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Applying Color Oops on black hair at home provided a transformative experience, restoring my hair’s original color after an unexpected dye disaster. From the age of 16, I’ve embraced box dyes, coloring my hair around twice a year. It’s been a subtle shift, transitioning from ashy light brown to a rich, dark auburn shade. However, a recent attempt to go slightly darker resulted in unexpected consequences. It seemed my usual go-to dye wasn’t producing the same effect as before, possibly due to formula alterations or color changes.
Unexpectedly, this endeavor led to an outcome I hadn’t anticipated – my hair turned black. Not just a darker hue than I’d imagined, but intensely black, reminiscent of the shine seen on Veronica Lodge from the Archie comics. Sadly, it wasn’t a look I could pull off. It left me feeling absolutely dreadful. The intense black even glistened blue under the sunlight.
I strongly suspected someone switched dyes, sneaking pitch-black into the “dark brown” box as a prank. It seemed implausible that a dark brown could yield such an extreme result. Feeling rather unfortunate, I exhausted every remedy to lighten the hair and make it manageable. Attempts like the baking soda mixed with shampoo helped reduce the blue shine on my hair, yet it barely made a dent.
Feeling utterly ashamed of my hair and unwilling to be seen in public with it, I hurried to the drugstore. I grabbed a box of Color Oops along with two boxes of my usual medium auburn dye, uncertain if the color removal would grant me the desired shade (though, at that point, anything other than black would have sufficed).
I meticulously followed the straightforward instructions—mixing the contents, applying them to dry hair, covering with a shower cap, and allowing it to sit for up to 20 minutes in a dry/humid space before rinsing. I’d sifted through several reviews beforehand; while most were positive, many included additional advice, making it a tad overwhelming. Almost every review emphasized rigorous rinsing. Despite not aiming for a drastic change, my sole desire was to rid myself of the black hue.
Post-application of the formula (which, contrary to reviews, didn’t have a severe odor—more akin to gasoline/flatulence after an hour, lingering briefly. If possible, open a window in your bathroom!), I waited with the cap on for about 20 minutes. Even before removing the cap, the black hue began fading. My hair started to regain its natural appearance. Towel-blotting and air-drying followed, revealing a near-perfect outcome—back to my initial shade, marginally more auburn and slightly darker, aligning with my original intention.
The subsequent day brought about a noticeable change—it darkened notably. Not black by any means, but a considerably dark brown auburn shade. The box’s advice on rinsing holds weight; thorough rinsing is essential. Several product reviews echoed this sentiment, and it rings true. Hair becomes porous after dyeing and removing color, readily absorbing darker tones. If any dye residue remains, the color might resurface to some extent. While I can’t speak for those aiming for lighter hues, I can attest that my hair gradually reverted to a darker shade post-Color Oops use. Currently, a little over 24 hours after application, it has settled into a satisfying dark brown hue, which was my initial color goal.
One thing I will say, though, it that if you plan on dyeing your hair after using the Color Oops, buy a dye that is at least 2-3 shades lighter than the colour you are going for!! Like I said, when your hair is porous (as it will be after you remove dye), it absorbs dark very easily. If you dye it the colour on the box, it will end up being much darker. If you dye it a few shades lighter than your goal shade, it should turn out darker and hopefully end up the result you’re interested in. The box says same-day re-colour, but keep this in mind!
All in all, I’m extremely pleased with this product. I was mortified with my black hair and even though it sounds superficial and silly, I didn’t want to leave the house. I dyed it on a weekend, worked the following week day and if I hadn’t fixed it by then, I would’ve called in sick to work! I’m serious. It was horrendous. I’m incredibly happy Color Oops has fixed this whole ordeal for me, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone with a hair-dye mishap. Or, really, anyone who just wants a change and needs to get rid of old dye they no longer feel like having.
Color oops on black hair at home
Sequence of events during my Color Oops experience:
SUNDAY Evening: Applied the dye, leaving it on for the typical duration of 25 minutes. Despite its intense darkness, I hoped it might fade a bit by the time I had to return to work. Multiple showers didn’t yield any lightening effects.
MONDAY Morning: Woke up to a shocking pitch-black hair situation. Attempted various home remedies like the baking soda method, but unfortunately, there was no noticeable improvement.
Afternoon: Urgently rushed to the drugstore, hastily grabbing Color Oops and my usual hair dye. Unaware at that time that I should have opted for a lighter shade for the subsequent dyeing, I headed home to research thoroughly before starting the application process.
Evening: Followed the instructions on the Color Oops package, though I only rinsed for about 10-15 minutes instead of the recommended 20-30. I still wanted my hair to darken slightly, so I wasn’t overly concerned. Eventually achieved a hue that was closer to my natural hair color before the whole dilemma.
TUESDAY Morning: Noticed that my hair had darkened by 1-2 shades, almost resembling my initial target color. This result left me feeling content and relieved.
Evening: No change in the hair color; it remained consistent with the shade observed in the morning.
Post Note: My hair, fairly thick and reaching from the top to mid-boob length (yes, a legitimate unit of measurement), typically requires one box of dye due to my conservative color changes. With Color Oops, one box sufficed, leaving about 1/8th leftover—an ample amount.
Pros: Affordable. Lightweight. Easy application. Highly effective. A lifesaver. Gentle on hair.
Cons: Odorous. Demands extensive rinsing.
Q & A
1. Would I repurchase? Undoubtedly. Although I hope not to need it again.
2. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Having known about it from my Cosmetics job, where it was a sought-after item, I hadn’t used it until now.
3. Value for money? Definitely. It’s priced similarly to standard drugstore hair dyes.
I trust this review proves helpful. Hopefully, you won’t encounter a hair catastrophe like mine! If you’ve used Color Oops, what was your experience? Did it deliver results? Any advice to offer?
Courtesy: The beauty behind the bar
You may also read: Color Oops Protein Kit: Your Ultimate Hair Savior for Nourishment and Repair!
