Consider looking up something like: “What hair products work best for bleaching black hair?” or “How to bleach red hair platinum blonde. ”
Bleach powder: this comes in either packets or tubs. Crème developer: choose this product according to the color of your natural hair. If your hair is already blonde or light brown, use a 10 or 20 volume (10V or 20V) developer. If your hair is dark brown or black, you’ll need to use 20V developer and give it more time to process. Talk with a sales clerk to get their opinion on what you should purchase for your hair. Many professionals use 30V or 40V because it processes the bleach faster. Refrain from doing this alone at home because it can cause more damage than lower volumes. Toners even out the color of bleached hair and neutralize unwanted tones and brassiness. [1] X Expert Source Arthur SebastianProfessional Hair Stylist Expert Interview. 29 April 2019. Buy this if you’re going for more of a platinum look. Some toners make hair white, and some give a silvery effect. Add red gold corrector to the bleach powder to increase its effectiveness so you don’t have to bleach twice. You can use “purple shampoo” to remove brassiness and yellow tones. Don’t use it often or it may stain your hair purple. Buy a tint brush, a bowl, and plastic wrap. Buy an extra package of bleach and developer so you have extra in case you run out midstream. Some people’s hair will absorb the bleach mixture more quickly than others, and having extra bleach mixture on hand will save you the trouble of running out. You don’t want to be halfway through your hair and find you don’t have any more bleach mixture.
Add the red gold color corrector if you’re going for a more platinum look. Pay close attention to the instructions on the label to ensure your measurements and proportions are exact.
Never apply bleach without gloves; the chemicals can burn your skin.
Depending on the style you’re going for, you can use the tint brush to apply the bleach in different ways, including: roots to tips, tips to roots, etc. Don’t rub the bleach into your head, since the chemicals can burn your scalp. To get salon quality highlights, separate out small sections of your hair that are less than an inch wide. Place foil squares under these sections to protect the rest of your hair from receiving any of the peroxide spray. Spray these sections and wrap them in the foil sheets to keep them from touching the rest of your hair while you let the peroxide sit in your hair. Highlighting your hair is probably easiest to do with a friend helping you. It can be a good idea to just apply bleach to the front section of your hair, allow it to process, and rinse, before doing the back section. Putting the bleach mixture over your whole head takes time, and you may not have enough time to finish the back section before the front section needs to be rinsed out. [5] X Research source
Several factors, including the volume of your developer and the darkness of your hair, influence how long it will take for the bleach to lift your hair color to the lightness you desire.
Be aware of the different hues that a bleach job will give you, depending on your hair color. Dark brown hair will lighten to chestnut brown, but too much peroxide may result in an orange-brown color. Medium brown will turn to light brown; light brown will turn dark blond; red hair will turn orange, and with enough bleaching, will become strawberry blond; dark blond will turn light blond. [6] X Research source
Toner can help fix any unwanted orange tones in your roots. [8] X Expert Source Arthur SebastianProfessional Hair Stylist Expert Interview. 29 April 2019.
There are several different brands and prices for these, from Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights Shampoo for about $10 per bottle to Unite Blonda Toning Shampoo for about $30. Your best bet is to purchase this type of shampoo at a beauty supplies store. Talk to a sales clerk for advice on the best shampoo for your hair.
You can also apply melted coconut oil to your hair before bleaching to help protect your hair. To melt the coconut oil, place the sealed jar into hot water. This will liquefy the oil. Pour the oil all over your head and rub it into your hair. Wrap your hair in a plastic cap and let the oil soak into your hair for a few hours (overnight is best). Do not rinse your hair before applying the bleach. [12] X Research source
Be aware of the different hues that a bleach job will give you, depending on your hair color. Dark brown hair will lighten to chestnut brown, but too much peroxide may result in an orange-brown color. Medium brown will turn to light brown; light brown will turn dark blond; red hair will turn orange, and with enough bleaching, will become strawberry blond; dark blond will turn light blond. [14] X Research source
When the first section is damp, unclip a second section and spray it with peroxide. Repeat until all of your hair has been treated. If you want to highlight a few strands of hair rather than spraying your entire head, dip a cotton ball in the peroxide and rub it on the strands you wish to die. To bleach streaks in your hair, separate out the chunks that you want to bleach. Place foil squares under these chunks to protect the rest of your hair from receiving any of the peroxide spray. Spray these chunks and wrap them in the foil sheets to keep them from touching the rest of your hair while you let the peroxide sit in your hair. Streaking your hair is probably easiest to do with a friend helping you.
Using a hair dryer on your hair or another heater during this process may speed up the time it takes to reach your desired color. Even though the hair dryer will speed the process, be aware that the heat can damage your hair and could cause hair damage. [15] X Research source This is not necessary, however, and if you are not sure how your hair reacts to peroxide, you should skip this heating step.
You should also ask if your hair is healthy enough to bleach. Some colorists won’t bleach hair that has already been color-treated, because it is such a damaging process. [17] X Research source
You may need to schedule a second session with your hairstylist if you have very dark hair and you want to go white blond. [18] X Research source Your hairstylist is also skilled at bleaching highlights into your hair. It is also much easier for another person to do this process, rather than trying to do it yourself. They can see your head from above and can apply bleaching solution evenly over your head.
Don’t use lemon juice that comes in a bottle. It contains preservatives that may damage your hair.
If you want to highlight a few strands of hair instead of bleaching it all over, use a cotton ball to rub lemon juice solution on the parts that you do want to bleach.
Once your hair is dry, take a look at the color. If you want it to be even lighter, repeat the process again in a few days. Don’t bleach your hair with lemon juice more often than once every two or three weeks.
