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Red (plum) to Blonde - Any help appreciated

Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Hair Talk
Forum Name: Hair Color
Forum Description: The tricks and tribulations of changing your hair color
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=60428
Printed Date: August 02 2025 at 2:28pm


Topic: Red (plum) to Blonde - Any help appreciated
Posted By: vicky2008
Subject: Red (plum) to Blonde - Any help appreciated
Date Posted: April 13 2008 at 10:18am
Hi All,
 
 About 7washes ago, I dyed my hair red (plum colour)
My hair is naturally dark blonde/light brown but I had bleached blonde highlights through it.
 
 Im now regretting dyeing it and want to go back to how it was (natural but with some blonde highlights through it)
 
 My friends have said I need to dye it brown and then I can have blonde highlights put through it. I went to  a hairdressers & she said she could strip it out but when I mentioned it had bleached blonde highlights underneath she said it would be best not to strip it and that basically I'd have to just put up with it.
 
Being a hair novice, I dont know what to do and dont want to ruin my hair but definitely dont want to stay plum.
 
Any advice would be greatfully received.
 
Thanks all
 
Vicky


Replies:
Posted By: Susan W
Date Posted: April 14 2008 at 8:36am
You can use a color remover like Color Fix.  They have peroxide, but not that much.  It will be the least damaging way to pull the red dye out so you can redye.  Doing what you're about to do may do more damage to the bleached hair, that is why the salon didn't want to be responsible.  I'd suggest that if you do what I say below, test strand first to make sure none of these steps get your hair to the breaking point because of the previous bleach.

After you use Color Fix (you may need to use it once or twice), your hair will come out orange or bright yellow.  Since you want to be dark blonde, its best to do it until your hair is all yellow (you can redo any orange parts alone until its all yellow).  Then use a dark blonde dye, one shade darker than you want to end up with (still choose a dark blonde), with a violet base.  It HAS to be a violet base to counter the yellow.  Use it with 10 volume developer.

The reason you pick one that is one shade darker than you want to end up with is because your hair is porous after previous dyeing and color removal, dark blonde will come out one shade lighter on light yellow hair in this case (it will also fade a little in later washes because of your hair's porousness).

Another reason to test strand, your bleached highlights may come out too gray if the colorfix makes them white instead of yellow...you'd want to see if this will happen before you do any of this to your whole head.

Oops I didn't realize you were in England.  I have heard its difficult to get this stuff over there because you can't shop in beauty supply shops.  You may have to get this stuff online.  If not, you may want to try to convince the girl at the salon to use Color Fix on you and nothing else to strip your hair, and to do test strands on you and let you decide for yourself if there's too much breakage...she might agree, and that might be easier.





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Making metal barettes/concord clips hair safe, long hair style how to: http://alonghair.wordpress.com

Posted By: sassy stylist
Date Posted: April 15 2008 at 5:18pm
Something good to do is a Malibu proto-pack. The name brand is Malibu.  You will have to go to the salon for this.  It is really good for you hair. It puts back some protein you have pulled out of with the chemical services. Plus it will lift the color out of your hair up to three levels.  You can do this once a week. Then once your hair is in good condition you will be able to go back to its original color.

Posted By: Slipknothartgir
Date Posted: April 16 2008 at 12:15pm
Do u have any pics so I see it? I can help better that way.Whatever u do,do go & do just anything.Be very careful on what u do.I'll help u if I can.

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Christina Smith

Posted By: vicky2008
Date Posted: April 17 2008 at 6:31pm
I only had a few bleached highlights originally. Other than that it was natural. Its to the point where my natural roots are coming through and Im hating my hair :(
 
 I bought some ash brown dye tonight and have opted just to tone the red down like this and stick with it. No more blonde highlights for the moment as I dont want to damage it anymore than I already have.
 
 Will update when I have done this
 
Thanks all

Posted By: Susan W
Date Posted: April 21 2008 at 7:14am
Be aware that ash brown and ash blonde are not the same thing basewise usually.  If you had chosen an ash shade of dark blonde, chances would have been pretty good that it had a violet base, but an ash brown will likely have a green base, and may make those white or yellow highlights come out greenish.  (It is what you'd need to counter reddish hair, but test strand if you can before doing your highlights with it - I know its hard to find a highlight that is a hidden piece of hair).  

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Making metal barettes/concord clips hair safe, long hair style how to: http://alonghair.wordpress.com

Posted By: Slipknothartgir
Date Posted: April 22 2008 at 2:12pm
hey, Susan W. , do u do hair?Because u know a hella lot about color & hair.I know where to go to ask questions.Rock on!

Posted By: Susan W
Date Posted: April 23 2008 at 7:32am
Thanks!  But no, I'm not a pro.  Just an avid do-it-yourselfer.



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Making metal barettes/concord clips hair safe, long hair style how to: http://alonghair.wordpress.com


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