Wondering if anyone can help me?!
I'm naturally a golden strawberry blonde (around level 7), but i've been dying my hair with Schwarzkopf Country Colours Demi Permanent dye in Grand Canyon (A stunning bright red over my natural base) for over 5 years. I've loved it but I'm bored and it's time for a change!
I'd like to go back as close to my natural colour as possible (it's basically a honey/golden blonde). I stopped dying my hair around 8 weeks ago and i have around an inch of natural regrowth (which looks truly awful- i can't leave the house without wearing a hat!) I've tried everything to fade the colour....washing everyday with clarifying shampoos/baby shampoo, tried the Vitamin C/ Bicarb tricks multiple times, did 1 x weak bleach bath, tried colour B4 and Scott Cornwalls Decolour Remover a total of 5 times. My bright red has faded to a dark rusty orange in places....but it's mainly now a dull red.
The most annoying thing for me is, that the Scott Cornwall Decolour Remover (Which i used twice) removed every single inch of the bright red and took me back to my exact natural colour! So I know the demi permanent dye hasn't altered my natural colour and that it's still under there! Hooray! But both times it re-oxidised and after one day i was back to bright red. 🙁 I understand the basic theory behind the product and believe me when i say i rinsed for 20 minutes each time, with a high pressure shower head and whilst combing through the hair! Lol. I even set a timer....but still didn't work in rinsing all of the red colour molecules away. I guess there must be ALOT of colour build up from 5 years of box dye and that it's stuck in my hair cuticle?!
I recently did a strand test with straight bleach (30vol and russell jerome blue bleach powder) and it turned the red to a very bright pinky red. I saw online that someone said if it does that (I.e goes pink) it means that the hair cuticle is stained. Can that really be the case if when I used DeColour Remover my hair went straight back to Strawberry Blonde? (albeit not for long!).
I went to my local salon and they suggested the best option would be to apply a full head of highlights and then toner for now...then go back for 2 more sessions every 4 weeks for more highlights and toner to get me as close to natural as possible. I was quoted £100 for the first session, but i just can't afford it-especially not 3 times!
Can anyone shed some light or offer some suggestions as to how i could achieve a good result at home? i.e products etc?
Thanks!
Posted : October 14, 2014 11:58 am
Some people who have had reoxidiation problems have had luck with rinsing, then toweling the hair dry, then rinsing again.
If decolour is taking you back to your blonde while it's processing, then the cuticle likely isn't stained. I can only assume people think that if it goes a lighter shade of colour it would be stained because some people think bleach works best and will always bring them to blonde ... it's not always the case.
Your salon's suggestion is very single salon's suggestion for going blonde. It's damaging and expensive. Salons really aren't very well versed in bleach and colour removal, generally speaking.
If you're determined to get to blonde, you can try the toweling off and re-rinsing method, though there's no guarantees it will work and it will be expensive and time consuming. Some people have hair that just won't let go of the colour molecules, no matter what they do. You could always try bleach baths, spaced a week or two apart, but you'll have some weird shades between where you are and where you want to be.
Posted : October 14, 2014 8:13 pm
What red dye were you using and do you use straighteners?
Posted : October 15, 2014 12:08 am
The dye was Schwarzkopf County Colors in 58 Grand Canyon Red. I don't use straighteners but yes, I occasionally use high temp curling tongs. Do you think this could be silicone damage?
Posted : October 15, 2014 1:09 am
I think it's definitely a possibility. If it were xxl live colour you'd been using I'd be fairly sure. I don't know with that dye, but it's still possible if it does have silicones in. Also if you use other products with silicones.
You did clarify wash (with no conditioner) then dry your hair before using it right? Just have to check!
Posted : October 15, 2014 6:37 am
Yes, clarified and dried beforehand! Thank you though. 😉
I loved the bright red so much...and the worst part is...once i've achieved the blonde i'm after, I will most likely get bored and want the bright red back again after a couple of months! Think I will try a different, less stubborn to remove dye next time though!
If I put a permanent light ash brown over the red, then in the subsequent weeks try to lighten it...will the bright red tones still show underneath as it gets blonder or will it have neutralised them somewhat?
Posted : October 15, 2014 3:19 pm
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