Going blonde is fun. But if you have red hair and want to turn it blonde, it can be challenging. Bleaching red hair is not easy, and there is some science behind it. The Melanocortin-1 Receptor (MC1R) gene in red hair is responsible for its color (1). Interestingly, only 0.5% of the population in the world has this hair type. Hence, the options to bleach red hair could be relatively scarce.
In a study conducted on 12,741 individuals, it was found that 306 individuals or 2.4% of them had red hair. It was also observed that gene MC1R was responsible for red hair color. So having red hair color is very rare. So further bleaching red hair to blonde is very rare.
But worry not. This article explores all you need to know before turning your red tresses blonde. Continue reading.
In This Article
Transition From Red Hair To Blonde – What It Entails
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The transition from natural red to blonde hair is not as easy as a walk in the park. Red hair has some of the most potent pigments and molecules attached to it.
Hence, it will be difficult to remove the pigments in one session. It will, in fact, take several sessions of hair treatment before you can get blonde hair. However, converting your hair from red to blonde is not impossible.
Blonde hair is a light shade compared to red hair. Hence, you will need to bleach your hair to turn it from reddish to blonde. Bear in mind the consequences of bleaching your hair.
Blonde hair, like red hair, has more sub-types in color. Ensure that you have a good idea of the hair color you want. The most common blonde hair dye shades are platinum, ash, and gold. Alternatively, you can try a combination of red and blonde, which will give you a strawberry blonde look.
If you are considering keeping your red hair and adding a blonde touch to it, you can try that as well.
You can add blonde hair highlights to your natural red hair, get a red to blonde balayage, opt for red hair with blonde bangs, or go for any other hair look you wish. Ultimately, you need to decide on which option you are leaning towards.
Did You Know?
Humans have two types of melanin – eumelanin (black to brown shades) and pheomelanin (red to pink shades). Pheomelanin predominates over eumelanin in people with red hair.
Read on to know how you can convert your red hair to blonde without any damage.
Convert Red Hair To Blonde Without Hair Damage
Before turning your hair from red to blonde, it is almost always helpful to get some professional advice, especially if you are trying it for the first time. It would be best if you visit a hair salon and talk to a hair stylist/consultant to get advice about your hair.
The following steps will help you get blonde hair without damage.
1. Remove Previous Dyes
Before dyeing your red hair blonde, the first step is to remove any previous dye from your hair. There are special products formulated to remove color from your hair. You will also need to get rid of all the product build-up.
Use a clarifying shampoo to remove all the buildup from your hair over a few washes. It will help remove the buildup on the outer layer of your hair and cuticles.
2. Prepare Your Hair
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Decrease shampoo usage and let your hair roots recover from all the shampooing. Condition your hair as it will help during the bleaching phase.
Also, ensure that you do not have any split ends. Trim them if you find any, or they will advance to the roots and damage your hair.
Related: How To Prepare Your Hair For Bleaching
3. Bleaching Done Right
Follow the instructions given on the box to mix the developer and bleach and to apply it to your hair. Avoid applying too much bleach to your hair.
While trying to remove your natural red hair color, it is better to prolong the treatment duration over multiple sessions. Do not be hasty, or it may cost you your hair.
Quick Tip
Bleaching may lead to dryness. Apply nourishing natural oils like coconut oil to offset this hair damage.
4. Tone Your Hair
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Your blonde hair may still contain some red or orange tones, even after bleaching. Use a purple base hair toner to remove these brassy tones.
5. Protect Your Hair From Excessive Stress
Both chemical and physical stress can have a lasting impact on your hair’s health. Chemically-treated hair can cause a loss in volume, glow, silkiness, or dryness (2). Make sure to take care of your hair and protect it from damage.
After dyeing your hair blonde, you need to take special care of it. Read on to discover more hair care tips.
Related: Can You Use Purple Shampoo On Brown Hair
How To Care For Your New Blonde Hair
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Congratulations, you have done it! Your red hair is now officially blonde.
Here are the top tips that can help you care for your new blonde hair:
- Use nourishing hair products developed for blonde color-treated hair.
- Use a conditioner regularly. Allow the conditioner to moisturize your hair for a few minutes before you rinse it off.
- Use a hair mask after a shower to add more moisture to your hair. Also, use a hair protection serum to prevent hair damage.
