Pink hair is a fun and stylish look that many people love. However, like any bold hair color, it can be tricky to maintain. If you’ve colored your hair pink and find that it’s become faded, brassy, or you’re just ready for a change, using a color remover like Color Oops can help remove the pink pigment from your strands. Here’s a detailed look at what Color Oops does to pink hair and how you can use it effectively.
How Does Color Oops Work?
Color Oops is a hair color remover that contains reducing agents designed to remove permanent dye pigment. It does this by breaking down the dye molecules and stripping away the color. For permanent hair dyes, Color Oops shrinks the color molecules so they can be rinsed away. It aims to remove artificial dye while leaving your natural hair pigment intact.
The active ingredients in Color Oops are sodium hydrosulfite and sodium dithionite. These work to reduce and dissolve the oxidative dyes used in most permanent hair color. By breaking the bonds of the dye, Color Oops can eliminate a significant amount of artificial color, letting you go back to a lighter base shade.
Using Color Oops on Pink Hair
To use Color Oops on pink hair, you’ll follow the same process as you would for other dye colors:
- Shake the bottle to mix the reducing agents.
- Apply the mixture evenly throughout your hair, coating all strands.
- Wait for the recommended development time, usually 20-30 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear.
- Follow with shampooing and conditioning.
It’s important to leave Color Oops on for the full development time for maximum color removal. Don’t shampoo or condition before rinsing it out. You may need to rinse for 5-10 minutes initially to fully clear the solution from your hair.
What Color Will Your Hair Be After Using Color Oops?
So what shade will you end up with after removing pink hair dye with Color Oops? Here’s what you can expect:
- If your natural hair is light blonde to light brown: Color Oops will likely remove the pink shade entirely, taking you back to your original base.
- If your natural hair is dark brown to black: The pink will be significantly reduced but you may be left with orange or reddish tones on darker hair.
- On bleached or highlighted hair: The pink will be stripped away to reveal bleached and toned undertones.
Color Oops aims to get rid of artificial dye while leaving your natural pigment in place. So the existing base color of your hair heavily influences the end result when using a remover on pink strands.
Can Color Oops Damage Hair?
Color Oops and other hair color removers contain powerful reducing agents to lift out permanent dye. This harsh chemistry can weaken and dry out your hair over time with repeated use. Potential risks include:
- Brittle, fragile strands
- Loss of shine and luster
- Increased split ends and breakage
- Dehydration
- Cuticle damage
To help avoid damage when using Color Oops or a similar color-removing product:
- Don’t over-process – one application should lift out dye.
- Wait several weeks between color remover uses.
- Always deep condition after rinsing it out.
- Avoid overlapping lightener or coloring for 2-3 weeks.
- Use a hair mask weekly to maintain moisture.
- Get occasional trims to reduce splits.
What to Expect with Color Oops
Here’s an overview of what typically happens when you remove pink hair color using Color Oops:
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Application | Coat hair strands thoroughly with mixing solution. Wait the recommended time. |
| Rinsing Out | Pink color will begin rinsing away. Rinse for 5-10 minutes initially. |
| After Rinsing | Hair will be stripped of pink but may have orange/red tones on darker hair. |
| Drying | Hair may feel dry and brittle. Deep condition to add moisture. |
| Few Days Later | You may lose additional residual color as hair is shampooed. |
Remember that results will vary based on your natural hair color and tone. But in most cases, you will see significant color removal from pink hair when using Color Oops or a similar color remover.
Can You Re-Dye Hair After Using Color Oops?
Yes, you can re-color your hair after removing pink dye with Color Oops. However, it’s recommended you wait 1-2 weeks before applying permanent color again. This gives your hair time to recover from the harsh reducing process.
When re-dying hair after Color Oops:
- Use a conditioning hair color to limit stress on strands.
- Opt for shades lighter than your original pink to avoid build-up.
- Do a strand test to check how hair takes to color.
- Deep condition before and after applying new dye.
Also keep in mind that Color Oops mainly removes artificial pigment while leaving natural color intact. So the new shade may mix differently with your natural undertone compared to the original pink color.
Other Ways to Remove Pink Hair Dye
While Color Oops is effective, it isn’t the only option for removing pink hair color. Some other methods include:
- Bleach wash – Lightening with bleach removes more natural pigment but can lift out stubborn dye.
