Customer Reviews

one 'n only Colorfix

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Before I used Colorfix, I had been dying my naturally light brown hair to black for over a year (I'm a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to my hair). I got tired of having to dye it all the time to get rid of the roots, so I looked all over the place for Colorfix. Turns out they carry it at Sally Beauty supply for way less than they're offering it at Amazon (About $13). Anyway, the application process was really easy. I had to repeat the application three times, but at the end of the third application, my hair was back to its natural color. I expected my hair to come out feeling like straw, but it actually felt healthy when I was finished. The one tiny thing that you wouldn't know until you've tried this product is the scent. It's kind of a syrupy sweet smell, which isn't bad, compared with some of the hair coloring products that exist. The weird thing is, for about three weeks after the procedure, my hair smelled like Colorfix anytime it was wet. When it was dry I couldn't smell it though, so it was totally worth it.

I hope this helps anyone who is panicked at a color-gone-wrong hair experience.

1. I'm rating the product and not the seller as I bought this at Sally's Beauty Supply.

2. The dye I purchased was chocolate brown but the end result was a deep black with red undertones.

3. The ColorFix smell is strong and unpleasant and lasted for several days despite significant rinse time as the box suggests but the effectiveness of the product is excellent and the smell does not count against the product in my review.

4. Many reviewers skip step 3, the processing lotion step but I researched this thoroughly and learned the following:

a. The previous steps break down the dye color in your hair and rinse it away.

b. Step 3 acts a final check of the effectiveness of the process.

c. If the dye has not broken down sufficiently then step 3 re-oxidizes the dye pigment, which darkens the hair color.

d. You are meant to repeat steps 1 and 2 until the dye pigment is completely removed from the hair. Once this happens step 3 will no longer result in a darkened hair color.

e. Once step 3 is completed correctly your hair is in good shape to accept a new dye.

5. Like some other reviewers, I too had several scary minutes of bright orange roots during this processes.

6. I used the entire box despite the claims that it contains 2-3 applications, but I have shoulder length hair that is extremely thick.

7. I left the product in my hair for the specified time only and used a timer to make sure I rinsed my hair long enough. (Again, despite the lengthy rinse time my hair continued to smell of the product for several days. It was unpleasant but well worth the end results.)

8. After one application (of the entire box) my hair lightened to the chocolate brown I had originally tried for. I was ecstatic as anyone who has had a color-gone-wrong experience can attest to once it's fixed!

9. I would highly recommend this product to those looking to fix color mistakes.

*Please note my research shows that this product cannot help those who have used metallic dyes.

If you follow the directions, this product actually does pretty much what it says on the box... It says it removes all permanent colour, no matter how long it's been in the hair. And it ALMOST does... It's amazing!

One huge advantage that this colour remover has over others is the texture of the chemicals; they spread so easily through the hair that one box can be used for 3 separate applications on my fairly long (past the armpits) hair. I've tried a couple other brands of dye remover before, they are the same price per box, but each box can only be used once. Getting out a dark colour usually requires a few applications, so this particular remover is by far the most economical.

A note on the processing lotion... Lots of people skip it because it can re-darken hair, so it seems unnecessary or counter-productive. But, you'll notice that the main ingredient of the processing lotion is hydrogen peroxide. All bleach and permanent hair dye has peroxide, and it seems like if you bleach or dye hair right after using this remover, it will re-darken hair slightly the same way the processing lotion does. This will give you unpredictable results, usually a bit darker or muddier of a colour than you expected. (For example, after removing red dye with this, the hair turned yellow... when I bleached a strand immediately afterwards, some of the red dye came back and the strand turned light pink!) Re-darkening the hair beforehand with the processing lotion probably gives you a chance to use more remover and get that extra dye out, giving you the best possible results if you re-dye.

But, in any case, using several applications of this remover, including the processing lotion step part-way through, I managed to remove almost all the black dye that I'd been dying my long hair with for 2 years, and make my hair medium-light blonde without even ruining it! After this remover stopped removing more dye, the last bit of dye was removed when I bleached the hair and then used the remover again. This made a huge difference; It seemed like the bleach sort of unlocked the remaining dye, because after bleaching, the remover was able to wash away alot more colour. (Of course, bleaching alone would never have worked without completely ruining the hair.) VERY highly recommended product!

I've been coloring my hair for 20 or so years - either at a salon (once in awhile) and at home. Of course I've had my share of coloring mishaps, and having a box of Color Fix on hand is essential. Permanent color is PERMANENT COLOR - therefore, you can remove the chemical components of the color from your hair, but your natural, original color is lost until it regrows. There is no product on the market to "return your hair to it's natural/virgin-color state". Ok, now that I've explained that, I'll continue :O)

I've found with medium to dark shades, it takes 2-4 applications of this product -- including the final 3rd step, to remove enough color to do another shade on top to even-out the overall look of the hair. However, after you have removed enough color to get to the general lightness/darkness you need, make sure you do 2 treatments of neutral protein filler...this is VERY IMPORTANT. Your hair needs to have some structure/protein put back in before you color in order to get good, even results. Frequently, when people color at home and it turns black, it's because the hair is extremely porous and soaks up too much dye. You can find bottle of neutral protein filler at any beauty-supply store.