- Over time, your hair will start showing brassy tones. To avoid this, use a purple shampoo regularly.
- Choose heat-free hairstyles to prevent damage to your scalp or hair.
After bleaching, the UV rays of the sun become more harmful to your hair. They affect the keratin – the building blocks of hair – and melanin pigments that regulate hair color (3). Thus, you must cover your hair from sunlight.
The next section lists a few DIY tips that can also help.
Related: Lightening Your Hair With Lemon Juice: Here’s What You Need to Know
DIY Tips That Work
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- Natural antioxidants and hair reconstruction products like artichoke and rice will help treat your hair fibers (3).
- Keep your hair hydrated with lukewarm water.
- You can use natural lightening products like honey with conditioner to maintain your blonde hair.
- You may also dilute some lemon juice with water and apply it to your hair as a natural hair bleach.
Infographic: Quick Steps To Dye Your Hair Blonde
You can now take your locks from boring to fabulous in just a few simple steps. Blonde hair dyeing doesn’t have to be difficult; all you need to do is follow a few easy steps – from picking the appropriate hue to prepping your hair for the procedure. Check out the infographic below to learn more about the steps to dye your hair blonde.
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Dyeing your red hair blonde needs you to bleach it. And bleaching red hair is not an easy task. The most potent pigments in red hair make it difficult to bleach in one session. You may have to go for several sessions before you get blonde hair. Before you dye your hair blonde, visit a hair consultant and discuss everything related to dyeing your red hair blonde. Following the tips discussed in the article will also help you get blonde hair without causing hair damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does hydrogen peroxide do to red hair?
Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizing agent used in the hair coloring process to lighten the underlying melanin in the hair (1). Therefore, if applied to red hair, it may alter the color of the hair strands and allow the new color to sit on them.
How can I choose the right bleach and developer for my red hair, and what are some key differences between different types of products?
To select the appropriate bleach and developer for red hair, you should consider various factors such as the desired lift level, and hair condition. There are three kinds of bleach – powder, cream, and color. Decide on the basis of the desired effect you want and how much you want to lighten your hair.
What are some safety precautions to take when bleaching red hair?
To safely bleach red hair, take these precautions:
- Wear gloves to protect your skin
- Avoid contact with eyes and skin
- Work in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling fumes
- Protect clothing and surfaces from stains
- Follow instructions on bleach and developer carefully
- Use a hair mask or treatment to restore moisture and nourishment to your hair after bleaching.
Does green shampoo remove red hair dye?
Green shampoo is typically used to neutralize red or orange tones in hair, so it may be able to help fade red hair dye over time. However, the effectiveness of green shampoo will depend on a variety of factors, such as the intensity of the red dye, the porosity of your hair, and the specific formula of the green shampoo.
Will bleaching red hair turn it pink?
Bleaching red hair can sometimes cause it to turn pink or orange, especially if the red dye is a bright or vivid shade. This is because red is one of the hardest colors to remove from hair, and it can be difficult to fully bleach out. Additionally, when red hair is bleached, it can sometimes reveal underlying warm tones, which can contribute to a pink or orange hue.
What color cancels out red hair dye?
Green is the color that cancels out red hair dye, as it is opposite red on the color wheel. Green hair products, such as green shampoos or hair toners, can help to neutralize red tones in hair that are unwanted or have faded to an orange or brassy hue.
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Key Takeaways
- Natural red hair has potent pigments, making it difficult to transition to blonde.
- Before dyeing your hair, you should decrease shampoo usage and ensure that you do not have any split ends.
- After dyeing your hair blonde, you need to take care of it through nourishing hair products.
- You should also choose heat-free hairstyles to prevent heat damage to dyed hair.
Transforming your hair from red to blonde doesn’t have to be a challenge anymore – as you can now do it in under 3 hours. In this easy tutorial, you will learn how to do a color correction and get that perfect blonde shade quicker than you thought possible.
Sources
Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Check out our editorial policy for further details.
- A new oxidant for hair coloring
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/24435262_A_new_oxidant_for_hair_coloring - Chemical and physical damage affect the perceptions of hair attributes: A quantitative sensory assessment by a trained panel
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/joss.12621 - Chemical and physical damage affect the perceptions of hair attributes: A quantitative sensory assessment by a trained panel
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1011134412002072 - How Long Should You Leave Bleach On Your Hair?
