My hair is greenish how can I get it to fade without using a lightener or Color Oops?

[jane_marie]

In the beginning of the year, I dyed over some henna with Arctic Fox Transylvania (aka a semi permanent blue black) for the most part the color has faded but there is still a noticeable swampy brown hue to it in the sunlight or when it's held against my computer screen for S&D. Try as I might, I can't seem to get a photo of the color but it annoys me nonetheless. According to my SO it is noticeable enough in real life.

I am curious if anyone has ideas for ways that I can get the remaining dye molecules to release without using a lightener or Color Oops... bonus points if it's good for my hair. :)

ETA: I do not want to dye over it.

ETA 2: I had thought that I made a post about this before but I cannot seem to find it. Sorry if this is a re-post.

[Obsidian]

Greens can be really hard to completely remove. Have ypu tried the vit C treatment? Its really the best way to fade fashion colors.
The only other thing would be to tone it. Pink neutralizes green but I have no idea what to use or how to apply it.

[jane_marie]

Greens can be really hard to completely remove. Have ypu tried the vit C treatment? Its really the best way to fade fashion colors.
The only other thing would be to tone it. Pink neutralizes green but I have no idea what to use or how to apply it.

I haven't gone the vitamin C route yet. I'm really worried that it is going to be drying. I'm at a spot where I am happy with the condition of my hair and I don't want to dry it out for fear of splits.

Have you used the vitamin C treatment before?

[Jo Ann]

I've used both, vitamin C mixed with anti-dandruff shampoo and baking soda mixed with anti-dandruff shampoo to get rid of semi-permanent hair dye. Yes, both are drying BUT a good deep conditioning treatment works to help restore your hair to it's former condition; it might take a couple of deep conditioning treatments, along with another co-wash, so be patient.

Another tip: After you wash out the shampoo mixture, shampoo again to get rid of any residue, especially if you used baking soda. Then do a co-wash and condition afterwards before doing a deep conditioning treatment.

Unfortunately, you might have to use a semi-permanent dye in the pink or red range, diluted with conditioner, to remove any green traces. After you wash out the dye, wash your hair with conditioner to get out any residual dye.

Unfortunately, the henna might not fade with any of these treatments and you might end up have to let it grow out; under NO circumstances try to bleach out the henna--the scare stories are legion with that approach.

[Obsidian]

I have used vit c multiple times, sometimes 2 or 3 times in one day trying to fade stubborn stains.

It does dry a little but I've never had permanent damage, not even when using it on bleached hair.
I wouldn't try baking soda, it doesn't work that good and its harder on hair.

I agree, make sure to wash with a gentle shampoo after washing out the vit c mix. You want all the residue out.

I use head and shoulders with a squirt of dish soap. I've had it completely pull out all color. I've also had blue that absolutely refused to budge, no matter how many times I tried.

[jane_marie]

I've used both, vitamin C mixed with anti-dandruff shampoo and baking soda mixed with anti-dandruff shampoo to get rid of semi-permanent hair dye. Yes, both are drying BUT a good deep conditioning treatment works to help restore your hair to it's former condition; it might take a couple of deep conditioning treatments, along with another co-wash, so be patient.

Another tip: After you wash out the shampoo mixture, shampoo again to get rid of any residue, especially if you used baking soda. Then do a co-wash and condition afterwards before doing a deep conditioning treatment.

Unfortunately, you might have to use a semi-permanent dye in the pink or red range, diluted with conditioner, to remove any green traces. After you wash out the dye, wash your hair with conditioner to get out any residual dye.

Unfortunately, the henna might not fade with any of these treatments and you might end up have to let it grow out; under NO circumstances try to bleach out the henna--the scare stories are legion with that approach.

Alright, thanks for the help. I know I'll never get the henna out. I was lucky enough to fade the henna using advice from Nightshade but I know the rest will need to grow out.

I guess now that I think about it the green sheen is more flattering on me than the henna color I dyed over. Plus, I have promised myself not to color it (even with another semi) because I don't like the straightening effect of dye. Perhaps I would be happier if I left the green there.

...:shrug:

[florenonite]

Alright, thanks for the help. I know I'll never get the henna out. I was lucky enough to fade the henna using advice from Nightshade but I know the rest will need to grow out.

I guess now that I think about it the green sheen is more flattering on me than the henna color I dyed over. Plus, I have promised myself not to color it (even with another semi) because I don't like the straightening effect of dye. Perhaps I would be happier if I left the green there.

