Stupidly dyed my hair darker and I don't like it.

[Lilli]

You can see pics of my natural hair in my album. My "new" hair is wet currently so I can't get a pic. Long story short, my hair got some very light streaks from the sun, and these looked nice until I got tan on vacation, and then I got the idea that my hair looked bad against my skin, like light yellowish-green. (In retrospect, I don't think it did; I just haven't been tan in so many years that I was not used to it.)

So, I had the brilliant idea to use a semi-permanent color to tone down the light yellowish-green, and I chose a semi-permanent L'oreal color that was supposedly level 8 golden. Well, my hair is golden, for sure, but dark, definitely not an 8, more like a 6-7, and darker than the picture on the box. Of course, the ends are the darkest of all.

I immediately washed it 6 times with Prell, Joico Chelating shampoo, and John Frieda Go Blonder lightening shampoo, and it lightened very slightly, but that's it. The color is supposed to last only 28 washes, but I am afraid it will stick forever. I have been washing it with cheap sulfate shampoo twice a day and it has only been 2 days, so I know that is not long, but we all know how important hair is here.

Is there a way to remove it at home? I saw Color Oops at the store but I thought that it only worked on permanent color. Also, I don't want to damage my hair.

If I can't remove it, can I get a professional to lighten it with highlights? I feel drab without my natural light highlights.

[Lilli]

I just whined about it to my husband and he said if I still am upset in a week, we will spend whatever it takes to fix it. He is a gem. But he also said if I had not told him, he would not have noticed any color change. But I see it. It basically just killed the highlights, which is what I thought I wanted. Argh! Another proof of the two week rule!!! I feel so dumb!

[UltraBella]

It will fade, I think you should give it some time......

[luthein]

I agree with Ultrabella. It'll eventually fade out and blend. In the meantime, take comfort that the difference is subtle, and it will continue to fade each day.

[Lilli]

Ah but it is not subtle to me and I am not patient!!!!!!

[Mairéad]

I understand. There have been times where I wish I could snap my fingers and make my hair go back to the color is used to be. But, I'd rather my bad hair colorings fade naturally than pursue a route that could be more damaging to it. I've heard dandruff shampoo or baking soda could make a dent in color though. I've even heard of coconut oil making color fade. I'd just make sure to give your hair TLC if you continue to shampoo it so often.

[Kathie]

At least it wasn't a permanent color. I agree, with what others have said... just give it some time. That way you're not going to damage your hair. Perhaps try to enjoy this new color for a bit :shrug:

[luthein]

Come to think of it, any deep conditioning treatment + heat should help lift that color out. I did a hot oil treatment on my purple-dyed streaks and WOOSH, I unintentionally lost a bunch of deposit. If you're washing your hair 2x/day, it might need some nourishment.

[Lixie]

Long story short, my hair got some very light streaks from the sun, and these looked nice until I got tan on vacation, and then I got the idea that my hair looked bad against my skin, like light yellowish-green. (In retrospect, I don't think it did; I just haven't been tan in so many years that I was not used to it.)

Are you sure that you're just not used to this change? You also mention downthread that your husband hadn't noticed. Try not to worry too much, as others have said, it will eventually fade. I don't think it's worth potentially damaging your hair for a quick fix.

A few years ago I accelerated the fading of a semi-permanent purple dye with lots of olive oil mixed in with conditioner at every wash. I have no idea what ratio of oil to conditioner I used but maybe this idea will be of a little help to you. Good luck with whatever you decide. :)

[Brat]

I've heard of lightening with honey. Might want to give that a search?

[Lilli]

Thank you everyone for the thoughtful and reasonable replies. You know sometimes, I don't want to be thoughtful or reasonable. I think I should buy some wigs for when I feel the need to look different.

Today I am going to try honey lightening with some olive oil. Hopefully my honey is full of peroxide.

L'oreal's website recommends washing with a paste of shampoo, baking soda and regular old hydrogen peroxide (like for cleaning wounds.) Does that sound stupid?

