Hair dye not washing out

[Sara_1987]

I am dark blonde but dyed my hair medium brown a couple of months ago using L'Oreal Casting (supposed to wash out in 28 washes).

The color came out very nice. The first time I did it the color faded very fast (6 weeks maybe. I wash twice a week).
Then I used the same dye again but it's still hasn't washed out and this was almost 4 months ago.
The color is still a quite dark brown (several shades darker than my natural hair). It's fine though, it looks pretty and I have no roots showing, but for the summer I would like to go back to my natural color and try to go a bit blonder (hopefully naturally, with chamomile and sun...etc) and this way it'll be difficult because it's still so dark.

I oil my hair twice a week and that's supposed to lift dye faster, but I haven't noticed that at all.

Does anyone have any tips? It's not really urgent since my hair looks nice, but in 2 or 3 months I would like to have it lighter.
I've read about washing with dish soap, but I don't want to use that on my already dry hair!

i think maybe my hair is quite porous so it takes dye very well. And the color I used was also very different from my natural colour (usually they recommend these type of dyes if you only want to change a shade or two).

[redtea]

I have dark blonde hair and have never been able to get darker dyes to stick around for more than 8 weeks or so! The main things I can think of are to wash your hair more frequently and use hot water and if it doesn't hurt your hair too much, use a stronger shampoo, like a clarifying shampoo every so often.

[Bellalalala]

From what I understand, the 28 washes dyes are "semi permanent" or "demi-permanent."

Either way, they can definitely stick around. Some people like the PP are lucky and the dye actually washes out, but I have never ever had a 28 washes dye even remotely wash out of my hair. It's full-on permanent for me, just dull looking after a few washes.

I have very naturally porous hair, so even true temporary colour won't completely wash out of my hair no matter what I do.
I still have a slight red tint on the ends of my hair from using one of those mousse colouring things, which are as temporary as they come.

The best luck I've had trying to remove hair dye is dandruff shampoos. Head and Shoulders works well, and so does T-Gel. I actually stopped dying my hair a few years ago because I was using dandruff shampoo and it was always ruining my dye jobs.

[missjessiecakes]

They do say in the info sheet that you might retain some color forever. Try baking soda that took out dyes I used for theatre performances if that doesn't work you might have to color oops it out.

[Sylvanas]

What I do to fade colour faster is use a mix of baking soda, vinegar and shampoo. It works a bit better than Head&Shoulders.

Get an empty bottle and pour some baking soda into it. Add just enough hot water to dissolve the baking soda. Add a teaspoon of vinegar (I use white). Then you pour in some SLS shampoo. Wet your hair with warm water and gently massage your mixture in. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to pull the colour, and then rinse well.

[Leena7]

Dyes like that usually take more that 28 washes to wash out for me. I suggest some olive oil treatments along with washing more frequently. I know this is going to sound bad, but you could wash with dish liquid once or twice. Stylists have told me that it lifts color, but I have never done it so I don't know if it is drying or anything.

[GoddesJourney]

Some people have good luck with things like leaving hair cholesterol in for a treatment and then rinsing it out. At least it won't damage your hair even if it doesn't work. It might be a good way to go after something potentially damaging, too, if it comes to that.

[missmandy]

is it permanent? then it might be because of that, and the other time was just a fluke.

if it was semi or demi permanent, let me tell you, those do NOT like to wash out. i had my hair dyed atomic pink... and.... (oh god...) it took it SIX bleachings to get out!!! *shudder* that was before i knew about LHC. i still can't believe i did that..... i mean SIX...

but anyhoodles, maybe try lemon juice and sit in the sun? i've heard that works.

maybe you could get some purple shampoo made especially for bleach blondes? that's more like a toner, but it could work some.

[Yarn Muse]

Be careful with those color lifters...Colorfix and so forth. I haven't used them myself, but for some people they cause damage, I've read.

My daughter used one of those semi-permanent colors and it never has completely washed out of her past BSL hair. Fortunately, it was only a shade or so darker than her natural brown, so no bad demarcation line.

Good luck with whatever you try.

[cellardoor]

Try Color Oops. I recently used this to remove permanent dark brown color from my naturally dark blond hair. It worked pretty well and I'm sure your results would be even better since its not a permanent color. As for being damaging, I found that my hair didn't really suffer any damage. Just make sure you SMT or deep condition after and you should be good! Hope this helps, good luck :)

[Honey39]

I have dark lowlights put in, and deep oiling and deep conditioning really lifts the colour out for me (although I don't want this result!). I mean dramatically, as well - so much so that my hair dresser asked if I was naturally blonde!!! Took a couple of months

[Sara_1987]

Thanks for all the replies.
I've heard of things like Colour OOPs, but I don't think it's available here and I'm afraid of damage.

I will start with more oilings and will try Head and Shoulders and baking soda.

I think my hair is indeed quite porous, so that might explain the lingering dye.

I'll see how it goes over the next few weeks. I'm not too worried yet and will just give it time. In the meantime it looks ok any way, but getting back to blonde(ish) would be nice.

[xoxophelia]

:mad:I have the same problem as you do. Exact same.

