How To Remove Permanent Hair Dye From Grey Hair

By: | Last Updated: February 11, 2022

Frizz and unmanageable dryness tend to get in the way of flaunting our dyed hair. You see, the beauty and fun that we get from coloring our naturally grey locks come with a few inconveniences and a whole lot of damage if not well taken care of. 

Whether you are tired of your current hair color or if you want to give your hair a breather from all those chemicals. Or maybe if you want to finally embrace that grey crown for good, then we have some tips that might help you! 

But before that, ask yourself:

Are you sure?

Take some time to think about it first. 

Because as natural as it may seem, there are still things that you should be aware of before transitioning to your natural grey hair. 

You might think it would be much easier to maintain than dyed hair, but let me share some grey hair facts that you might want to ponder first.

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Grey hair can turn yellow. Yes, your grey hair may turn into a yellowish hue because of various reasons such as the sun, the water that you use to wash your hair, your hair products, and air pollution.

But of course, there are several ways to prevent it, such as using SPF spray on your scalp and using organic shampoos that are less pigmented.

If it’s already yellow, you can still revive it by using a hair toner or purple shampoo to neutralize the yellowness. 

Natural doesn’t mean less maintenance. Grey hair is brittle and coarser than your normal healthy hair. Because of this, your grey hair will still require a bit of tender love and care to maintain it and make it less “all-over-the-place”.

With this, you might want to consider adding a mild clarifying shampoo or a hair softener and conditioning treatments in your daily hair care routine. Such products can help control frizz and manage stubborn flyaways that you might experience once you have transitioned to grey.

Now, if you have already made up your mind, and you finally want to shrug off society’s pressure on hiding your natural grey hair, then here are some tips on how to do it:


How Do You Transition From Dyed Hair To Natural Grey?

How Do You Transition From Dyed Hair To Natural Grey

1. Buzz Or Pixie Cut 

Cutting your dyed hair short or even having a buzz cut is the easy way out! You get to remove your damaged hair. At the same time, you won’t need regular trimming as your hair starts to go longer and your grey hair starts to show up. 

However, if you have not tried these types of hairdo before, you might want to consult your hairstylist first to ensure that your cut perfectly fits your face shape. You can find magazines or the internet for grey hair pixie cut styles that you can show to your hairstylist. 

2. Let It Grow!

This might be the most straightforward way of transitioning to your grey hair. All you have to do is be patient and let it grow longer to the extent where you can style it already and fully cut your previously dyed hair.

3. Dye Strip Technique 

We all know how self-conscious some may feel whenever the demarcation line between our grey roots and colored mid-locks becomes more visible day by day. 

This is why a lot of people who are fully transitioning to natural grey tend to do it sort of in a secret way, which is via the dye strip technique.

In simple terms, it is when you use a temporary dye on a thin strip of hair at the crown of your head. The slowly emerging grey hair underneath can take its time to grow without the fear of revealing a noticeable demarcation line at an early stage.

And once your grey hair is ready to be unveiled, you can simply remove the color from your temporarily-dyed strip of hair, and now you’re all set to be grey and confident! 

CHECK OUT: How To Fix Patchy Hair Dye

4. Using Color Remover To Reveal Gray Hair

Now, if you are hesitant to trim your tresses, you may want to try using a hair color remover. However, you should do a strand test first before putting any color-lifting chemical on your entire hair. 

This ensures that the product you are using would work on your locks and not cause further damage, especially since grey hair tends to be more delicate.

If you decide to use the hair color remover yourself, check the product specs before buying it. Make sure that the product is easy to apply, and has a reputable, effective formula. This usually consists of persulfate, peroxide, and hydrosulfite.

Do your research properly or seek professional advice regarding which hair color remover works best on your tresses. Also, you may rely on product reviews, but be vigilant as products that work on others might not work for you. Other than that, read the manufacturer’s instructions indicated in the product packaging before using it.


Removing Hair Color To Go Grey

Permanent hair dyes or simply those that use bleach or other chemicals that strip off your hair’s natural color are usually the most popular for our grey-haired lads. They last longer than semi and demi-permanent dyes as they are embedded into one’s hair shafts.

In that case, it would be trickier to transition from permanently dyed hair to your natural grey color. 

But, don’t worry! Permanent dyes may be called “permanent”, but they don’t last forever. There are still ways to remove your hair color and reveal those grey locks in numerous ways. 

1. To The Salon

The best way to do your grey transitioning is to make a professional do it for you. They can check and assess the kind of process you should go through to remove your permanent hair dye effectively and without compromising your hair health.

2. Do-It-Yourself

Now, if you are confident enough to remove the hair color by yourself, then here are some other methods that you may want to try instead of using a hair color remover.

These tips consist of products that you might find at your home or buy over the counter. But, again, do the strand test first!

Clarifying Shampoo 

This method is easy-peasy, yet it might take a couple of washes before your hair dye fully fades off, especially if your hair color is already there for a month or so.

CHECK OUT: How To Bleach Your Hair Without Damaging It

Removing Hair Color To Go Grey

Lemon Juice

The acidity of this kitchen product can also help in gradually removing your hair color. However, according to healthline, you cannot solely rely on its organic acidity to gain full effects. Instead, you should combine it with sun exposure.

When you apply lemon juice to your hair and then expose it to sunshine, the citric acid opens up your hair shafts. This removes the top layer of hair color, resulting in natural dye removal.

Simply dilute one part lemon juice to two parts water, put the concoction in a spray bottle, and spritz it all over your head. You may then sit under the sun for about 1-2 hours. Just make sure that your exposed skin has SPF on it.

After that, wash your hair to remove the lemon juice and also use a deep conditioner to regain your hair’s moisture that has been stripped off by the lemon’s bleaching nature.

Remember to do this method sparingly by taking a 3-4 week break per session to avoid overexposure to acid.

Ascorbic Acid Hair Mask

Another popular DIY hair removal technique is to use ascorbic acid in vitamin C tablets. The anti-pigmentary properties in such tablets are effective in opening hair follicles to fade hair dye off.

But, the results might not be too dramatic on first use, especially if your hair dye is dark and permanent. There are also instances where vitamin C would not react to certain types of hair. Just be wary that results may differ depending on various cases.

This method starts with crushing vitamin C tablets until powdery. Then, mix it with a dye-free clarifying shampoo. Once the consistency becomes a bit thick, apply it to your hair. 

Next, cover your hair with a shower cap and keep it on for about 30 to 60 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water. To avoid dryness, apply a moisturizing conditioner after using this therapy if needed.

CHECK OUT: Does Beer lighten your hair?


To Sum It Up

Having natural grey hair is not something that we should be ashamed of.

It is a natural occurrence that every human being will experience in their lifetimes.

Embrace and be confident with your crowning glory, as every grey strand symbolizes your wisdom and life experiences.

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