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Help - Need hair color fix

Posted: Feb 1, 2010

A few days ago I colored my hair black. The box said (and looked like it would be a soft black), and it turned out way blacker than I imagined (if that's possible). I usually go brown, but the reason I went black was to try to get back to as close as my natural color while the gray is coming in. I really didn't want to color my hair, however, between the brown I last colored it, the gray coming in, and the "soft" black that was mixed in with the gray I had too many colors going. Now it's so black looks like I just tarred my hair. Is there any fix to get it a little lighter? If I have to color again, is it safe to color about a week after you last color your hair? Not only that, but I'm embarrassed to go to the hair place where my DH and I get our hair cut. The girl has been trying to have me get her to color my hair. I really don't want to spend the money it would cost there, and now my hair is so horribly colored I'm just embarrassed.

;

Well... - MT in PA

[ In Reply To ..]
When I colored my hair black a few years back and hated it. I got a home stripping kit, which just made my hair orange and when I tried to dye it brown again, it was just black. I ended up just letting it go, and eventually it was half brown and half black (which was hidious) and I ended up going to the salon where they had to strip all the color out to re-dye it. When they did it, it worked. I only had a few spots of black left.

Black is the worst color to dye your hair if you end up hating it, I learned that the hard way! Its nearly impossible to get rid of. You could try a home hair stripping agent (I found my online somewhere) but you will probably have to go to a professional. Sorry I didn't have better news!

Mine worked because I left it on twice as long as the directions said - RubySoho

[ In Reply To ..]
I think the box said 30-45 minutes or something like that. I kept checking it while it was on, like when you highlight your hair and keep checking the streaks for lightness?

Anyway, I figured the worst that could happen if it broke off was I'd get a spiffy new hair cut (lolz!) but at least the black would be gone. I did get my hair cut a couple of weeks later, and the stylist worked around the blacker spots left in the back so that when the cut and style were done, it looked like it was SUPPOSED to be that way.

Some of those people are sheer magicians. Or I should say SHEAR magicians.

What if you were to highlight it with something like a - dark, reddish brown? -nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Go to a drugstore and get the color stripper... - RubySoho

[ In Reply To ..]
I've used it numerous times (I treat my hair like a fashion accessory). I can't remember how long it took, but it removed 80-90% of the black color except in the very, very back, where my hair was naturally darker.

Once that was done, I did the big no-no and double processed it by, as soon as my hair was dry, I put closer to the color I was moving up to on (a dark honey blond).

After that dried, I grabbed a cap and a frosting kit and put platinium streaks in it.

No hair damage, shockingly, but as you can see, the color stripper worked fine and I just carried on with business as usual. BTW, that entire process took me over 12 hours. OUCH. I'm avoiding going back to black just to avoid going thru that again.

Good luck!

What fixed mine - Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Same thing happened to me. Did some google research, and opted for using Prell shampoo, which is pretty harsh as shampoos go. I put it on my dry hair and let it sit for maybe 15-20 minutes, then rinsed it out. After it dried it was a little lighter, so I re-colored it with Nice 'n Easy in a light brown, and used some extra conditioner that comes with it.

The hair dresser said you can't use a lighter color dye - that it wouldn't work. She lied.

I completely agree! - wash rinse repeat

[ In Reply To ..]
A lot of that dye will wash out with shampooing a few times a day. Wait a week and re-dye.

Thanks to you too - I will follow your advice too - Ima goofball

[ In Reply To ..]
DH is going to wonder why I'm shampooing 5 times a day. HA HA.

I'm not sure I'm going to recolor (most likely I will so will wait another week). I wanted to get my color to it's most natural (which happens to be a soft black, or maybe its more like the darkest brown that almost looks black. Certainly not like this shoe polish color I have now. So if this strips all color maybe it it will just go to my natural color, then I can deal with the gray coming in. On a funnier note, I'd love to just dye my hair all gray so wouldn't have to "wait for it to come in", however, think DH would have a heart attack. LOL

Just a suggestion - RubySoho

[ In Reply To ..]
If you like black, have you looked at the Blue/Black and Purple/Black shades by Feria and Preference? GORGEOUS colors and no hard, dead black quality to them at all. I used the blue/black (can't remember the darned color name) for about a year and got so many compliments on it. It doesn't really look "blue" at all; it's more shiny and glossy than anything. I think there's also one now that is a deep red/black. All gorgeous and none of them harsh single-facet black you're suffering thru.

Anyway, figured I'd toss that one out there in case you weren't having any luck with the color stripping process, lol!

How did that work out, btw?

Thanks...I keep reading about Prell - Ima goofball

[ In Reply To ..]
I've read to use Loreal Color Zap, Loreal Effasol color remover, hot oil, coconut oil, Prell, shampoo for swimmer's hair, head and shoulder's dandruff. I also read mix equal amounts of baking soda and shampoo (I have the stuff to make hair look thicker, which they say washes out color faster). So I tried the b. soda and shampoo today because it's something I have here. Wednesday when I go out will get Prell shampoo. I'm very leery about the stuff that strips color as all I can think of is that my hair will turn orange. If I was 20 years old I could deal with that. At 50 I'd just look like a freak. LOL.

Thanks for the advise (and everyone else too). I'm going to try Prell and leave it on my dry hair and let it sit. Hopefully that will help.

Thanks again.

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