It’s fair to say that women of all ages like to bleach their hair for many different reasons. You might want to emulate the blonde starlets of Hollywood, such as Marilyn Monroe, Lady Gaga, or Jennifer Lawrence. Or perhaps your hair is starting to grey just a little, it’s not your cup of tea! It could even be that you’ve had the same hair for many years and simply want a fresh start. Whatever the motive, bleaching your hair is a fairly simple process but some care and advice is definitely needed.
Just like if you wanted to curl your hair at home, a DIY approach to hair bleach is easy, but you should know as much as possible when it comes to lightening hair and aftercare tips. Bleaching can be quite harsh on your hair if you aren’t careful! If you follow our advice, then you’ll come out with beautiful, blonde hair and feel more confident than ever.
Quick checklist to ask yourself:
- Has your hair been chemically treated in the previous 6 months? It’s better to grow it out first or have it trimmed, as it might tamper with the new bleach process and alter the color.
- Is your hair freshly washed? Irritation can happen when the bleaching process starts as the scalp is stripped of beneficial natural oils after washing. Better to leave your hair unwashed for a few days.
- How dark is your hair? Hair that’s already light or brown hair will likely only take one session of bleaching, while darker hair could take two or more treatments, spread out over several days.
- Is your hair in great condition? Hair prone to breakage will not take kindly to bleach, so ensure your hair is strong before any treatments. Using conditioning hair masks in the weeks leading up to bleaching can help keep your hair tough.
Getting your hair bleached at the salon
The best way to see if your hair is compatible with bleaching is to ask the hairdresser for a sample strip: this will give a good result before you bleach the entire hair. As already mentioned, expect multiple trips to the salon if your hair is darker, as it’s too harsh on the hair to complete everything in one session. Salons can also perform Olaplex treatments, which help give the hair a lot of hydration after the bleaching process is finished.
Bleaching your hair at home
You want to make sure that you’ve chosen a good brand and product, as cheaper alternatives are usually not worth it! It’s important to protect your hands with gloves (usually included in the product packaging) because the chemicals can irritate the skin. A towel should be worn around your neck to protect your skin. Always follow the directions on the pack, depending on if you’re going for the entire hair or just for highlights. Rinse your hair several times to ensure that all the chemicals have been removed, and finish with a hydrating hair mask.