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-to-leave-bleach-on-hair#dangers-of-bleach - A study of the photo lightening mechanism of red hair with visible and ultraviolet light: comparison with blond hair
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.0142-5463.2005.00265_4.x
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FAQs
How To Dye Reddish Hair Blonde? ›
Bleaching Done Right
Can you dye your hair blonde over red? ›It's a major modification, but it is possible to go from being a redhead to a blonde sans damage, as long as you follow the proper steps. Read on to find out how to go blonde like a pro and what to keep in mind before you start any hair dyeing.
What color cancels out red in blonde hair? ›As you can see in the chart above, to neutralize red and reddish orange tones, you need to use green and blue-green. Ash Grey Additive Contains a mixture of green and blue pigments. The best way to use these colors is to add a little (about an inch) to your regular base color.
What color cancels out red hair dye? ›Green or cool ash dye will cancel out hair that's dyed red. If your dyed hair is on the warm orange side, use a completely blue hair dye. If your hair dye is a true red, then a green dye will be the most effective. Warm orange-red brassy tones can be darkened with brunette dye or lightened with blonde dye.
Can you put blonde dye over faded red? ›For instance, you won't be able to put blonde dye on red hair and expect will turn out blonde. There is a way around it, though. Applying bleach (either all over or just on highlights) should allow you to achieve some warmer colors, yet you should remember that it may also impact the condition of your hair.
How hard is it to go blonde after red? ›Going from red to blonde hair definitely requires bleaching in order to achieve your desired shade. Natural redheads may have more luck lifting their hair, but if you are a bottled redhead, you will definitely need a stripper to remove any pre-existing color.
Will lightest ash blonde remove orange? ›As it turns out, you can use a blonde hair dye to neutralize your orange hair — the secret is to look for a shade that's ashy. Ashy, cool undertones are the key to canceling out the warm, unflattering orange tones that currently adorn your strands.
What color overpowers red hair dye? ›The opposite of red on the color wheel is green, which can neutralize red tones in colored hair. Depending on your skin tone, you might decide to add subtle green highlights or undertones to tone down the red. Another alternative is to transition from red to a more natural color, such as brown or blonde.
Will dark ash blonde cover red hair? ›Will Dark Ash Blonde Cover Red, Orange or Brassy Hair? Dark ash blonde doesn't cover brassy hair, per se. Instead, using those cool-toned toners can help to neutralize any overly-warm red or orange hues by effectively 'cancelling them out'.
Why is red hair dye the hardest to get out? ›Jenny explained to me that red is one of the more difficult colours to opt for as it's the fastest to fade but also the hardest to remove entirely. This is because the pigment clings to the hair more intensely than others.
Can you bleach red hair blonde? ›
If you want to take your hair from red to blonde at home, you'll need to strip out any dye still in your hair and then bleach it. Once it's bleached – which might take several rounds of bleaching – use a toner to elevate your hair from brassy to blonde!
How long should I wait to dye my hair blonde after dying it red? ›**OR you're a red head (sorry, this automatically applies to all shades of Red) 4-6 weeks is standard time in between color appointments. Re-dye often, but not too often. Your hair shaft is delicate, and should only be dyed once a month or so.
How do you remove red hair dye naturally? ›Baking Soda Paste
Baking soda can be an effective way to remove permanent hair dye naturally because of its lightening properties. Try mixing baking soda with lemon juice, which is acidic, to create a paste. Then, work the paste through your hair, allow it to sit for five minutes, and rinse thoroughly.
Applying Lemon Juice on Natural Red Hair
Lemon juice is acidic so it is a natural lightener. Mixing it with conditioner helps to protect your hair and add moisture back in. You can use store-bought lemon juice or squeeze juice from a lemon for a fresh option. You can also use coconut oil instead of conditioner.
Professional hair bleaching can cost between $150 to $400. Your hair's starting color, your hair length, your hair coloring history, and the shade you want to achieve all impact the cost. For example, long black hair can take more than one session to get to a light brown.
Can you dye over red hair? ›Is it okay to put brown over red dyed hair? That's totally fine! You can easily strip out the color and go to a brown shade. Ash gets rid of red tones much better than a neutral or warm tone becaise it neutralizes the red left in your hair after stripping it (there WILL be some left).