I Messed Up My Hair Color – How Soon Can I Dye It Again?

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The most common hair color mistakes—and how to fix them

So, you thought you’d save some time and money by coloring your hair yourself—we’ve all been there. 

But, even though you found the ideal hair color to match your eyes and you read the instructions on the box a million times, the result is not exactly what you were hoping for. And, as you frantically google “I messed up my hair color, how soon can I dye it again?”, you realize that you’re not a professional hairdresser and you need some help. Don’t worry—many of us have been there too! 

To help you find your way back to your old look—or, better still, to get you where you intended to end up in the first place—let’s explore some of the most common hair coloring mistakes.

You dyed your hair too dark

“This is the most common complaint I hear,” says Candy Diaz, a hair pro in New York City. 

For new at-home colorists, finding your best shade right out of the box (pun intended) is tricky. In fact, many pros recommend picking a box of color that’s a smidge lighter than you think you want because DIY color will often process darker than expected. It’s also easier to deepen color than it is to lighten it. So, if you stay on the safer and slightly darker side, you’ll have more room for easy adjustments if things don’t go quite to plan.

That being said, lightening up a too-dark dye job is not impossible. The key, says Diaz, is to wash your hair right away with dish soap to strip out those fresh color molecules. 

“This should help fade the color pretty quickly,” she says. “Just be sure to follow with a good, nourishing conditioner because using dish soap can be very drying”.Our custom conditioner is highly nourishing and includes the hand-picked ingredients you need to support your hair’s overall health. If you are trying to remove a darker color, and your hair feels damaged, let us know. We will formulate a conditioner that can help restore moisture to your hair.

Your roots are brassy

Frequently referred to by pros as “hot roots,” an orangey tint near the scalp is usually the result of using a dye that is too warm or too red for your natural hair color. This mismatch only shows up at the roots because new hair growth is much more reactive to dye than previously dyed hair. In other words, your virgin roots are less resistant to the dye than your previously-colored lengths. How to fix hot roots

The fastest fix: apply an anti-brass or an at-home gloss to the orangey areas then rinse. Anti-brass treatment or shampoo is usually purple or silver and can be found at most beauty supply stores. 

If that still doesn’t do the trick, try recoloring just the regrowth with a permanent dye the same color as the rest of your hair. Look for hair dye-labeled ‘cool or neutral’— never ‘warm’. Blue toners can also cancel out orange tones, and purple toners work really well to cancel out yellow tones. Purple hair care products are also included in top tips on how to fix blonde hair turned green.

We can also customize our conditioner to include anti-brass properties that reduce the yellow or orange tones in your hair. We recommend using this conditioner a few times to truly see the effects. With the right application and frequency, your hair will be moisturized and brass-free in no time.

Your roots are lighter than your lengths

Light roots, dark ends is another very common DIY hair-dye mistake. Similar to the orange issue above, when your regrowth ends up a shade lighter than the rest of your hair, it is typically because virgin hair reacts differently to dye than previously colored strands. The latter is more porous than regrowth and thus quicker to absorb color molecules. 

How to fix dark ends and light roots

To avoid two-toned tresses, many color pros suggest applying permanent color only to the roots for the full recommended time. Then, for the final five minutes of processing, comb the color through the rest of your hair for a quick refresh. 

As for those lighter roots? A root touch-up kit (you can use one with permanent color or temporary dye) will help deepen the shade until it’s time to color again in six or so weeks.

Your ends are dried and fried

Typically, dry and split-prone ends are the result of over-bleaching. These can be hydrated back to health, but  Diaz says the most effective fix is usually a trim. Ask your stylist to snip off the most damaged areas to keep those splits from traveling up the hair shaft and weakening your hair further. This trim could even mean a light dusting for your hair, so that you aren’t losing too much length. 

How to fix dehydrated hair

Once you’ve trimmed the ends, commit to a weekly hair mask to nourish your hair back to health. Look for ingredients like silk proteins to strengthen; collagen and hyaluronic acid to repair; and argan and jojoba oils to deeply hydrate. Our hair masks are recommended for pre-shampoo use to hydrate and smooth hair lengths and ends. Your custom hair mask will be tailored to suit your specific need and should include ingredients for color protection, deep nutrition, anti-breakage, or fiber repair. 

Pro Tip: Deep conditioning right after your color is another smart strategy, as it acts as an instant antidote to the drying and damaging effects of any bleach or ammonia in your hair color formula. This can quickly combat any harsh effects on your hair as well as hydrate your strands and ends.

Another product that may help restore your hair to its natural state is our custom hair supplements, also known as Root Source™. These personalized supplements can soothe your scalp and encourage hair growth.

Your red tint is more fire-orange than auburn

When your new red hue is as subtle as a screaming siren, the best fix is usually brown. Choose a boxed color that matches the predominant brown tones in your hair, minus any warmth (look for ‘cool’ or ‘neutral’ on the box). 

How to fix orange hair with box dye

Rather than applying the box dye for the full recommended time, leave it on for between five and ten minutes and rinse. This should be long enough to cut the red without oversaturating your hair color. This will help minimize the intense orange color and leave you with a more auburn tone. 

Don’t forget to use a nourishing conditioner to help prevent over-drying from the double dye sessions. Our custom leave-in conditioner or hair oil can help to bring this nourishment and intense moisture to your hair.

Messed up your hair color? Don’t worry – we’re here to help!

If you still can’t find the right solution for your hair, reach out to your stylist and complete our free consultation. We will ask you plenty of questions about your hair type and specific problem areas as well as goals you might have. We then use this information to create custom hair products designed specifically for your hair needs. We will also recommend supplementary products that will support your custom hair care.

Hair mistakes don’t have to be forever, and we have the products, the powerful natural ingredients, and the expertise to get you back on track. Whether you’re looking for a product for your dry ends or a shampoo for color treated hair, we can help you to create a healthy hair regimen that will help your hair color last longer and keep your dyed hair healthy.