Want to get rid of years of auburn dye
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=61398
Printed Date: July 30 2025 at 10:57pm
Topic: Want to get rid of years of auburn dye
Posted By: Demosthenes
Subject: Want to get rid of years of auburn dye
Date Posted: June 11 2008 at 3:12pm
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My natural haircolor is a medium blonde with golden highlights. Other than roots, I haven't seen that color for more than 25 years. Over the years, my hair dye colors kept getting discontinued, and the new shades I chose got darker and darker, from light reddish blonde all the way to dark reddish brown. They discontinued my most recent shade (Caribbean Caramel, Clairol Hydrience, see pic below) and I chose a really aweful shade to replace it, again choosing a darker shade. I've been trying to lighten it gradually but the dark stuff won't budge. Bottom line, my hair is fairly long (about halfway down my back) and the last 12 inches or so are really dark burgundy, the next couple of inches are auburn, and my roots are a mix of blond and grey. It is not this years black, I can assure you.  I want to go back to blonde. I've purchased L'Oreal Colorzap, and Clairol Professional "Light Gold Neutral Blonde #8GN) with 20 Standard Lift developer creme.
I don't really have the skintone to go with an ash blonde color. I'm kind of pale peach colored. My hair is extremely think and frizzy. It takes four boxes of hair dye to cover it, and I straighten it with am iron.
Am I doing the right thing? Are there any steps I've forgotten? The lady at the beauty supply store was clueless about hair dye.
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Replies:
Posted By: fakeizme
Date Posted: June 12 2008 at 1:44pm
Hey Demo! Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you!
I would buy two more boxes of Color Zap because you may need them. Also, get yourself a good protein treatment because you are putting your hair through a lot! You have years of colour to try to remove. That won't be easy. Also, red fades fast, yes, but for some stupid reason, it's also very hard to remove! (Gawd's hand at play!) The colour you bought sounds pretty good, but keep in mind, it may go darker on you because your hair will be porous after removing colour. I would spray a light leave-in conditioner (like Infusium 23) all over your hair before you start.
Really follow the colour remover instructions and rinse with VERY hot water. You want to make sure all the colour is gone! If it doesn't work well the first time, try the whole thing over again.
Good luck! ------------- Love clip-ins and tape! |
Posted By: Demosthenes
Date Posted: June 12 2008 at 6:36pm
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Thanks!!
I purchased four boxes of Colorzap just in case.
Could you recommend a good protein treatment? Do I use it first, between Colorzap and dye, or at the very end of everything?
Again, thanks!
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Also, get yourself a good protein treatment because you are putting http://talk.hairboutique.com/new_reply_form.asp?PID=487359&PN=1&TR=2# - your hair through a lot!"Posted By: fakeizme
Date Posted: June 13 2008 at 7:16pm
 Sorry I'm late; it's the weekend --- woohoo!
OK, protein treatments --- there are lots. Some good ones that I would recommend would be Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair (reasonable price), Nexxus Emergencee (love this!), Sebastian Penetraitt (also fantastic) and Grund Tiger Reconstructor (beautiful). There is also Biolustre, which I am still testing and haven't come to a decision on!
What I would do in your case, is just do one good long protein treatment after you have done all the Colour Zapping. But, before you apply your final colour. This will really help your colour go on evenly and will also help it to 'stick' to the hair. Good luck! ------------- Love clip-ins and tape! |
Posted By: Demosthenes
Date Posted: June 13 2008 at 7:32pm
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Thanks again. I'll go pick up the Emergencee product tomorrow and get cracking on my color. |
Posted By: fakeizme
Date Posted: June 13 2008 at 7:34pm
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Right on! Hope it goes well for you. Love weekend makeovers! ------------- Love clip-ins and tape! |
Posted By: Demosthenes
Date Posted: June 18 2008 at 2:38pm
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I've done several steps but I still have too much lemony orange goodness in my hair color.
1) I started with this:
 So I used used Colorzap to remove my auburn die, which turned my hair into this:
 I then applied the Aphogee two part protein filler treatment (that's some stinky stuff), and applied a violet based light ash dye. My hair looked no different.
So I used the Wellite Cream Bleach to lighten the hair further (to a pale lemony orange) and then dyed everything in a blue based light ash.
Here's the result:
 Obviously, I've straightened my hair for this last shot (I could be a walking ad for the Chi Straightening Iron).
My Question (finally!): How do I tone down the remaining orange? I'm aiming for a neutral blonde shade about the same darkness that my hair is now.
Thanks in advance.
Demo
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Posted By: fakeizme
Date Posted: June 19 2008 at 12:06pm
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LOL! 'Lemony orange goodness' --- love it!!!
Actually, may I say, 'kudos' to you for doing all of that and getting great results!!!
 I think you did a great job. Most people panic when they see the orange from the colour remover. I think part of the problem in having first dyed with the violet-based dye is just that: it was violet-based. Violet/purple cuts yellow/gold; not orange/red. You needed a green-based or even blue-green based colour. They are out there, but easier to find in professional dyes. Also, the level you may have used (level 8?) may not have been dark enough to cover the brass.
I think your hair looks pretty good for all that -- healthy and shiny! OK, so here's the thing: you CANNOT tone out orange. Don't believe those who say you can. Temporarily you can, but it will fade out in a week or two and you will be back to orange. Get another box of Wella Wellite cream bleach and apply to your hair again. This time --- WAIT and be patient!
It needs to reach a Level 9 or 10 --- pale blonde, not gold or yellow. Bleach is usually active for about 90 mins. Watch it closely every 10 mins; it may left fast or it may go slow. When you get to pale yellow, then tone/colour with a neutral-based blonde (Level 9) OR condition for an hour with a violet-toned conditioner.
Good luck! ------------- Love clip-ins and tape! |