How to Dye Hair Back from Blonde
In 2014, I had my hair professionally dyed platinum blonde. Since my natural hair color is medium brown, it was quite an undertaking.
I was able to have my hair professionally dyed as payment for participating in a local fashion show. I kept the look up for several months thanks to a touch-up I received as payment for a styled shoot I did in June. (2014 was a glamorous year, lol)
But then things started growing out.
I have never been one to spend a lot on my hair (in fact, now I cut and dye my own hair) and I knew I didn’t want to pay $70.00+ every couple of months to maintain a color so distant from my natural one.
So, I decided to dye my hair darker at home.
This is easier said than done. Box dyes are made to go over preexisting pigment. And when your hair has been heavily bleached, they have nothing to “hold” onto.
This means that home dye will fade incredibly fast over platinum blonde. And even scarier, your hair could fade into a garish shade like green.
This is because natural hair almost always has a red tone as its base. Without the warmth of natural hair color, box dyes will skew too cool-toned over platinum.
After consulting with several local stylists and doing some online research, I came up with a plan. And it worked!
What you’ll need:
- Warm Red semi-permanent dye
- Warm Dark Blonde/Light Brown semi-permanent dye
- Permanent dye in the color of your choice
How to Get Rid of Platinum Blonde Hair:
1 | Follow instructions on box to dye your hair a warm red tone, concentrating more color at the roots than on the ends, as bleached hair is more absorbent than your natural roots.
It is imperative that the dye you choose is listed as a Warm tone, as you really need to get the brown-red base of a natural hair color back in your hair before permanent dye can adhere to it.
3 | After both semi-permanent dyes have been applied, dry your hair and apply permanent hair color in the Neutral or Warm tone of your choice (I used a neutral medium brown). You’re finished!
This is a really effective and reasonably gentle method. Just make sure your base dye is semi-permanent and not permanent so that you don’t wreck your hair.
When I used this method, I had absolutely no issues other than some dryness to my scalp due to so many dye treatments. Make sure not to wash your hair for a few days (rinse with water to remove dirt and excess oil) to keep your scalp healthy.
Your hair looks beautiful and this seems like a great plan!