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Getting Real: Removing Box Dye

Removing box dye takes time, patience and expertise. Get the details for this challenging makeover that required two sessions and many many hours.

Maggie Mulhern
Maggie MulhernBeauty and Fashion Director, MODERN SALON
Read Maggie's Posts
November 27, 2019
Getting Real: Removing Box Dye

Hair color makeover and correction by Raquel Azusena

2 min to read


Raquel Azusena has a fantastic Instagram page - @raqueltheartist_ - that is chock full of phenomenal (and challenging) makeovers. We reached out to ask for the details of one of her favorites. “The transformation I’m sending over is one of my favorites because it definitely gives a realistic view on the steps it takes to remove box dye,” Azusena says. “My client came to me for the first time earlier this year. Her color history was definitely something to be scared of. She explained to me that around 3-4 years ago she went from having blonde highlights to going red all over. About two years ago, she ended up using black box dye, living with that up until four months before coming to see me.”

OH MY!

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SESSION ONE:  “A full on color correction of about 8 hours. My client ensured me she wanted to keep lots of dimension so I grabbed small sections and back combed the hair starting with 10 volume and moving up to 30 volume as I progressed throughout the hair using Redken Flashlift with Bond Builder.” This step took two hours for application with an additional 30 minutes for processing. Azusena then went in and re-saturated the harsh red and orange bands within each foil. Once completely processed, the hair was rinsed. Then shadow root with Redken Shades EQ 4N 4NA. Process for 12 minutes. Tone with 1 1/2 oz 5N 1/2 4NA for 10 minutes.

SESSION TWO (3 months later): Very much a repeat of session one. “I tried my hardest to mimic the same sectioning as before to not add anymore brightness, aside from what she already had. This session was about six hours long.” Hair was then shadow rooted with 4N 4NA and toned with Redken Shades EQ 1 oz 7V 3/4 7P 1/4 7NB. 

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