We’ve all been there, more recently than we would like to admit, actually. When you decide on a whim that colouring your hair a burnt orange, or worse, a strong (& wrong) shade of red is a good idea. It usually happens around this time of year when the weather gets warmer and we all start to itch for a new look.

And then it happens – and before you know it, you’re googling every possible differential of “how to remove hair dye fast”.

Well, chill. Because, we got you.

We’ve tried and tested these three ingredients ourselves, and while they do work, it’s also important to note, that while they won’t exactly remove ALL of the hair dye – this is especially true if you’re blonde – they’ll definitely make a dint in the fading process and reduce the initial colour shock. Always ALWAYS have some deep moisturising masks on hand post-treatment, we can’t stress that enough – as all these techniques are super drying. Take a deep breath and read on…

Epsom Salts
This is the most gentle of the bunch. Light a candle, put on some calming music and pour a packed of these bad boys into your bath. Lay down and soak your hair for at least half an hour, you should start seeing colour seeping into the water. The bonus part about this technique is it also helps to reduce the crippling anxiety you’re probably feeling.

Vitamin C Powder
This is a classic DIY trick known to many a rainbow hair punk. You see, the ascorbic acid in the Vitamin C powder actually helps to swell open the hair cuticle, releasing, and lightening the colour. All you do is mix up a paste of this with a light shampoo and massage onto towel dried hair. Depending on the length of your hair, a tablespoon is a good measurement to work off. Then, you wrap it up under a shower cap or plastic wrap and leave it be for about 30-45minues before rinsing and conditioning. Feel free to repeat. Is there nothing Vitamin C can’t fix?!

Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Probably the most drying out of all the techniques here – this stuff means business. A bottle of standard Head & Shoulders shampoo used immediately after colour failures took us from fluoro down to baby blanket pink in just under a few washes. It will strip quite a bit of colour, so lather, rinse, repeat. Finish with something mega conditioning, as your hair has probably been through enough today.

Moisturising mask
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again; “moisturise!” This especially applies to your hair, post treatment. When you’re stripping colour from your hair, it’s going to feel super cactus. So whack on something like Wella’s hydrate mask. Super nourishing, super awesome.