But can you believe it: IT WORKED! I generously smeared and combed the ketchup into my ends, wound my hair into a bun, gave my girls their bath for 20 minutes or so, then shampooed/conditioned, and just like that, the green slime was gone. My blond streaks were back and intact.
Secondly, I would absolutely, 100% recommend the DIY Ketchup toner trick if your hair has turned green from toner or from swimming in the summer! All you have to lose is some Ketchup that is likely sitting in your fridge anyway! My blonde hair after using and washing out the ketchup.
Applying ketchup to your hair can be messy, difficult to rinse out completely, and may leave a strong odor. Additionally, the sugar and salt content in ketchup can potentially dry out the hair and scalp, leading to potential damage or irritation. Have you ever put ketchup in your hair?
Red or Copper: Since green is opposite red on the color wheel, using a red or copper dye can help neutralize the green. A deep red or a vibrant copper can provide good coverage.
To quickly remove green hair dye, wash with a clarifying shampoo and follow up with a color-correcting product. DIY remedies like baking soda can also help fade the green dye.
As weird as the trick seems, it does actually work. Ingredients used to make tomato sauce can help dissolve the copper found in water. According to colour theory, red is the opposite of green, making it the right hue to neutralise the effect left behind in blonde hair.
Ketchup as a hair toner
It works because the red colouring counteracts the green tones, while the acidity acts as a clarifying agent, helping to improve the purity of the colour. Apply to dry hair (only on the green areas), leave for 10-20 mins, and then shampoo and condition as normal.
To get rid of the pool green, thoroughly saturate hair with lemon juice (either fresh or bottled). Let sit for several minutes before rinsing, washing, and deep conditioning.
Regular application of tomato-based treatments can help strengthen hair follicles and minimize hair fall. Adds Shine To Hair: Tomato for hair can be used as a natural conditioner, adding a brilliant shine to your hair. It smoothes the hair cuticles, reflecting light and giving your hair a glossy appearance.
One effective method is using a red-based color to neutralize the green. Applying a warm-toned dye can counteract the unwanted hue and restore your hair to a more natural shade.
Vinegar is also an intelligent approach to removing the green, as the vinegar's acidity dissolves the mineral buildup and releases the copper particles from the hair. Use equal parts apple cider vinegar and warm water, submerge your hair in the solution or apply it evenly, and rinse.
Heming Willis, who is married to actor Bruce Willis, admitted that the idea of using ketchup in your hair is a bit divisive, but she explained why it works wonders. "The tomato and the vinegar is very acidic, so what it's gonna do is just sort of help with that chlorine buildup in your hair," she said.
Ketchup, the theory goes, works to neutralize green hair because green and red are opposites on the color wheel and therefore cancel each other out, kind of like putting a green-tinted concealer on an angry red blemish.
If you're trying to neutralize or tone out a shade, use the one directly opposite on the color wheel! In this case, pink and red tones will tone green. Pink Toning Conditioner is a red-leaning pink designed to take care of green and even teal tints!
Try a black-out treatment to get rid of them. As a last resort, in the case of major infestation or if your hair algae belong to a particularly stubborn species, treating the tank with algicides like Algexit or a complete treatment with hydrogen peroxide have proven successful.
A baking soda wash can be a first line of defense against green hues. Simply create a paste by mixing baking soda with water. Apply this mixture to wet hair, concentrating on the green-tinted areas. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes but not longer as it can be drying.
If you have green hair after swimming in a salt water pool, don't worry – it's not permanent and there are ways to get rid of it. To remove copper from your hair, you can use a clarifying shampoo or a chelating agent.
I applied a generous amount of plain tomato ketchup all over my clean, dry hair, then put it up in a cap, and waited for 40 minutes before washing it out with shampoo. Some people have complained about the smell when using this method, but it didn't bother me at all.
Wetting hair with (clean) water before swimming helps. It saturates the hair so it doesn't absorb as much pool water – so don't dive in with dry hair. The next single most useful thing we can do is to rinse hair thoroughly with a pool-side shower as soon as we get out of the pool.
Just be aware that some ingredients in ketchup might not be ideal for your hair, such as sugar, which can make it sticky and cause scalp irritation if not washed out thoroughly. After all, ketchup was made for eating.
The green should be neutralized with the color that is opposite it on the color wheel—red. This type of color correction should be done by your stylist who will choose the correct red or red-orange base.
According to colorist Lauren Grummel, “Red is the opposite of green on the color wheel, so it effectively neutralizes green tones in the hair.” This is why red-based shades like copper, auburn, and deep red work wonders to cover green without a trace. Copper: Perfect if you want a warm, sun-kissed look.
Use a purple conditioner or toner: You can use either of these on top of the shampoo every few washes. These products are also great stand-alone treatments for preventing your hair from turning green in the first place.