BEAUTY

How to Fix Bad Hair Dye Job: 5 DIY Treatments

ByZyanya James

Mar 01, 2021 04:22 AM EST

5 DIY Treatments to Fix Hair Coloring Mistakes

Credit : Sherise VD/Unsplash

Ever since Covid-19 has made trips to the salon a health risk, many people have taken to dyeing their hair at home. From simple root touch-ups, full dye jobs and experimenting with different shades, DIY hair coloring can be a hit or miss. For those who ended up with botched hair, don't panic. Here are several DIY treatments that can strip that unwanted color off your hair.

How To Fix Hair Coloring Mistakes

Whether it's to correct a bad hair coloring attempt or to finally get rid of that old brassy dye job, try these methods to strip hair color at home.

Clarifying Shampoo

Clarifying shampoos are meant to dislodge product buildup so it will also help with lifting hair dye. Best for semi-permanent hair dye, wash hair with a clarifying shampoo twice. The first wash is to remove dirt, oils and product and chemical buildup. For the second wash, remove excess water from hair and massage the shampoo into your hair.

Create a good lather then don a shower cap for 10 minutes. You can do this method daily or every other day to fade the unwanted color. However, using a clarifying shampoo can be very drying on hair. Make sure condition hair every time you do this. For enhanced results, InStyle suggests adding some baking soda to your clarifying shampoo in a one-to-one ratio.

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Vitamin C

Celebrity hairstylist Cheryl Bergamy tells Byrdie that using vitamin C is one way to safely strip hair dye at home. Vitamin C can help oxidize hair color by loosening dye molecules, shares Bergamy. You can try PURE Vitamin C Powder or Swanson Vitamin C Powder.

If you already have vitamin C tablets at home, just crush them up and mix them with warm water to form a paste. You can also mix the vitamin C powder with an anti-dandruff shampoo. Apply the mixture to your hair, massage and spread evenly then put on a shower cap for at least 45 minutes. Rinse well with warm water. Depending on your hair texture and the hair color used, you may need to do this several times for the color to start fading.

White Vinegar

Another option for semi-permanent hair dye is white vinegar. Aside from stripping color off hair, white vinegar also gets rid of dandruff and adds shine. Bergamy says it can help fade permanent hair color but won't completely get rid of it. Depending on your hair length, mix equal amounts of water and white vinegar apply evenly on hair. Cover hair with a shower cap for 20 minutes before you rinse the mixture out. If you're planning to do this more than once, Bergamy advices using a strengthening treatment to protect the bonds of your hair.

Dishwashing Liquid

Byrdie consultant Michelle Garwood says that the powerful cleansing agents in dishwashing liquid can remove hair color. However, it can be extremely drying. If you think it's worth the risk, lather dishwashing liquid into hair and let it stay for five minutes. Garwood suggests using a hair repairing treatment after every attempt to help with the drying side-effects.

Hair Bleach

As a last resort, you can use hair bleach to help fade your unwanted color. Just be aware that you may be risking hair damage with this method as you've already used a hair dye with chemicals. If the dye is truly stubborn, Naturally Curly suggests mixing bleaching powder into your shampoo and wash your hair with the mixture. Leave the lather on your hair for a few minutes and rinse. Byrdie recommends these professional hair bleaches: Clairol Professional BW2 Lightener or Wella Professionals Color Charm Powder Lightener. After this method, use a nourishing hair mask to save your hair from dryness.