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Get dark or tinted hair lighter again at home
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If you’ve recently dyed your hair, but it came out too dark, there are some effective home remedies and products you can try to lighten up the color. Try washing your hair with apple cider vinegar and water or baking soda and shampoo. While it won’t turn jet-black hair into blonde, it can lighten your hair a few shades. Use this guide for alternative hair color-removing options!
Things You Should Know
- Lighten dyed hair naturally with household items like apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, and lemon juice.
- Use store-bought hair color removers, like Color Oops, to lighten your hair to your desired color and redye with boxed dye or professional services.
- If your hair dye is too dark, combine equal parts of bleach, developer, and shampoo to create a mixture that may lighten your hair.
Steps
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow can you lighten your hair naturally?Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.Lemon juice and honey are gentle and effective lightening agents. Vinegar will also add natural highlights.
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QuestionCan you lighten your hair with box color?Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.You can lighten your hair with box dye only if it hasn't been previously colored. Follow the instructions on the box.
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QuestionCan you use toner on dark hair?Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.Toner is translucent and won't show up on dark hair colors. It is designed specifically for use on light hair.
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Tips
- Seek a hairstylist's advice if coloring damages your hair.Thanks
- Some stores sell color-removing shampoo or other products to help remove color.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- For dark hair colors, try pouring coffee over your hair and leaving the conditioner on for 10-15 minutes. It may help strip dark hair coloring.
- Add deep conditioning to the Vitamin C process to keep your hair smooth and healthy.
- Avoid using hydrogen peroxide in the sun. It can damage your hair follicles.
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References
- ↑ https://www.md-health.com/lightening-dark-brown-hair-dye.html
- ↑ Michael Van den Abbeel. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 7 January 2019.
- ↑ https://www.myhdhair.com/pages/applying-colour-remover
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0g7G3mT3mg&t=54s
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/hair/a47544/how-to-get-hair-dye-off-skin/
- ↑ https://theshade.com.au/colouring/lightening-your-colour-how-to-bleach-wash-your-hair/
- ↑ https://betternatured.com/blogs/the-good-clean-fun-blog/how-to-choose-the-right-hair-color-developer
- ↑ http://www.md-health.com/Lightening-Dark-Brown-Hair-Dye.html
- ↑ https://thegreendivas.com/2014/04/30/6-ways-naturally-lighten-dyed-hair/
- ↑ https://www.tomsofmaine.com/good-matters/natural-products/how-remove-permanent-hair-dye-naturally
- ↑ https://thegreendivas.com/2014/04/30/6-ways-naturally-lighten-dyed-hair/
- ↑ https://thegreendivas.com/2014/04/30/6-ways-naturally-lighten-dyed-hair/
- ↑ https://skinkraft.com/blogs/articles/how-to-remove-color-from-hair
- ↑ https://skinkraft.com/blogs/articles/how-to-remove-color-from-hair
About This Article
Article Summary
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To lighten dyed hair immediately after dyeing, take a hot shower and wash your hair with a non-color-safe clarifying shampoo. The hot water will open your hair cuticles and help to release the dye. After you've washed your hair, condition it thoroughly to avoid over-drying. If you are wanting to lighten dye that's been in your hair for a while, mix together baking soda and clarifying shampoo. Apply this mixture to your damp hair, letting it sit for 5-15 minutes before rinsing it out. For more ways to lighten dyed hair from our Cosmetologist reviewer, read on!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I colored what was to be medium blonde, but it turned out to be dark brown. Oops. So I turned to this site and was delighted to find instructions about using clarifying shampoo and baking soda, which I had on hand. Thank you for the help. Keep up the good job!" ..." more
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"I colored what was to be medium blonde, but it turned out to be dark brown. Oops. So I turned to this site and was delighted to find instructions about using clarifying shampoo and baking soda, which I had on hand. Thank you for the help. Keep up the good job!"
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"I'm surprised this worked so well! My hair had not been freshly-dyed and it still worked. I had a medium to dark brown because my hair was overprocessed and grabbed too much dye. It lightened a couple shades! A bit drying, but I used conditioner."
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"I found the article very informative. l tried to go back lighter after dying it dark. My roots are blonde, the rest didn't take, it's an light orangy colour."
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"I am so grateful. I'm 70 years old, so I have a lot of grey hair. This treatment worked great. Thank you very much. "
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"I appreciated having options when dealing with a question I asked, thank you."