I think the baking soda idea sounds like a good one. I will try this as well. But, what my plan at this point is.. well, basically because my hair is dark blonde/light brown as long as I really protect it from the sun, the roots aren't too noticable. So, I'm growing it until I can't handle it... maybe until mid summer. That might give me a good 5-6 inches of roots.

At that point, I'll probably go to somebody to correct the rest of the color as close to my natural as possible. The longer you wait, and the more the color fades the less damaging lightening it will be I figure. Also, they will be able to see your roots better to match the color.

This is of course if it doesn't wash out well enough by then.

[Demetrue]

Color Oops does not seem to work well on semi-permanent dyes. I saw a color remover just for semi or demi dyes at Sally's, but since you say it's been 4 months and you don't have major roots showing, then I wouldn't worry about it. I bet if you swim and spend time in the sun this summer you will naturally get blonder.

[Thinthondiel]

I've read that mixing vitamin C with shampoo is supposed to help remove dye, and that it's good for your hair as well. I've never tried it myself, though.

[morguebabe]

I find using Pert Plus or Head and Shoulders rips out my color

[Sara_1987]

I used Head & Shoulders to wash.
It might be a bit lighter, but nothing dramatic. I will continue to use it for a couple of washes though.

All of a sudden I hate my hair! I was so sick of my colour and thought it was so ugly a couple of months ago, but looking at pictures now I could've worked with it, maybe gotten some highlights...
The dark color is nice but all of a sudden I am convinced I need to be blond for the summer. I always change my mind! (not just about hair, ALWAYS, about everything.).

And I feel like my hair is dry and the texture is ugly even though I take such good care of it... ugh. *rant* Sorry.

Let's hope the sun gets here fast so I can sit outside and let the rays lighten my hair!

[Sara_1987]

I've been able to fade the hairdye quite a bit using a mixture of honey+CO+oil and leaving that on overnight and then washing with Head and Shoulders.

It's still several shades darker than my natural hair, but at least I see some improvement!:o

[BelleBot]

I had exactly the same problem using loreal casting in dark chocolate. Nearly 3 months later and it's still evident. I used colour B4 (the UK equivalent of colorfix and color oops) but that only shifted it a bit.
I used to use casting lots and never had a problem with it sticking around forever, and I've used far darker colours. But this time, it doesn't want to leave.
It's is gradually fading, but it's a slow process. Honey lightening seems to brighten it up quite a bit though I've found.
Ah well, roll on summer, the sun usually dramatically lightens my hair.

[cuddledumplin]

Any of those semi-permanent dyes are fully permanent on me. I don't really have any suggestions for removing it though.

[bumblebums]

Some people have good luck with things like leaving hair cholesterol in for a treatment and then rinsing it out. At least it won't damage your hair even if it doesn't work. It might be a good way to go after something potentially damaging, too, if it comes to that.

I would second this one. Either use a cholesterol treatment or a hot oil treatment--both can lift hair color. It may not help, but at least it will not hurt.

I do not think the BS method will do much--it makes hair look lighter because it dries it out a bit, but that does not mean your hair is in better condition or that the color is really gone.

In my experience from all the other things I've tried (most have been mentioned in this thread), nothing lifts darker hair color completely. I have not tried Color Oops, but many people swear by it. Just condition like crazy afterwards, since it works by making your hair temporarily more porous.

ETA: you could keep doing the deep conditioning and hot oil, but also get some mild highlights that match your natural color. That's an old trick for growing out color. Granted, dirty blonde is a very difficult color to match naturally, so you'll have to go to a good colorist.

[Sara_1987]

Just updating in case someone has the same problem.

I have managed to get the color out a lot. My hair is much lighter now. How I did it:
each time before washing my hair (twice a week) I oiled my hair (sometimes hot oil, but not always). I did this mainly for protection and moisturizing. I oil all the time, so not sure how much this contributed.
Then I put on a conditioner with chamomile (it's a Belgian/French kind, but any kind with chamomile might work) for blonde hair and I added honey.
I put all this on (sometimes on wet, sometimes on dry hair, I did not notice much difference between the two methods) and left it for at least an hour, if possible overnight.

Then I washed my hair with my normal shampoo (Redken smooth down) and some baking soda added. I also washed with Head and shoulders + baking soda a few times, but that was a bit too drying.
Then I put a vinegar rinse on my hair (white vinegar! not ACV). Left it in for a couple of minutes in the shower and then rinsed.
I then conditioned like usual and my hair was in the same (good) conditioner as it normally is.

I did this 5 or 6 times already and very happy with the results. Good luck to anyone else trying to get semi-permanent dye out!

[pdy2kn6]

I had the same prob. Once when I was in school about 5 years ago I dyed my hair with one of those "wash out after 8 washes" dyes. I dyed my hair from medium brown to red for halloween. It didn't come out!!!! Lets just same I felt the ridicule at school!!! It went all shades of ginger...Luckily my hair was only 2 inches long so it was quickly cut out!!!

[KittyLost]

Head and Shoulders and Dove definately, they seem to take colour out when you don't want it to so maybe it will when you want it too ;)

Don't try dishsoap or anything too drying, they are more successful when you have JUST dyed your hair so I would imagine it would be more damaging to your hair to try those.