The fact that clarifying shampoos fade the hair color is considered a disadvantage.
But it can be used to your advantage if you dyed your hair and the result is not what you expected.
It’s not the original purpose of these products, but we might as well take advantage of this “side effect” and repurpose it for good. So let’s see how clarifying shampoo can remove the color from your hair.

So, will Clarifying Shampoo Remove Color?

Yes. Color removal is a surprising application of the shampoo’s strong cleansing effect. However, this isn’t the primary purpose manufacturers have in mind when making clarifying shampoos.
For instance, the right shampoo can come in handy when you need to strip semi-permanent hair color at home and don’t want to bleach your hair. A few washes can make your hair look less over-treated, flamboyant, brassy, and more natural.
There’re many aspects you should pay attention to. But in general, these shampoos can be an excellent workaround.

How Does Clarifying Shampoos Work?

Clarifying shampoos (or purifying shampoos) are products designed to remove buildup and residue from hair products. For the most part, they’re like regular shampoos. The main difference is their high content of heavy surfactants and cleansing agents.
These active ingredients have more potent cleansing effects than traditional shampoos. They allow you to deep-clean your strands and lift away all the gunk that can build up quickly without attention.
These products aren’t meant to be a direct substitute for traditional shampoos and deep conditioners.
You should only resort to them when the buildup and residue bother you too much. A few times of use per month and they can restore the shine, add volume to your locks, and make them cleaner and healthier.

How Does Clarifying Shampoos Work On Color-treated Hair?

Usually, tiny dyes molecules are only attached loosely around your hair cuticles. So you can eventually wash them out after several regular washes. But clarifying shampoos can speed up the process.

Many super cleansing agents in clarifying shampoos see dyes as their targets. Therefore, they attack those molecules and break them down without lifting the cuticles. This effect is strongest within the first week of the color treatment.
These shampoos have harsh ingredients and may have unpleasant effects on your strands and sensitive scalp. But they’re still much gentler than many removal methods like color strippers.

Benefits Of Using Clarifying Shampoo On Color-treated Hair

In addition to getting rid of the dye, these cleansing products also come with many benefits that may come in handy in many situations.

• Can remove excess oil. An oily scalp may still feel dirty after washing with a regular shampoo, which is usually not strong enough to remove excess oil, leaving your strands oily and dirty. Many ingredients in clarifying shampoos can target this natural oil and prevent it from weighing heavy on your hair.
• Help your hair hold its style. If your blow-dries fall flat, updos are undone, and curls drop faster than they’re supposed to, the culprit can be the oil or product buildup that your regular shampoo can’t strip away. It’s time to add a clarifying product into your routine.
• Can prevent hard water buildup. Mineral deposits in the water can make your hair feel dry and look dull. Clarifying shampoos with chelating agents like EDTA, raw apple cider vinegar, or vitamin C can get rid of them.
• Can prevent green tints if you swim often. Chlorine in swimming pools can tint your hair green and make it dry and dense. Many post-swim shampoos can give it a fresh start and look healthier.
• When your blonde hair turns brassy, natural and chemically treated blondes are incredibly porous. They absorb everything quickly from the environment and make the toner wear off. Clarifying products can help correct their tone.

How To Use A Clarifying Shampoo To Remove Color?

Using a clarifying shampoo for removing hair dye is relatively straightforward.

• Wet your hair and scalp thoroughly to lather the shampoo and do the job effectively. Warm water can open the cuticles. This lets the ingredients penetrate your shaft deeper.
• Dispense some and apply the shampoo to your locks.
• Massage your wet hair with your fingers to allow the shampoo to lather. Make sure every colored strand is covered with it.
• Leave the shampoo there for 30 seconds, then rinse it out.
• Follow up with a conditioner. Apply and leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing.

The process isn’t hard to follow, but there are some things you should keep in mind.

• Apply conditioner afterward. Cleansing ingredients may whisk away too much oil and make your locks too dried out. Adding back moisture with a conditioner is the best way to evade the issue.
• The sooner, the better. Once you’ve decided to rely on purifying products as your dye removal method, do it as quickly as possible (ideally within a week after the color treatment).
• Be mindful of your choice if you have damaged hair. It is already in dire need of moisture, and purifying products can worsen the situation.
• Not all dyes are the same. This method works best on semi-permanent color but may do the trick with permanent or demi-permanent dyes.

How To Choose A Clarifying Shampoo To Remove Hair Color

Avoid Products For Color-Treated Hair

Remove “color-safe” shampoos from your shortlist if you want to remove hair dye. They’re designed to work safely with color-treated hair.
As a result, they have little to no effects on the dye, and you will waste time with them.

Prefer A High Sulfate Content

The general idea for choosing these hair products is to use low-sulfate or sulfate-free products whenever possible, as these chemicals come with a high risk of irritation.
However, for the best color removal result, opt for shampoos with a high content of solid surfactants such as sulfates. They have strong deep cleansing capabilities, which can loosen your dye more quickly.

Choose A High-pH Formula

Alkaline creates the most favorable environment to open your hair’s cuticles, which not only gets more moisture into your hair but also makes it easier to remove hair dye.

Some Of The Best Clarifying Shampoos For Removing Hair Dye

Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three

With many sulfate-based ingredients in the formula (Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Thiosulfate, and Sulfated Castor Oil) and a super high pH level (9), the Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three is mainly made for green tints caused by swimming water.
But this works if you want to fade your dye too, proven by the fact that this product is advised against use for color-treated hair.

Keragen Hair Clarifying Shampoo

Much of the Keragen shampoo’s cleansing capability comes from its high pH level, which helps open the hair’s cuticle as much as possible for better penetration and absorption of chemicals during the smoothing treatment.
You can take advantage of this to release the dye particles from your hair.

GKhair pH+ Shampoo

Another product made for pre-treatment hair, the GKhair pH+ Shampoo relies on an alkaline environment and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate to deep-clean and prepare the hair.
For this reason, many people have tried to use it to get the dye out with great success.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Often Should You Use Clarifying Shampoos?

The most popular recommendation is to use purifying shampoos once a week in addition to your routine. Their strong cleansing capability makes them too harsh to use more often.

How Long Does It Take For Clarifying Shampoos To Remove Hair Dye?

Depending on the dye’s strength, your hair condition, and the clarifying product, it may need up to five washes to completely fade the color.
Low-porosity hair may need more time as it’s harder for the shampoo to remove hair dye from its tightly-packed cuticles.

Is It Okay To Use Clarifying Shampoos On Colored Hair?

It depends on the specific product and why you’re choosing it.
When you need to eliminate the residue of styling products from your color-treated hair, the color removal ability will be an unwanted effect. Unless it’s a color-safe product, clarifying shampoos are a big no.
However, if you want to lighten or entirely strip the color of your locks, it’s a different story. Clarifying products advised against using dyed hair isn’t just okay to use but also your best way to get your desired effect.

Conclusion

Hair discoloration may not be the outcome most people look for when using clarifying shampoos. But if you need to remove your dye bit by bit, it turns out to be a surprisingly good capability you can give a shot.
That said, be it for buildup or color removal, always use them with care.
Will clarifying shampoo remove the color? Yes. But they can also bring unwelcome effects to your locks. C
hoose only products compatible with your hair and scalp. And don’t overuse them while working your way toward your desired color shade.