Hair Bleaching

Tips for Creating Great Blonde Hair Color

This page offers advice on hair bleaching safely and effectively to get a true blonde hair color.

This process requires alot of maintenance as the regrowth begins to show within only a few weeks.

If you want a blonde color with a bit less coloring frequency, try foiling hair to add blonde highlights.

Try new hairstyles and colors on your photo
See what suits you!

Hair Bleaching Tips

Stick with no higher than 20 Volume peroxide for on-scalp bleaching. If you are foiling hair, you can use up to 40 volume peroxide with your bleach powder, but not when it's coming in direct contact with your skin. For very dark hair, bleach may need to be applied in two separate sittings, with a fresh batch each time.

Insider Hair Bleaching Secret:
As a rudimentary way to reduce the discomfort of bleach on a sensitive scalp, add a packet of "Sweet n' Low" to your bleach mixture. Not sure why it works, but it does seem to alleviate some of the biting effect bleach and high-lift hair colors can have on the scalp. There are also professional products which can be mixed with bleach or hair color to desensitize, but they'd be difficult to get unless you know a pro who might be willing to help you out.

Get The Right Tools!

Soft 'N Style
The Hair Colorists Tool Kit

Getting an unblemished all over blonde hair color can be tricky. Particularly if you're dealing with existing haircolor from past "experiments". To get a consistent color, you need to start with an even slate...meaning root to end the hair strand should be near the same color level before you apply the hair color or toner.

If there is existing color on the hair, read these tips for hair color removal before you bleach your hair.

In some cases, a high lift blonde hair color will do the trick, but not if there's already color on the hair...too unpredictable. And some high-lift colors can leave your hair with a brassy hue, making it difficult to achieve a platinum blonde shade. If that's the case, hair bleaching and toning is necessary.

Hair Bleaching Application Tips

Methods for applying bleach to hair vary widely depending on the existing state of the hair and the desired result. A few rules of thumb that apply in every case are...

Excuse Me...
Your Roots Are Showing!

Written by an experienced, professional cosmetologist, this book provides more advanced information on the art and science of hair coloring.

Don't overlap bleach on previously colored hair. It'll either cause a banding effect or, worst case scenario a "chemical haircut".
Apply to the darkest areas first so they process the longest.
Clean up any spills promptly, whether on hair, clothing or furniture.
Have all supplies on hand and ready before you begin.
Work quickly...but carefully! ;o)

Start applying bleach in the back of the head where hair is usually darkest, working you way up to the front in half inch sections. Apply bleach quickly and thoroughly...oh, and carefully too!

If it takes you too long to get through all the hair, let the bleach process until the lightest section is at the right stage, rinse, then re-apply starting from the other side (in the darkest area) and cover only the hair that needs more lightening.

Bleach loses its effectiveness if it dries out, so cover the hair with a plastic cap, and if it's a particularly difficult head of hair to lighten...apply some heat. If you use a blowdryer to apply heat, add a diffuser attachment to spread that warm air around evenly or you could end up with "hot spots". Yes, hair bleaching is finicky, but well worth the effort when done correctly!

Processing

All bleach processing times differ depending on your desired end result. Successful bleach lightening is a visual thing, watching for the underlying pigment to be lifted high enough that your finished color can be achieved.

If you're going for a very light blonde color, the underlying pigment must be raised up to a pale-yellow stage. However, if you're pre-lightening very dark hair to create warm golden highlights, the yellow-orange stage would be the time to rinse off the bleach and tone the hair. If you're bleaching hair, you must have a good grasp of the chemistry goin' on behind the scenes.