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MagicAndMayhem
September 18th, 2011, 03:38 PM
Let me just say that I've wanted black hair since 2005. I finally took the initiative to dye it in May. I knew it would be a commitment but I wanted it for so long that I was ready for it. I started out with hennigo. Good results, but too expensive for me and not black enough.

So after two hennigo sessions I finally chemical dyed it black at the beginning of August. Alright, sure, as luck would have it, I began to envy everyone with red hair! Ugh! So even though I finally had the black hair I desired, I wanted to go back to red. I dyed my hair a lot in the past and had no problems switching from red to blonde to brown to blonde to red to almost black to whatever, but man, this true black really sticks.

So since I dyed it black a month and a half ago, I've tried everything to change it back: peroxide, chem dying over it, henna-ing over it, color oops, it won't budge!!! it's not even dark brown or anything, just jet black! And my medium brown roots are coming in quite starkly, so I have to think of something quick. I've used so much advice from LHC and searched everywhere on here.

Between July 2010 and August 2011 no chemicals were used of my hair. Now with all I've done in the past my hair is breaking off little by little D: I never had this issue when I bleached it light blonde for a number of years!

Please help me LHC...please help.

Airmide
September 18th, 2011, 04:08 PM
I don't have any personal experience, but I've been reading a lot since I'm thinking of making pink clip-in extensions. From what I hear pink and black are the most difficult colors to change/get rid of!

You might check out this livejournal community http://dyedhair.livejournal.com/ I've been reading a lot and posted on the pink hair community there and people have great experience and advice to offer.

luxepiggy
September 18th, 2011, 04:13 PM
Unfortunately I think chemical black is one of those colours that just won't budge - and if you are able to shift it, the hair ends up so damaged that it won't hold other colours anymore. At this point I would guess your best bet is just to try and transition it back to your natural colour before dyeing it red, KWIM?

Personally I'm a big fan of the paint drip/dégradé look, so if I were in your place I would totally sport a red-to-black dégradé (^(oo)^)v

archel
September 18th, 2011, 04:13 PM
The only way I got box black out of my hair (after using it for 15+ years) was to have a professional use color remover AND a very strong bleaching after that - it was a 4 step processing and my hair was FRIED after that, but it was brown. This, however, is why I went from waist length hair to chin length hair. Even if a pro does it, your hair will likely never be the same! Just a warning...if you can live with the color I'd try, to save your hair, otherwise you may end up chopping it anyway.

MagicAndMayhem
September 18th, 2011, 09:08 PM
Alright, thanks for the suggestions

This is what I have going on. I hope it doesn't look too weird. As luxepiggy said, I'm kinda a fan on the drip dye look, I just think it might look strange for the first couple of inches.

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/3336/004ewo.jpg

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/4361/007gp.jpg

longhairedlady
September 18th, 2011, 09:19 PM
Maybe its just me but I dont think it looks bad. It almost looks like that style of dying where there is black on the bottom and a lighter reddish shade on top. If it was me I would try and moisturize like crazy and trim the ends if they are too damaged. I dont know alot about color though.

Mairéad
September 18th, 2011, 09:30 PM
I don't think it looks that bad. It took a lot to get black hair dye out for me. I think it took two bleachings, one light brown fill, and a boxed red dye to get something that closely resembled my hair color. Of course my hair was practically melting off by that point. Oh, if I had known what I what now. :rolleyes:

Juicematic
September 18th, 2011, 09:44 PM
I will echo what others have said...not much you can do without completely frying your hair. I would DC a lot and baby your hair while growing out the color.

luxepiggy
September 18th, 2011, 10:22 PM
Alright, thanks for the suggestions

This is what I have going on. I hope it doesn't look too weird. As luxepiggy said, I'm kinda a fan on the drip dye look, I just think it might look strange for the first couple of inches.

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/3336/004ewo.jpg

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/4361/007gp.jpg

I like it! (^(oo)^)v

Demetrue
September 18th, 2011, 10:30 PM
It looks perfectly fine in your pictures, so don't stress!

