalp Treatment lifts away hard water mineral buildup at the root, helping restore scalp clarity and removing the dulling residue that often leads to brassiness. Note: This step is not recommended for vibrant color-treated hair (such as red or fashion tones). Always patch test first if your color is high-maintenance.
The Clarifying Shampoo uses chelating agents to remove minerals and product buildup without drying or damaging the cuticle. It is safe for color-treated hair.
The Conditioning Hair Mask restores softness and hydration, balancing out the detox so hair feels healthy, not stripped. Also color-safe.

Being intentional with how and when you clarify matters, especially if you have color-treated hair. For most, this system offers a safe, effective way to restore tone and health. Just skip or patch-test the scalp treatment if you’re working with high-maintenance color.

This isn’t a silver bullet (spoiler: nothing is). But if you:

Have hard water at home
Use a lot of dry shampoo or styling product
Live in a sunny climate
Have highlights or balayage

…then this reset might be your new ritual.

And if you’re ready to try it for yourself, Act+Acre generously offered a 20% off code!

Use code BEAUTYUNDRESSED20 at checkout.

Xo,

Sunnie

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