removing black perminent color

i'd like to add a tip that i wish i had known when trying to lift blue black out of my hair 4 years ago. do NOT cover your head with anything during the lightening process. it needs oxygen to work. i covered my head with a bag after applying the lightening creme. my hair ended up being a rainbow of every color from blue black to light blonde, and was thoroughly damaged. 

You don't want a light golden brown "to counteract the black".  If you colorfix, and it works, it won't be black anymore, but yellow or orange.  Yellow or orange is what you need to worry about countering.  If its still black after you use colorfix, no haircolor you put on after that is going to lift it.  If your hair comes out yellow after you colorfix, get a light brown with a violet base (to counter yellow).  If your hair comes out orange, get a light brown with a blue base.  (The person at Sally should be able to help you choose something, as you said, but I wanted to clear up that you won't have luck dyeing it if its still black after colorfix).

When my dark brown color turned out almost black, I applied ColorFix three times in 24 hours to get out as much color as I could. It does little damage, but it does smell. Interestingly, the most red I ever got was when I applied a Loreal Excellence ash brown over a slight reddish brown color. Instead of correcting it, it came out very dark red brown. Keep in mind that the colors, especially on porous damaged hair, appear considerably darker on your hair than on the box. I don't know why. My hair colorist used medium ash brown on me and it came out almost black. You might want to try a light brown, either ash, neutral, golden/warm or reddish, depending on the tones you want.

Colorfix is only meant for permanent dye.If you didnt use a permanent dye,or maybe a permanent mixed with a demi ( like feria)then colorfix wont work. It will do a little damage but not anything noticeable.Its a much healthier alternative to bleaching out the black.That will do horrible damage to your hair.Especially when used to lighten from black to anything past medium brown.

Your hair wont be the same color after bleach or colorfix.You'll be left red and brassy with both.But yes the right color will then be put on.And all damage is permanent until cut off..Hair doesnt heal.But it can made to look and feel healthier with good conditioners.

I'm new at home hair color but I'll pass along what I've learned. The ColorFix will remove permanent dye, but that doesn't mean what you have left will be your natural color. Chances are your hair will have some damage or be a different color than your natural color. Also, simply applying a brown does not guarantee you will get the brown that appears on the box. The resulting color is the combination of the color you start with combined with the color you apply. You have to choose your new hair color based on what color your hair is after you use the ColorFix. Also remember that if your hair is real damaged it will grab and hold onto color more than healthy hair. If your hair is all one color, you need to figure out what new color you need to get it all dark brown. If you want to avoid red or brassy or golden tones, you will want to apply a brown hair color in ash or neutral tones. Even then you may still end up with some red or brassy or warm tones if the color you are covering with new dye has those tones in it. Drugstore hair colors are less reliable if you've already colored your hair. You might want to go to Sally's and ask them to recommend a semi-permanent formula for you to use. It will wash out if you do not like it. Once you get a semi color you like, you can replace it with a matching permanent color, then put in a highlight. Good luck.

I used ColorFix several times to remove permanent dye from Robert Craig. However, RC color is non-ammonia and non-peroxide, so I don't know if that makes a difference. ColorFix is meant to remove permanent dye. I think what some people do is only the first step, to keep the hair from going too dark. That's what I did when I wanted to remove too-dark brown color.

Hi,

I've been in this situation.  I have light blonde hair but dyed it blue black and now it is a natural medium/dark brown.
First I bleached it whole (big mistake - hair was try, porous, brown dye faded too quickly, and hair was a rainbow of colours) then later used Goldwell Colour remover twice because I couldn't get Colorfix over here, and my hair went down to a light orangey brown.  Then I tried several different shades of brown first light ash brown to counter the orangey tones..., now I have to buy a medium brown for the roots and a light brown to balance the porosity of the dyed hair with the not-so-porous blonde roots.  The colour remover worked really well.  I'd recommend Colorfix or Goldwell, but get Colorfix if you can because it's supposed to be the gentlest (although I had no probs with Goldwell).

You may need to use colour remover more than once to get your hair light enough to dye over.  Use a brown dye a couple of shades lighter than the tone you want your hair in the end and see how it goes.  Your hair may be left more porous so definitely test strand before colour removing and dying.

Now for the blonde streak...this WILL require bleaching after the colour removal.  The blonde experts on this site will help you because I'm not too knowledgable on toners etc...



Good luck, this is a VERY common problem and it CAN be sorted out at homw with care, perseverence and trial and error