Correcting my disastrous hair color with Topchic 8NA/8A?

So, they just used a colour to remove the brown? They knew it was a dye?

The issue is not totally that they used a gold shade, but that the brown dye will have left behind red tones. They should have used a colour remover (not a stripper) first. Also, colours aren't actually designed to lift artificial colour which will have made the situation worse.

I don't know either of those dyes I'm afraid, but for starters, what country are you in?

Thanks for your reply!

I am not exactly sure what they used, the conversation was in German and could be translated either as "color-stripper" or "color-remover", although I assume the latter, because they did talk about removing it, but that they couldn't leave it on long enough to remove all of the dye, since it would damage my hair too much (and that I should come back in 3-4 months for round 2).

In that pic from the back, you can clearly see 3 colors: the top color, which is the part of my hair *without* the old dye, and then 2 different colors underneath corresponding to my last two dye jobs before I went to the salon (they were slightly different colors, the upper one was a bit of a reddish dark brown).

I am mostly concerned about the top part. The orange here cannot come from the old dye, since that is all new, previously undyed hair. My problem is that I can't tell how much of the orange is from the color itself (which seems to be a hazelnutty, orangeish tint to begin with, now that I've googled it) and how much is brassiness resulting from dyeing my natural ash brown a lighter color.

I live in Zürich, Switzerland. I grew up in this country, and yet have never gone to  a single salon that made me feel like they knew what they were doing. The simple fact that I have curls already seems to make them panic.
The salon I went to already cost 280 CHF (basically 280 dollars), if I want to go to a high-end salon, it looks like it will cost me 400+ (granted, this was together with a simple trim, but still). Btw, I asked them to trim all my split ends, they failed at that too. I came home and discovered lots of split ends still there.
At this point it would probably be cheaper to book a flight to Berlin or some other city near-by just to go to the hair dresser's.

if they were concerned about damage they used a stripper, which is basically weak bleach. Colour removers aren't damaging.
Use a good colour remover such as Colour B4, Decolour remover (not the stripper) etc You may have to order from the UK, we have the best colour removers. You will then need to lighten to the level above the final colour you want, so if you want a level 8 ash, you need to bleach to a level 9 and then tone to an ash shade
Really though you should go back to the salon and explain that you are unhappy with the result. then they can either try and correct it or offer a refund.
You are not alone in your experience though, this is exactly why most of us do our own hair.

ColourB4 seems to be sold in Germany, so I'm sure I could order it from there, or else from the UK. What would you suggest for my current hair? Use the Normal for the top part, Extra for bottom part? Or use Normal for both?

And does that mean I need to use bleach every single time I want to do my roots? They told me that I could just dye over my natural hair colour once it's restored, since the difference is not thaaat big. If I didn't think that was possible, I might never have started this process in the first place.

I know I should have gone back and said something, but I was too chicken. We don't have this culture of "customer is king". If you don't like it, you just take your business elsewhere. British and U.S. expats usually bemoan this fact loudly, how crappy customer service here apparently is, but we don't know any different, so it doesn't really enter our minds to complain, usually. Besides, she did show me the color on the color chart beforehand, and I agreed because I trusted her and it was very hard to tell what it would look like on me. So I guess to them it's my own fault.
And anyway, this was months ago. I definitely can't complain now.

I would just get the Extra strength, put it on the lengths first where the colour is darkest and on the roots last. (Or not at all if you are happy with the root colour, it is more about getting the old dye out of your lengths so it is even)
Keep it covered, keep it warm and leave on the full hour.
Then rinse like crazy with hot water, this is the most important step.
It may take enough colour out so you won't need to bleach at all.
You can probably get to the colour you want in one step with a permanent dye on your virgin re-growth as long as you aren't going more than two shades lighter. Permanent dyes don't have as much lift as bleach, so if you are going three or more shades lighter you should lift with bleach.

Edit - Wicked Pixie got there first!

We're in the UK, we don't have that culture either 🙂 I got back from the worst haircut on the planet a few weeks ago but still couldn't bring myself to complain.  Brits will bemoan bad service, but most of us won't do anything about it! We like to complain 😉 I'd say it's been too long now, going by the length of your roots (though I hadn't noticed them before!).

I'd just use the extra strength. Or use the extra strength on the bottom and then the normal all over. I don't think one go will do it. You can use it in quick succession though. It's drying, but as Wicked Pixie says, it's not damaging.

You would need to do your roots, but with a very low peroxide and not for long. A bleach bath could well be enough. That's less damaging than using the dyes. Then, you just tone each time. It'll give you a better look in the long run.

I am mostly concerned about the top part. The orange here cannot come from the old dye, since that is all new, previously undyed hair. My problem is that I can't tell how much of the orange is from the color itself (which seems to be a hazelnutty, orangeish tint to begin with, now that I've googled it) and how much is brassiness resulting from dyeing my natural ash brown a lighter color.

Sorry, I thought you meant the bottom half. On my screen that looks completely orange (a lovely shade though!).

Janineb, both sad and reassuring to know that we aren't the only ones. 😉

Sorry, I thought you meant the bottom half. On my screen that looks completely orange (a lovely shade though!).

That pic is probably not very color-accurate, it was taken on a mountain-top right in the glaring sun. The bottom part definitely has some orange-y tones, as any hazelnut type colour would, I guess, but it was the top part that I felt made me stick out like a traffic signal. Probably a combination of the wrong tone and slightly too light a shade (too much peroxide?)
I don't actually mind the bottom color, although it's not what I wanted originally. But the top part makes me feel like an oompa-loompa!

I will order 2 packs of ColourB4, then. Should I give my hair some time before dyeing it after the ColourB4 treatment, or does it not make any difference? I know it will dry out my already dry hair more, do you have any suggestions for hair treatments?

Sorry for asking so many questions, I'm just a bit clueless in this department. Never really did much with my hair except dye it dark and then leave it as is.

You need to be absolutely certain all the colour molecules are out before using anything with peroxide.
I would wait at least a week, and wash with shampoo a few times.
Alternatively you can use direct dyes straight away. Adore have great natural shades that you could mix if you want to make the top match the bottom instead of the other way round

OK, I will do that then and then hopefully be able to dye dark ash blonde after a week or two!

Thanks so much for all your answers, and help, Wicked Pixie and Janineb! I appreciate it so much!  *lovestars*