Every woman desires a change. A makeover is probably the answer to it. A makeover change usually starts with changing or bleaching your hair.
Dark hair, on the other hand, can be a big stumbling block when it comes to experimenting with different hair colors.
However, this does not rule out the possibility of experimenting. Bleaching your hair may be beneficial and can give you your desired change.
In this article, we have talked about how you can probably skip the salon and beach your hair in the comfort of your own home.
Whether you want blonde hair or wish to join the rainbow hair color trend, one thing is certain:
bleaching your hair is required to get a lighter hue. If you prefer to color your hair at home rather than going to the salon, you’ll need to know how to bleach hair effectively to get the results you want.
Important Tips to Know Before Bleaching Your Hair
If you want to go blonde or try a trendy color like rose gold hair, be aware that you’ll need to learn how to bleach your hair first.
If you’re starting with a dark brown base, it can take a few sessions to get the color you want. And if you want to make a major change, such as moving from dark brown to platinum blonde, it’s usually a good idea to see a professional colorist, as this can take a lot of time and effort.
With the correct knowledge, though, you can learn how to bleach your hair at home.
Mistakes to Avoid
To avoid seeming pessimistic, below listed are the three major roadblocks to attempting this at home:
- Starting with the wrong product: Different hair types necessitate different product strengths or variants. It’s possible that what looks good on another person does not looks good on you.
- Uneven application: Unless you have a caring companion or a hall of mirrors, you’ll have to put in extra effort to ensure that your application is uniform.
- Incorrect timing: Bleaching your hair is similar to cooking pasta: if you cook it too little or too long, the results will be disappointing. You must also work quickly enough to produce a uniform finish; else, you will end up with a patchy appearance.
Step 1: Examine your situation.
It is always better to first examine your situation and get a better know-how of the state of your hair? Is it capable of withstanding the destruction you’re going to inflict?
It is always advisable to start with a test. Spray some water on a strand of hair and let it absorb before gently stretching it.
It is not safe to color wet hair if it stretches more than usual or if the texture becomes sticky; nevertheless, if the hair returns to its original state, it is safe to bleach.
He also suggests doing a patch test with a bleach combination to determine how your hair will react to the same approach with a tiny section of processed hair following.
It’s also crucial to comprehend your present hair color problem. If your hair is already treated, if you’ve used any form of box dye, or if you have virgin, unprocessed hair, these factors can affect how the bleach lifts your hair.
Step 2: Determine the Tools That You Need
Developer (30 v and 20 v): This is the liquid base for your bleach (and toner) mixture; when combined, it produces bleach.
Bleach Mixture: The second ingredient of a bleach mixture that causes the real whitening in the hair is the lightener, which is usually obtained in powder form.
Purple shampoo: It will help to tone down brassiness and neutralize undesirable yellow and orange tones in your hair.
Toner: These, like purple shampoos, will chemically neutralize brassy hair.
Essential kit: Gloves, a mixing basin, and a brush
Shower cap: plastic bag
Step 3: Preparation
Always section your hair into four sections before starting to prepare it.
To nourish hair, massage coconut oil from root to tip within sectioned hair for extra protection.
Using coconut oil before lightening hair can be very useful for the condition of the hair. Let it absorb into your hair for at least an hour, preferably more, before pre-lighting or bleaching.
Step 4: Combine the ingredients
You’re ready to make the bleach combination once you’ve completed all of the essential materials and preliminary work.
Read the instructions on your lightener and developer materials; not all brands are created equal, but most bleach mixes require a 2:1 ratio (meaning two parts developer to one-part lightener).
Don’t wing it–proper portion sizes are crucial, so measure carefully! Depending on how much hair you’re trying to bleach, you may need additional mixture as you go but start with 2 oz of 30v developer and 1 oz of lightener. Combine the contents in a mixing basin with a painting brush until smooth.
Step 5: Submit your application
Follow the directions below for each of the sections you’ve split. It is always suggested to saturate the strands with modest amounts of product throughout the sections of your hair to ensure that the hair is completely covered.
Apply the bleach with 30 volume to the mid-length and ends approximately two inches away from the scalp. After that, apply bleach to the roots in a 20-volume solution. This is the most effective approach for avoiding heated roots.
Step 6: Now it’s your turn to wait.
