How to Properly Bleach Your Hair: Dos and Don’ts

Like how everyone is unique in their own way, your hair is the same. No matter who you are, your hair has different compositions, having its own needs and preferences. When coloring or bleaching your hair at home, likewise, all experiences will be different.

Bleaching is the process of lightening your hair using bleaching agents. While many bleaching incidents can result in dry and damaged hair, a basic understanding of DIY hair color, DIY hair bleach, and bleaching dos and don’ts can keep your hair both stylish and safe.

How to Properly Bleach Hair at Home: The Dos

Bleaching can be very exciting since you’ll be flaunting a new look or adding some spice with hair highlights. Allowing your hair to be bleached means undergoing a series of products like hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, and hypochlorite bleach. On their own, these chemicals are damaging and corrosive.

Caution is always necessary so your hair doesn’t get unnecessarily hurt. 

1. Read the instructions

When you venture off to bleach your hair, you must do initial research on the process and the products you’ll be using. It ensures no accidents happen at any point in the bleaching process. 

Not only is the researching stage important, but so is following the instructions to a T. They’re there for a reason and extend from the preparation stage to the execution stage, where you start bleaching your hair. 

2. Take your time when bleaching

At this stage of the bleaching process, you’ll need to know how long you’ll be bleaching your hair and take the time to see it through. Bleaching, especially when done at home, doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all vocabulary, and how long you leave it on heavily depends on your hair.

It means your hair’s type, texture, and even color play a role in the overall bleaching process. Lighter hair, for instance, takes less time to bleach than darker hair.

Regardless of your hair type, it’s been recommended that you don’t expose your hair to the bleach solution for more than 30 minutes to avoid the risk of creating serious damage to your hair. 

3. Heat your hair gently

While it’s important to take your time when bleaching at home, using heat also speeds up the process. It may seem like a shortcut, but using heat responsibly should be your priority. When used incorrectly or too hastily, it can lift moisture from your hair, resulting in dryness.

For gentle heating, it’s recommended to use foil or processing caps so you don’t end up heating your hair too much. Additionally, these methods can be monitored by you at any point, making them more efficient. 

4. Have a strict hair care regimen

The days immediately after a bleach session can be rough for your hair. To remedy this, stick to a routine to quickly nourish your hair back to health! Usually, this involves investing in quality hair care products, like shampoos and conditioners, and maybe even products that moisturize and rejuvenate to combat dull, coarse, and brittle hair. 

5. Practice post-bleach care

Because your hair’s been through a lot to be lighter in color, it’s vital to practice post-bleach care to nourish it back to its former glory. It means using products that prevent anti-color fading and keep colors vibrant and intact.

L’Oréal’s Ever Pure Anti-Brass Toning Purple Shampoo and Anti-Brass Toning Purple Conditioner are ideal for post-bleach hair care. Equipped with purple technology designed to neutralize unwanted brassy colors and eliminate copper tones, these products have been proven effective for bleached, highlighted, and ash hair colors.

6. If all else fails, visit a professional

Properly bleaching hair at home can be tricky, so be sure to visit a professional if you’re unsure about accomplishing the process yourself. These industry experts can readily assess your hair type and provide treatment accordingly. They can also recommend or suggest ideas to improve your hair bleaching journey, such as providing unique hair color ideas.  

What NOT to Do When Bleaching Your Hair

With bleaching, so many things can go wrong if you do it yourself. Avoid doing the following steps to lessen the chances of harm done to your hair.

1. Start with incomplete supplies

You have to be prepared to be able to bleach your hair properly. Always wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty, have some gloves on, and have your bleach kit and developer ready. 

2. Not doing a strand test

Strand tests are used in hair coloring and bleaching procedures to ensure the hair properly responds to the processes. Conducting a test before proceeding can help prevent any irreparable damage to the hair, such as unwanted chemical reactions. 

3. Apply everything at once

Always start the bleaching process from the mid-length to the end of your hair for an even color. Once the affected areas begin to lighten, proceed with bleaching the roots, which are left for last because it’s the part that best reacts with body heat. 

4. Use hot styling tools weeks after bleaching

Avoid using hot styling tools for at least three weeks when your hair has recently been bleached. Because bleaching strips the hair of its moisture and elasticity, blow dryers, hair irons, and curling wands will only damage your hair further.  

5. Skip conditioners and oils

Bleached hair is vulnerable, so conditioners, moisturizers, and oils are must-haves in the weeks after treatment. Coconut and olive are good things to add to hair to regain its original shine and moisture. 

Caring for Your New Look

Bleaching can be risky when you do it yourself, but following the tips and guidelines above can help your hair withstand the treatment and recover properly afterward. Along with revitalizing your hair, it’s important to understand how to care for colored hair. 

If you make a mistake? With 8x tone life and damage protection, L’Oréal’s Bleach Supreme has you covered! Find products that are right for you when you check out L’Oréal Paris’s online store for the best hair care products in the Philippines.