Hair dye disasters will either turn you into a crying mess or will give you something to laugh about and then turn you into a crying mess. Thankfully, though, many natural remedies can help rectify this situation. 

As is known, hair dye can last for about a month before new hair grows out, which in some hair-dye-gone-wrong cases is considered a pretty long time to wait.

Dying your hair works by expanding the hair strand to allow the dye molecule to penetrate and attach to it. Removing this dye is achieved by breaking up this molecular bond and dissolving it, thus dissolving the dye.

Below are five natural and easily applied methods that can help remove the dye from hair effectively without waiting for the new hair growth.

Beauty, Hair and Makeup Online Instructors & Coaches 

Beauty, Hair and Makeup Online Instructors &amp; Coaches

Empty

A mix of shampoo and baking soda is a proven, effective way to remove hair dye naturally from hair. Anti-dandruff shampoo works best because it contains ‘Selenium Sulfide,’ a compound that helps lighten the hair.

Baking soda on its own is a potent cleansing material, and in this mixture, it also acts as a scrubbing agent. Its high alkalinity, however, can dry the hair out. So it’s essential to include deep-conditioning in your typical hair routine to revive the hair strands and keep them hydrated.  

Use a 1:1 ratio of shampoo and baking soda, in whatever quantity covers the entirety of your hair, and blend them until a thick paste-like texture is obtained.

Lather the mixture into the hair the same way you apply regular shampoo, and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Rinse off completely. This process can take a bit longer than regular shampoo rinsing due to the presence of baking soda.

Repeat for a few days until significant results are seen, and the dye fades off completely. 

Mixing Shampoo and Baking Soda

Vitamin C is a scientifically proven beneficial ingredient in most skin-care products, so it’s no surprise to find that vitamin C can also remove artificial dyes from hair.

The acidity of this vitamin oxidizes the dye and weakens its molecular bond with the hair strand. It’s a pretty non-abrasive method and works best if used after recent hair dying, a few days at most. It can still work if used later, but the results may be minimal and take a while to appear.

Mix crushed vitamin C tablets in hot water in a 1:1 ratio to form a paste.

Apply to hair and leave it on for an hour. Then, put on a shower cap to minimize the messiness of the situation.

Repeat the procedure twice a week until the color fades and satisfying results are obtained.  

Mixing Vitamin C Tablets and Hot Water

Vinegar is a constituent of many hair detoxifying products, where it preserves the hair’s smoothness and health. Moreover, it’s loaded with probiotics, making it an effective antimicrobial product for bacterial or fungal scalp infections.

One of the common uses of vinegar is removing dye from hair when mixed with water, though this process can take some time. You can’t rely on it for a complete makeover, after all. 

Mix white vinegar and hot water in a 1:1 ratio and let it cool down for some time.

Apply to hair and leave for 15 minutes while wearing a shower cap.

Repeat once or twice per week until the dye is removed from the hair.

Keep in mind that the vinegar's acidity might irritate the scalp if you're allergic to vinegar. In that case, go for a different hair dye removal method.

Sulfite reaction is also another adverse reaction that may occur, which results in losing moisture from the hair strands.

Also, vinegar produces a foul smell on hair. A good fix to this issue would be applying scented essential oils to the hair to deodorize. 
 

Mixing White Vinegar and Water

The citric acid found in lemon juice helps fade away the dye from the hair by reacting with the oxygen molecules and stripping away the dye molecules. You can combine it with baking soda, which also possesses cleansing and clarifying properties.

This method works best on light hair but will still work on darker shades at a slower rate. It’s also preferable to try this out on unwashed hair to get better results.

Freshly squeeze some lemon to get the juice, and then take a 1:1 ratio of lemon juice and baking soda to form a paste that will sufficiently cover all colored parts of the hair.

Wash hair thoroughly with shampoo and apply deep conditioning to prevent hair from drying out.

Repeat twice a week until achieving satisfying results.

Again, following this procedure, deep-conditioning is a must to help restore the lost moisture from the hair and keep it well-hydrated and healthy.

Mixing Baking Soda and Lemon Juice

This oil treatment will remove the dye from hair and work effectively as a strengthening hair conditioner and as a nourisher to the dehydrated hair follicles.  

Pick the oil of your choice (olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil) and heat ½ cup. If the oil becomes too hot to touch, allow it to cool for a few minutes.

Massage the warm oil onto the scalp and work it down towards the tips. Ensure the entirety of hair is covered evenly and heavily for optimal results.

Wear a plastic shower cap to trap the heat in and wrap a towel over it to prevent the oil from dripping everywhere and making a mess.

Leave the hair covered for an hour to allow oil to penetrate the hair, and then rinse using anti-dandruff shampoo or clarifying shampoo.

The anti-dandruff shampoo will help fade the dye thanks to the Selenium Sulfide compound present in it. 

How to Remove Hair Dye From Hair

Mixing Shampoo and Baking Soda

Mixing Vitamin C Tablets and Hot Water

Mixing White Vinegar and Water

Mixing Baking Soda and Lemon Juice

Using Hot Oil Bath

How to Remove Hair Dye From Hair

Mixing Shampoo and Baking Soda

Mixing Vitamin C Tablets and Hot Water

Mixing White Vinegar and Water

Mixing Baking Soda and Lemon Juice

Using Hot Oil Bath

Related Articles: