So you are bored of your hair color and want to get rid of it but are afraid of doing anything as you think removing a semi-permanent color from the hair is an uphill task. Come on! It does not need a salon visit; you can do it using an everyday ingredient. Yes, we are talking about baking soda. Surprised, right? This post will give you all the details of combining baking soda with other ingredients to remove your semi-permanent hair color at home.
Why Baking Soda?
Baking soda is highly effective as a natural lightening and cleansing agent (1), which is why so many people also swear by it for removing hair dye. Baking soda is a scrubbing agent; thus, washing your hair with it can gradually strip off the color from your tresses without damaging the hair’s quality.
How Do You Remove Hair Color With Baking Soda?
Baking soda ranks high for natural body part cleaning. In moderation, it also proves effective in removing semi-permanent hair dye. Typically combined with an appropriate shampoo, these procedures are simple and time-efficient.
Also Read – Hair Chalking – The Fun Way To Get Temporary Hair Color
Here are a few ways to use baking soda along with other ingredients to remove the hair color:
1. Baking Soda with Shampoo
Supplies Needed:
- Baking soda – 2 tablespoons
- Anti-dandruff Shampoo of your choice – 2 tablespoons
- The same anti-dandruff Shampoo (for washing) – as required
- A good conditioner – as required
- A small mixing bowl
- A spoon
Method:
1. To start the process of hair color removal with baking soda, you must clean and wash your hair first. Ensure that your preferred Shampoo has a comparatively higher pH level than other regular shampoos and that an anti-dandruff shampoo is the best for this purpose. However, the Shampoo must cleanse your scalp and hair without causing much damage to them. (Anything herbal is always a good choice.)
Also Read – How to Use Baking Soda for Dandruff and Hair Growth; Benefits and Side Effects
2. Rinse your hair with cold water. Once you are done with shampooing, wash your hair with plain cold water.
3. Now, put the baking soda in the mixing bowl. Add some more anti-dandruff shampoo to it based on the requirements of your locks.
4. Mix them very well with the help of a spoon so that the mixture becomes smooth and creamy in texture and medium in consistency.
If you have thin, fragile hair or a sensitive scalp, use these methods with caution by making sure the mixture doesn’t touch your roots.
5. Apply this mixture all over your scalp and start massaging gently using your fingertips. Follow a small circular motion to ensure this baking soda-shampoo mixture is properly massaged into all your dyed hair roots.
6. Once your entire scalp is covered, gradually move down the hair strands. Covering all your hair (from the roots to the tips) with the shampoo-baking soda mixture is essential.
7. Allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, wash your hair thoroughly with the anti-dandruff Shampoo. Squeeze out the excess water from your hair, apply your preferred conditioner as usual, and let it sit for a few minutes.
8. Finally, rinse the conditioner and the traces of the Shampoo out of your hair using lukewarm water. Finish off the process with a cold water rinse.
Also Read – 9 Best Underarm Whitening Products to Say Goodbye to Dark Armpits
How it Works:
Anti-dandruff Shampoo possesses extra pH conditioning properties that speed up successfully removing hair dye when mixed with a scrubbing agent – baking soda.
Removing hair dye with the help of a natural ingredient like baking soda is certainly not an overnight affair. However, practicing this process a couple of times on a regular interval will help you get rid of your hair color gradually.
2. Baking Soda with Lemon Juice
Supplies Needed:
- Baking Soda – 2 Teaspoons
- Lemon Juice – 2 Teaspoons
- Shampoo and Conditioner of your choice for rinsing
- Mixing bowl and Spoon
Method:
1. Mix two teaspoons of each Baking soda and lemon juice to make a thick paste. (use an additional teaspoonful of lemon juice to dilute if the paste seems too thick to apply)
2. Apply this paste all over your hair strands and closer to your roots. Keep it on for 5 to 7 minutes. (Do not exceed 10 minutes). Rinse it off with your preferred Shampoo.
3. Apply conditioner and rinse. Finish the process with a cold water rinse.
How it works:
The citric acid in lemon juice has a fading property, which helps remove hair dye. Also, lemon juice can help solve most hair problems, from dry scalp to dandruff.
Also Read – Recipes To Make Lemon And Baking Soda Mask For A Clean, Flawless Skin
3. Baking Soda with Vitamin C + Shampoo
Supplies Needed:
- Vitamin C – 5-10 Crushed Tablets
- Anti-Dandruff Shampoo – 2 Tablespoons
- Baking Soda – 2 Tablespoons
- Shampoo and Conditioner of your choice for rinsing
- Mixing bowl and Spoon
Method:
1. Mix Shampoo, crushed vitamin C tablets, and baking soda until it forms a smooth paste. Apply this mixture to damp hair thoroughly. Let it sit for 30 to 40 minutes.
2. Rinse it off with your preferred Shampoo.
3. Apply conditioner and rinse. Finish the process with a cold water rinse.
How it works:
Anti-dandruff Shampoo, vitamin C tablets, and baking soda effectively remove even the most potent hair dye.
These methods can make your hair dry. It is always essential to use a conditioner to retain your hair’s moisture.
Also Read – ArteFill Dermal Filler – A Solution To Skin Imperfections
4. Baking Soda with Apple Cider Vinegar
Supplies Needed:
- Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 Tablespoon.
- Baking Soda – 2 Tablespoon.
- Warm Water – ½ cup
- Spraying Bottle (Optional)
- Shampoo and Conditioner of your choice for rinsing
Method:
1. Mix warm water with apple cider vinegar and baking soda and spray them in a bottle. Spray it thoroughly on your damp hair.
2. Leave it for 5-10 minutes. Rinse it off with your preferred Shampoo.
3. Apply the conditioner of your choice and rinse. Finish the process with a cold water rinse.
Alternatively, directly rinse your hair with this mixture while showering or before applying Shampoo and skip the spraying process.
How it works:
Baking soda and apple cider vinegar are excellent cleansing agents to help fade your hair color.
Also Read – 11 Ways to Keep Bleached Hair Soft and Healthy
5. Baking Soda with Epsom Salt (Bath Salt)
Supplies Needed:
- Epsom Salt – 1 Tablespoon
- Baking Soda – 1 Tablespoon
- Warm Water as required
- Use the Shampoo and conditioner of your choice for rinsing.
- Mixing bowl and Spoon.
Method:
1. Mix Epsom salt, baking soda, and water in a bowl until it dissolves completely.
2. Soak your hair with this mixture and leave it for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Shampoo your hair and condition it well. Finish the process with a cold water rinse.
How it works:
Epsom salts moisturize your hair while helping strip off the color when combined with baking soda.
Also Read – Dark Underarms? Whiten Them Naturally With Baking Soda
Tip to Remember:
Following the proper steps is insufficient to remove the dye from your hair with baking soda. There are some essential facts and information one needs to learn and keep in mind while undergoing the procedure. We have listed them down:
1. Before giving this at-home hair color removal method a shot, you must figure out your hair type. If you have super dry hair, try not to use baking soda, as it might make your hair even drier.
2. Baking soda is primarily suitable for removing semi-permanent hair dye. Using a more potent formula to remove permanent hair color would be best.
3. Always use baking soda in a 1:1 ratio to make the mixture most effective.
4. Don’t use boiling water, but make sure that you use the tepid water you can tolerate for washing your air throughout the process.
4. Do not skip the conditioning part at the end. It will ensure that your hair remains soft and smooth after using ingredients like baking soda and hot water.
5. Always finish the process by rinsing your hair with cold water.
6. The older your hair color is, the longer it will be obliterated. Hence, maintain a realistic goal.
7. Do not use styling products or treatments while using baking soda on your hair to remove dye.
Apart from baking soda-shampoo mixture, there are several other choices like color removers (both color reducers and color strippers), bleach, honey, cinnamon, hot oil treatment, dishwashing soap, Hydrogen Peroxide, etc. that are used for hair color removal. However, baking soda is known to be the safest and the most effective one of all.
Summary:
While there are many hair color removal products, opting for a natural ingredient is always a great option. And Baking Soda being an easily available ingredient, you can use it with various ingredients to remove the semi-permanent hair color. Baking Soda works as a great natural lightening, scrubbing, and cleansing agent that aids in removing hair color easily. When mixed with various ingredients like Shampoo, Lemon, Apple Cider Vinegar, Vitamin C, and Epsom Salt, it works magically to remove the hair color. Although it might take a few washes to remove the color completely, a natural ingredient like baking soda is a good alternative to all those chemical loaded hair color removers/strippers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does Baking Soda Damage Your Hair?
No, Baking soda does not damage your hair when used with the right ingredients. However, it can make your hair frizzy if you do not use a conditioner.
What Happens If Baking Soda Residue Remains In Hair?
If you do not rinse off baking soda thoroughly, it might leave your hair feeling matte and lumpy.
Does Baking Soda Work Effectively In Removing Any Hair Color?
Yes, baking soda works on every hair color. But you might have to repeat the hair color removal process a few more times for specific dark hair colors.
Can Baking Soda Cause Hair Breakage?
Yes, if let on hair for more than 40 to 60 minutes at one go, baking soda can gradually strip off the natural oil from the strands, thus making the hair fragile and leading to breakage.
References –
- Can You Use Baking Soda to Lighten Your Hair? – healthline.com
