Dyeing your hair blonde means making an electrifying yet radical change, especially for brunette girls. There are several ways to lighten them - some are more harmful than others, but all can be done at home. If you have decided to bleach your hair, it is good to proceed gradually, in order to keep it as healthy as possible. If you don't think you can do it yourself, you should go to a hairdresser, who will know for sure how to do the blonde color without damaging your hair.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Understanding the Process
Step 1. To limit the damage, make several bleaches
If you are going to go from a dark color to a very light blonde, you should gradually treat your hair. Bleaching them at once will ruin them a lot, without getting a good result. Wait a few weeks between treatments to make sure your hair has plenty of time to recover. If you bleach too frequently, you risk losing your hair.
Step 2. In general, the hair gets damaged at least a little
In fact, every time you make a bleaching, an oxidative process takes place that removes pigments from the hair. It is this treatment that makes them white or yellow, as keratin (the protein that makes up the hair) is naturally pale yellow. It is therefore normal for hair to suffer from dryness and brittleness, and it will also be more prone to breaking and having split ends.
- Bleaching is a gentle treatment that can damage your hair a lot when done the wrong way, so if you want to make a radical change, you'd better go to a hairdresser.
- If you don't want to bleach your hair, you can always try changing the color using a canned dye. This type of product only lightens your hair, so if it's very dark, it won't be particularly effective. However, compared to bleaching, a simple dye will not remove pigments from the stem. It will partially damage your hair anyway, so you will need to take care of it just as if you had bleached it.
Step 3. Be prepared that your hair will turn orange in the process
If you have darker colored hair and are planning to switch to a very light blonde, this process will take some time. Also, during this time, the hair will easily begin to develop orange tinges. This happens because during the bleaching the cold pigments are eliminated from the hair more easily than the hot ones, which are found at the base; consequently, while the hair is deprived of its pigmentation, the warm shades (red and orange) are the ones that remain, because they are more difficult to remove.
If you are going to dye your hair a very light blonde and contrast the warm tones, you can use a toner. This product will contrast the color of the hair following the bleaching, eliminating the orange and yellow shades. You can find the perfect toner for you by taking a look at the color wheel or by asking a hairdresser for advice
Step 4. Take care of your hair
It is important to pamper them every time you decolour them, so as to prevent them from spoiling further. Before bleaching, use nourishing conditioners and masks, and repeat these treatments after bleaching them. Also try to avoid electrical appliances, because the heat they emit can dry out the hair even more and make it more prone to breaking.
If you really have to use a straightener, hair dryer or iron, first apply a heat protector to limit the damage
Method 2 of 3: Chemically Bleach the Hair
Step 1. Get a nourishing treatment
Before bleaching your hair, you should make a nourishing mask and use a moisturizing conditioner to protect it and keep it as healthy as possible. The bleaching dries them up a lot, so hydrating them well before lightening them is essential. The nourishing properties of conditioners and masks will limit the damaging effects of the bleach.
- Wash your hair a few days before bleaching and not just before treatment (in fact you should shampoo again after bleaching). Bleaching hair fresh from shampoo can irritate the scalp, so treat it when it is protected from sebum.
- You can also use a few tablespoons of olive or coconut oil to make a nourishing treat. They will moisturize the hair by nourishing it deeply.
Step 2. Prepare the necessary ingredients and the area where you will perform the bleaching
Wear an old shirt or use an old towel to avoid ruining your clothes with the bleach. Prepare all the ingredients and tools you'll need: a bowl to mix the bleach, a dye brush, and rubber gloves.
Step 3. Blend the bleach and oxidizer
You can buy the bleach at a perfumery or other cosmetic store. You will also need an oxidizer, which helps remove pigments from your hair quickly. Use one of 30 volumes and mix it in equal parts with the bleach. If you have fine, brittle hair, try a gentler product.
- The higher the volume of the oxidizer, the more pigments it will remove from the hair. Similarly, lower volume will remove less pigment, leaving hair darker after the first bleaching. If you want to take it slow and slowly bleach your hair, it is better to use a product with less volume. Salons usually use 20-volume oxidant.
- Generally hairdressers use a bleach and oxidizer-based blend to lighten the hair. You can buy a ready-to-use product, the problem is that you cannot customize it according to the needs of your hair. You should therefore purchase these items separately. The cost will be more or less the same, but it will be easier to protect the hair.
Step 4. Test the blend on a strand
Some people have allergic reactions to certain hair products, so you need to try the bleach on a strand to make sure it's not harmful. Apply the mixture with a special brush on a section of 3-5 cm. Take a section from an underlying layer of the hair and the back of the head. Let the mixture sit for 30-45 minutes, then rinse it off.
If you don't see any allergic reactions, you can proceed with the bleaching all over the hair
Step 5. Divide the hair into 4 parts
To achieve optimal coverage and evenly lighten your hair, separate it into 4 sections. Divide them vertically by making the line in the center or following the line you currently have, then divide them horizontally. Then divide the front sections from the rest of the hair and fix all the strands with pliers so that they do not bother you.
Step 6. Apply the mixture to the hair evenly
Start with the sections on the back of the head - they don't absorb the bleach like the areas closest to the scalp, so the product takes longer to work. Take a section with a thickness of about 6 mm and separate it from the rest of the hair. At this point, apply the bleach-based mixture with a special brush. The roots should be treated last, as they tend to lighten faster than the rest of the hair. Make sure you soak them evenly.