[spidermom]

It will fade. In the meantime, stop all the harsh washing and give it a nice warm oil or SMT treatment. Stay away from the mirror as much as you can; try to get your mind off it.

The mixture you describe above? Ouch! Very drying. A few years ago I tried mixing baking soda with my shampoo for a clarifying treatment, and my hair dried out so bad that it matted together like felt. I couldn't even get a comb through it except when my hair was full of conditioner. Of course not every hair is the same, but based on my experience, I'd have to say leave the baking soda in the kitchen.

[AnqeIicDemise]

And if you're not patient enough.. two words:

Color Oops!

Its not a bleach.

[Nightshade]

Try mixing a very harsh shampoo like Head & Shoulders with honey, work it into damp hair, wrap it up in plastic, toss on a warm hat and let it sit for an hour. Then go wash it out with hot water. It'll help :flowers:

[YesitsReal]

If you continue washing your hair with harsh shampoos twice per day, you're going to do some serious permanent damage to it!

I've read that oils can sometimes lift non-permanent dye. How about a nice, deep oil-soak treatment? That way, you'll be kind to your hair AND possibly lift some of that color at the same time. :D

[Lilli]

Well, I've stopped the harsh shampoos (Prell, chelating, etc.); I will use the chelating once a month or so as I always have b/c we have very minerally well water that does create buildup. I have just been using Suave S&C twice a day, so it's not like I'm using dish soap, and my hair still feels in fine condition.

I did call L'oreal and they said not to do the baking soda/peroxide recipe that is on their site, and instead suggested their color remover, but said I would have to immediately redye as I would be left with an abnormal color. That sounded less than appealing, so I have a honey/water mixture on my head now (a la Ktani) to see if that does anything. I think I will just have to do this occasionally, and continue to wash and condition more often. If I still hate it in a few weeks, or if it grows in with an obvious demarcation line, maybe I will do some highlights to blend it.

I have realized, though, that the base problem is that in my mind, my hair is the same white-blonde as it was when I was a child, and the dark blonde it naturally is now always shocks me when I see it. Dying it slightly darker made that obvious to me. This makes me think I should start highlighting it eventually so I can be slightly lighter than my natural color.

Sorry to inflict my crazy on the board. Thank you all for the support. :D

[IanB]

Try to keep away from any more chemicals - it will fade back to your natural colour.

[YesitsReal]

Yeah, I have the same problem--my "perceived" hair color is quite a bit lighter than my actual color. Sometimes I look at pictures or in the mirror, and I am shocked that my hair has gotten so dark. I miss my bright blonde, but I'm not willing to bleach; that's why I'm going to try henna after my wedding! I love red hair (hopefully on me!). :cheese:

[Anje]

Color Oops or similar, no peroxide step. Stay away from peroxide in general -- you don't want to lighten your natural color!

[RitaPG]

Right now you need to let the shock go away and treat your hair nicely. Stay away from peroxide or bleach for a while. Do heavy conditioning treatments (either with oil or conditioner) not only it will help fix the dryness from all that shampoo, it also helps lift color. When I dyed my hair black with a semi permanent color, a lot of it faded out with overnight coconut oilings.

[AnqeIicDemise]

Color Oops or similar, no peroxide step. Stay away from peroxide in general -- you don't want to lighten your natural color!

And just an advise if you *do* do Color Oops, don't redye it right away. Let your hair darken on its own. Its a bit like Henna in that regard. The color develops overtime and although it may seem, perhaps a bit lighter than when you first started, it'll get a few shades darker by the next day.

Or if you're going to dye, follow the instructions and do a filler first.

[Lilli]

Ok, tonight I will try a deep oiling. I am afraid to sleep in oil, though, and coconut oil does not like to come out of my hair, so maybe I'll put it in the bottom half only. That's really where it is too dark, and also it won't matter if it is greasy from my ears down.

