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Looking for the best hair color removers, only to find that there’s just way too many options to choose from? Don’t worry. We know the struggle, which is why we’ve made this guide. Read on to see our top 7 picks.
What’s the Best Hair Color Remover?
The best hair color remover is designed to remove color that you don’t like. If you are unhappy with your new hair color from the salon or have a DIY mishap, you will want to find one of these products to fix your hair and get rid of the color.
Some products are designed to lift permanent hair color, while others work only on semi-permanent coloring.
There are gentler products that just soften harsh hues without stripping the dye if you need to do something and are worried about messing it up. Most professionals recommend that you see a professional if you want to remove hair color.
But there are products that you can use if you want to do it at home. You may be tired of your color and need to strip it before you try out something new, and you can find a product that will do the trick.
Our Top 7 Picks for the Best Hair Color Remover:
- Best Overall: Color Oops Hair Color Remover
- Best for Dark Hair: Colour B4 Hair Colour Remover
- Best for Semi-Permanent Dye: Color X-Change Phase Out Gentle Dye Decolorizer
- Best Value: Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Dandruff Shampoo
- Best for All Hair Types: Framar Kolor Killer Wipes
- Best for Permanent Color: L’Oreal Paris Effasol Color Remover
- Most Versatile: Roux Clean Touch Hair Color Stain Remover
No matter what your hair needs are, you can find a great hair color remover to get rid of unwanted dyes. It is important to choose the best product for your situation and the type of color you want to remove.
Why You Need a Hair Color Remover
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Hair color remover is used to remove artificial color pigments from your hair. A color stripper removes oxidative dye from your hair, and it doesn’t have to cause a great deal of damage to your hair.
It’s important that you follow the directions for these products carefully, but they can help you get rid of color that you don’t want. Some people use them because they tried a new color that didn’t turn out the way they were hoping.
Others just want a change. After you color your hair, you can’t just apply a new color on top of it; you need to remove the old color first. That is where these products come in handy.
The color remover enters the hair shaft, and it breaks down the collar molecules that were deposited by the oxidative hair dyes.
They will remove all of the synthetic pigments from your hair and return it to resemble your natural color. However, some of your natural pigments may have been lifted by dyes in your past, so your natural color may not be what you expect.
The 7 Best Hair Color Removers in 2024
There are a number of different hair color removers on the market today, but you need to choose one that has the features that are ideal for your hair. Take a look at our picks for the best hair color removers.
1. Best Overall: Color Oops Hair Color Remover
- Contains ingredients for hydration
- Works well for permanent and semi-permanent dyes
- Has a gentle effect
- People dislike the scent
- It can dry your hair out
There are many reasons to love this hair color remover. It is recommended by experts as the best option for people to use at home, and it is affordable and gentle. It conditions while it removes the color from your hair, and it only takes 20 minutes to use.
It is also ammonia-free and bleach-free. This product works by shrinking dye molecules so that you can wash them away, and it contains Aloe Vera that nourishes the hair follicles and provides hydration.
It also has healing soy protein complex to help rebuild and restructure processed hair. It is ideal for hair that has been colored with standard oxidative dye, and it works on dry or brittle hair. It has an easy one-step application, and it is safe and gentle enough to use each time you recolor your hair.
2. Best for Dark Hair: Colour B4 Hair Colour Remover
- No ammonia or bleach
- Strips dark colors without damaging pigment
- No brassiness left behind
- Sulfur smell lasts a week
- You need to use clarifying shampoo afterwards
When you choose this hair color remover, you will be able to remove dark-colored dyes from your hair. It works well on different browns and reds, and it doesn’t leave brassiness behind.
It comes in extra strength to strip away the dark artificial colors, but it won’t damage your hair’s natural pigment. When you apply it, you can apply the products with your hand using the gloves that come with the product, or you can use a hair color brush.
You can work it into your hair, and section your hair off. You will want to saturate all of your hair so that it removes all of the dye, and let it set for the full amount of time listed in the instructions.
When you rinse this product, you can spend 30 minutes in the shower. This will actually improve your results. You can follow it up with a clarifying shampoo and a hydrating conditioner.
Read Next: The Best Hair Conditioner
3. Best for Semi-Permanent Dye: Color X-Change Phase Out Gentle Dye Decolorizer
- Made with vegan and cruelty-free ingredients
- Comes with a hydrating hair mask
- Gently lifts semi-permanent dye from your hair
- Might take more than one application
- Can dry your hair out
This hair color remover is gentle and removes semi-permanent hair color. It is free of parabens, bleach, sulfates, and more, and it is vegan and cruelty-free as well.
You start by filling a non-metallic bowl with four ounces of water at room temperature. Then add the crystals and dissolve them into a gel. Work the gel into your hair, and put on a processing cap that comes with the product.
Leave it on overnight. When you get up in the morning, you can rinse, and the color should be lifted. The hair color remover is vitamin-based, and it will gently remove the color while you are sleeping.
Once you finish, you can use the hydrating mask to condition your hair. This is an important part of the process so that you can lock moisture back into your hair.
4. Best Value: Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Dandruff Shampoo
- Fades color in your hair
- Nourishes your hair at the roots
- Inexpensive option
- Doesn’t remove the color from your hair
- Is more of an anti-dandruff shampoo
This shampoo from Head & Shoulders is a great option if you want to wait to have a professional remove your hair color, but you want to fade it because you aren’t happy with it.
