How to make clarifying shampoo that will get rid of semi-permanent hair colour

A disastrous semi-permanent hair colour can make you miserable and self-conscious, even though it won’t last forever. Semi-permanent dye leaves colour only on the outermost hair layers and is a good choice if you are afraid of making a mistake with colour. It only lasts around six to 12 shampoos before washing out. However, sometimes that is too long to wait. Make a clarifying shampoo to shift semi-permanent hair dye more quickly using ingredients you have at home.

Add one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to your regular shampoo to turn it into a clarifying shampoo that removes build-up and helps strip the hair of dye. Alternatively, mix bicarbonate of soda with water to make a paste. Massage it into your roots and rinse well.

Rub olive oil or almond oil into your hair and wrap your head in a shower cap or cling film. Leave for one or two hours then shampoo out the oil, shampooing up to three times.

Use two tablespoons of lemon juice in half a cup of warm water. Apply as a final rinse after shampooing and conditioning. Lemon juice helps remove product build-up and also lightens the effect of the dye.

Use vitamin C in sachets or crush up to 20 vitamin C tablets. Mix the powder with shampoo to make a paste, roughly one part vitamin C to two parts shampoo. Comb through damp hair and wrap your head in a plastic bag. Leave it on the hair for one or two hours then wash out with regular shampoo and conditioner.