Women become bored with their hairstyle and hair colour easily and a constant trip to the salon is very inconvenient. These are the main reason why women are doing Do-it-yourself hair treatments at home such as hair bleaching. Some are already accustomed to treating their hair at home but some are just starting to consider this option.
For first-timers, this idea is quite scary since it can damage your hair if not done properly. Hair is the women’s crowning glory and if it becomes damaged it can be so depressing to most women. However, there are tips that can help you ensure that you do the bleaching at home safely.
Knowing the step-by-step guide on how to bleach hair at home is one thing and learning some tips on how to safely do it is another. You can probably find a lot of tutorials online about the step-by-step procedures of bleaching your hair all by yourself but there might be only a few articles about how you can avoid damages. Below are some of the tips you will need to consider if you want to achieve the result that you want and to ensure that you are bleaching your hair without damaging it.
Do Your Homework
The very first thing you will have to do is to perform thorough research before you apply the bleach to your hair. There are so many factors you need to consider when you do your research like what brand of bleach is best for you or how will it affect your skin and scalp.
Hair bleach is a strong chemical that not only damages your hair if not used properly but also your scalp and skin. This is the reason why you must know what is best for you to use. Additionally, this is also the part where you will research and learn the proper process of bleaching your hair.
Just like in any other DIY attempt, doing proper research will help you know all the essential things you need to consider to be able to achieve success. DIY hair bleaching is no different. The more information you have, the higher your success rate will be.
Do A Strand and Skin Test
The strand and skin test is a vital part of ensuring that you will not regret bleaching your hair at home by yourself. If you haven’t tried bleaching your hair ever before then this tip is a must. There are people that are sensitive to certain chemicals including hair colour or hair bleach. Hypersensitivity is normal as this is a common reaction of your immune system but it can also be life-threatening which is why you must always be careful in any products you apply to your body.
The test will help you determine whether you are allergic to the hair bleach or not. Once you established that you are not one of those people who are sensitive to chemicals then you can continue bleaching your hair. It is advised to do the test 48 hours prior to the application to ensure that you are not allergic.
The strand test on the other hand can be very helpful to know how your hair will react to the certain bleach product you are planning to use. Every hair has a different reaction to the bleaching chemical and doing the strand test will let you see the outcome of the bleach without risking your entire hair looking bad. If all of the tests will result in a negative outcome, it is best not to bleach your hair and seek professional help instead.
Follow The Bleaching Basic Rules
Bleaching your hair is a complex task as it can make or break your hairstyle, it is why there are rules that you must follow when you start treating your hair with bleach. Here are the important rules you must always follow before you bleach your hair.
Give Your Hair Enough Time
You must know when the last time you bleached your hair and you must let your hair rest for six to eight weeks before you bleach it again. This is to ensure that your hair can withstand the harsh chemicals of hair bleach.
Use A Timer
The common mistake done by first-timers who do DIY hair bleaching is leaving the chemical on their hair until it looks blonde. Leaving the bleach on your hair for too long will cause serious damage to the hair and burns your scalp. This is also why doing the hair and skin tests is important as it will help you determine how long should you leave the bleach on your hair. Additionally, the product’s instructions can also be very handy.
Seek Help
If you are not sure what you are doing, it is still best to seek advice from a professional. You can ask questions from your local hairdresser about a certain concern you have about bleaching.
Only Bleach Your Hair Once in One Sitting
If you have darker hair colour, then bleaching your hair multiple times will help you reach your desire blonde. However, you must still follow the first rule and wait for a couple of weeks before you do the next session.
Know Your Right Colour
There are many shades of blonde. There is light to platinum blonde or ash and even strawberry blonde. The outcome of the bleach will differ depending on the colour and tone of your natural hair. You might notice that the result of your hair after the treatment will be greenish or has an orange tone and is far from what you intend it to be.
Knowing your natural hair colour and what kind of blonde you want is important in achieving that result. A hair level chart is a great tool that can help you figure out what kind of pigment contributes to your colour.
Use Coconut Oil Prior to Bleaching Your Hair
Treating your hair with coconut oil the night before bleaching it will provide a significant difference. The coconut oil helps protect your hair from getting damaged as it creates a protective layer over it that prevents moisture loss caused by the chemical.
Everyone knows that bleaching your hair has side effects and there is nothing you can do to stop it. What you can do instead is to lessen the damage it causes by ensuring that you take extra precautionary measures before, during, and after the treatment.
Condition Your Hair
Conditioning your hair prior to and after the treatment is vital. The chemicals from the bleach will strip your hair from its natural moisture which is why conditioning your hair will help with the dryness. It is recommended to condition two weeks before your treatment to ensure that your hair has enough moisture during the bleaching process.
For the best result, it is recommended to use a hair mask with deep-conditioning properties. Do this twice a week at the least. However, it is also good for your hair to use ordinary conditioner every day after your shampoo to ensure your hair will have enough moisture throughout the day.
Be Well Prepared Before You Bleach Your Hair
Before you attempt bleaching your hair, you must make sure that you have all the tools you will need. Make sure that it is complete and readily available where you can easily grab it during the treatment process. It is best to make a checklist to ensure that you have all the things you need and easily notice what is missing.
What You Will Need To Bleach Your Hair
Here are the things that you will need if you want to try bleaching your hair at home. These should be included in your checklist. All of these will be used during and after the process which is why it is important that you grab everything that is listed below.
- The bleach of your choice
- Old Towel and T-shirt
- Hair clips
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- The hair colour of your choice if you plan to colour your hair afterward
- Gloves
- Dye Brush
- Hair Mask
Things To Expect When You Bleach Your Hair
Knowing what to expect during the treatment will help you relax and not worry about whether it is normal or you are already experiencing an allergic reaction. Since bleach is a strong chemical, you will definitely feel itching and a burning sensation on your scalp or on the skin surrounding your hair that gets in contact with the bleach.
All of these are normal and are already expected to happen. The time that you must seek medical help is when the itching and burning last even after you wash your hair and if it is accompanied by blisters, rashes, and swelling. The normal reaction from the chemical should be gone after the chemicals were washed off from your hair.
Aside from irritations, you can also notice that your hair gets dry after the treatment which is also normal. That is why following the given tips above is essential to ensure that the side effects of hair bleach will only be at their minimum. Additionally, hair fall can also happen after you bleach your hair. As long as it is not excessive, then there is nothing to be worried about.
Is It Safe To Bleach Your Hair at Home?
The most common question you can hear from newbies is if it is safe to bleach your own hair at home? The answer is Yes if you do it properly. There are so many people who are scared to do hair bleaching on their own because of many failed stories they hear. However, if you follow the tips, you can ensure that your hair will not be damaged and you will achieve the result that you want.
If you have already tried to bleach your own hair at home before but do not achieve your goal, do not be afraid of doing it again. As long as you stay on the right track, and follow the proper guidelines rest assured that you will eventually master it.