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How to Get Purple Dye Out of Hair: What Actually Works

By HairstyleCamp Editorial Team • Updated on

HairstyleCamp Editorial Team
HairstyleCamp Editorial Team

Articles under this byline are produced by HairstyleCamp's in-house editors working with professional contributing writers. Every piece is edited and fact-checked by our editorial team, and hair care guidance is reviewed by the licensed cosmetologists on our expert review panel.

Whether you like light or dark purple hues dyeing your hair, this color can make a unique statement to those around you. Just because you dyed your hair purple or can’t stand the outcome does not mean you have to live with it for months to come.

Here’s how to remove purple hair dye, just in case you do not like the shade of purple dye you put into your hair.

How to Remove Purple Dye from Hair

Below are two methods that you can try to get purple dye out of your hair so you can move on to trying a different color that matches your style.

#1. Bleach Wash (a Colorist’s Job)

How to Remove Purple Dye from Hair - Bleach Wash

A bleach wash is the strongest way to get purple dye out of your hair. This type of hair treatment fades the dye, usually by a level or two, depending on how light purple your hair already is from prior lightening treatments.

In the salon it is a quick, watched process. The colorist mixes the wash fresh, works it through the dyed lengths first and the roots last (scalp heat makes roots process faster), and checks a strand every few minutes; most bleach washes finish in 5 to 20 minutes.

Expect a strand test before anything touches your whole head, and a rinse the moment the purple lifts. Once your hair is dried, an optional toner evens out what is left.

#2. Use Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

How to Remove Purple Dye from Hair - Use Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Just like clarifying shampoo, using an anti-dandruff shampoo can naturally remove purple dye from your hair.

Try this method by:

  • Dampen your hair.
  • Place a small amount of anti-dandruff shampoo in your hair.
  • Work the shampoo into your hair.
  • Rinse and condition your hair as normal.

Summary

Here’s how to get purple dye out of hair:

  • For permanent purple hair dye, the strongest option covered here is a bleach wash, safest in the hands of a licensed colorist.
  • For semi-permanent purple hair dye, the gentlest starting point is a run of anti-dandruff shampoo washes.
  • Bleach washing works for either permanent or semi-permanent purple hair color, while dandruff shampoos mainly fade semi-permanent dye.