How to remove red hair dye

Red hair is definitely attention-grabbing, but perhaps you're looking to change your appearance a bit. Whether you want to remove natural red hues, dyed red hair, or just enhance blonde or brown shades, we're here to assist you. In this guide, we’ll help you figure out whether purple, green, or blue shampoos are suitable for your needs and provide instructions on how to remove red tones from your hair.

Green is definitely the most effective color for neutralizing red hair. Green helps cancel out the red tones because it contrasts with red. Additionally, green is a cool color, so when applied over red hair, it reduces or neutralizes the warm undertones of the red shade.

Use cool-toned color-depositing shampoos. Green, turquoise (green-blue), and purple are effective in reducing warm tones in hair, but each color targets different red undertones. Green shampoo works best for neutralizing red tones in dark brown or medium brown hair. Turquoise or smoky shampoos are ideal for addressing red-orange undertones in brown or natural red hair. Purple shampoo helps eliminate red-orange tones in blonde hair.

• Dark brown or untreated brown hair tends to warm up, eventually showing a red hue. Green tones in color-depositing shampoos and conditioners will tackle these unwanted red hues.
• Blonde hair can turn reddish-orange due to heat exposure or the buildup of warm pigments. Purple shampoo will neutralize the warm red-orange undertones.
• Natural red hair is typically a blend of orange and red. Turquoise in smoky shampoos can address both hues and cool down the warmth.

Use purple shampoo and avoid heat styling. Brassiness is essentially an orange-red warm tone in hair, which can be neutralized with the cool tones of purple. Overexposure to the sun, blow-drying, or coloring hair with warm shades can cause the hair to develop red-orange hues. You’ll get the best results from purple shampoo if you can avoid applying heat to your hair. If you’ve recently lightened your hair, wait at least two weeks before trying to tone your hair.

• Lightened hair is more fragile, so be careful with heat styling. Since many color-depositing shampoos contain ammonia, they can damage already-processed hair.

You can cool down red-orange tones with turquoise shampoo. Smoke-colored shampoo helps neutralize various warm tones in your hair.

• Turquoise is sometimes referred to as a 'cool' color because it neutralizes many red pigments.

Use color-depositing shampoo once or twice a week. Regular use of a suitable color-depositing shampoo will help you cool down red or orange tones in your hair. Leave the shampoo on your hair for about 2-3 minutes before rinsing, then follow with a conditioner that matches the tone of the shampoo to maintain moisture.

• You can also use a green hair mask. This method allows the red-neutralizing mixture to stay on your hair for longer and increases the neutralization effect.
• If you regularly adjust the color of your hair, you won't have to visit the salon as often.

You can make color-depositing shampoo at home using food coloring. If you want to save money or have a shampoo and conditioner that you love, you can add 2 drops of food coloring to the conditioner. Green food coloring helps reduce red or orange tones in dark hair. Purple food coloring neutralizes red-orange tones in blonde hair. Blue helps tone down red-orange hues in medium hair, such as brown or reddish-brown.

• Wear gloves to prevent food coloring from staining your hands.
• You don't need to mix the green food coloring with the shampoo – just wash your hair as usual. Leave the color-depositing conditioner on for about 10-12 minutes, then rinse with cold water.
• If you have naturally red hair and the turquoise food coloring isn’t strong enough to neutralize the tones, try making a homemade mixture with vinegar and crushed vitamin C tablets. Apply the mixture to your hair, cover it with a shower cap, and leave it for 10 minutes. The natural acids will help reduce the warm tones of the red-orange pigments.

The best approach is to dye your hair with a contrasting color. Since stronger dyes can counteract red or reddish tones, you’ll need another dye that’s strong enough to replace the color you no longer want. Green or ash tones can neutralize red-colored hair, while if your hair has a warm orange tone, blue dye would work best.

• If the dye is a pure red, green will be the most effective.
• Brassy copper-red tones can be darkened with chestnut brown dye or lightened with yellow dye.
• Ash tones will neutralize any warm hues in the hair. This color works well if your red-dyed hair has yellow or orange undertones.

You should balance the color first to avoid damage. While bleach can certainly remove color, it can also damage your hair. Typically, red pigments can be corrected by allowing a balanced water rinse to sit on your hair for about 30 minutes. This allows the color-correcting formula to penetrate and cool down the warm tones, resulting in a noticeable change.

Typically, this happens because your hair absorbs too much heat. Styling your hair with heat, or even spending too much time under the sun, can cause red undertones in your hair. It’s also possible that your hair has a natural red undertone that becomes more prominent at different times of the year.

• Hard water can also contribute to the redness in your hair. You can soak your showerhead in white vinegar overnight, then scrub, rinse, and reattach it.