What should we look for in a hair color remover?
Cassie Siskovic, of Alfaparf Milano Professional says the first step in figuring out what type of hair color remover to use is understanding the type of color you need to remove. “You can figure this out by thinking through your hair color history, and then making a decision with this in mind,” she says.
Before moving forward with removing hair color at home, Siskovic recommends thinking about the following:
- If you used a pastel color conditioner on your highlights/lighter hair.
- If you used a color/received color that went darker than you expected.
- If you’ve been coloring your hair for years and want to make a change.
If you fall under example one or two, you could remove your hair color with a clarifying shampoo. “Usually, in these cases, the outer layer of your hair (the cuticle layer) is already open because your hair has been bleached or colored,” she adds. Since the cuticle is already open, the color you want to remove has a good chance of coming out easily.
If you fall under example 3, it’s likely clarifying your hair won’t remove your color. “The more consistent you are with hair color, whether it’s the same color or if you change it, the more stained or pigment loaded your hair becomes,” Siskovic explains. At that point, the best option for you may be to head to a salon.
What should we avoid?
Siskovic suggests avoiding any at-home chemicals, bleaches, dish soaps and detergents. “You’ve seen the horror videos on TikTok of people pulling out chunks of their hair due to damage — we deserve better than that,” she says. It’s best to try a safer method, like using a clarifying shampoo, or visiting a salon you trust.