Let’s talk about hair levels and how long you’ll have to wait! Processing time is determined by the manufacturer’s recommendations as well as the natural degree of starting point and desired final result.
It may seem confusing, but it’s crucial to know what hair level (shade) you’re starting with and what color you want to obtain in order to determine how long the bleach mixture should sit on your head.
The hair level system determines how light or dark your color will be. The darkest number is one, while the lightest number is ten.
It’s critical to remember that all blondes must be at least level seven. If you start with a level one, you’ll need to raise (bleach/lighten) your hair six levels to a level seven before you can see any form of blonde.
You can calculate the wait time once you’ve determined your hair level and desired lightness. Leave the mixture on for 35-40 minutes if you want your hair to lift as light as possible (remember to never exceed 45 minutes).
Step 7: Wash it
It’s time to wash it out once it’s finished processing. Use lukewarm water; water that is too hot or cold can shock your hair, which is already delicate. Make sure you rinse out the bleach thoroughly and gently wash your hair to remove all of the product.
Step 8: Re-evaluate and bleach (If Needed)
Don’t be surprised! It’s acceptable if your hair becomes yellow or orange; it just means you’ll have to bleach it again!
Use the stretch technique as described in the first step to analyze and check the health of your hair.
Determine your hair level using the hair level chart from Step 6 to discover if you need to bleach your hair again. If you need to bleach again, repeat steps three through seven (your hair needs to be dry).
Most importantly, give your hair enough time to recover and consider waiting a few days before applying another bleach treatment.
Step 9: Now It’s Time to Tone
This is where the color wheel from elementary school comes into play. After bleaching, toner will help to neutralize any brassiness or yellow tones that may remain in your hair.
Make sure your hair is light enough before you start toning (remember the chart in Step 6.
It’s crucial to note that applying a toner to hair that hasn’t been lifted light enough or to the right level will not solve the problem and may result in an unappealing hue.
As a result, make sure you’re using toner at the proper (hair) level at all times.
Toner is applied to somewhat damp hair with the same 2:1 mixing ratio and application method as conditioner.
To make the developer, mix one component toner with two parts 20v developer: Mix in the same manner as your bleach mixture in Step 4, using the same proportions.
If you used 2 oz of developer and 1 oz of lightener for the developer, use the following proportions for the toner: 2 oz. 20 v developer to 1 oz. toner
Apply the mixture to sectioned hair while wearing gloves: You’ll want to segment your hair and saturate the strands with the product, similar to how you’d bleach it. Start with the mid-lengths and work your way up to the roots.
It’s natural for the toner and mixture to turn purple: The purple color indicates that the toner is working to remove the yellow/orange tones in the hair.
Allow the toner to process: Leave the toner on your hair for 20-25 minutes, or according to the label’s time suggestion. It’s not a good idea to leave it on for too long because it will turn your hair purple.
Wash and Shampoo: After rinsing your hair with lukewarm water, gently shampoo and condition it.
Step 10: Purchase a Purple Shampoo/Mask.
A purple shampoo, like a toner, helps to erase orange or yellow tones in your hair.
Using a non-chemical toner (purple shampoo) to keep your blonde hair from turning brassy is a terrific method to keep it looking healthy. Once or twice a week, or whenever your hair becomes too yellow, use a purple shampoo.
Step 11: The After Care
After all of the chemical damage you’ve done to your hair, it’s necessary to give it some TLC to try to heal it. Always use a professional haircare product and apply a hydrating hair mask once or twice a week. Also, avoid using heat on your hair. In the 3-4 weeks after bleaching your hair, you will want to minimize thermal heat like heavy blow-drying and ceramic heat styling.
Step 12: Embrace The Change
You’re a blonde at this stage! Because this is an at-home hairstyle, it may differ from what you expected, but embrace the fact that you made it yourself and flaunt it with pride! Now go on and make Dolly Parton, Billie Eilish, and Selena Gomez proud with your new color.
When Should You Consult Your Doctor About Bleaching Side Effects?
Bleach contains both an alkaline and an oxidizing agent (ammonium hydroxide) (hydrogen peroxide). Both of these components penetrate the hair shaft, causing your natural hair color to fade and the melanin in your cuticle to break down.
This causes not just hair color loss but also considerable hair damage, such as scalp burns, hair strand permeability, significant protein loss, heavy hair damage due to decreased porosity, and skin irritation
