Color Fix vs Color Oops

By: | Last Updated: April 27, 2022

It doesn’t matter if you colored your hair once or you made a lifestyle out of it. You have to know that you will need an effective color remover to continue your vibrant spree. 

And these days, the battle centers around Color Fix vs. Color Oops. 

Both are cruelty-free brands and received their share of mixed reviews, which may eventually lead to confusion on your part on which color to choose. 

What do you choose for your hair? As much as possible, you want your expected results without damaging your hair. Will either even work for your hair color? 

This time, you won’t have to experiment and likely irreversibly damage your hair. This article will guide you to only one color remover by the end of the day.


Color Fix vs. Color Oops: Which One Removes color better

You are now down to two options, and honestly, you want to get the job done. 

You want to do it once and move on to another color or perhaps go au-natural. 

So which one will get it done for you? What’s better: Color Oops or Color Fix?

Color Oops is an ammonia-free and bleach-free color remover. It works on permanent dyes and semi-permanent ones but not on direct dyes. The two-step process is relatively quick and only takes you about 20 minutes. 

Hydrogen sulfite is the main component of Color Oops remover. It breaks down the dye molecules into a size where you can rinse them out easily. 

Other important ingredients include cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine and hydroxyethylcellulose, which condition the hair to prevent dryness and promote manageability. 

On the other hand, Color Fix is another famous brand and also does not contain ammonia or bleach. Its formula includes Argan oil to moisturize the hair and sulfonic acid to strengthen it. It’s a 3-step process that adds a processing lotion after the rinsing step. 

Like Color Oops, Color Fix uses a reducer in the first part. It also adds a sulfate component like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) to the conditioning catalyst. 

If you are a skincare aficionado, you may have heard of SLS and how it can potentially harm the hair in the long run. That’s an important note, especially if you already have damaged hair.

If you have a full color, Color Oops is your best bet. It evenly gets rid of the color without leaving any streaks. 

However, if your goal is to remove the color from some strands, use Color Fix. You can customize your process since they offer a different formula for slight color correction to full-color removal. 


Does Color Oops remove all color?

Does Color Oops remove all color

If you are worried about that stubborn color in your hair, it’s time to breathe a sigh of relief. Because yes, Color Oops, remove all hair colors even if it is a day or a year old! 

Below are some clarifications so you won’t end up with a big disappointed face and a rant. 

Color Oops does not lift your natural hair color, so you cant expect it to act like bleach. It also does not restore your natural color if you have lightened your hair with bleach before coloring. Why? 

Bleaching removes melanin, the color pigment, in your hair to make way for the dye. So once you remove that dye, you are left with that same lightened hair. 

So what colors does Color Oops work on? 

Both Color Fix and Color Oops work best on oxidative dyes, commonly referred to as permanent dyes. They do not work with direct dyes, which is usually the case for bright pinks, blues, greens, lavender, and purple

Confused with what type of dye you colored your hair with? 

If it came with a developer, then it is an oxidative dye. If it’s only one bottle, then it is a direct dye. 

Color Fix, however, may slightly rid you of your non-oxidative dyes. SLS strips the protective layer of your hair, which lets the water wash off the dye.  If it’s faded already, this might work!


Does Color Oops work on box dye?

Does Color Oops work on box dye

Box dye is heaven-sent for those who want to hop into the DIY coloring trends and avoid the salon expenses altogether. 

But it’s not 100% successful all the time. 

So what do you do when you desperately want to get rid of your color? You hope that your color remover is good enough to do it. 

Box dyes come in three types: temporary, semi-permanent, and permanent. They are easily differentiated by how many washes it takes to fade them out. 

Why is it important to know which box dye you used?

Temporary dyes do not need lightening and contain a direct dye. Direct dyes differ from permanent dyes because they are pre-formed before application. 

You do not need to mix anything. 

When you apply it to your hair, it is attached to the outside layer of your hair shaft. The pigment is not deposited inside the cuticle and will rinse out eventually with frequent washing. 

As mentioned before, brands use oxidative dyes for permanent colors. Color removers, which have reducers, work perfectly because it undoes the oxidation process that formed the dye. 

Semi-permanent dyes often have a combination of the two. You often hear complaints about removers only partially doing their job and leaving unwanted color instead. 

Whether you are reaching out for Color Fix or Color Oops, the most important thing to consider is the type of dye

You must remember one more important thing about box dyes: their formulation is more potent than your salon dyes. 

Why? Brands tailor it to work on everyone. 

So if you have a recent DIY using vibrant color, it may take more than one removal application before you can take it all out. 

Pro tip: You might want to clarify your hair first for those who want to get rid of their freshly colored hair. This fades the color to some degree. Recently deposited pigments may leave splotches when removed due to varying breakdown rates. 

Now that you know what to watch for in box dyes, how about professional dyes? 


Does Color Oops work on professional dye?

Does Color Oops work on professional dye

You probably guessed it! 

Yes, yes, yes! 

Professional dye mostly has ammonia and less hair-friendly ingredients like polyethylene glycol (PEGs) compounds that may irritate sensitive skin. 

What it translates to is this: it is not DIY friendly. These products are for colorists and salons who know better pros and cons than home users.

When you are in a salon, everything gets tailored to you. The colorist considers your color history and amount of hair damage before any coloring to minimize further damage to your hair. 

Nevertheless, if you want to remove the color, Color Oops will do the job effectively since they likely use oxidative dyes on your hair. If you have balayage or other highlights and merely want to remove some unwanted tones, you are better off with Color Fix. 


What other factors do you need to consider?

It’s tempting to grab whatever bottle of remover you think will suit you. But you know that’s not the case. There’s always that point where you have to consider the condition of your hair and your other expectations.

Mind you, the following should still be important variables when looking for a color remover. 

First, you have to assess if negative reviews and claims of ruined hair can happen to you. 

Is Color Fix damaging? Will it cause more disappointment than unwanted hair color? 

Is Color Oops damaging to your hair? Will it only add frizz afterward?

These are important questions. 

And the truth is, they won’t— as long as you have healthy hair in the first place and you followed the instructions well. There may be mishaps that may cause brittle and dry hair, but this is subjective. 

Someone’s hair history isn’t yours.

And FYI, your pre-removal and post-removal routine are as crucial as your entire processing time. So up your conditioning game! 

As gentle as the formula for Color Fix and Color Oops, they may still cause adverse and unexpected reactions. 

Again, subjective!

Second, box dyes might not come off easily and need twice or more processing. You may want to choose the cheaper option when it comes to this. In this case, Color Oops is significantly less expensive than Color Fix. 

The last factor is the length of time to process your hair. Color Fix has one more product included as step 3, the processing lotion, which ultimately makes this a long process. 

Color Fix may also seem more complex and not DIY-friendly. 

The instructions include warming the hair with a dryer after rinsing and may even require processing more than once. Some people also find that step 3 re-darkens their hair and opt to skip it altogether. 

Some advice? Do not improvise. The manufacturer printed those details and included those products because it works well. So to avoid a mishap, follow to a T!

CHECK OUT: Color Oops ruined my hair

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