How to Bleach Hair? – Steps to Bleach Hair and More

How to Bleach Hair

If you need to refresh your appearance and think of something radical, we tell you how to bleach your hair yourself like an expert.

What is hair bleaching?

• It is a method through which the natural pigment is extracted from the hair to lighten it.
• It is achieved by altering the cuticle (the outer layer) of the fibres to allow the bleaching product to penetrate them and extract the color.
• Depending on the hair’s natural tone and the intensity of the peroxide or activator you use.
• The result could range from an orange color to a yellow color (the latter is easier to achieve on naturally light hair).
• Keep in mind that normally, bleached hair will require a dye, a toner, or even a second or third bleaching session to get the desired result.

How to bleach hair without damaging it?

1. Prepare your hair before bleaching:

• Two weeks before going through the bleaching process, give your hair an extra dose of moisture to avoid extreme damage.
• We recommend using homemade masks – like this one with banana -, applying your favourite essential oil from medium to ends.
• And, of course, using a nourishing and hydrating washing system. It all adds up!
• Tip: Avoid washing your hair the day you will bleach it, as the natural oils produced by your scalp will keep it protected.
• (Less itching and burning) and, incidentally, will also strengthen the hair fibre.

2. Get everything you need to bleach your hair:

Make sure you have the necessary formulas and tools on hand to facilitate the process and achieve better finishes. Here are the allies that you cannot miss:

• A towel or robe to protect your clothes, preferably white.
• 10 or 20 volume peroxide or activator.
• Bleaching powder.
• A container to create the mixture.
• A paintbrush.
• Latex gloves.

Tip: The higher the number of peroxide volumes, the more aggressive it is and, therefore, more harmful.

It is preferable to do it gradually with peroxides of no more than 30 volumes if you are new to bleaching.

Otherwise, you could damage your hair to the point that it becomes dry or weak enough that it ends up falling out in clumps, literally.

3. To bleach the hair without damaging it! Steps to bleach hair:

Step one: Mix the bleaching powder with the peroxide in a bowl until you get a texture similar to yogurt.

Step two: Put on the latex gloves and apply the bleach, first to the ends and the middle. Leaving the root for last as this area tends to discolor faster due to body heat. Make sure to cover all hair for an even finish

Step three: Let the bleach act for no more than 25 to 30 minutes. You can cover your hair with transparent plastic to make it take effect much faster. Consider that itching and a little burning is normal, but if the discomfort is unbearable, remove and try again later.

Step four: Rinse with plenty of water.

Tip: If your hair is dark, you will likely need one or a few more bleaching sessions to get the desired shade. In this case, we recommend spacing the treatments about two weeks to avoid damage.

Be realistic with your expectations, and it isn’t easy to get the tone you want with just one bleaching.