Hilary Duff thanks 'miracle' product for saving her hair after botched at-home dye

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In a time of great uncertainty, Hilary Duff’s Instagram is the gift that keeps on giving.

The 32-year-old star has been a celebrity-favourite for many since her “Lizzie McGuire” days, but lately, Duff has upped her relatable content game during quarantine.

In April, after weeks in isolation with her husband Matthew Koma and her two children, Duff surprised fans by debuting a bold new look: blue hair.

The “Younger” actress revealed that she dyed her blonde locks a vibrant shade of blue with a selfie to Instagram with the simple caption “Yea” and included a shrugging emoji.

Although the blue hair was a fun change, Duff quickly learned that the upkeep for coloured hair can be difficult. The self-dye job quickly faded to a mixture of green and brown, that the star jokingly referred to in a video as “murky lake.”

After several weeks of sporting colourful hair, Duff sought help from celebrity-hairstylist and 901 Salon owner, Nikki Lee.

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In an Instagram story, Duff revealed Lee recommended Malibu C Direct Dye Lifter (DDL), a cruelty-free and vegan product designed specifically to remove direct dyes (temporary or semi-permanent dye). DDL is free of formaldehyde, ammonia, parabens and gluten and made with a non-drip formula that won’t damage your hair.

“Ok! So this little packet is actually a miracle,” Duff wrote. “Took a ton of the green out of my hair.... mix with water and rub sections of your hair between your hands (use gloves) the colour starts to come out. Took a few packets and a lot of muscles and two rounds of washing and reapplying.”

Quarantine has forced many to forego dying their hair, or taking matters into their own hands and dying their own hair at home. While some have opted for fun colours, Duff admitted that she had had enough.

“I couldn’t have lake hair for one more day,” she added.

According to Malibu C, mix DDL with water to remove blues and greens from your hair; if you’re removing pinks and reds, use developer.

Since DDL is a lightener and colour remover, it will take out dye as well as lighten what’s underneath. Duff suggested contacting your stylist about purchasing a mixed toner or gloss for you to apply after using DDL to add shine and dimension back into your hair.

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While Malibu C’s official website sells exclusively to salon professionals, you can purchase DDL through sites like Walmart or eBay without a professional license.

If you’ve opted for a change during quarantine and want to remove colour, remember that DDL is for direct dyes only - meaning temporary hair dyes or semi-permanents.

Malibu C Direct Dye Lifter (DDL)

SHOP IT: Walmart, $16 USD

SHOP IT: Ebay from $38 USD (pack of 6)

If you’ve had a mishap using permanent (box dyes) or semi-permanent hair dyes, we suggest contacting a professional for a colour correction consult before trying any kind of colour removal on your own.

However, if you’re feeling confident, there’s Malibu C Color Pigment Reducer (CPR), a product similar to DDL but designed specifically for permanent and oxidative colour.

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