Note: this product does leave a smell on the hair...I use a PH neutralizer/after-color conditioner and it's worked wonders for removing the chemical smell (which frankly I can't stand). I buy the conditioner at the beauty supply as well.

I've used this product a few times in the past and it's never let me down.This is the only product that will remove all that black color and leave my hair in the same condition it was before I used it. I've read other reviews on people who have had not so good experiences, and I'd like to share some of the steps I've done to get the best results.

I have about 2 inches of new growth on my roots, and the rest of my hair is colored black. You can put this on your roots but it WILL lighten them a bit, so just keep that in mind. I usually work in sections, applying the solution quickly as it will lose potency after a while. Put a processing cap on (these are cheap and look like a shower cap), and apply some hair dryer heat to help the cuticles open up a bit. The box says 20 mins, but it also depends on how much color is in your hair and how dark it is. I usually leave mine in for upwards of an hour.

Check your hair every 20 mins or so to make sure it's working, and apply more heat if needed. Once you start seeing the desired color removed, wash it out. Use a shampoo (clarifying if possible) and YES use the processing lotion! I know this is a controversial step but it's actually useful. The lotion is hydrogen peroxide and will allow any left over dye molecules to re-oxidize. This way you can see how much dye is left over and do another round of ColorFix. It's highly unlikely that you will get this in one pass.

Once all the dye has been removed, wash it thoroughly and condition. Purchase a Protein Filler and put that on your towel-dried damp hair BEFORE recoloring. Do not rinse it out. This will equalize the porosity of your hair and will help accept the new color you are applying. It's also very important to get a color 1-2 shades LIGHTER than what you are going for. This is because after ColorFixing, your hair will absorb new dye much faster and if you use too dark of a color, you may find yourself at the beginning again. Remember, it's always easier to go darker than it is to go lighter, so you can adjust the deepness later on.

Sorry for the long review, but hopefully these steps help!

I just bought this product tonight and I admit I was very worried it wouldn't work on my hair. I've done so much experimenting with it over the years, I thought that there was no way it would take out years old dye. I've bleached it, had at least every color of the rainbow in it w/ Manic Panic, and I've been using dye on my hair since I was a teen (now age 26). I needed to take out a darker chocolate brown I had put in my hair months ago to go redhead yay! I was sick of killing my hair bleaching, and did some research before choosing this brand. After one application following the directions, I could definitely see my lighter hair color coming back! Actually, I think I'm going to do just one more application to make sure it's nice and lighter before I dye it tomorrow. It doesn't stink at all, and trust me, I've had some of the worst smelling dyes/bleaches in my hair over time, but this is I agree a very sweet smell but not strong. It does spread realllly well, but if you're like me with longer (as in down to my middle back) and somewhat thicker hair, you will probably use over 1/4-1/2 bottle for each application. So I'd guess you'd get about 2-3. If you're considering lightening old dye or just want to start your hair color "over" after a long time of dyeing your hair, I would completely recommend you give this stuff a try!

My hair is naturally white. I dyed it black cherry! This took out the majority of the color with just one application. I love this stuff and will keep some on hand for the next "What was I thinking!" moment. It didn't damage my hair at all and could not have been easier to use.

My hair is naturally between light/med brown. I've been coloring my hair med brown for 3 years now. I colored my hair med ash brown a week ago with a different product and it turned jet black (good grief) so I tried out this product. I bought 3 boxes (just in case) but only used one. It turned my hair from black to completely bright neon orange within 20 minutes (which freaked me out). As a matter of act I freaked out so bad I hurriedly put on hair color (light ash brown) and forgot the Processing Lotion step. It seemed to work out though. My hair is now light brown - but has slight orangey roots (so I plan on coloring my roots in a few days again after I give my hair a break).

I am going gray or white and have been permanently coloring my hair ash brown for years. I wanted to go natural. I used the product through 3 treatments. It did remove the brunette color but left me strawberry blond, not gray or white. I will say in its defense that my hair is not damaged. it is soft and smooth. I do not like this color but I suppose it will grow out and it will not have such a contrast as the brown and gray would.

I've been dyeing my hair black for years. Blue black, not from a box, using correctors to suck any other color out of my hair. Even re-coloring my entire head instead of just coloring my roots.
But, I got bored with black. And I know it's impossible to remove.
Then I tried One N' Only. It works!! Really well! My hair is a medium reddish brown now, just from this product. I didn't use step three of the product, and my hair isn't truly damaged. Just a little dry and it smells a bit like a photo lab. I purchased two boxes (four treatments on my jaw-length hair), and I have used them all as dircted and it worked wonderfully! This product does what stylists told me was impossible. I will be using this again.