Getting pink hair color out of your hair can be a hassle, especially if you used a semi-permanent or permanent dye. While there are a few methods that might work to remove the color, using vitamin C is one of the most effective and gentlest ways to get pink out of your hair.
What You’ll Need
To use vitamin C to remove pink hair dye, you’ll need:
- Vitamin C tablets – Go for plain ascorbic acid tablets rather than slow release ones
- Shampoo – Use a clarifying or anti-residue shampoo
- Warm water
- Shower cap
- Gloves
- Towels
- Wide-toothed comb
- Hair conditioner
How Vitamin C Works on Hair Dye
Vitamin C is an effective and gentle way to remove dye from your hair as it works to oxidize the color molecules. When vitamin C interacts with the artificial color pigments, it causes them to break down and release from your hair shaft. This helps strip the color away, restoring your hair to its natural shade.
Some key advantages of using vitamin C:
- It’s gentler than bleach or color strippers
- Helps avoid damage from heavy processing
- Won’t dry out your hair like other methods
- Better for maintaining healthy hair
How Much Vitamin C to Use
When removing pink hair dye with vitamin C, you’ll want to create a concentrated paste to really saturate your hair:
| Hair Length | Vitamin C Tablets |
|---|---|
| Short | 10-20 500mg tablets |
| Medium | 20-30 500mg tablets |
| Long | 30-40 500mg tablets |
Make sure to get uncoated, plain vitamin C tablets that you can crush into a powder. The more surface area the vitamin C has, the quicker it will work to remove the pink pigment.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps to easily remove pink hair dye using vitamin C:
- Start by crushing vitamin C tablets into a fine powder. The amount needed depends on your hair length (see table above).
- Mix the vitamin C powder with a small amount of warm water to form a thick, spreadable paste.
- Wash and dry your hair completely before applying the vitamin C treatment.
- Put on gloves and divide your dry hair into sections. Apply the vitamin C paste generously from roots to ends.
- Massage the paste into your hair, saturating every strand possible. Leave on for at least 1 hour.
- Rinse out the vitamin C paste thoroughly with warm water. Use a wide-toothed comb to remove all traces.
- Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo and then condition as normal.
- Blow dry your hair and check the color. Repeat steps if needed for maximum color removal.
- Use the vitamin C treatment weekly until you have removed as much of the pink dye as possible.
Tips for Best Results
Follow these handy tips to get the most out of your vitamin C hair color removal process:
- Test for skin sensitivity first by applying a small amount of the paste to your inner elbow and leaving for an hour before rinsing off.
- Pull your hair tightly into a bun before applying the vitamin C paste to maximize saturation.
- Cover your hair with a shower cap after applying the paste to trap in warmth and allow it to fully process.
- Don’t shampoo or condition your hair before the treatment as you want the vitamin C to act on the dye molecules.
- Rinse with cool water after shampooing to close and smooth the hair cuticles.
- Use a good quality, moisturizing conditioner after each vitamin C treatment.
- Give your hair a break from heat styling tools while using the vitamin C method.
What to Expect
When using vitamin C to remove pink hair color, be patient. It may take several applications to see noticeable results. With each use, expect to see the pink shade slowly lighten and fade. In most cases it won’t completely strip the color, but will take it to a much lighter pastel pink or peach tone.
Results depend on:
- The original shade of pink dye used – Dark pinks are tougher to remove
- Whether permanent or semi-permanent dye was used
- How long the color has been in your hair
- Your natural hair color underneath the pink
- How porous your hair is, which affects how deeply it absorbs dye
While vitamin C is gentle, be prepared for some dryness after each treatment. Using a good conditioner and avoiding heat styling will counteract this. With continued use, you should see the pink shade fade steadily without causing excessive damage.
Other Methods to Remove Pink Hair Dye
While vitamin C is one of the best home options for removing pink hair color, here are a few other methods you can try:
- Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: Contains zinc pyrithione which helps strip dye from hair.
- Baking Soda: Mix into a paste and apply to damp hair, leave on for 5-15 minutes before rinsing.
- Dish Soap: Lather on and let sit for 15-30 minutes, the surfactants help break down dye.
- Hydrogen Peroxide: Lightens hair but can cause damage if overused. Don’t exceed a 3% solution.
- Color Remover: Use a pre-made remover product following the instructions.
- Bleach Bath: Lighten hair with bleach by heavily diluting it with shampoo.
- Salon Treatment: Professional stripping services are stronger compared to home methods.
Maintenance Tips Post-Removal
Once you’ve removed the pink color from your hair, maintaining your natural or lighter shade involves:
- Use a good quality, hydrating shampoo and conditioner.
- Deep condition weekly to improve moisture.
- Rinse with cool water and avoid hot showers.
- Limit use of heating tools like blow dryers, straighteners and curling irons.
- Apply a UV protecting product before going in the sun.
- Get regular trims to keep hair healthy.
- Only use permanent dyes if you want to redye your hair.
Conclusion
Using vitamin C is one of the most effective, affordable and low-damage ways to remove pink hair dye from your locks. While it requires some patience and repeated use, it can help strip out the artificial color molecules without ruining your hair in the process. Combine the vitamin C treatment with moisture-replenishing shampoos and conditioners for optimal results.
With this simple method, you can say goodbye to unwanted pink hair and restore your strands to a natural or lighter shade without having to resort to bleaching or other harsh chemical processing.