...:shrug:

Might be a good idea to leave it a few weeks and see if it's still bothering you. My hair is noticeably lighter for the bottom 5-6", a combination of switching up my henna mix to reduce fading and some damage/bleaching from very hard water, and while it's really noticeably when my hair is loose in indirect sunlight, I haven't bothered hennaing those ends because a) they've got splits and are longer than my undershave, so it's only a matter of time before they come off and b) I wear my hair up most of the time, so they're tucked away into a bun instead of on display.

As you say you did this at the start of the year, I'm guessing your roots and most of what's visible around your face when you put your hair up is your virgin hair, so while the bun might be a bit greener it'll at least be largely out of sight to you.

[jane_marie]

As you say you did this at the start of the year, I'm guessing your roots and most of what's visible around your face when you put your hair up is your virgin hair, so while the bun might be a bit greener it'll at least be largely out of sight to you.

This is a fair point. All of the styles I wear are placed as high as possible (otherwise I get migraines). So, when it's up everything until the bun is my virgin hair.

https://i.imgur.com/TMw601a.jpg?1
(bad pic but... :shrug:)

I really should just try to ignore it. maybe in a year or two the pigment will fade off entirely. :pray:

Like I said it'd hard to photograph but I tried for reference sake. Can you see it?
https://i.imgur.com/ylCNAks.jpg?1

I feel insane being so bothered by it and not being able to capture it in a photo. It's maddening. lol

Part of me had hoped someone would tell me that a mixture of something like honey and oil would pull it out. What an optimistic fantasy! :lol:

[Jo Ann]

Jane-Marie, if I may, in the pictures you've posted, the green is hardly visible, if at all. You're correct--it might be the lighting and camera--but my experience is that what jumps out at YOU about you generally isn't that noticeable (if at all) to others.

Your "green" tinge is probably from the fading of AF's Transylvania reaction with the henna. Yes, blue can be a real PITA be rid of (and you do NOT want to know how I get it toned way WAY down), but it will fade eventually and you won't have that tinge. FWIW, clarifying shampoo and anti-dandruff shampoo (but not together!) fade even the most pigmented (stubborn) semi-permanent dye eventually, so just hang in there and keep on keepin' on. It does look like most of the Transylvania is out of there, so there's that working for you.

ETA: Have you tried a hot oil treatment? Those have been known to work to help remove semi-permanent dye, and it's not damaging to your hair. Sometimes it's the little things that work.

[jane_marie]

Jane-Marie, if I may, in the pictures you've posted, the green is hardly visible, if at all. You're correct--it might be the lighting and camera--but my experience is that what jumps out at YOU about you generally isn't that noticeable (if at all) to others.

Your "green" tinge is probably from the fading of AF's Transylvania reaction with the henna. Yes, blue can be a real PITA be rid of (and you do NOT want to know how I get it toned way WAY down), but it will fade eventually and you won't have that tinge. FWIW, clarifying shampoo and anti-dandruff shampoo (but not together!) fade even the most pigmented (stubborn) semi-permanent dye eventually, so just hang in there and keep on keepin' on. It does look like most of the Transylvania is out of there, so there's that working for you.

ETA: Have you tried a hot oil treatment? Those have been known to work to help remove semi-permanent dye, and it's not damaging to your hair. Sometimes it's the little things that work.

Hey Jo Ann.

I feel like it's probably pretty noticeable irl. My SO and mother have both made unprompted comments about it.

I have a 1/2 and 1/2 mix of honey and coconut oil on my head right now. I heated it up to as hot as my hands could stand before applying it.

ETA: it's been on three hours now. I was thinking about keeping it on another 2.

[Jo Ann]

I'm wishing you the best of luck, Jane-Marie!

I didn't mean to downplay your view, and you did admit that it doesn't show up well in pictures.

[jane_marie]

I'm wishing you the best of luck, Jane-Marie!

I didn't mean to downplay your view, and you did admit that it doesn't show up well in pictures.

Thanks! It didn't work but that's okay. It gave me something non harmful to do to my hair while I calmed down. Sometimes that's enough. :blossom:

[0xalis]

I can see the green, but I don't think it looks bad. It's kinda neat, actually, in my opinion! But I've had green hair sorta on purpose before (faded from turquoise), so I guess I am biased :p

[Kalamazoo]

Jane_marie, I think your hair looks lovely in the picture. I like the color. And in real life, green's one of my favorite colors. You could just tell everybody you did it on purpose, because you wanted to look like a punk rocker for a while. Or you could do a paranda or Frida braids with a paranda or scarf of a contrasting, complimentary color. Or multi-colored.)

I have never dyed my hair, but there are some herbal teas that give some red: rooibos, hibiscus, etc.

