How to remove hair dye at home. 5 proven ways

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

A life hacker asked a colorist how to get rid of an unwanted shade with a lightening powder and whether folk methods work.

What is hair dye remover

Human hair color depends on the ratio of melanin pigments. Eumelanin prevails in brown-haired women and brunettes, while redheads and blondes have more pheomelanin. In hairdressing, this is referred to as a depth-of-tone (TOT) level.

A rare woman is satisfied with the natural balance of melanins. In search of the perfect look, we constantly paint and repaint. To change the color of your hair, you need to remove the pigments present in it. If chemical paint is used, ammonia or its substitute monoethanolamine "clears" the place for the cosmetic pigment. If natural, organic acids work.

During the dyeing process, the hair acquires a so-called lightening background (FF, dominant residual pigment). This is the color of the melanins that are still in the hair.

When the cosmetic pigment accumulates too much and it already sits very tightly in the hair, repainting does not give the desired result. If, when painting, the shade lays unevenly or does not like it, you need to return to the lightening background, that is, make a wash.

Washing off (or, as the professionals say, pickling) is the removal of cosmetic pigment from the hair and return to the base color.

Flushing is not an independent procedure. This is not a hair mask. You cannot destroy the dye molecules without giving anything in return. If, after pickling, you do not dye your hair, voids will remain in them, and due to excessive porosity, they will break.

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Is it always necessary to rinse hair dye

Washes are often confused with bleaching, as both bleaching powder and oxygen are commonly used. But these are two different concepts.

Decapitation is a rollback to the base color, and lightening is a change in the UGT for subsequent toning in the desired shade. Let's look at an example.

A girl with a tone depth of 8 decided to become dark blond, that is, go down to 6. She painted, but the result in the mirror disappointed her. To return to the previous color, she needs to remove the cosmetic pigment that she does not like, that is, to make a wash. After pickling, she will be able to give her hair the desired shade.

But if the same girl, after unsuccessful staining, wants to become an ash blonde, then there is no point in doing a wash. It is necessary to destroy the old cosmetic pigment and the remnants of melanin, raising the UGT to 10. In this case, clarification is done.

What are the washes

1. Alkaline … They imply the destruction of a cosmetic pigment with a lightening powder with an oxidizing agent or special professional formulations. Effective, but require strict adherence to technology.
2. Acidic … They are made by folk or professional remedies that contain acid. More gentle, but poorly cope with dark hair dyed with household and vegetable dyes.

Hairdressers and colorists do not accept home pickling, especially with specialized products or powder. When working with professional products, you need to take into account many nuances: from proportions and exposure time to neutralizing the reaction. But, unfortunately, these nuances can be missed in the cabin. If you decide to wash with professional products at home, study the hardware very carefully and be prepared for surprises.

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1. How to wash off hair dye with lightening powder

Prepare the mixture

You will need a dust-free bleaching powder and 1.5% oxygen.

The amount depends on the length of the hair. For example, a medium length requires 30 g of powder and 150 ml of oxygen.

The ratio of ingredients is from 1: 5 to 1: 7. For example, if your tone depth is 9 or 10 and the unwanted shade is not too deeply ingrained, you can dilute the powder in a ratio of 1: 6 or 1: 7. If your UGT is 7 or 8, or too much unwanted pigment has accumulated, do 1: 5.

The specific proportion depends on what the previous coloring was done, how darkened the base is and what the general condition of the hair is. Therefore, it is best to contact an experienced master in a beauty salon. But if you decide on a home wash with a powder, remember: the more oxidizing agent, the less aggressive effect on hair.

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Separate a small section at the back of your head and apply some of the mixture to it. If there is no discomfort and the curl brightens, proceed to the next step.

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Apply the composition to your hair

Apply the freshly prepared mixture in a thick layer to clean, dry hair. Move from roots to tips. Do not spread the mixture with a comb, but apply it to each strand.

Keep it on for up to 15 minutes. Monitor your reactions at all times. If your hair has lightened after 5-7 minutes, go to the next step immediately.

Some girls wash with a powder, adding water or the so-called American shampoo. This is pointless, since the pH of the composition and the stability of the reaction are disturbed, which does not have the most positive effect on the quality of the hair. Salons sometimes use American shampoo to remove fresh, literally just applied dye if the client is not happy with the result.

