When you dye your hair blue, you picture a bold blue shade. But sometimes it turns green instead.
If your hair turned green after dyeing it blue, do not panic. There is a clear reason. And there are simple ways to fix it.
Key highlights
- Blue fades. Yellow undertone shows through. Yellow plus blue looks green.
- Fast fix: use a pink or red toner to cancel green.
- Gentle fade: try clarifying or anti dandruff shampoo for a few washes.
- DIY option: baking soda can lift dye. Follow with a smoothing conditioner step.
- Avoid orange or yellow dyes until the green is mostly gone.
Why Your Blue Hair Turned Green
If you started with dark hair, you likely bleached it first. Bleached hair often has a yellow undertone. When blue dye fades, that yellow can show through and make the color look green.
When you dye your hair a dark shade, it can look perfect at first. Over the next few washes, the color fades. The lighter base starts to show.
The same is true for blue hair. You bleached your hair before you dyed it. After a few washes, the yellow undertone begins to show through. Faded blue over yellow can look green.
Fixing Hair That Turned Green After Dyeing Blue
If you are upset about the green tint in your hair, you have a few options.
First decide your goal. Do you want to fade the blue back to a lighter base. Or do you want to cover the green and keep a fashion shade.
My advice and safety notes
- Do a strand test first. Bleached hair can grab color fast.
- If your scalp burns, itches, swells, or blisters, rinse right away and get help. See the NHS guide to hair dye reactions.
- Limit strong cleansing steps. They can make hair feel rough and dry.
- Baking soda is alkaline. A 0.1 molar solution is listed at pH 8.3 and a saturated solution at pH 8 to 9 on NOAA CAMEO Chemicals.
- Very high pH can swell and weaken hair, making it more porous and easier to break. See this open access study on pH effects on bleach damaged human hair fibers.
- If the green will not budge, or your hair is snapping, a colorist can neutralize it fast with a red based filler.
#1. Anti-Dandruff & Clarifying Shampoo
Bleach can remove color fast, but it is a bigger step. Many people can fade green at home first.
A simple place to start is an anti-dandruff or clarifying shampoo. These shampoos are made to deep clean oil and buildup. That stronger cleanse can also lift some surface hair dye. Anti-dandruff shampoos often use active ingredients like zinc pyrithione or ketoconazole. You can see a full list of common dandruff shampoo actives on the American Academy of Dermatology site.
How to use it: wet your hair. Lather on the scalp first. Then pull the foam through the lengths. Rinse well. Follow with conditioner.
This is not instant. Many people see a shift after 3 to 6 washes.
#2. Baking Soda
You can also try a baking soda treatment to help lift dye.
How to use it: mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Apply to damp hair, mainly where it looks green. Massage gently for about 30 to 60 seconds. Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse well.
Right after, use a rich conditioner. Optional: finish with a very diluted apple cider vinegar rinse, then rinse again, then condition once more.
#3. Use a Toner
A toner is the most direct way to cancel green. You want a pink or red based tone because red is opposite green on the color wheel.
Easy option: use a pink toning conditioner.
DIY option: mix a tiny amount of semi permanent pink or red dye into white conditioner. Start small. Think pea size. Apply to the green areas. Check every 2 to 5 minutes. Rinse when the green looks softer. Repeat only if needed.
#4. Color Filler
If your end goal is a natural shade, a color filler can help.
Green tones often need warmth first. A red or copper filler can neutralize green. After that, brown dye looks more even and less muddy.
#5. Dye Your Hair Again
The thing about dyeing your hair is that you have to keep doing it if you want to keep the look. If the color has faded enough to look green, dyeing it again may be your best option.
You can dye it the same blue again. Or you can shift the shade.
Safer cover colors include a deeper blue, teal or turquoise, violet, fuchsia, or a red based shade. Avoid straight orange or yellow until the green has faded a lot. Otherwise the result can look dull and muddy.
Final Thoughts
It is a shock to see blue hair turn green. But it is common, especially on bleached hair. Pick the method that matches your goal. Go slowly. A small shift can look much better fast.
FAQs
Here are some common questions when your hair turns green after dyeing it blue.
Use a pink or red based toner. Pink toning conditioner is the easiest option. Red is opposite green on the color wheel, so it helps cancel the green cast.
Ketchup can help with mild green tones because the red tint can counter green. But it is messy and often too weak for strong direct dye stains. A pink toning conditioner is usually cleaner and more reliable.
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