Dye my black hair back to brown?

pulliptears

I've had long black hair for years, my natural colour is very dark brown but when my roots start to show there is an obvious difference.

I tried to persevere and letting it grow out but that's really not working. Is there a way to strip out the colour after all these years or am I stuck growing it out?

I dont mind paying a hairdresser if it can be done!

jen77_2

It can be done, I had it done about 10yrs ago.
My natural hair colour is mousy -mid brown colour and i had taken to using hair colour in dark brown years ago. I never just dyed the roots i just used to slop it all over my hair and this ended up with the ends really dark and over-dyed.

I went to hairdressers and it took them all day, literally from 0900-1600h to strip hair. They apply a stripper and it went a gingery patchy brown colour, as it was so over-coloured it took several attempts of applying stripper, letting it work, rinsing, seeing it hadnt taken all the colour out, and then applying all over again.
Once the majority of dye was out they dyed it a light brown colour. It was still fairly patchy colour but it had worked.

Sadly my love of dark hair has over-taken again and i have been dying it a darker brown again...its not the black/dark brown it used to be though...i just dont learn lol!

It cost about £70 back in the days..i guess it will be more now though

Hope it helps

morocha

Hi, when was the last time you had your hair done ? there is a product in Boots called Time Rewind that has excellent reviews...

pulliptears

jen77 wrote: »

It can be done, I had it done about 10yrs ago.
My natural hair colour is mousy -mid brown colour and i had taken to using hair colour in dark brown years ago. I never just dyed the roots i just used to slop it all over my hair and this ended up with the ends really dark and over-dyed.

I went to hairdressers and it took them all day, literally from 0900-1600h to strip hair. They apply a stripper and it went a gingery patchy brown colour, as it was so over-coloured it took several attempts of applying stripper, letting it work, rinsing, seeing it hadnt taken all the colour out, and then applying all over again.
Once the majority of dye was out they dyed it a light brown colour. It was still fairly patchy colour but it had worked.

Sadly my love of dark hair has over-taken again and i have been dying it a darker brown again...its not the black/dark brown it used to be though...i just dont learn lol!

It cost about £70 back in the days..i guess it will be more now though

Hope it helps

I asked my usual hairdresser a few years ago and she did that 'suck air through teeth thing' lol.

Might try a few more upmarket salons then thanks!

Sagaris

I had mine done as a 'model' for my friend's daughter who wanted a guinea pig for her final exams - the yellow patchy hair was very scary! She works in a salon off Oxford Street in London, and they charge almost £200!!! I was very glad to donate my time and hair for free!

dundeedoll_2

Scott Cornwalls Colour B4. It does have mixed reviews but I honestly think this is more to do with what people had actually used on their hair previously/after using it. I used it and it was FABULOUS. It's available at Boots (& other places but not entirely sure where)
There's a brilliant page on Facebook..........lots of advice from Scott and users + pics of before and after. Think you can access that even if you don't have an account - just google Scott Cornwall Facebook and it should let you view. Yep....just tried it and it worked.
The main thing is to rinse it properly (all in instructions) and then rinse it for at least 5 mins more than it says. Also DO NOT use a SEMI-PERMANENT or PERMANENT colour for a while after use - it will reoxydise (go back to black) You can use a TEMPORARY 6-8 washes colour (look at the facebook page to see what Scott recommends - shades/make)
Also Scott recommends (in cases like yours with the over-coloured ends) to use a bicarbonate of soda/lemon juice wash for a couple of weeks before using CB4 to get rid of some of the colour. Scroll down the posts to older posts and you should find a post with that advice.
Hope that helps a bit.
BTW it is NOT a bleach so much kinder to hair.......and cheaper!!

xmaslolly76

Colour b4 is fab under certain circumstances but be warned if you have used xxl products or are fond of using straightners you will end up with horrid orange hair that is terrible to try and cover as the silicon in the products actually bonds with the hair making it impossible to shift. Scott recommended Washing my hair with baby shampoo as apparently that breaks down the silicon eventually and only use wash in wash out colours for a good while until my hair starts to recover but its takes a long time. On the plus side unlike alot of salon products colour b4 wont damage your hair or dry it out

pulliptears

Some great advice thanks! does it make a difference that its been black for at least 6 years though?

dundeedoll_2

* you will end up with horrid orange hair*

It does seem to leave hair with a 'gingery' tone but this is due to the peroxide (which lightens hair) in the hair dyes used even if they darken.
Scott often recommends Clynol Loving Touch 6-8 week in Light Ash Brown to combat this. (Some people have difficulty in getting hold of this so you try Clairol Nice n Easy but only the 6 - 8 week one.)
There are websites that sell it tho'.

Have a look at that facebook page!

pulliptears

Wow the reviews of that Colour B4 are great! Sounds like its worth a shot, although Im slightly scared as I straighten my hair once a week...

pulliptears

Had a look at the FB page, thats amazing! I think I'll try the build up remover shampoo for a few weeks and then give it a go. The dyes Ive used have been various over the years, but mostly clairol etc

Problem is now I have graduated I need to job hunt in September (taking the summer off with the kids!) so I'm going to need to lose the black hair for interviews. I can hide the piercings lol

I'm so glad I asked now! Thank you all!