dyed my hair this morning, it's much much too dark. What, if anything can I do?

[ErnesttheBavarian]

It's supposed to be mid-brown, which looked on the box like my natural colour, didn't want a reedy tinge to it.

But it's come out so dark.

It looks almost black. Yikes, I feel embarrassed.

Can I do anything?

How do I choose a better colour next time?

I did it at home cos I really really hate going to the hairdressers. Worse than the dentist. I did actually walk in, smelt it, and ran out.

ooh bad luck, I did this recently too. (It then rapidly faded to a charming shade of ginger, which was even worse.)

I went to my hairdresser who put bleach highlights in, and that took it back to something like its normal shade; but you can also get stuff (e.g. in superdrug) that is supposed to remove the dye. Try that?

Have no clue about how to choose a sensible colour next time: do a strand test I guess!

Hopefully TattyDevine will be along soon and she is a well of knowledge about all this stuff.

I've learned from bitter experience always to choose a colour at least a shade lighter than you want to be. It will fade. Not sure what to do to hasten that though.

Wash furiously with head and shoulders
it's v good at stripping colour!

h&S, great tip, thanks, dh has this.

So, if want to end up with mid brown I should buy light brown?

How long do I have to wait before I can put light brown on? Or will the magic H&S save me?

Here I am!

You can't put light brown over the top, it wont lighten it. You need to get the hair the shade you want before you put light brown on or you might get "root glow" which is where your roots are lighter and sometimes more ginger than the rest of your hair.

You have 2 options. You can strip the colour out using ColourB4. This will probably reveal ginger tones - you might be quite surprised how light the hair is "underneath" once the colour molecules have been washed out. This is all well and good except you can't colour over with permenant or semi permenant colour for one week, which means you have to make do with a "temporary 8 wash" for a week which will cover the ginger but might not cover well any greys you might have. You will look okay, but you wont look fantastic. You may well look better than you feel with really dark hair though so it might be a good option.

The 2nd option is to wash like mad with Head and Shoulders or a clarifying shampoo (the Toni & Guy one is quite nice) until it fades out a fair bit. If the colour is only a medium, it should do. But it could be a week or 2 before you really like the colour.

I suppose the 3rd option (see I always come up with an extra) is go to the hairdresser (I know you hate it) and get a t-section of foil highlights, which will break up the colour and lighten and soften the overall effect until it fades out a bit.

The moral of the story is...ALWAYS DO A STRAND TEST

Exact same thing happened to me. I washed my hair many times with washing up liquid and then head and shoulders. My haid needed lots of conditioner after that! It was still really dark but not black. I then waited until it faded and NEVER EVER bought Excell10 again!!!!!!!

Oh Excell10 is the work of the devil.

ah, how weird, just looked, and it was Excell10! what is so bad about it? I was so chuffed it only took 10 mins. what should I use next time. really liked the product otherwise.

thanks tatty et al. just washed my hair twice w. h&s.

dunno if you can get colourb4 here, and it all sounds like a lot of work for hair phobic like me so will stick to h&s option.

in all seriousness, is there a respectable, stylish headcovering that's subtle, discreet and hides my hair? I keep feeling envious of muslim women, but even they don't wear scarves indoors, but anyway, I'll look ludicrous doing the school run in that. Is there anything? Can't exactly nick ds baseball cap.

Wash with vosene the green original one.

experiment with lovely updos. That disguises dodgy hair colour. Also, adapt make-up: do you need to darken eyebrows for example, so it doesn't look so stark? Maybe take advantage of temporary different you and wear bolder lipstick etc.

I bet it looks much less weird to everyone else than to you, though!

oh, hello noddy, you helped me out while back with brighton Q - surveyor I think? Anyway, sale gone through, found ( I think) lovely builder, and going on Friday to check up on him (with dodgy dark hair. poo) Don't think you can get vosene here. I cut my hair at same time, so think I'll just be able to manage a pony tail.

I need a wig.

Oh well done! I have just finished another house and am looking for my next victim Good luck with your builder. I got the vosene in teh 99p shop after a similar incident

will look out for vosene in brighton

Agree about the Excel 10 - I used a light brown last year and ended up looking liked an ageing goth!! Not a nice look. It eventually faded but I now stick to my faithful 'Clairol Nice n Easy' which has lovely tonal shades in it (not the foam stuff though).
I think my disaster faded by using the green Vosene and also a few caramel brown highlights. Hope you feel better soon.

so what's the best one to use? No others that only take 10 mins. Yes, ageing gothh not good look :( Ds3 just came in, stopped dead in his tracks, stared at my head and said OMG why did you make your hair BLACK? (he is 7). Now I feel good :(

So, seriously, about those hats? Is there anything?

I used excel too I have red hair but not bright ginger and sometimes I put a golden light brown colour on for shine really. This one made my hair really dark and flat looking

Good old fashioned Clairol Nice n Easy is the best I've found.

have done this yrs ago. fairy liquid, about 5 washes,then tons of conditioner.

Re Excel10 I used a mid brown to match my natural colour and blend greys. I got very dark brown and greys were untouched.

I got it done professionally the next time. My very nice hairdresser pointed out that, you know, 10 mins?? I sit for the best part of an hour when she does it.

I've found I need to leave Nice n Easy on for the full 45 mins on my slightly darker/greying roots, around 20 on the rest.

Belle colour mid brown is good op.

ok, being dim - will any washing up liquid do? Haven't got fairy. Also, can I just wash is several times in 1 mammoth shower, or are we talking a couple of days here?

And I repeat, is there no stylish head cover in existence that won't make me look ridiculous?

Poo. thought 10 mins too good to be true:( Was so chuffed! hah.

Washing up liquid will help if you can't find anything else . Very drying though obv. Head and Shoulders a better bet, do a few washes with it every time you wash you hair

ds1 just come in and told me I can't leave the house as it looks so awful!

See this is why I'm always banging on about ColourB4 - its less drying than all that soap!

Did you say you were abroad though? Can only get it in the UK I believe...

Am watching this thread with interest as have exactly the same issue - I normally use Clairol Nice 'n Easy Medium Brown and it gives a great colour. I decided to try the newer Nice 'n Easy Foam Golden Brown last night but it has come up so dark it is almost black! No 'golden' in sight!

Am about to attack my DH's H&S shampoo. Thanks for the tip!