- Vitamin C treatment – Crushed vitamin C tablets mixed with shampoo helps strip out oxidation dye.
- Baking soda scrub – Make a paste with baking soda and anti-dandruff shampoo to create a gentle color-removing scrub.
- Dish soap – Dawn and other dishwashing soaps can help fade semi-permanent pink shades.
- Hot oil treatment – Coating hair in oils like coconut oil can help break down dye over time.
- Clarifying shampoo – Strong shampoos strip out buildup and may lighten pink shades slightly.
However, Color Oops and other chemical removers specifically designed for hair dye tend to be the most effective way to quickly erase bright pink hair color.
Can You Use Color Oops More Than Once?
Color Oops can technically be used more than once safely to remove hair dye. However, the company recommends waiting several weeks between applications. Frequent use of hair color removers can cause damage by overly drying out your strands.
If after your first use of Color Oops you still see lingering pink shades, try these tips before using it again:
- Shampoo several more times over a few days – dye may continue rinsing out.
- Use a clarifying shampoo to open cuticles and remove dye.
- Try a vitamin C or baking soda removing treatment.
- Use dish soap or anti-dandruff shampoo to strip color.
- Consider bleaching if your base shade is light enough.
Giving your hair some recovery time and using gentler DIY methods may lift out the remaining color. But if needed, you can safely use Color Oops again after several weeks.
Color Oops Precautions
To use Color Oops effectively and safely:
- Carefully follow the instructions – don’t leave on too long or rinse early.
- Strand test first if you’ve had a recent perm or relaxer.
- Avoid getting mixture on clothing, countertops or skin.
- Wear gloves during application as reducing agents can irritate skin.
- Rinse thoroughly over a sink to contain drips.
- Air dry hair – don’t blow dry immediately after rinsing.
- Condition well and avoid other chemical processes for 1-2 weeks.
Always patch test Color Oops on a small section of hair before full application. Discontinue use if you experience any irritation or allergic reaction.
Does Color Oops Work on Semi-Permanent Dye?
Color Oops is formulated to remove oxidative permanent dyes that penetrate into the hair shaft. Since semi-permanent dyes only coat the outside of hair, Color Oops is not effective at removing these shallow-bonding color molecules.
For removing pink semi-permanent dye, try these options instead of Color Oops:
- Clarifying shampoo to clean hair and scalp
- Baking soda and anti-dandruff shampoo scrub
- Dish soap like Dawn to break down dye molecules
- Hot oil treatment to loosen color
- Repeated washing with sulfate shampoo
- Using a diluted bleach wash to fully strip color
- Allowing dye to fade over several weeks
Semi-permanent pink color will eventually fade on its own. But the methods above can help speed up removal compared to Color Oops.
Color Oops vs Bleach for Removing Pink
Both Color Oops and bleaching can eliminate pink hair dye, but work in different ways:
- Color Oops – Strips out artificial dye only, leaving natural pigment.
- Bleach – Lightens overall hair color, removing natural and artificial pigment.
Color Oops is gentler compared to bleaching. But bleach provides more complete color removal if your overall goal is lighter hair. Consider your base shade – bleach is better for dark hair wanting to go lighter, while Color Oops works well on light to medium blonde and brown shades.
You can also do a bleaching session after Color Oops to remove any remaining tones. Just be sure to wait 1-2 weeks to avoid damage from overlapping chemical processes.
Color Oops Review
Here is an overall review of what to expect when using Color Oops on pink hair:
- Performance – Significantly removes pink permanent dye. More effective on light bases.
- Ease of Use – Fairly straightforward. Sections hair and apply evenly.
- Time – Takes 20-30 minutes to develop, plus thorough rinsing time.
- Damage – Can dry and cause breakage, especially with repeated use.
- Cost – Around $10-15 per application, affordable for most.
- Odor – Has a strong sulfur smell during processing.
Overall, Color Oops delivers on its promise to remove permanent hair dye like pink shades. Just be aware of the potential for dryness and damage with overuse. Limit to occasional color correction only.
Conclusion
Removing pink hair dye with Color Oops can be an effective and affordable way to strip out unwanted color. However, keep in mind it works best on light to medium natural bases. The product can dry and damage hair over time, so limit use to only when needed.
Always deep condition after and wait several weeks between color remover applications. Give your strands ample time to recover before re-coloring for the healthiest hair possible!