Try not to get the bleach onto your skin or scalp - it can irritate and cause a burning sensation. When bleaching the roots, be sure to lift the hair off your head to avoid applying the product to the scalp
Step 7. Wrap your hair with silver paper
After applying the bleach on several sections, take a piece of aluminum foil about 13-15 cm wide and place a section of bleached hair on it. At this point, fold the tinfoil to wrap the hair and keep it from being exposed to the air.
- It is not mandatory to use this technique, but it can be useful because it separates bleached hair from untreated hair. It is also effective when you do the highlights, to prevent the bleach from getting on the rest of the hair.
- If you think this method is too boring, try using a plastic headphone. It is much gentler on the scalp (in fact the silver paper can become heavy), and it will be easier to observe the progress of the bleaching.
Step 8. Let the bleach take effect for 30-45 minutes
Once you have applied the product all over your head, leave it on for about 30 minutes. It can take more or less time, it all depends on how strong the bleach is on your hair. Afterward, rinse them off and apply purple shampoo. Leave it on for 15 minutes and rinse.
- To avoid damaging your hair excessively, check it every 10 minutes. It's easy: just gently pull a few strands from different sections. If a significant amount of hair breaks, or feels sticky to the eye or touch (it probably burned), wipe off the bleach immediately, then wash it with a mild shampoo and conditioner. You will need to go to a colorist to fix it. To avoid getting to this point, do all your research before proceeding with a DIY bleach!
- Since brown hair tends to have warm undertones, after bleaching you will likely end up with a brass tone; purple shampoo helps remove it. If you are going to use the tonic, it is useless to buy a purple shampoo as well, but it helps to remove these unsightly shades. It is a product that can be found in perfumery, in cosmetic stores or online. Consider John Frieda or Clairol.
- If you decide you don't want to use silver paper, cover your head with a shower cap or something similar to avoid exposing your hair to the air, otherwise the bleach can dry out.
Step 9. Apply the toner
If you are happy with the color, you can go ahead and have a nourishing treatment. However, if there are brass shades left and you want to get rid of them, you can use a toner. Dab your hair with a towel and detangle it with a wide-toothed comb. Then, mix the toner with 20-volume oxidizer and apply the mixture evenly to your head. Cover your hair again and leave for 20-30 minutes.
- How to find the right toner? Use a color wheel. Look for the color that most closely matches the shades of your hair, then buy a color toner that is exactly the opposite on the color wheel.
- The amount of toning to mix with the oxidizer depends on the type of product you bought. Read the instructions on the box before proceeding.
- Make sure you don't moisturize your hair before applying the toner, as this will make it harder for the product to adhere well to the shaft.
- If you intend to repeat the bleaching, do not use the toner the first time. Use it only when you do the last bleaching and you will be satisfied with the result.
Step 10. Rinse off the toner and apply the conditioner
Once the toner has done its job, wash it off with water and give it a nourishing treatment. It has been repeated several times, but it is important to reiterate that nourishing the hair is essential to protect it. You should use moisturizing conditioners and make masks to make sure you nourish them thoroughly.
Step 11. Repeat the process after 2 weeks
If you want to use the bleach to further lighten your hair, you can repeat the whole process a second and third time. Make sure you wait at least 2 weeks between bleaching so your hair has time to recover, then apply the bleach in the same way. Nourish your hair with the right products between treatments to keep it healthy.
Method 3 of 3: Using Sun Activated Ingredients
Step 1. Get everything you need
To naturally bleach your hair (so the sun will activate the blonde) you will need lemon juice, chamomile (in sachets) and hot water. This process takes a lot longer and can be used to bring out the natural highlights of the hair, so you will hardly be able to achieve a platinum blonde.
Step 2. Bring the water to a boil and prepare the chamomile tea
Infuse 5-10 sachets of chamomile for a few minutes in about half a liter (or 2 cups) of hot water. Use a microwave-safe measuring cup. At this point, pour in about half a cup of lemon juice - the solution should become cloudy.
The amount of juice to use varies, so start with half a cup. Slowly pour it into the chamomile tea, stopping once the liquid has become cloudy
Step 3. Pour the solution into a spray bottle
After mixing the ingredients, pour the solution into a spray bottle to apply it to your hair. Spray it evenly all over your head. You should moisten your hair, without getting it too wet.
Step 4. Get out in the sun
For the bleaching properties of lemon juice to take effect, you need to expose yourself to the sun until your hair has dried. Make sure you apply sunscreen to the rest of your body to avoid damaging the skin. For best results, let the solution sit for 1-2 hours.
This method is very slow, in fact it gradually brings out the reflections of the hair. So remember that it can take several weeks to get a good result. You will need to spray the solution on your hair daily or every other day before it becomes truly blonde, especially if it is very dark
Step 5. Apply conditioner
Whenever you lighten your hair, you should protect and moisturize it with a conditioner, even when using natural products. You can use a leave-in conditioner or coconut oil.
Advice
- If the color you get is patchy or too light, you can later do slightly darker highlights or a blonde tint to remedy the blemishes.
- Consider cutting your hair shortly after bleaching to get rid of the tips that burned in the process.
- To get a natural blonde, choose a tone that suits your complexion and hair color. If you have dark skin, choose a warm golden blonde. If you have porcelain skin, try a light blonde or beige. If you have amber skin, try a honey blonde. If your hair is naturally dark blonde or light brown, go for a cool ash blonde.
