Hey All,

I used a demi-Permanent color on my hair called "Deep Mahogany". (I wish I could say what brand, but I don't know) I liked the color, it was a dark brown/purple, but after a few weeks it faded to red. A few weeks later it was light red. My hair is natural dirty blond, with a few herbal essences hilights that are not really noticeable. It has now been about 5 months and it is still the light red color, I don't think it has changed at all for a while. :(
I have used red and brown demi-permanent hair dyes before that faded completely, but they were a different brand. The lady at the store told me it would all fade out and this color I wanted was only in the new brand.
Anyway, I really want my natural color back, I never wanted dyed hair for life (that is too much maintenance for me) and I loved my blonde hair, I just like changing the color about once a year for a short time. So can anyone help me, I am pretty desperate for my hair back.

You can try using a colour remover on your hair. L'oreal have one called colour zapper. Perhaps try that or you can use 9% peroxide mixed with bleach. But I would try the colour remover first.

Not all semi- or demi-permanent dyes will come out if your hair takes in the color particularly well.

First, try using Prell to lighten it. This may lighten the color.

It is next to impossible to achieve the same color through dye as your natural. You may either bleach it out, or strip your hair. Bleaching would most likely be the best way to go for you, as the color is not too far from your natural, and it damages your hair less. I would only recommend stripping your hair if it was a drastic change like from black to blonde.

With a deep red shade it is actually very normal for it not to disappear completely... red is a hard color to get rid of. You have a few options... you can get a semi permanent color at the level your hair is now that has a green base to neutralize the red out a little and make it easier to live with. It will not come out the rest of the way on it's own if it's still in there after this much time. The other option would be stripping it, but this is trickier than it seems... it won't just take out the red and leave it your natural color, it will leave it yellow and in need of another color. If you decide to go this route you will need to get the bleach and developer from a beauty supply store and have someone help you... let me know if you decide to do this and ill walk you through it.

Thanks everyone,

I think I am going to try Prell first, because there seems nothing to loose there.
I'll update you on what happens.

But if the Prell doesn't work it I am still choosing between dying it so it is not so red, or bleaching or stripping it then dying it, I'll let you know.

I have a similar problem. I am naturally dark blonde. I did highlights with a cap 3 days ago. Then two days ago I dyed the underneith of my hair burgandy with a demi-permamnent color. The next day when I washed it out the color bled into my hair

Leaving my blonde highlights PINK! I am mortified. Can you please help? I have already dome two soap caps trying to take the pink out and it won't come out. I am worried about using too much bleach and frying my hair.

Actually the best thing to do is wait for your hair to grow out or use a demi blonde. DO NOT BLEACH, I bleached my hair in February 2010 and it is now October 2010 and I recently had to have my hair cut extremely short because bleaching killed my hair and it was fried and broke all the time. Also if you have already bleached it do not use any flat irons or straighteners. Go to avon and get the damage repair products and start repairing your hair before its too late. WWW.Youravon.com/rblakesley. Hope it helps

Wow. This is old, I had completely forgotten about it. BUT, as a hair update (two years later... ) I am now sitting hear with my shiny gold hair :D

I used prell. And while that stuff KILLED my softness without using loads of cream rinse (and I have super oily hair, it was weird to have dry hair ever) it really did help get the color out. The red faded a lot. I think I got to more of a strawberry/darker brown dirty blonde than I naturally am, but I managed to live with it. Eventually I cut it about shoulder length the moment I could, so it would all be my real color.

Thanks for all the help! I'm really glad I didn't bleach or strip it. I recently had a friend who died her hair purple, and ended up looking horrible. She couldn't fix it nor could her hair dresser, not with bleach (or her hair would fall out) or stripping. So, I recommend Prell (although think before dying purple! Haha)

I also had a similar problem, my 11year old daughter, decided to dye her red hair, dark brown, using a semi permanent dye. Unfortunately it stuck and no amount of washing would remove it, even with Head and Shoulders. Even the hairdressers, advised that this type Natural Instincts was known for being virtually impossible to get out.
I then located a product called Colour B4 made by medichem. It contains no amonia or bleach. You put it on the hair, leave 30/60 minutes ( depending on darkness of colour ) cover in cling film, then wash out using the buffer shampoo. My daughters hair was 100% back to it's natural colour, yet no colour camme out whilst washing, apparently this product destroys the cells that carry the colour, with out damaging the hair. Wish I knew about this before the night after night washing to no avail.
Hope this helps someone.