The shampoo is gentle enough to use every day, and it won’t harm your hair. It will nourish your hair at the roots as it cleans and fades the color.
You may want to follow it up with a hydrating hair mask because it can dry your hair out. Although this shampoo technically isn’t a hair color remover, it can help you fade or tone down a color that is too bright.
5. Best for All Hair Types: Framar Kolor Killer Wipes
- Best-selling product is very popular
- Professional-quality wipes lift dye stains
- This is a highly rated product
- Has a strong scent
- Can dry out your hair
These color removal wipes are one of the most popular items for eliminating dye. You can use them to wipe hair dye from your hair, hands, nails, arms, and more.
They are specially formulated to gently clean your skin and your hair, and they have aloe and sea salt to help moisturize and soothe. The container comes with 100 wipes, and they are easy to pull out without ripping or sticking.
The dispenser is durable, and it smells fresh. The wipes are also soft, so they won’t grab or pull your hair. You can use them without harsh scrubbing, and you can eliminate the color you don’t want.
This is an affordable option, and you can use them without having to mix up chemical formulas that could damage your hair if applied incorrectly.
6. Best for Permanent Color: L’Oreal Paris Effasol Color Remover
- One of the best color removers on the market
- It removes buildup of color over the years
- It foams on the hair to leave more even tone
- Must follow directions carefully
- Need 2 packets for hair longer than shoulder-length
When you want a hair color remover that will get rid of all of the permanent dyes in your hair, this is a great option. It is what the professionals use, and as long as you follow the directions carefully, it does an effective job.
It is important to remember that this product will remove any artificial dyes, but it won’t necessarily restore your natural color. It will leave your hair in a lightened state so that you can follow it up with treatments or more color.
It creates a foaming bath that saturates your hair and washes away permanent hair color. People who used this product were very pleased with the results.
7. Most Versatile: Roux Clean Touch Hair Color Stain Remover
- Removes dye stains from hair, clothing, and skin
- Is gentle on your hair and skin
- Won’t irritate your skin
- Need to apply more than once to remove pigment
- Need to try to keep the product off your face
You can use this gentle hair color remover to get rid of stains on your scalp, skin, or clothes. You can remove color from the ends of your hairs as well. It works with any color brand, and you apply it directly to the area you want to remove the color from.
Once you apply the product to your hair, you can let it sit for a few minutes. Then, rinse it off, and you will be free of the color. You only need a tiny amount for removing color from your skin, but you might need a little more for your hair.
Finding the Best Hair Color Remover
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When you are looking for the best hair color removal product, you want something that can strip the dye from your hair without damaging it. It should be easy to use, and you need to choose the right product. Take a look at some factors to consider:
Dye Removing
The first consideration is the type of dye it removes. Some products remove permanent hair color, while others remove semi-permanent color. You may want to fade the color until you can get in to see a professional.
You should choose the best product for your needs, and determine whether you want to strip the color completely or simply fade it. Also consider whether the dye is permanent or semi-permanent because different products work on each type.
Ingredients
Another factor is the ingredients in the hair color removal products. You will want to avoid bleach, as this will change the color of your hair permanently.
Some products are plant-based and use vitamins to remove the color, while others use chemicals. You should look to see if the product is moisturizing, and find out if it will burn your skin.
This lets you know how cautious you need to be when you remove the color. You should also avoid ammonia and bleach, as they strip the hair of color as well as beneficial nutrients.
Hydration
When you color your hair, it can leave it dehydrated. Decoloring your hair can make it even more dehydrated and leave it brittle and dry.
You should look for a product that has hydrating ingredients, such as aloe vera and other plant proteins that can repair the damage from the color.
Price
The price is always an important factor, and you should look for a product that is affordable but offers good value.
You want something safe and effective, and it should remove color without damaging your hair. You might pay less for lower-quality products, but they can cause damage to your hair.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do hair removers work?
When you use a hair color remover, it will strip color from your hair. It starts by shrinking the color molecules, and then you can wash it out. There are usually two bottles in the box, one is an activator and the other is a color remover. You will mix them together.
Next, you work the product through the hair. You can either wear gloves and do it with your fingers or you can use a coloring brush. Leave it in for the recommended time, and then you can rinse it out. Shampoo and condition your hair afterwards.
Does hair color remover damage your hair?
Hair color remover can damage your hair. Many products contain ammonia or bleach, and these products strip the color as well as the natural oils and shine from your hair.
It is especially important to use a conditioning treatment after you use this type of product. Choose a product that uses natural ingredients and contains a hydrating solution.
How long do you leave color remover on your hair?
The length of time you leave hair color remover on your hair varies. Some products only need to sit for 20 or 30 minutes, while others stay on overnight. It is important to follow the instructions for your particular product.
What happens if you leave hair color remover on too long?
It is very important for you to follow the directions exactly when you use this kind of product. Leaving the hair color remover on longer will not help it do a better job of removing the color. You might damage your hair, and you could end up drying it out.
Can you color your hair after using hair color remover?
You can color your hair after you remove the color, and this is even more true if your hair is in good condition.
Your hair is porous, so you might want to do a strand test before choosing a new color. People often choose a lighter color and leave it on for less time since the hairs are open to take in color.
So, What’s the Best Hair Color Remover?
When you choose the best hair color removal product there are a lot of products available. You can choose products for permanent color, semi-permanent or wipe aways.
Our top pick is Color Oops Hair Color Remover. This hair color remover is great for all types of hair, and it is easy to use and gentle on your hair.