Columbia River
September 18th, 2011, 10:54 PM
I like it. I bet with a glaze you could enhance it to a warmer red while you wait for the degrade. (my natural hair is pretty much this color)

xoxophelia
September 18th, 2011, 11:25 PM
I went through this also and faded my color to a medium and in some places dark brown through my length. With that in mind though, I only used a permanent dye once so I am not sure if that made a difference. The best thing that helped was time and slowly trying to lighten the color. I never did any of the more harsh color removers. Things I did do:

-swimming. Indoor pools helped to lighten the color significantly.
-honey (not heated up) and evoo treatments over night
-once a week leaving SLS shampoo in my length for 5-10 minutes
-shampooing more often and using warm water

I did most of this when the roots were 1-4" and was able to get the color to blend enough to make it OK. Of course some people did comment but nobody does anymore :).. most people can't tell unless I mention it (although it is still somewhat obvious since the black will fade to a brown with a red tone and my natural is golden brown).

It may also depend on the dye you used. I had used another permanent black on a small under section a year before and that box was only $2 something. It didn't fade nearly as well as the other that was closer to $10.

BlueMuse
September 18th, 2011, 11:57 PM
One, I think it looks fine, and two, I think you should check out user slz's albums to see how cool the different color at the roots thing can really look. Granted, she went green/blue, but it is way awesome.

oktobergoud
September 19th, 2011, 12:07 AM
I think it looks okay as well :)
You can always also try a soapcap! That is basically bleach (yes, yuk!) with low vol (like 10, normally they use 30/40 for bleach) and shampoo! You mix it all together, put it on your head for a few minutes and than just rinse it all out! It will not make a drastic difference but MIGHT just make it a few shades lighter (like a dark brown instead of real black).
You can also google 'soap cap' for further instructions/information :)

I've used this method couple of times, but not with black hair. I used to have black hair (years of black dye on my hair) and bleached it to platinum. Needless to say, it was fried :P But I'm afraid bleach is the only thing that's going to work :(

pink.sara
September 19th, 2011, 12:13 AM
I've managed to remove multipl applications of permanent black many times before using colour removers.
The key is to ignore most of the box instructions! With colour oops I saturate my hair, cover it in cling film (Saran wrap) and hairdry it over that to create heat, I usually hairdry for nearly 50 minutes then wrap it in a warm towel and leave it for a further hour.
Then rinse rinse rinse! Sometimes it will work with one colour oops session but if I've layered colour heavily it may take 2, or even of I've used henndigo under the box colour 3 goes at this.
But it always works.
I hope you consider this before resorting to bleaching it out as that's a sure fire hair killer!
Good luck.

alyanna
September 19th, 2011, 03:05 AM
Your hair looks nice.

I actually think the dark color is very pretty with your complexion. I would suggest doing a henna treatment every month or so. You'll get deep red roots and a red shimmer to the darkest hair.

Yosha
September 19th, 2011, 07:51 AM
Sorry, I don't have any advice on how to get your hair the color you like, but for what it's worth the color your hair is now is the color I would like for myself:D I have a problem with hair color sticking in my hair, because it always fades. Could you let me know what brand you used?

lillylonghair
September 19th, 2011, 08:33 AM
Since you have used indigo: STEP AWAY FROM THE BLEACH!!!!!!! The reason I finally joined LHC a few years ago was b/c I tried to bleach and color remove indigo and my hair literally just turned green and snapped off into a weird pixie/mullet thing. I have had success with honey/yogurt/cinnamon lightening. It takes many applications but I was able to get my hair to a warm chocolate brown.

I also do not think you hair looks bad. If theres anything I've learned on LHC,it's patience. If you rush things like this it can only lead to disaster:(

BabyRay33
September 19th, 2011, 08:38 AM
I also do not think it looks bad...maybe you should get a red glaze and hit the roots with that?! I think it would look nice like that!