Im naturally a red head and i died my hair in black in 2011, is there anyway i can get it lighter without bleach

Jan 2, 2013

Piper W.

Im naturally a red head and i died my hair in black in 2011, is there anyway i can get it lighter without bleach

Jan 2, 2013

Piper W.

Just need anything to get it lighter!?

Jan 2, 2013

Keeley P.

Go to a salon. :)

Jan 2, 2013

Celine F.

My friend is a hairdresser she told me baby shampoo will lighten the color and tame it down.

Jan 2, 2013

Trisha Minela S.

apparently this works , but you have to do it a lot of times! raw honey with cinnamon and olive oil mix and leave for 1hr them put it in hair for 1hr rinse . it would probably work because your hair is dyed but i didnt see much difference on mine as it is natural black. (asian hair black)

Jan 2, 2013

Alli Rose G.

You can also wash it for about a week with a non color safe shampoo. Go for the cheapest you can find. It'll strip your hair color out pretty fast. You can also put dish soap in your hair for about 30 minutes to an hour then rinse. 

Jan 2, 2013

Liv R.

I have red hair too :) you need to go to the salon to get it normal and being in the sun should help it get lighter again. 

Jan 2, 2013

Alyssa U.

I would normally suggest going to a salon (they know what they are doing, less likely to ruin your hair) but in this case any regular stylist is going to do a "wash" and they will use bleach. I work directly under a stylist and this is what she did - (she was recommended this from another stylist friend) yes use a non-color protectant shampoo. But it should be called a clarifying shampoo! Go to your nearest health food/ vitamin store. Buy powdered vitamin c. You mix equal parts of powder and clarifying shampoo. I would do this at least a few times. And after about 3 washes it probably won't get any more color out. Then go to a salon and have it colored professionally. Black is the worst color to work with and it will take a lot of work to get back to what you were, but please don't try to do it alone. Best of luck!!! :)

Jan 2, 2013

Roxane C.

Depending on how long the color has been there, if its been dyed over on the ends more than once then the shampoos etc will not work. You can shampoo all day long with whatever you like an dry your hair like straw. My advice to you is if you can't afford a salon your risking major damage but you can lighten with "oops" it's sulfur based. It will not bring your natural color but to a base to apply a lighter color. The only way your gonna see your natural haircolor is to grow it out.. You need what's called color correction to keep your hair in stable condition while lifting the black out an I don't advise you do it alone...

Jan 2, 2013

Roxane C.

If you strip it on your own an it turns out wrong it will cost more an do more damage to your hair to correct it. 

Jan 2, 2013

Stephanie D.

Mmmm I guess it depends on what kind of dye you've been using. Some dyes will ONLY deposit color. Basically, the chemicals open the hair shaft and the dyes enter, then puff up so they can't be removed (super-short version). Odds are that with dying your hair black like that, that is the case.

The answer to your problem may be a round or two of Color Oops. I've tried it and it does work. If your hair has been lifted at any point, it will be a funny color and you'll have to tone it, but it will definitely remove some - or even all - of the deposited dye. You may have to do it twice.

Jan 2, 2013

Roxane C.

An color doesn't lift color, so plz dont try the blonde dye over black to go lighter... An remember this.., whatever process, chemical, or mess you apply to your hair on your own will affect the color outcome.. So many times I've seen ppl try to strip, apply lighter box dye, at home bleach, etc an wonder why the hair is falling out, going thin, not holding color, etc etc... An stripping yourself can actually MELT your hair.. Hair that actually holds water an wont dry.. Plz go to a stylists for color correction...

Jan 2, 2013

Roxane C.

I have yet in 20+ yrs to see anyone use a deposit only color that after a few washes see their natural hair...the only thing that's ever gonna remove that black dye is bleach. Even oops will only bring you to a lighter base color.. Dye will still remain in the hair shaft...

Jan 2, 2013

Stephanie D.

Roxanne, I didn't say it was going to take all the color out, and that she would probably have to tone it. The OP also didn't say she wanted her natural color or to go blonde. She said she wanted it a bit lighter. Oops will work fine for that.

I've been dying my own hair for about 13 years. I've had it black, red, blonde and every color in between. I'm not an idiot and my hair is in great condition. 

Jan 2, 2013

Roxane C.

Didn't call you an idiot, re read my thread dear... Your telling her to dbl process her hair with two separate chemicals.. I've been dealing with hair since I've been 18.. I'm 40. Count the years... 5 women in my family own salons, compete in hair shows yearly an I was raised crawling on a salon floor... So when I give advice it's on a professional standing not just my opinion dear... 

Jan 2, 2013

Marie-Claire M.

I'm a certified hairstylist and I highly recommend going to a hair salon. Trying to do this yourself might make you take two steps back instead of doing good to your hair. You risk frying your hair more than bleach would... Hair schools aren't always bad and they are a cheaper alternative. This is something a salon would charge over $100 to do. Be careful! :)

Jan 2, 2013

Roxane C.

Did I not mention oops twice??? Hmm...

Jan 2, 2013

Marie-Claire M.

Colour removers also aren't 100% effective. 

Jan 2, 2013

Roxane C.

Amen Marie...

Jan 2, 2013

Stephanie D.

Any chemical you put in your hair will damage it, regardless of whether or not you do it in a salon. Stripping color as well as bleaching it is more damaging than say - an ammonia free dye. I think anyone who regularly dyes their hair has an inherent understanding of that fact. If she bleached it, she would still have to double-process because it would inevitably turn her hair a variation of orange, which she would have to tone with an ash color which may or may not work out. Removing the color on her hair when her original hair has probably not been lifted (at least not by much) is a much better bet to get a "lighter" result, as requested, without getting all kinds of screwy intermediates. It may still have to be toned to get the color she wants, but it's still easier to do it that way.

Yeah, you can do this in a salon, and any good colorist would probably take that approach. I don't do it in a salon because my hair is very long and it costs a fortune for me to do so. Frankly, I've been more satisfied with some of my DIY jobs than with salon results.

Jan 2, 2013

Marie-Claire M.

Moral of the story Piper, coloring hair is a difficult process and sometimes there are different routes to takes to get to the same result. Ultimately this thread is only offers suggestions and please take them with a grain of salt. I hope whatever you chose to do works out for you!

Jan 2, 2013

Shannon W.

I am a cosmetologist. I would recommend trying hot castor oil to try and remove some of it. But, unfortunately, black box color will not entirely strip. If you go to a salon they will use bleach and will more than likely have to redeposit a color as close to your natural red as possible. 

Jan 2, 2013

Shannon W.

You can also try a clarifying shampoo ( suave makes a cheap one ) mixed with baking soda. Do this on dry hair an let it sit for a min before lathering up. 

Jan 2, 2013

Marily T.

Try the vitamin C conditioning! Look for videos on YouTube and you'll see that it works wonders :D it is not damaging to the hair and it you do it every few weeks it'll get you lighter every time and since its only to remove color it will leave your hair very close to your natural hair color, it is inexpensive and you can't go wrong with it unless you're allergic to vitamin C. I highly recommend it :)