*Please do not use this guide unless you are desperate and have tried every natural alternative to remove the dye from your hair! If you’ve been looking for a way out of your terrible dye job, this is the post for you.
If you’re anything like me, getting green marker or even blue paint off of your scalp can be one of those things that just keeps coming back again and again. I was worried about the residue from my past events with green markers on my head but I refuse to give up! Here’s what I’ve done in the past few months to bring about a good result.
The Trouble With Green Hair Dye
The first difficulty that we face with green dye is that it’s pretty much impossible to get out. Even natural henna will stain your skin and hair. The second is sweat and water. Most of the time when you try to wash your hair, the dye just comes back even stronger.
How To Get Green Hair Dye Out Of Hair?
When you get green hair dye, the stains are more stubborn than the dye itself. It’s not so much that you can’t get the color out of your hair, it’s just that you can’t get everything out of your hair. I’ve learned from experience with this particular dye that it takes a good month or maybe two to completely get rid of all traces of the green dye from my head and other body parts. Even then, I still occasionally find myself covered in the green dyes even when I washes my hair, especially by the neck and back where I’ve been able to feel whatever residue is left.
Here are some methods that will help you in removing green hair dye from your hair.
1. Use A Clarifying Shampoo (Best For Semi-Permanent Dye)
The problem with a clarifying shampoo is that they can be extremely harsh on your hair. My current favorite is the Joico K-Pak Clarifying Shampoo. I’ve tried other clarifying shampoos and they just don’t seem to work as right as this one. It’ll leave your hair dry and brittle in some cases so you have to be careful with it and maybe even use a conditioner afterward.
2. Vitamin C
The problem with using vitamin c for removing dyes is that it can be overbearing for your hair and scalp. I’ve tried many times to do this in the past and always with bad results. I’ve also had this experience with try different types of vitamin C and they all seem to do the same thing.
3. White Vinegar
I’ve used white vinegar before to get rid of green dye but it didn’t work well enough at all. It dried out my hair terribly, made it even more brittle, and just overall damaged my hair a lot. The best way I have found to get rid of black or green hair dye is by using apple cider vinegar which washes out much better than other types of vinegar. I soak my hair in it for about 20 minutes before washing it out and I do this about once every week.
4. Lemon Juice
I’ve used lemon juice in the past as a method to get green dye off of my hair and scalp. If you have a hard time finding apple cider vinegar, then you might consider using lemon juice. Just make sure that you’ve got some kind of conditioner on hand to protect your hair after wards because otherwise it’ll be dry, brittle, and will break off easily if you don’t take proper care of it. You can use white vinegar instead if you’d like but apple cider vinegar is best as far as I know for removing the dye from your hair.
5. Shave It Off
You could always shave your head in the event that you’ve let it go for too long. I’ve done this before, it’s not a pretty process but at least it’ll get rid of all of the dye at once. I don’t recommend doing this unless you’re absolutely desperate because it’s not fun at all to have no hair on your head.
6. Essential Oils
I’ve also used tea tree oil and peppermint oil before to get rid of any traces of green dye that were stuck around my neck and back. Both of these oils were able to pull some of the green dye out but there’s a chance that it might just be stuck in your hair follicles rather than all over your body. This method is also not very effective on its own and takes quite a few applications before it can truly work.
7. Peppermint Shampoo
I’ve tried this shocking method before, which involves using peppermint shampoo, to get rid of the green dye from my hair but it just made my scalp itch like crazy afterwards and left my hair dry and brittle. It’s something that you could try if you’re desperate but I wouldn’t recommend it personally.
Getting Rid Of Green Hair: Aftercare
After you have removed the green dye from your hair by following the steps outlined above, your mane will need some tender loving care in order to regain its natural sheen and pliability.
Restore the health of your hair by following these steps:
1. Use Intense Conditioner
To ensure your hair is tamed and moisturized after the dye removal process, use an intense conditioner like Coconut Oil Hair Therapy Intensive Treatments . This treatment will keep your hair from easily breaking and you can use it daily.
