How to Dye Your Hair Brown After It Has Been Dyed Black

Co-authored by Gina Almona

Last Updated: September 30, 2024

Did you dye your hair black but you don't like it as much as you thought? Have you had your hair black for a while now but want to dye it brown? Unfortunately, you can not simply dye your hair from black to brown without removing or lightening the color first because adding new color does not lift old color. Once you remove the color, you can pick the shade of brown you want and dye it. Whether you just dyed you hair or have been dying it for a long time, there are some methods you can try in order to get your hair from black to brown.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Removing the Dye with Shampoos

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1
Buy the right products. There are two types of shampoos that will help take color off of your hair. Clarifying shampoo is rich in color-stripping ingredients and dandruff shampoo also helps strip color from your hair. These shampoos will help break down the color on your hair and get your hair back to its original color. You can also buy conditioner that is not safe for color treated hair. This will help keep your hair from getting damaged but also help pull more color from your hair.
- Make sure you get shampoo that is not safe for color treated hair, such as Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo. The point it to strip the color, so you don't want it to protect the color on your hair.
2
Lather your hair. Sit in your bathroom with a towel around your neck. Wet your hair with water as warm as you can stand to open up your hair cuticles. Massage in the shampoo to your hair, lathering it from your scalp to the ends. Make sure you get shampoo onto all of your hair so the color will come out evenly. As you lather and spread the shampoo, remove the excess foam.
- The foam should take on the color of the black hair dye. Make sure you don't get it in your eyes.
- Make sure you scrub your hair well in this step. You want to get your hair as saturated with the shampoo as possible.
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3
Heat your hair. Now that your hair is saturated with the shampoo, cover it with a shower cap or plastic bag. Take a hair dryer and heat your hair evenly. Make sure you don't melt the material of the cap as you heat your hair. Once you've covered your whole head, let the shampoo sit on your hair for 15-20 minutes.
- If you have access to a heated dryer, then you can sit under that instead.
- If your hair is long enough, you may need to clip up sections so it all fits into the shower cap.
4
Rinse and repeat. Once the 20 minutes are up, rinse your hair thoroughly. Taking a little bit more shampoo, lather you hair and rinse it twice more. This is to remove any of the excess color molecules from your hair that were loosened during the shampooing and heating process. There is no need to heat and wait between these lathers.
5
Condition and heat your hair. Cover your hair with conditioner from root to tip. Take the hair dryer and heat your whole head again. Leave the conditioner on your hair for 25-30 minutes. Then rinse it completely with cool water to seal the cuticle layer and help lock in the moisture.
- Make sure you don't skip this step. These shampoos strip the oils from your hair and leave them brittle and dry. Conditioning right away will help repair any damage that happened during the process.
6
Repeat. After the first treatment, your hair should be visibly lighter and not have as much black in it. You may even see some of the color that your hair naturally was before you died it. It is unlikely that all the black hair dye was removed during the first run, so you should repeat the process. Once you get it the color that is light enough, dye it with the brown dye of your choice.
- Try to give your hair a break of a day or so between treatments.
- This method will not lighten naturally dark hair. The shampoos only remove added color on your hair.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Removing the Dye with Color Removing Creams

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1
Choose the color removing products. There are a few different color removing products out there. There are some that are for lightening and some for color removal. Choose the one that you like the most or that you think will fit your particular needs.
- Some color removers use peroxide, such as L'Oreal Color Zap, while others are made with bleach like products in them, such as Effasol. You could also try a color removal kit from a brand like Pravana.
- Keep in mind that color removers will not turn your hair back to your natural hair color. Once you are done using them, your hair will most likely be an orange or yellow blond color.
2
Apply the color remover. The color removers come with two different products, a powder and an activator. For removing black, you need to mix the two products together. Once they are fully mixed, apply the mixture to your hair. Make sure you saturate all of your hair. Put your hair under a shower cap and wait for 15-60 minutes.
- If you have thick or long hair, you may need more than one box of product.
- Since it had peroxide in it, it will have an unpleasant smell. Make sure your bathroom is ventilated and that you aren't wearing any clothes that you mind getting messed up.
- You should always mix the shampoos in accordance to the directions on the box.
3
Rinse and condition your hair. Once you've waited, rinse the product fully from your hair. Once all of the product is out, use a deep conditioning treatment on it to alleviate any damage the peroxide did to your hair. Rinse out the conditioner and let it dry. The color should be light enough now that you can color it with the brown dye of your choice.
- If the color doesn't lift after one use, you may have to repeat the steps. Some color removers are safe enough to use up to three times in one day. Just be sure to refer to the instructions that are provided with the kit to make sure that you can use it more than once.
- Make sure you use this product with care. The chemicals aren't as strong as bleach, but they can have a negative effect on your hair. If you already have brittle or dry hair, make sure you condition before you try this treatment.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Removing the Dye with Vitamin C

