Hair dye fails are a part of life. You thought those rainbow hues or green-tinged stripes would look great on you. But when you actually dyed your hair, you wanted to get rid of it immediately! Does this sound familiar?
First, let's applaud you for your boldness. There is nothing wrong with experimenting. Especially, if you do it with semi-permanent colors that can easily be taken off.
If you’re rethinking your new hair dye, here’s how to remove the color from your hair and take your tresses back to their former glory, without burning a hole in your pocket.
Highlights:
- How To Remove Hair Color With Dandruff Shampoo And Baking Soda?
- How To Remove Hair Color With Hydrogen Peroxide?
- How To Remove Color From Hair With Dish Soap?
- How To Remove Color From Hair With Crushed Vitamin C?
- How To Remove Hair Color With Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse?
- How To Remove Color From Hair With Hot Oil?
- How To Remove Color From Hair With Lemon Juice?
- How To Remove Color From Hair With Bleach Baths?
Disclaimer :
Using the below methods will help fade only semi-permanent hair color. If you’re unhappy with the results of permanent hair color, it’s best you consult a specialist. Anecdotal evidence backs the following methods and suggests they may help fade/remove the color.
How To Remove Hair Color With Dandruff Shampoo And Baking Soda?
Anti-dandruff shampoo works like magic when you want to remove unpleasant tones from your hair. A couple of rinses with anti-dandruff shampoo and some baking soda will lessen any colors lingering around from your last session.
Each time you shampoo, let the mixture remain on your hair for a few minutes. Then wash it off with warm water.
However, this method can dry your hair out. So it’s important that you deep condition your hair every time you wash to ensure you revive your hair back to its original health.
SkinKraft Tip:
Use the deepest conditioning possible and leave it in for a few hours.
How To Remove Hair Color With Hydrogen Peroxide?
One of the key ingredients in permanent hair dyes is hydrogen peroxide. Its presence helps lighten the hair. The cortex is where you’ll find most of the hair's pigment, which gives hair its natural color. And it’s where hydrogen peroxide does most of its work.
Typically, these dyes turn your tresses into lighter tinges before you add another shade of dye. For example, dark brown hair transforms into a reddish hue.
Steps:
- Combine half hydrogen peroxide and half water in a spray bottle.
- Before you’re ready to dye, it’s best to shield your skin and hair with some petroleum jelly and use gloves for your hands as hydrogen peroxide can be mildly irritating to the skin.
- Spray a small amount first just to ensure you’re not allergic. If there’s no reaction, you’re good to go.
- Cover your shoulders and neck with a towel that you can soil.
- Then spray the solution onto your hair and let it sit for anywhere between fifteen minutes to one hour.
- Lastly, wash your hair out. It’ll take a few times before you see results.
How To Remove Color From Hair With Dish Soap?
Just like how dish soap effortlessly breaks up oil on dishes, it will perform similarly on your hair. The only caveat with this approach is to beware of desert-dry locks.
Use it just like a shampoo. But remember, you’ll have to do many washes with this method before color fades out.
Since this method is extremely drying, you will need a good dose of hydration and conditioning every time.
Tip:
For an extra boost, add some baking soda into the dish soap.
How To Remove Color From Hair With Crushed Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is considered to be the most non-abrasive and safest option to remove dyes, especially dyes that run on darker shades. Vitamin C contains acids that oxidize the color molecule and loosen up the colors held in your hair.
Steps:
- Take a bunch of Vitamin C tablets and crush them until they become powdery.
- Add just enough hot water to this powder to make it into a thick paste.
- Immediately apply this mixture onto your hair.
- This can get messy, keep a towel handy.
- Leave it on for 10 to 30 minutes after which rinse it off and follow up with a deep conditioner.
- You can also try a mixture of Vitamin C powder and anti-dandruff shampoo.
Note:
The powder form dissolves faster than the tablets.
How To Remove Hair Color With Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse?
What creamer is to coffee, apple cider vinegar is to hair. You don’t necessarily need it, but once you try it, it’s likely you won’t go back!
Apart from alleviating a dry scalp, controlling frizz, removing dulling residue from hard water, eliminating product buildup, detangling, adding shine and reducing hair loss, it also strips hair dye.
Steps:
- For longer hair, 1/2 tablespoon in one cup of water is a good ratio.
- Once you shampoo your hair, pour this concoction over and then rinse with plain water.
- While it does not remove permanent hair color, it can change the shade or lighten the color. You may have to do it a few times to get results.
How To Remove Color From Hair With Hot Oil?
Hot oil is an effective and natural way if you want to fade your hair color as well as condition your hair.
Steps:
- Take the oil of your choice (almond oil, coconut oil or olive oil) and warm it up just a little.
- Massage this warm oil evenly onto your roots and tips.
- After you’ve thoroughly massaged it in, wrap your hair in a clean towel and leave it on for a few hours or overnight.
- When you shower, shampoo with an anti-dandruff or clarifying shampoo.
How To Remove Color From Hair With Lemon Juice?
Lemon juice is full of citric acid, which reacts with oxygen and lightens your hair. Yes, it is a natural highlighter for your locks!
While this works well for blonde and brunette ladies to get a sun-kissed hair look, patience is the key for raven-haired beauties. Before you begin, keep in mind that this works best on unwashed hair.
Steps:
- Depending on the length and volume of your hair, squeeze the juice of a few lemons into a spray bottle.
- In a 2:1 ratio, add in the conditioner of your choice or water. Shake it up and mix it well.
- Apply all over your hair or on sections of your hair that you want to lighten.
- The sun’s UV rays trigger the lightening process so head out for direct exposure and spend at least 1-2 hours in the sun.
- After a few hours in the sun, you can hop into the shower and rinse your hair with lukewarm water.
- For added nourishment, use a deep conditioner and leave it on for 10 minutes before you rinse it off.
A few things to note with this method are:
- Don’t forget sunscreen for your body.
- Rather than store-bought juice, buy fresh lemons and squeeze the juice.
- You need multiple sessions before you see results.
How To Remove Color From Hair With Bleach Baths?
While this method resolves your hair color issues, it may also be slightly more damaging than the others. So try it only as your last resort if other methods don't work.
Steps:
- Mix shampoo and bleach power in an equal ratio.
- It’s best you start with a strand test first to make sure your hair doesn’t end up being over-processed.
- Leave it on for up to 30 minutes, checking every 5 minutes.
- Wash your hair.
Note:
Bleach lightens any undesirable color as well as also affects natural hair. So if you have balayage or highlights, steer clear from this method. Always take the necessary precautions when you deal with bleach to safeguard your eyes, skin, clothes and surroundings.
SkinKraft Tip:
You can get creative with the above concoctions and mix in herbs, essential oils and other fragrances. Some ingredients like chamomile oil not only help strip the color off but also smell great! The choice is yours, have fun mixing!
Wrapping Up
It’s best to research the hair color before you dive into it. But when mishaps occur, don’t worry. Just peep into your pantry and whip up a few ingredients and you’re ready to start the processing of removing your hair color. More than hair dye fails, it’s best to arm yourself with knowledge on how to remove color from hair.
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