2. Moisturize With Natural Oils
On particularly bad days, moisturize your strands with natural oils like coconut or olive oil to keep breakage and dryness at bay. Using these natural oils will also help prevent frizziness that can result from using heat on dry hair.
3. Don’t Overdo It!
If your hair is dry and still a bit brittle afterward, don’t use too much heat or else it will become even more damaged. Try using a blow-dryer or hair dryer only on the ends of your hair only for the same reason.
4. Not All Green Hair Dyes Are Created Equal
I know that it’s difficult to find clear information when it comes to green hair dye, but at least you now know that not all of them are created equal and won’t damage your body as much as others might. My biggest tip for anyone attempting to dye their hair green is to choose one that’s of higher quality. Whether you’re buying it from a store or making it yourself, choose one that is more concentrated so that you won’t have to do as many layers for the dye to work properly. With a high quality dye, you’ll be able to get the color quickly and rinse out the dye just as easily, allowing your skin and hair to return to normal much faster than if you had used a lower quality dye.
5. Avoid Heat Styling
I know that you want to show off your new look but refrain from using heat too much. Keep your hair in its natural state as much as possible and avoid ironing, blow-drying, and curling it until your hair has had a chance to return to its original texture.
6. Avoid Chemical Dyes
If you’re not planning on dying your hair back to its normal color anytime soon, then avoid chemical dyes altogether because they have been known to permanently damage the roots of your hair and make it much more brittle than normal. Keep in mind that this can be avoided completely with a high quality dye or even by making your own dyes with natural ingredients at home if you are so inclined.
Can I Use Bleach To Remove Green Hair Dye?
If you’ve desperately tried everything on this list to no avail, then you can try bleaching your hair. I’m not talking about the same type of bleaching that you see on professional salons, though. If your hair are black and you want to remove the dye off of it, then a baking soda and water mix will do the trick easily enough. You need to be careful with this method and follow the steps outlined below in order to get rid of all traces of dye from your skin:
1. Mix The Baking Soda And Water
To begin, mix together a couple teaspoons of baking soda with just enough water until it forms a liquid. Use a spray bottle to apply the solution onto your hair and scalp and leave it in for about 5 minutes.
2. Rinse Out The Dye With Hydrogen Peroxide
After washing out the baking soda mixture, add a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water to your strands until it’s all rinsed out. I recommend using 10% on this one as it is especially effective on removing dye.
3. Condition!
After you’ve rinsed out the hydrogen peroxide solution, use an intensive conditioner like Coconut Oil Hair Therapy or Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Detangling Masque to keep your hair moisturized and smooth.
The Differences Between Permanent And Semi-Permanent Green Hair Dye
There are different types of green hair dye out there, each with their own effects and risks. Some people prefer to use semi-permanent dyes because they last longer but even so, it’s a good idea to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into before using one.
Permanent Green Hair Dye
Green permanent hair color is famously difficult to remove from hair after it has been applied.
Because the pigments in green hair color leave substantial cuticle staining, removing green hair color is famously difficult, much as removing purple and blue hair color is.
When the cuticle, which is the most superficial layer of the hair shaft, gets stained, the color of the hair will change in an irreversible manner.
Since hair bleach can only lighten the color that is already there and not the stains, it is too late to utilize color removal at this point.
It is also essential to take into account the precise shade of green that was applied to the hair, since removing dark green hair dye is associated with a greater difficulty level than fading lighter hues of the same color.
Semi Permanent Hair Dye
The cuticle of the hair is broken when a semi-permanent hair dye is applied, allowing for the color molecules to go all the way to the outermost layer of the cortex.
In a similar vein, this recipe does not call for any ammonia, but it does involve peroxide.
It is common practice to make use of semi-permanent dye in order to improve the tone of the hue, revitalize the color, and maybe even hide grays.
As a general rule, it loses its intensity after being subjected to a total of 28 washes.