The two common not-so-good (and super bubbly) sulfates are sodium laureth sulfate and ammonium laureth sulfate. That's because they can totally strip your hair of moisture and nutrients, causing your hair to become brittle—and brittle hair equals color fade.
Avoid shampoos that contain sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, and sodium chloride. Sulfate in shampoo can cause hair color to fade. You will find many well-known brand shampoos that contain sulfates.
It's not the shampoo doing all the stripping of the color, it's the water! Turns out that sulfate – what gives most cleansers the ability to effectively remove dirt & oil – has been getting a bad rap of stripping the color from color treated hair. Sulfates still get some blame.
A shampoo that's acidic (lower pH) will seal the cuticle and basically prevent colour from 'bleeding' out of the hair. A higher pH shampoo will open the cuticle more and can cause colour to fade faster.
What ingredients should you avoid if you have color-treated hair? The most important part of caring for color-treated hair involves avoiding the following ingredients, as shared by pro colorist Richy Kandasamy: sulfates (SLS or SLES), parabens, sodium chloride, and petrochemicals.
Sulphate-rich shampoos are ideal for stripping hair since they help to release the colour - especially with dark or vibrant colours. These include clarifying or deep cleansing shampoo or anti-dandruff shampoo.
Clarifying shampoos can help to fade permanent hair dye, but they won't completely remove it. These shampoos work by deeply cleansing the hair and lifting some of the color molecules. However, for a complete removal of permanent dye, professional treatments are more effective and safer for maintaining hair health.
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.
The fastest way to remove hair dye is typically by using a clarifying shampoo or anti-dandruff shampoo. These shampoos contain strong cleansing agents that can effectively strip color from the hair. It's important to follow up with a deep conditioning treatment, as these shampoos can be harsh and drying on the hair.
What makes Head & Shoulders special is the addition of dandruff-fighting active ingredients such as Piroctone Olamine that protect your scalp in-between washes. These active ingredients do not strip hair colour. Does Head & Shoulders remove hair dye? It doesn't!
P-Phenylenediamine (PPD)
This toxic hair dye chemical is especially common in darker shades. However, PPD can cause irritation to the skin and eyes and may also trigger asthma symptoms. In more severe instances, exposure to PPD can lead to dizziness (vertigo), convulsions, and even coma.
Limit Heat Styling: Heat styling tools like hair dryers, straighteners, and curling irons can fade your hair color. Use these tools on a lower heat setting and always apply a heat protectant spray before styling. Protect Your Hair from the Sun: UV rays can bleach your hair, causing the color to fade.
Response from Pantene United States:
Please know that all our products are safe for dyed, bleached and permed hair. Nothing in our products can strip your hair of dye or make it fade.
Sulfates are harsh chemical surfactants that dry out hair and can strip away color. The best piece of advice from Dr. Joe: “When it comes to shampoo, take away the sulfates. And if you want the cleanest, healthiest hair and scalp, take away any ingredients that have nothing to do with cleansing.”
Sulfates are essentially detergents that give a shampoo that satisfying lather. Unless you have an easily irritated scalp, they're completely safe to use — but they're strong and can be stripping. That's why I would advise most people with treated hair to avoid them as they can cause color to fade faster.
Use a clarifying shampoo.
When you do later up, do so with a clarifying shampoo. These deep-cleansing formulas are designed to remove buildup from the hair and scalp and may aid in fading your color faster (just be sure not to choose a color-safe variety, as these are specifically designed not to strip color).
Dish Soap
Fortunately, if you go through the effort of using this drying soap on your dyed hair, it can help remove unwanted color. You'll need to do many washes to fade it out, but it is a step in the right direction if you want to remove a color.
Clarifying Shampoo
Bailey recommends using a clarifying shampoo to slowly wash off hair dye at home, although it can be a potentially “brassifying” process. “I would recommend using clarifying shampoos to lighten/remove color gradually.
Using harsh shampoo
“The solution is to look for sulfate-free and color-safe shampoos,” he says. Another no-no for colored hair: clarifying formulas. “Avoid any shampoo or scalp treatment that uses the terms 'clarify' or 'detox,' as they can strip the color,” adds celebrity hairstylist and founder of The Beachwaver Co.
Silicone- and sulfate-free shampoos for colored hair are gentle on the hair. Avoiding sulfates is especially important, as these harsh ingredients can fade the hair color quickly. In particular, you should absolutely avoid anything that is labeled as “clarifying,” as these products are formulated to strip the hair.
The brightness of your hair color is directly affected by how often you wash it. If you use shampoo too frequently, your dye might fade faster — so it's best to wash only two or three times per week and use dry shampoo in between washes.
Our top pick is awarded to the K18 Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo because it cleanses, boosts vibrancy, protects color, and imparts shine—and only requires a few drops to make a big difference. Another great choice is the Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, which is extremely cleansing and strengthening.