hair bleaching

Hair bleaching: how and what to bleach hair safely

What is hair bleaching?

Hair bleaching is a procedure during which the original hair color becomes lighter by several shades. In this case, nothing radical with the shade occurs: bleaching dyes are able to raise the tone of curls on average by 1-4 levels of depth. If a more intense lightening is required, the colorists use superblond clarifiers.

Depending on which product the colorist uses, it may or may not be necessary to tint after lightening. Lightening dyes simultaneously tint the hair, while powders simply lift the overall tone.

It should be kept in mind that most conventional (both household and professional) products for bleaching do not work on previously colored strands – this fact is often attributed to the disadvantages of the procedure. However, the pluses of bleaching coloring are much more.

Here are the advantages, for which we are so fond of this procedure:

  • Bleaching allows you to quickly change the image;
  • You can lighten the hair completely or partially, for example, only the tips;
  • With the lightening dye, you can create a fashionable effect on the curls with a smooth transition of color in ombré and other techniques;
  • Brightening the front strands corrects facial features, making them softer;
  • Bleaching has a visually rejuvenating effect.

Single bleaching is not completely harmless to the structure of the hair, but the procedure, carried out with quality dyes, will maintain the healthy condition of the strands.

How is bleaching different from bleaching?

Many people mistakenly bleaching with a more aggressive bleaching procedure. And, accordingly, they are afraid of such coloring. Well, hair bleaching is the last degree of bleaching, when the original pigment is mostly destroyed, and partially becomes colorless. The procedure is aimed at a complete change of image. For example, hair bleaching is what a brunette needs to turn into a high-toned blonde. Also, you cannot do without it if the output should be a saturated bright or complex pastel shade.

The composition of the lightening dye similarly lifts the scales of hair, penetrates under the cuticle, but only partially neutralizes the color pigment and causes minimal damage to the structure. Ordinary bleaching, in comparison with bleaching, is considered a gentle way and allows you to improve the appearance without loss of hair quality.

What lightens the hair?

The degree of bleaching depends on the type of bleaching agent and the amount of oxidant added to the composition. The higher its percentage (it varies from 1.5 to 12%), the lighter shade can be obtained. Let’s take a look at what is safe to lighten your hair.

Cream Dye

Lightening cream dye – perhaps the most convenient option for self-coloring at home: its consistency is well laid on the hair, easy to distribute and does not flow. It facilitates the process and the fact that after this dye there is no need to tint the hair: the tube already contains the color pigment.

The composition of the cream dyes usually contains nourishing oils and other beneficial ingredients, thanks to which the hair after dyeing is more groomed, smooth and shiny than before. For all this, cream dyes are popular not only with amateur users, but also with colorists!

Shampoo

More often than not, a brightening shampoo refers to a cleanser that neutralizes warm shimmers while washing the head, thereby “cooling” the blonde and gray hair. The main feature of such a shampoo is its composition – inside the bottle contains components capable of correcting yellow and orange undertones, or slightly lightening substances. After correction, the blond looks lighter and lighter. These components include, for example, purple and blue pigments, citric acid, chamomile extract.

Pastes

Pastes are at the intersection of lightening and bleaching products – they can raise the tone to six or seven levels, creating a base for a new hair color in just one application. Since the action of professional lightening pastes is quite powerful, their composition should be enriched with caring substances to preserve the quality of the strands during the coloring process.

Powder

Another strong hair lightener – powder – allows you to “drop” up to eight shades. It is often used for lightening and bleaching hair strands during the melting process or for obtaining the brightest possible color at the end. Modern professional powders contain a complex protection system – it strengthens the disulfide bonds inside the hair and maintains the quality of the hair.

Cream

Hair lightening cream has a low ammonia content (or is made without ammonia at all) and hydrogen peroxide, so it gives a slight lift up to five shades – like a lightening dye. The mildness of the formula makes the cream ideal for owners of natural blonde hairstyles. Brunettes can also safely use the cream, but its effect should be enhanced with a powerful oxidant, as their combined use gives the curls a natural lightening effect.

