If you’re looking for to get your hair colour removed then you’d probably use a hair colour stripper. Hair colour strippers are the most efficient way to remove a hair colour from your hair with the least amount of damage. A colour stripper is a product made specifically for removing oxidative (permanent) dye from hair. Ammonia or bleaching agents are rarely seen in colour removal products. It will not cause major damage to your hair if you choose the proper brand and use the product only once in a while. Hair dye stripping is a chemical procedure that involves the use of a sulphur-based solution to remove deposited colour from hair. Hair dye remover increases sulphite levels to make hair more porous and prevent colour molecules from oxidising. This dissolves the links created by oxidising microscopic hair colour between dyes and the hair shaft, reducing the molecules and allowing hair colour to be washed out of the hair. Hair colour strippers are effective on both newly dyed and older dyed hair due to their chemical composition.
To first understand the types of hair color strippers one must know the different types of hair dye and how they work. First, we have
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Semi-permanent hair color:
These are one component formulas, but they are thicker and require “Processing Time” for the colour to penetrate the hair, lasting 6 to 8 shampoos before fading. If the hair becomes discoloured, these two types will fade out with just shampooing or a nice Hot Oil Treatment.
Demi-permanent colour:
This is a two-component formula (a no-ammonia colorant and an activator or developer) that starts off colourless and develops after mixing and applying to hair. Depending on the brand and your hair type, they can last anywhere from 20 to 30 washes. If you apply a shade that is particularly dark or intense to a lighter hair colour, or to damaged or already coloured hair, you may need to remove it. The best colour remover for this type of pigment is one that does not contain bleach or peroxide which is basically a hair colour stripper.
Permanent colour:
This type is also a two-component formula (Colour + Developer) but it will lighten the hair and deposit a colorant that will last for months. This type can be removed with the same type of colour strippers mentioned above but because of the lightening action of the permanent colour you may need to re-colour the hair after to restore the original colour (or any other colour)
It is highly recommended that you use a good clarifying or deep cleansing shampoo and treatment before and after any of the above hair removal procedures, as well as a good deep conditioner.
Why would you need to use a hair colour stripper?
- To Remove Unwanted Colour: If you tried a different brand of your chosen shade and it turned out darker than you expected, a colour stripper is your new best friend. Consider a colour stripper as your rescue ranger if you dyed your natural blonde hair a deeper hue but don’t like the results. In either instance, the most efficient technique to undo an unfavourable colour application and establish a decent base for a new colour is to use a hair dye remover.
- Pre-treating colour remover: This product can be used to remove the build-up from prior colour applications, preparing your hair for re-colouring and reaching your desired shade.
How does A colour stripper work?
It is important to note that, because hair colour stripper does not contain bleach, it will not lighten your natural hair colour (there are some exceptions). Hair colour strippers are only intended to remove previously applied permanent hair colour pigments and does not bleach the hair. Hair colour stripper won’t restore your hair to its pre-bleached colour because the natural pigment within your underlying virgin hair has been lightened and altered. Dye remover will remove all the artificial dye from your hair and reveal the underlying lightened base.
The colour stripper works by first entering the hair shaft and breaking down the big colour molecules that oxidative hair dyes deposit in the hair. The colour molecule particles grow small enough to be rinsed out of the hair. Not only will the product remove the synthetic pigments from the last colour you applied, but it will also remove all previous colours that have been applied to the hair.
Does Hair colour stripper damage your hair?
Keep in mind that colour strippers only remove the artificial dyes from your hair, without affecting the hair structure. Applying them to your hair is far less damaging than using bleach or ammonia-based products but keep in mind that excessively shampooing your hair and a lot of warm water rinsing, on the other hand, might deplete your hair’s natural oils, leaving your strands feeling dry. You must use a conditioner after and a deep hair conditioner is also recommended to help restore moisture and softness to your hair. Overusing colour stripping products can leave your hair dry, porous, and prone to breakage. Since hair colour strippers leave a raised cuticle layer, you may experience hair dye colour fading faster after stripping your hair. To keep your hair healthy, use hair colour removers sparingly and choose a brand that doesn’t contain bleach in the formula.
How to use a hair colour stripper
Step 1– Use a clarifying shampoo twice on your hair. Rinse and towel dry your hair before applying because your hair should be clean and wet. Some products must be used on dry hair according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In any circumstance, your hair must be spotless.
Step 2– Dye remover kits consist of two bottles, one containing an acid solution and the other containing a sulphur-reducing agent. To create a chemical reaction, you must follow the directions on the product and combine both of the ingredients in the bottles.