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1
Getting the ingredients. For this method, you need to get vitamin C in the form of a pill, capsule, or powder. You also need to get a bottle of your favorite shampoo, a comb, a towel, and a shower cap.
- If you have capsule pills, you should pop them open to get the vitamin C powder out of them. If you have the pill, you need to grind them into a powder. You can do this by hand or with a grinder or blender.
2
Mix the paste. You need to mix the vitamin C with your shampoo. Measure 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) of the vitamin C in a non metal bowl. Add 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) of your shampoo. Mix them together, forming a paste. If the paste is too thin, add in more vitamin C until you get a thicker paste.
- If you have long or thick hair, you may need to double or triple the recipe. You will need enough to completely saturate your hair with the mixture.
3
Lather your hair. Sit in the bathroom with a towel around your neck. Wet your hair thoroughly with warm water and wring out the excess. Take the paste and start lathering your hair from root to tip. Use the comb to help the paste get to all the parts of your hair. Once you are sure that you have covered all of your hair, put your hair into a shower cap. Let it sit for an hour.^{[1]
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- If your hair is long, clip it up before you put on the shower cap so your hair will stay up.
4
Rinse, condition, and repeat. After the hour has past, rinse your hair completely to remove all the lather from your hair. Let it dry. Once it is completely dry, condition your hair with a deep conditioning treatment to help put back some of the moisture that was removed during the process. If you still have some black left, redo this process a few days later. Once you get all the black removed, you can dye it the brown shade of your choosing.
- Make sure you give your hair some time to recuperate before you try it again. The acid in the vitamin C makes your hair susceptible to damage, so waiting will allow your hair time to regain its natural oils before you start again.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Knowing Other Options

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1
Visit a salon. If you don't like the idea of messing with your hair at home, you can always consult a professional colorist at a salon. Colorists know much more about hair care and maintenance than you do and will know how to treat any damage that might result from the dying treatment. A salon expert will be able to determine your hair type, any potential problems your hair might face, and a hair treatment that will give you the color you want with minimal damage.
- This option can get quite pricey, so be aware of the costs involved. They will have to remove the color from your hair and then dye it, so you will have to pay for both processes.
2
Try a beauty school. If you are looking for salon-like treatment on a budget, look for a beauty school in your area. They offer color treatments at a fraction of the cost of a normal salon and typically do a great job with your hair. They are training, however, so be aware of what they are doing to your hair so you can make sure they are sticking to what you want done.
- Because they are students, be prepared to be used as a model.
- Clear your day because the process will probably take a few hours.
3
Wait. If none of these methods work or are appealing to you, you can always wait until the black color has faded enough from your hair to dye it brown. This process may take a long time, but it is effective. You can always wash your hair with shampoo not intended for color treated hair to help the dye fade faster. Once it is faded enough, you can color it to the color of brown you want.
- Depending on if you've used a demi-permanent or a semi-permanent color, the time frame can extend from a few weeks to a couple months.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Can baking soda remove hair dye?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Baking soda can help to remove semi- and demi-permanent hair dye, but it won't undo the chemical process that deposits permanent hair color. Mix the baking soda into some clarifying shampoo for the best result.

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Question

Can you bleach hair dyed black?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

If your hair was dyed with permanent color, bleach should remove the dye even if it is black. However, most hair dye contains a mixture of different types of dye and direct dyes, also called stains—as well as natural dyes like henna and metallic salts—and those will not come out with bleach.

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Question

How do I get black hair dye off my skin?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Before you get the skin wet, rub shampoo or dish soap directly into the stain, then rinse it off. Ashes are also great for removing hair color stains.

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Tips

Many people suggest bleaching your hair, but this causes extreme damage to your hair. Try to avoid this option if at all possible.

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The method you choose to dye or change your hair color can be effected by the state of your hair. If your hair is damaged, you need to figure out if dying your hair another color will damage it more. If your hair is healthy, you should consider the strain that treatments can put on your hair.

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As you go through the color removal and dying process, take the time to strengthen your hair and continue the deep conditioning treatments. The riskiest part of coloring your hair is that it could break into pieces.r.

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