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Wash off

Wash off the mixture with a cleansing chelating, i.e. alkaline shampoo (pH - 7 or more). This product is sold in hairdressing stores. It is not cheap, but it is used very sparingly.

Regular shampoos, even sulfate shampoos, are not suitable for neutralizing highly alkaline products such as oxygenated powder.

Complete the reaction

Use a neutralizing shampoo with a pH of 5 or less. You can also find it in specialized stores.

Apply balm or mask. The most nutritious thing you have.

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2. How to wash off hair dye with coconut oil

Prepare the oil

For medium-length hair, you need 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil. You can use olive or sunflower, but coconut is more effective.

Unrefined virgin coconut oil works due to its saturated fatty acids, especially lauric acid. It penetrates very deeply into the hair shaft and perfectly destroys the polymer bond of the dye. It is best if the coke oil is certified globally (e.g. USDA Organic, EcoCERT, BDIH, and so on).

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Melt the butter in a water bath or on a radiator until it is thin and clear.

Apply oil to hair

Apply liberally to dry hair, from roots to ends. If styling products have been used, wash your hair first.

Wait

Tie your hair in a bun, put on a shower cap and walk for 2-3 hours. To enhance the effect, you can additionally apply heat by wrapping your head in a towel or blowing a hairdryer.

It takes quite a long time for the oil to penetrate into the deeper layers of the hair. Therefore, you can safely leave the oil compress overnight.

Rinse off the oil

Then wash off the oil with a cleansing shampoo or regular shampoo. Finally, apply a nourishing balm.

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If the paint is not completely washed off, repeat the procedure.

3. How to wash off hair dye with sour cream

Apply sour cream to your hair

Treat hair generously with greasy sour cream (15–20%). For an average length you will need about 200 g. For long ones - 400-600 g.

Animal fats and lactic acid effectively break down the cosmetic pigment in the hair. The latter also works as a peeling, and a clean scalp is one of the essential components of hair health.

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As an alternative to sour cream, you can use kefir or fermented baked milk. But their fat content, and hence their effectiveness, is lower. And this is inconvenient - too liquid.

Wait

Pull your hair into a bun or ponytail and put on a shower cap. Keep 2-3 hours.

Wash off

Rinse off with a cleansing or regular shampoo, apply balm.

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4. How to wash off hair dye with lemon juice

Pure citric acid should not be applied to the head: it can cause burns. But you can make a mask with it.

Prepare the mixture

• juice of 1 lemon;
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
• 1 egg;
• 2 teaspoons of honey.

Squeeze lemon juice, strain. Add olive, burdock, or other vegetable oil of your choice. Break the egg, pour in the honey. It contains many organic acids that enhance the brightening effect and exfoliate dead cells on the scalp. Mix everything with a fork or whisk until smooth.

Apply the mask and wait

Spread the mask over the entire length of the hair, wrap it in plastic. To enhance the effect, you can wrap your head in a towel. Keep it for 1-2 hours.

Wash off

Rinse off with plenty of water.

Sometimes mayonnaise is used for washing. There is also citric acid, but its concentration is so low that the effect is unlikely to be.

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5. How to wash off hair dye with aspirin

Acetylsalicylic acid can get rid of not only the temperature, but also the unwanted shade on the hair. It is especially good at neutralizing green colors that may appear after visiting the pool.

Prepare the mixture

• 1 liter of warm water;
• 10 aspirin tablets.

Crush the acetylsalicylic acid tablets.

Dissolve the resulting powder in water.

Use as a rinse aid

Rinse your hair with this solution every time you wash and before applying the balm.

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What you need to remember

1. A wash is necessary if you are unhappy with the staining result or want to bring back your lightening background.
2. An alkaline wash is best done in the salon, so that the master correctly calculates the proportions of the blonde composition and carries out the procedure.
3. If you are not afraid of experimenting and have already worked with clarifying powder, try washing at home. Just do not forget to tint the curls with a chemical dye after that (no henna and basma!).
4. Do not dilute bleaching powder and oxygenate with water or shampoo.
5. If you have very dark hair, use a gentle acidic wash. Coconut oil, sour cream, lemons, and aspirin work great.
6. To say goodbye to unnecessary cosmetic pigment, you will probably have to do a wash with folk remedies more than once.
7. Be prepared that folk recipes may be powerless against some dyes.