Note that a semi- or demi-permanent color is a lot easier to remove than permanent color.

Professional hair stylists can remove the color with a safe powder-water mix that breaks the chemical color bonds of your hair. That way, you don’t have to worry about your hair falling out. Removing dye can often result in an uneven look, which is what hair stylists are trained to deal with. They can help you get to the color you want with some highlights, lowlights, and maybe even a glaze.

There are tons of products on the market formulated specifically to remove hair dye. However, they can contain some pretty harsh chemicals and may dry out or otherwise damage your tresses. If you truly hate the red color, pick up one of these products from a beauty or drug store and give it a try. [4] X Research source Some of these products can be used more than one time. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to see if this is an option. One rule of thumb is that color cannot lift color. You can’t throw blonde on top of red and think that’s going to turn your hair blonde, because the red color has already penetrated the hair follicles and is permanently there.

Use a clarifying shampoo for best results. A clarifying shampoo cleanses your hair deeply, so it may help to strip the red from your hair. Vitamin C powder is much less damaging than other methods. You may need to repeat the application to get rid of all the red dye.

After each treatment, deep condition your hair to restore some of the moisture.

Place a plastic shower cap over your head and let the color process for the recommended amount of time. Refer to the package instructions for more information. Applying bleach to dyed red hair might make the red color more permanent and harder to remove. Instead, opt for a high-lift blonde color and 30-volume developer.

Place a plastic shower cap over your head and let the color process for the recommended amount of time. Refer to the package instructions for more information. Applying bleach to dyed red hair might make the red color more permanent and harder to remove. Instead, opt for a high-lift blonde color and 30-volume developer.

Keep in mind that bleach is very damaging to your hair and doing a drastic color change—such as from red to blonde—can cause breakage and make your hair more fragile. A high volume developer is more likely to damage your hair than a low volume developer.

It’s best to wait 3-7 days before bleaching your hair again to give it some time to recover. Use deep-conditioning treatments every day to maintain the health of your hair.

Follow the instructions to mix the dye and apply it the same way you did the high-lift color and bleach. If your hair is even but still has a red or orangey tone, you can tone it instead of dying it. You may need to trim your hair if the ends are especially damaged.

Toner is a semi-permanent solution, so you may need to repeat the process every 2-6 weeks.

The stylist will wet your hair, apply the toner, leave it on for a certain amount of time, then rinse it out. It’s pretty straightforward! As an added bonus, toner adds shine to your tresses.

You can use toning shampoo each time you wash your hair, if needed, but no more than 1 or 2 times per week. If you wash your hair more frequently, then use a different shampoo on other days of the week.