The oil

If your hair is dry, brittle or thin, but you want to lift its tone, lightening oil is the best choice. The oil refers to the most gentle means and is able to change the shade of hair by only one or two shades. Such a natural effect of sunburnt strands gives, for example, the oil.

hair bleaching

How to lighten the hair correctly?

When selecting a method of bleaching, a competent colorist always takes into account the characteristics of hair, including its natural shade. We tell you how to bleach depending on the original color of curls.

Dark hair

Brunettes and dark brunettes should be prepared for the fact that for a radical change in the shade of hair and the transition to the “light side” may require a lot of time and more than one visit to the salon. Colorists usually bleach black hair in two or three stages with a time lag between them, all to minimize losses, which, alas, are unavoidable in this case. Fast results are possible only with a strong lightening powder that raises the tone level as much as possible. The lightening takes place in parallel with the procedure of strengthening the curls.

Blond hair

Lightening blond hair is a much easier task, because this shade is easy to color with a tone up. The only problem is the appearance of unaesthetic yellowing after a while, but it can also be solved by using a neutralizing shampoo after the procedure.

It is possible to change the basic blond color and become blonde in just one go with the lightening dye in cream format. If you want to get a bright or unusual color (for example, watercolor coloring, trendy smoky finish, something creative, etc.), then you cannot do without a bleaching “cocktail” of powder and oxidant – their proportions in each specific case is determined by the colorist, who knows exactly how to lighten blond hair.

Light hair

Owners of light hair are lucky: before dyeing, if the strands are natural and above the sixth level of tone, pre-lightening is not necessary. If it is necessary to add shine and sunny shimmer to light curls, as in the Californian melting, it is enough to use lightening oil.

Dyed light hair may require bleaching instead of lightening. The artificial pigment must be removed, otherwise no one can predict how the new tone will lay.

Red hair

Red hair can easily be made a few shades lighter with lightening oil: the color will become more gentle and muted. For a clear change will have to bleach strands means a helper – paste or powder for lightening.

Hair bleaching techniques

The lightened base is the best basis for further experiments with the hair color. There are several ways to lighten the hair, allowing you to transform the hair. We tell you about the most popular of them.

Full

A classic bleaching process in which the colorist changes the shade of all hair at once, from root to tip.

Inner

Unusual and interesting bleaching, which only the bottom layer of hair is subjected to – usually this procedure becomes a stage of closed coloring.

Strand Lightening

Row-by-row bleaching, the most popular group of bleaching techniques, is considered quite gentle, as it involves changing the shade of only individual curls.

Brightening the ends of the hair

The easiest way to refresh the tone of long or medium hair. If you want to make a smooth ombré or dye the ends in a bright color, you can’t do without bleaching the ends.

Brightening the roots

This technique is used when it is necessary to correct the color of the grown-out after the dyeing of hair in the root zone.

hair bleaching

Hair bleaching with home remedies: pros and cons

You probably met on the Internet folk recipes of compositions designed to make strands lighter. Usually it is a mixture of several ingredients, among which: chamomile, kefir, lemon, honey, cinnamon, rhubarb, egg yolk, vegetable oil.

Ambiguous reviews of girls who have ventured to try out the homemade brightener, say that it is impossible to get quality and even hair lightening with its help. First, only some natural components give a real elevation, and then a maximum of one tone. Secondly, they work only on very light and naturally blond hair. Thirdly, it is often suggested to strengthen the effect with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide or hydroperitol, but they are more aggressive and dry hair in home mixes.

Care for bleached hair

Proper hair care plays a major role in the result of bleaching. Let’s consider step by step what you need to do to maintain both the shade itself and the quality of your locks.

  • When washing your hair, use products that are designed specifically for colored hair. They are characterized by a gentle effect on the locks, do not wash out the pigment, enhance the shine and brightness of the color, and if necessary, neutralize unwanted tones.
  • Professional brands offer shampoos for chalky and bleached hair to any taste.
  • The mask is an obligatory item of the weekly care program for bleached hair. It is responsible for deep and qualitative nourishment and moisturizing of hair strands, supporting the result of coloring. 
  • Hair dryers and stylers are the culprits of stiffness, brittleness and dullness of bleached hair. If you use them, don’t neglect styling products with thermal protection properties.