Color fades instantly on box-dye hair, what gives

A client with a long history of box dye wants a change. I put on a pro color and it washes out in two shampoos. I tried a pre-treatment remover, same result. Her base is medium brown and we are going for ash blonde, any real fixes?

3 comments

3 Comments

garcia.hayden2mo ago

My cousin went through this exact thing with box dye buildup. Her hairdresser did a malibu treatment to strip the old color and then used a filler before the new dye. It took two sessions to get the ash blonde to stay. What kind of pre-treatment remover did you use?

jesse_carr232mo ago

Man, that is the worst feeling when color just won't stick! Box dye leaves behind so much buildup that it basically blocks new color from getting in. I've had friends go through the exact same thing, and it's always a huge letdown. You almost have to strip all that old gunk out completely before your hair will accept anything new. It's a real process, but don't lose hope because it can be done. Just gotta break through that barrier first.

calebs522mo ago

Yikes, that brings back bad memories. I tried to ditch my box dye for a cool toner once and it washed out so fast it was like I imagined it. My hair was so coated from old color that nothing would stick without a serious stripping treatment first. I learned the hard way that sometimes you need to clear the canvas completely before new paint will hold.