Step 3– Work quickly during the application stage since once the solutions are mixed together, the product loses its effectiveness gradually with time. Apply the mixture to the hair right away using a tint brush. If you have long hair, pouring the product into your gloved hands and applying it with your fingertips may be simpler, quicker and more efficient. To achieve uniform distribution, use a wide-toothed plastic comb to brush the product through your hair.
Step 4– Once your hair is thoroughly drenched with the liquid, cover it with a processing cap and apply medium heat for 20 minutes. To keep your hair warm, use a blow dryer. Heat helps to open the hair cuticle and speed up the colour removal process. Wrap the plastic cover on a towel to keep your hair warm if you don’t plan on using a hair blow dryer.
Step 5– The rinsing stage is the most crucial and must be completed correctly. The pigment particles in the hair are washed out during this stage. Rinse well with shampoo, directing the water into the hair many times. To keep the cuticles open, each shampoo should be followed by a long warm rinse. The product will not work if you use cold water. The colour particles that remain in your hair will oxidise in the air and expand again if you don’t rinse your hair thoroughly enough. You may encounter undesirable re-darkening and return to the unwanted colour within 24-48 hours if you do not properly flush away colour particles. The extra rinsing also aids in the removal of the product’s strong, unpleasant odour.
After several hair shampooing, your hair will be a little dry, so use a generous amount of conditioner and keep it on for several minutes to combat the dryness. To seal the cuticles back, a neutral protein filler should be used.
Although the instructions on any hair colour stripper box state that you can colour your hair the same day, it is recommended waiting a few days before doing so. If you’ve had past colour applications that left your hair dry and porous, utilising a colour remover will accentuate this condition. If you wish to apply permanent hair dye right after the colour removal, choose a colour that is at least 2 levels lighter than you want, because colouring excessively porous hair will result in darker and more dramatic results than you want.
A few tips to know before stripping your hair colour
- There are several hair colour strippers that are designed to remove demi and semi-permanent hair dye. Meanwhile henna dye is virtually impossible to remove with hair colour strippers.
- You can’t remove lightened or bleached hair. Hair colour stripping will not return you to your natural hair colour once you’ve lightened it, whether with bleach or hair colour. Whether you want to match your lighter Natural Hair Colour or transition into a different Shade, a Colour over your Lightened Hair will do the trick. However, if you want to become blonder, you can use Colour Remove Blonde. Yes, if you have dark, medium, or light blonde hair and wish to go lighter, colour remove the blonde and recolour with the Light Shade.
- Once isn’t always enough. The outcome of your colour remover is determined by the state of your hair. For recent hair colour mistakes, adjusting the darkness of your hair colour, or removing a month’s worth of colour, one application of colour remover should suffice. if you have been colouring your hair black or brunette for a long time, anticipate to have a lot of colour build up to remove in order to renew your hair. Trust us when we say that taking the extra time to wipe out your colour build up can release the colour that has been weighting your hair down and give it a fresh start.
- Hair colour strippers usually take about 20 minutes to process and no, leaving the hair colour stripper for longer won’t make its effect twice as much or work more efficiently. Hair colour stripper is a precise science — mix Part A and Part B together quickly, apply quickly and process quickly. If you leave it on for longer than the 20 minutes, it actually does the opposite and makes your hair darker.
- Colour Build-up occurs when you apply colour on top of colour, and it gradually collects in your hair. Bright, colourful regrowth and dull, heavy ends with a side of unhealthy-looking hair colour are signs of hair that has colour build up. People who dye their hair bright and vibrant colours who are continuously striving to maintain their colour from fading are prone to build up. Fortunately, Colour Remover’s favourite job is sucking the Build Up out of your hair and revitalising it. Also, Orange is inevitable. Warmth will occur — it’s a sign of a successful hair colour clean out and its residue from the developers of your previous hair dyes. Red, coppers, and blondes leave more warmth behind than any other shades, which can be remedied by recolouring or toning.
- Hair is incredibly porous and the cuticle is quite open after colour stripping, which means it will absorb whatever it can get its hands on. Any colour that is put to the hair will absorb all of the pigment, resulting in a darker hair colour than desired. Waiting 48 hours before colouring the hair allows the hair cuticle to close and prevents this from happening. To avoid this, choose a hair colour that is two shades lighter than the colour you want to be for those instances when you just can’t wait.
- You can do up to 3 hair colour stripping applications a day. Allow for two colour Removing sessions when doing a major colour clean out for the best results.
All in all, hair colour stripping does work and it’s the most effective type of hair colour removal there is for any kind of hair dye and it is the least damaging compared to bleach. It is also time effective taking only about 20 minutes with each application.
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