How To Bleach Blue Dye Out Of Your Hair
Wash away your blues with a bleach bath, anti-dandruff rinse, white vinegar, and more.
A cosmetologist from Chicago, IL, Ghanima lives in the Caribbean. As a beauty consultant and stylist with 40 years of experience, she has been in the beauty industry for a few decades, doing makeup and hair. Being a formulator, she has her ... more
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Blue hair looks trendy, and it is a dream for many to sport this hair color. However, bleaching blue hair is the only option if you want to change your hair color. But how can you bleach the blue dye out of your hair? The blue dye is a highly pigmented color, and removing it from the hair can be a challenge. But fret not. This article discusses how to remove the blue hair color easily. Follow these 7 simple methods for bleaching blue color from your hair.
In This Article
Why Is Blue Hair Dye Hard To Remove?
Many hair stylists report blue hair dye to be one of the most stubborn colors to remove. This may be due to its smaller molecules that deposit darker pigments on the hair shaft. Moreover, naturally dark hair requires bleaching before dyeing for a vibrant blue finish. This not only makes the pigments adhere to the hair shaft more stubbornly, but the vibrancy also does not last long and the blue dye starts fading into a dull green, blue, or gray depending on the base pigment of the dye. The only way to remedy this is to re-dye the hair blue or bleach it. Do note that bleaching your hair less than three weeks after a previous bleach, color, or chemical treatment is not healthy for your hair. However, in case of an emergency, follow the steps in the next section to bleach out blue dye from your hair.
How Do You Bleach Blue Hair Dye?
1. Bleach Bath For Dye Removal
A bleach bath is the most effective way to remove blue dye from your hair. It is prepared by using bleach powder and shampoo. Bleach is a harsh chemical, and you need to take some extra measures while using it for hair care. Also, you will see better results if it is done by professionals at a hair salon. If you want to bleach your hair yourself, follow all the instructions carefully to avoid causing any damage to your hair.
How To Do
- Mix the bleach powder with 20 volume peroxide in a 1:1 ratio.
- Mix in the same amount of shampoo.
- Wet your hair and remove all the excess water with a towel.
- Apply the mixture from the hair tips to the roots.
- Cover your head with a shower cap and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Rinse your hair with water.
- If you feel that your hair is too dry, add some extra moisture to it with a conditioner or a hot oil hair treatment.
| Tip: Make sure that you wear gloves when you handle the bleach, and do not leave the bleach on your hair for more than half an hour. |
2. Rinse Your Hair With Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Anti-dandruff shampoos have clarifying properties that can easily strip away the hair color without causing any hair damage. If you mix it with baking soda, the combination works well to remove all color stains from your hair. Thus, it is a great way to speed up the removal of blue hair dye from your strands. Thus, it is a great way to speed up the removal of blue hair color from your strands. It will take anywhere between 10 to 15 washes to fade all the color from the hair. Hence, use this mix each time you wash your mane to remove blue hair dye quickly.
How To Do
- Make a semi-thick paste with a half cup of baking soda with some amount of water.
- Wash your hair with an anti-dandruff shampoo, but leave the shampoo in your hair for 5 minutes before rinsing it out.
- Apply the baking soda paste to your head.
- Let it sit in your hair for at least 10 minutes.
- Rinse out the paste with lukewarm water.
Ash, a lifestyle blogger, shared how she removed blue dye from her hair using an anti-dandruff shampoo. She found that it caused only minimal hair damage. She also used a hair dye with a mild bleaching agent after washing her hair. She added, “This does far less damage to your hair than a full-strength bleach would do, but is still quite damaging (i).”
3. Wash Your Blue Dyed Hair With White Vinegar
Washing your blue-dyed hair with a mix of white vinegar and warm water is the best natural method of removing hair color. Whiter vinegar is acidic and helps break down the hair dye which, in turn, removes the dye from your hair gradually until it fades away.
How To Do
- Prepare a mixture of white vinegar and water in equal parts.
- Saturate your hair with the mixture by pouring it over your head.
- Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave it on for 15 minutes.