[Joliebaby]

I've had luck in stripping color with honey mixed with conditioner and cinnamon, saran wrapped and left for two hours. I know in Ktani's honey lightening thread it says to just mix water and honey but I could not stand the dripping, plus it did nothing to lighten the colour, but the condish-honey-cinnamon works really well for me. Also anything with heat as it opens the cuticle and lets the color molecules out- like washing and rinsing with hot water, or doing a hot oiling or a deep treatment in sauna..
Good luck :)

[Lilli]

I think the honey-water worked a bit, but it was an unholy mess, and now I have ants in my bathroom b/c I couldn't find all the drips. Maybe I will try the conditioner recipe, thanks!

[Lilli]

I sent my husband all over creation looking for Color Oops and he found it for me. I followed the instructions: strand test, 20 minutes developing, wash, 20 minutes rinsing, wash, 5 minutes rinsing, wash, 5 minutes rinsing... and it worked! It was shockingly yellow-orange when I first took the towel off, but it did re-oxidize a bit and developed into a nice blonde, lighter than my original color, but totally fine. The Color Oops Extra Strength was not damaging at all and my hair feels fine after some deep conditioner, aside from the residual perm solution smell.

I find it interesting/annoying that semi-permanent color uses peroxide anyway, so my hair is indeed lighter, and the dye would never have come out completely. Also photos on boxes have nothing to do with reality. Finally, if you are going to dye, definitely use a protein filler so that the ends don't take up too much color.

I also bought the John Frieda blonde toning S&C to take down the yellow/orange and it looks fine. I do think I'll have a demarcation line as it grows out, but I'll worry about that when my hair has grown enough to see it.

So, I have learned my lesson - I will not dye my hair again! I reserve the right to get a few highlights to help it blend if I have obvious roots, but that's it! 2.5 years ago, I learned my lesson to never get a perm again, and now I have learned my dye lesson. I will have hair that is two different textures, and various shades of ash blonde, and I will live with it and love it, darn it!

[Kathie]

I'm glad it worked out :D

[AnqeIicDemise]

I sent my husband all over creation looking for Color Oops and he found it for me....

So, I have learned my lesson - I will not dye my hair again! I reserve the right to get a few highlights to help it blend if I have obvious roots, but that's it! 2.5 years ago, I learned my lesson to never get a perm again, and now I have learned my dye lesson. I will have hair that is two different textures, and various shades of ash blonde, and I will live with it and love it, darn it!

That is wonderful! I'm glad it worked out and that you didn't try to re-dye etc. Apparently, the job most requested for our salon are dye corrections. Tsk.. tsk.. I wish I had thought of Color Oops or having a professional correction the time *I* screwed up my hair. :D Yay for passing on knowledge to others!

And if you're going to highlight, go to the salon to have it done. Spend the good buckos to have it done right. They'll help you blend out the demarcation whenever you're ready.

[Lilli]

That is wonderful! I'm glad it worked out and that you didn't try to re-dye etc. Apparently, the job most requested for our salon are dye corrections. Tsk.. tsk.. I wish I had thought of Color Oops or having a professional correction the time *I* screwed up my hair. :D Yay for passing on knowledge to others!

And if you're going to highlight, go to the salon to have it done. Spend the good buckos to have it done right. They'll help you blend out the demarcation whenever you're ready.

I didn't try to redye b/c you and other online sources said it would re-oxidize over the next day or so, and so it has. Also, anyone online who did redye regretted it, b/c their hair was so porous that it ended up even darker than the first dye job. Others said this could be prevented with neutral protein filler, but I figured I would just do no more dye.

It basically looks like my original hair now, with darker highlights and higher lowlights - so basically it flattened the difference in depth. It isn't even yellow/orange at all, and I'm going to return the violet S&C. So thank you very much for your sage advice!!!

In a few months, I should have some regrowth, and be able to see if there is a demarcation line. If I do decide to get professional highlights, I would do a protein filler myself first, as my hair is obviously very porous.