Amla darkens hair & increases curliness.
Neem oil combats "premature gray".
Walnut hulls are useful for dying brown.
Rosemary tea darkens hair.
Kalpi Tone darkens hair. It contains amla & neem leaves, among other excellent Indian herbs.
Black castor oil darkens.

The Kalpi Tone box says, "Take required quantity of Hair Pack, Add little water & mix well. For deep colouring effect, soak the powder in tea water in an iron bowl & keep it overnight." (I've never tried Kalpi Tone with the tea nor iron bowl, because I just want my grays to look my natural blondette.) Kalpi Tone comes in a box containing about a cup of powder. I use perhaps a heaping tablespoon per one of my hair masks. https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=150332&page=4&styleid=5

I've seen YT videos of people dying their hair with chocolate. I think it would work, but would take my hair darker than I want. If I were going to do it, I'd buy baking chocolate, to skip the other ingredients. Chocolate contains cocoa butter, & I know CB's definitely good for my hair!

Whatever you do, before you do it, decide in advance to be happy. Daddy always used to quote Abraham Lincoln, "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." (I miss Daddy so much!)

[jane_marie]

I can see the green, but I don't think it looks bad. It's kinda neat, actually, in my opinion! But I've had green hair sorta on purpose before (faded from turquoise), so I guess I am biased :p

Oh Oxalis... You have such a lovely attitude! If you weren't so far away I could hug you. :)


Jane_marie, I think your hair looks lovely in the picture. I like the color. And in real life, green's one of my favorite colors. You could just tell everybody you did it on purpose, because you wanted to look like a punk rocker for a while. Or you could do a paranda or Frida braids with a paranda or scarf of a contrasting, complimentary color. Or multi-colored.)

I have never dyed my hair, but there are some herbal teas that give some red: rooibos, hibiscus, etc.

Amla darkens hair & increases curliness.
Neem oil combats "premature gray".
Walnut hulls are useful for dying brown.
Rosemary tea darkens hair.
Kalpi Tone darkens hair. It contains amla & neem leaves, among other excellent Indian herbs.
Black castor oil darkens.

The Kalpi Tone box says, "Take required quantity of Hair Pack, Add little water & mix well. For deep colouring effect, soak the powder in tea water in an iron bowl & keep it overnight." (I've never tried Kalpi Tone with the tea nor iron bowl, because I just want my grays to look my natural blondette.) Kalpi Tone comes in a box containing about a cup of powder. I use perhaps a heaping tablespoon per one of my hair masks. https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=150332&page=4&styleid=5

I've seen YT videos of people dying their hair with chocolate. I think it would work, but would take my hair darker than I want. If I were going to do it, I'd buy baking chocolate, to skip the other ingredients. Chocolate contains cocoa butter, & I know CB's definitely good for my hair!

Whatever you do, before you do it, decide in advance to be happy. Daddy always used to quote Abraham Lincoln, "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." (I miss Daddy so much!)

Hi Kalamazoo.

This is all very interesting information... and I'm going to get a bit off topic here...

So JBCO and rosemary darken hair?

I switched over to a new wash day routine about a month ago. I ditched my sulfates and silicones, started using JBCO in my SMT treatments, and a tea rinse which includes rosemary because I have read it is good for shine which I was sorely missing after cutting out silicones. Altogether the tea rinse I have settled on has a variety of things from my garden: rosemary, rose, sunflower leaves, apple leaves, daylilly blooms, and mint. I started out with rose, rosemary, lavender and mint but then I decided to add the sunflower because one was damaged and after that I went ham because the smell of my yard makes me happy.

Simultaneously, I have been growing out my bleached/hennaed/semi dyed hair in favor of my natural hair. Lately, I have been noticing that my virgin growth is much darker than I had thought it was (almost black but not quite) and I was feeling pretty perplexed by it. Do you think the darker color might be due to the tea rinse and JBCO?

I'm feeling much better today. The coconut oil & honey thing didn't do a thing for the green but my hair does feel nice after sitting around with it on for 4 hours. :lol:

[Kalamazoo]

Lately, I have been noticing that my virgin growth is much darker than I had thought it was (almost black but not quite) and I was feeling pretty perplexed by it. Do you think the darker color might be due to the tea rinse and JBCO?

Yes.

https://wellnessmama.com/5112/natural-hair-dye/

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=98728

[Kalamazoo]

Nightshade wrote a great article, "Hair Coloring with Herbs, Plants & Other Natural Ingredients". http://web.archive.org/web/20111221105559/http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=2

[jane_marie]

Yes.

https://wellnessmama.com/5112/natural-hair-dye/

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=98728

Interesting! Mystery solved! Thank you so much!

[Kalamazoo]

It's fun to be of service. Ciao!