- Rinse your hair with lukewarm water and condition it with any deep conditioner.
| Tip: Don’t use apple cider vinegar in place of white vinegar because ACV is less acidic and not effective at removing dye from your hair. |
4. Wash Your Hair With Clarifying Shampoo
Washing your hair with any clarifying shampoo works best if the blue dye in your hair is a semi-permanent one. It will deeply cleanse your hair and remove stubborn hair products build-up from the scalp. Make sure to apply it over the entire head and leave it in for a few minutes to dissolve the dye. The number of washes it requires to remove the dye will depend on the concentration of blue color you applied. Also, apply a deep conditioner after rinsing your hair to avoid drying out your tresses.
| Note: It will take 10 to 15 washes to remove all the dye from your hair. Also, limit the use of heat styling tools in the meantime to prevent further damage. |
5. Using Dishwashing Soap Or Liquid
Dishwashing soaps or liquids contain alkaline compounds with cleansing properties that can remove dirt and debris. Dishwashing soap can strip off a lot of color from your hair.
How To Do
- Prepare a mixture with equal parts shampoo and dishwashing liquid.
- Apply the mixture to your wet hair and leave it on for at least 10 minutes to allow the mixture to work on the blue dye.
- Dishwashing liquids contain a high amount of sulfates that can cause your hair to break. So, rinse it out with lukewarm water and apply a conditioner that provides the essential moisture that your hair needs.
This mixture requires multiple applications to completely fade out the color from your hair.
Did You Know?6. Vitamin C Tablets For Blue Dye Removal
You can use vitamin C tablets or gel to prepare a mix that helps fade out blue dye from your hair. The citric acid in the vitamin C tablets/gel breaks the hair dye and makes it easy for it to come out of the hair. It works best on semi-permanent dyes and lightens the shade with each wash.
How To Do
- Prepare a paste of crushed vitamin C powder with 3 to 4 tablespoons of shampoo.
- Apply this paste on damp hair and cover it with a shower cap.
- Leave the paste on your hair for about 20 minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water.
- Apply conditioner to moisturize your hair.
This method will also take multiple applications to fully remove the blue dye from your hair.
7. Expose Your Hair To The Sun
The most natural way to remove blue dye from your hair is by exposing it to the sun. However, it is the slowest process with the lowest success rate. This process works best if you did not bleach your hair before dying it blue, and if you have dark locks. You will notice a significant color difference in color over a few days of sun exposure. Apply sunscreen while going out to avoid sunburns, and don’t cover your hair with a scarf or hat.
Key Takeaways
- You can use a bleach bath to remove blue hair dye from your hair.
- An anti-dandruff or clarifying shampoo may also eliminate blue dye from your hair.
- White vinegar or dishwashing soap can also help remove blue dye.
- You can use vitamin C tablets to eliminate blue dye from your tresses or simply stand in the sun.
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Quick TipInfographic: Simple Steps To Bleach Blue Dye Out Of Your Hair
Blue tresses are a thing of beauty. But, it becomes cumbersome when you wish to get your hair colored with another shade. The first and foremost thing you need to do is to bleach the blue dye out of your hair. Though we have listed many methods, there are a few that are simple to follow.
Check out the infographic to learn the most simple and effective ways to remove the blue color from your hair.
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
Blue is a highly pigmented hair color that can be tough to remove. But, you can try bleaching blue hair to make it lighter. The main thing to keep in mind when bleaching blue hair is that you don’t want to damage it. The best options for you to try, as mentioned above, are a bleach bath, an anti-dandruff shampoo rinse, white vinegar wash, a clarifying shampoo, using dishwashing or liquid soap, or vitamin C tablets. The best hair lightening method from these is the bleach bath. It effectively removes the blue hair color pigment without damaging your hair. You can also try sunbathing to lighten your hair, but it is not as effective as the other methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color cancels out blue hair?
Orange cancels out blue hair as it sits right opposite blue in the color wheel. However, any color on the opposite side of blue, with an orange base will do the job.
Can you go from blue hair to blonde?
Yes. According to hair stylists, blue is a stubborn color to get off. However, you can go blonde after bleaching your blue hair.
Does blue hair fade to green?
Yes. Blue hair fades to unpleasant hues of green because of the yellow undertones of bleaching that react with blue and turn green. Chlorine and salt water can also add a greenish tint to your blue hair.
What happens if you put purple shampoo on blue hair?
Purple shampoo cancels out the yellow undertones from the bleaching process and prevents blue hair from fading into green.
Learn how to safely fade out blue hair dye and other semi-permanent colors with this easy-to-follow tutorial! Get ready to say goodbye to your bold color and hello to a new look!
Personal Experience: Source
StyleCraze's articles are interwoven with authentic personal narratives that provide depth and resonance to our content. Below are the sources of the personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. How To Remove Green/Blue Dye From Your Hair!https://secretlifofash.wordpress.com/2015/09/05/how-to-remove-greenblue-dye-from-your-hair/
