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“My Hair Turned Purple After Dying It Gray” – How to Fix?

Have you ever applied one color to your hair only to have it come out with an entirely different hue? If you dyed your hair gray, but it turned purple, you probably feel a bit panicked and need a fast fix. 

Take a breath and know there’s a way to fix it. The damage isn’t permanent, but you might need to put your hair through a few more processes to get the color you desire.

Why Did My Hair Turn Purple After I Dyed It Gray?

my hair turned purple after dyed it gray
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Your hair turned purple instead of gray for one of four reasons. Either it wasn’t light enough, it had residual yellow pigmentation, the box dye was bad, or you’ve overused purple shampoo.

Dyeing hair gray or silver is a tricky process that requires significant preparation. Failure to do so typically results in shades of purple instead of the desired outcome. 

Hair Isn’t Light Enough

First, you need to lighten your hair sufficiently for the strands to take the color properly. 

It’s important to understand your hair type, condition and how light you need to take it to achieve the desired color. For example, extremely porous hair absorbs more dye, which might yield unintended results.

Too Much Yellow Pigment

Another reason is having too much yellow pigment present in the strands. Too much yellow pigmentation gives off the purplish color; it’s the opposite on the color wheel. 

This issue could be due to your hair’s natural pigmentation or the result of bleaching and toning. 

Using Old or Damaged Dye

Since gray is a touchy color, you need a quality hair dye to do the job correctly. Using an old or expired box of dye or one exposed to heat and light for too long could also cause a reaction resulting in an unexpected hue like purple. 

Overuse of Purple Shampoo

The purple pigment in purple shampoo can neutralize brassy hair. However, too much purple shampoo can stain gray hair by giving it too much pigment, resulting in darker, purple hair. 

How to Fix Hair That Turned Purple After Dyeing Gray

If you’re looking at purplish locks and regretting your decisions, take a breath. You have options for getting your hair back to gray; it might take a little time and extra strain on your hair, but you can fix this. 

Use Color Remover

ways to fix grey hair turned purple

A color remover can be an effective alternative to restore your natural hue without excessive damage. These products work by stripping away excess pigment from dyed strands and can help restore your natural shade without damaging it too much. 

However, keep in mind that these are strong chemicals and should only be used as directed on their packaging – otherwise, they could cause severe damage to your locks. 

Additionally, color removers may not completely remove all traces of purple if there was already some present before dying it gray.

Re-Dye Your Hair

Re-dyeing your hair is the most effective way to fix hair that has turned purple after dyeing it gray. To do this, you’ll need to purchase a box of hair colors specifically designed to cover up mistakes. 

This approach usually entails going with a darker shade than the one you originally used. Darker colors can mellow out the purple tones while lighter ones tend to enhance them. 

Before applying the new shade, read and strictly adhere to all directions on the package for the best results. It’s also an excellent idea to do a strand test to see what it will look like.

After dying your hair again, use a toner or conditioner specifically designed for gray hair in order to neutralize any lingering purple tones.

Try A Clarifying Shampoo

how to fix grey hair turned purple

To use this method effectively, start by wetting your locks thoroughly before massaging in some clarifying shampoo until lather forms evenly throughout the hair (avoid getting any near your eyes). 

Leave on for 3 minutes before rinsing out with warm water and repeat it twice if necessary; afterward, apply conditioner liberally and rinse out after a few minutes.

If the hue of your gray hair is not what you expected and becomes purple, a toning shampoo that corresponds to the shade you desire is an effective way to remedy it. 

To avoid this issue in the future, consider doing a patch test before applying dye to ensure color accuracy. 

Head to the Salon

When in doubt, head to a professional if you’re afraid to damage your hair too much.

A professional hairstylist is your best chance to get the color you want without harming your hair. They have the knowledge and experience to correct your color and help you get the desired look without frying your locks.

Does Purple or Blue Toning Shampoo Make Gray Hair Purple?

purple shampoo

If you’re wondering if purple or blue toning shampoo can make gray hair purple, the answer is both yes and no. 

The key here is knowing what kind of product works best for your situation and understanding how certain products interact with each other; this can help prevent unwanted results when dyeing your hair.

Ultimately, whether purple or blue toning shampoo makes gray hair purple depends on several factors, including the type of product used and how long it stays in contact with the scalp before being washed out completely. 

Permanent Dye

If you’re using an ash-toned permanent dye – which is usually recommended if you have naturally dark brown or black tresses – you won’t find your hair turning purple after applying toner. Remember not to leave either product on too long, which may cause irreversible damage.

Semi-Permanent Dye

If you’re using a semi-permanent dye, such as one designed specifically for gray coverage, then the chances are high that this with toning shampoo will turn your gray hair into a purplish hue. 

These dyes contain pigments that can react with any underlying yellow tones in your grayscale locks and create a subtle shade of lavender or violet.

Thus, be mindful of both these components when picking which one to utilize to avoid any permanent harm.

Summary

If your hair turned purple after you’ve dyed it grey, it could be because the hair wasn’t light enough, the boxed dye was bad, or you’ve overused purple shampoo. But don’t worry if your freshly dyed gray locks suddenly turned a lavender hue, there are various steps you can take to restore your hair’s original color. 

Identify the cause of the discoloration and follow the corrective measures suggested above.If everything fails, you may need to re-dye your locks again, but make sure you use a high-quality product designed specifically for coloring grey hairs so that they won’t turn purple next time.

Now that you know what to do and what not to do if our goal is grey hair, you should not have any problem achieving your desired color on your hair.

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