Removing Hair Color To Go Grey

By Rachel Lankester, Mutton Club Editor

If you’ve decided to ditch the dye and embrace your natural hair color, you have several options for removing hair color to go natural grey. Maybe you’re finally fed up of having to First, you could just let the dye grow out, but this is usually the least popular option! The Covid-19 pandemic forced many women to do that during the lockdown, but it’s far from ideal!

Secondly, you could cut your hair short so growing out the dye phase is that much quicker. Third, if you can get to a hair salon and can be bothered, you could work with your colorist to bring in more of your natural hair color gently over time using highlights for example. Finally, you could try stripping permanent hair color either in a salon or even at home. Fortunately, there are plenty of options to try for color removal, without causing hair damage.

‘Natural’ ways for removing hair color at home

We’ll start with some of the most natural methods, but be aware these may have limited impact if your dye has been in place for a while.

1.   Vitamin C Method

• Mix Vitamin C powder (you could mix up some Vitamin C tablets in a blender or put about 12 large pills in a plastic bag and smash them with a hammer!) with an anti-dandruff shampoo. (Suggested ratio: 10 teaspoons of Vitamin C powder in 40ml of shampoo.)
• Shampoo your hair using the mixture. Make sure to rub the strands between your fingers.
• Cover your hair and leave it for half an hour to two hours.
• Rinse.
• Use hair moisturizer/ treatment.

*This method works best if you do it within a few days of dying your hair. You will still see results after this timeframe, but the results may be minimal.

2. Baking Soda and Shampoo

• Use a 1:1 ratio of baking soda and shampoo (preferably dandruff shampoo.)
• Lather the mixture into your hair and leave it on for a few minutes.
• Rinse with hot water.

*You can do this for a few days or until the dye completely fades.

3. Vinegar

• Mix equal parts of plain white vinegar and water
• Massage the mixture into your hair and cover it with a shower cap.
• Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing.

4. Baking Soda and Lemon Juice (citric acid)

Mix equal parts baking soda and lemon juice. Leave the mixture on your hair for just a few minutes. Lemon can really dry and damage your hair, so remember not to leave it on for too long.

5. Epsom Salt and Baking Soda

Fill a bath with warm water, epsom salt, and baking soda, and let your hair soak in it. This only works for semi-permanent dye.

Less ‘natural’ ways of stripping hair color at home

A recommended anti-dandruff shampoo for fading hair dye is the Head & Shoulders Dandruff Shampoo, Green Apple scent (it also smells nice). (Slightly worrying what it does to non-colored hair potentially!) Unfortunately, this method is also drying on the hair, so deep conditioning your hair after washing with this is important if you want to properly restore your hair back to health.

Try using your deepest deep conditioner and leaving it in for a few hours between treatments with the anti-dandruff shampoo. On its own, it will also take multiple rounds that will gradually fade your hair bit by bit. To speed up this process, use the Vitamin C Method outlined above.

Hair dye strippers exist for permanent hair colors. You can use them on semi-permanent or demi-permanent hair dyes, but they are chemical processes that will be damaging to your hair. They can also smell like rotten eggs but one to maybe two rounds of this will have your hair looking like it’s just been bleached.

Alternative methods for stripping hair color at home

Some people swear by the following methods, but depending on your hair type and how long you’ve had the dye on, they are not usually as effective as those listed above. If nothing works for you, you can give some of these methods a try.

1. Dishwashing Soap: This works for semi-permanent hair dye, but it can be really drying.

2. Hydrogen Peroxide: To lighten hair color that is too dark, spray your hair with a mixture of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse.

5. Bleach and Shampoo: If you feel particularly daring, try mixing a little bleach in with your shampoo. This method lightens the artificial dye, but may also affect your natural color, so proceed at your own risk. You should test this mixture on a strand of hair first before doing your entire head. The bleach may be too strong and may cause permanent damage. Be careful if you decide to try this.

6. Bleach Powder and Water: Mix equal parts bleach powder and water. Pour through your hair and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse it out, and then shampoo and condition as normal.

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