It is actually quite easy to bleach your hair. Basically, you just slop it on and wait. But most people need more detailed instructions before they go about doing something. So, I have provided instructions in detail. You'll probably notice that these directions don't match the ones given to you with your bleach. That's because I'm relaying what has worked for me; if you're worried about your hair, go with what the box says.
How to Bleach Your Hair
Preparation
- Prepare your workspace. Sounds so technical, doesn't it? All it means is cover anything that may be ruined by bleach in plastic. If you have a bathmat (I'm assuming you will do this in your bathroom), you should pick it up or cover it. Hair bleach is almost like laundry bleach; it WILL bleach out fabrics. Toilet seat covers, towels, cloth shower curtains (though why you'd have a cloth shower curtain is beyond me), everything needs to be either removed or covered if you don't want to end up with stains everywhere.
- Put on old clothes that you won't mind getting stained. As mentioned above, if bleach touches clothing, it will stain. So make sure you're wearing something that you don't mind ruining. Sometimes it's easier to wear an old bathrobe. That way you don't have to pull a shirt over your head (of course, if you're male, you can just disregard a shirt all together).
- Put on your gloves. Bleach burns, so if you don't use gloves, you will feel it.
- I recommend doing a strand and sensitivity test before you continue. That way you can find out beforehand how your hair and scalp will react. Check the instructions for how to do a strand test.
Bleaching
- Mix the bleach according to the package instructions. Most of the time you're just adding powder to developer, but check the package just to be sure.
- Right about here, the package is going to go in to how roots lighten faster than the rest of your hair, blah blah, foil, blah blah, do them last, blah blah blah. Well, if you want to go by the book and follow instructions exactly, I will tell you how to do that. Personally, I am too impatient a person to go through the root nonsense, so I always slop the bleach on my hair and set the timer. It never turned out horribly, so if you aren't a perfectionist, you can probably get away with not worrying about your roots.
- Apply bleach about an inch away from the scalp all over your head with the tint brush or your (GLOVED) hands. Make sure all your hair is covered in bleach. If you wish, you can have someone check your hair for missed parts. Usually, the first time you do it yourself you miss spots. But you get better each time you do it :-D.
- Set a timer for twenty minutes. Make sure the bleach touches NOTHING. If you're not worrying about roots, you can put a processing cap on.
- When the timer goes off, apply bleach to your roots. Again, make sure that none of your hair is left out. Put a processing cap on your head and set the timer for ten minutes.
- When the timer goes off, check your hair. If it is not the shade you want, wait for five minutes, then check back. Keep checking every five minutes until you reach the desired shade.
- When you reach the shade you want, get into the shower and rinse out your hair. Rinse until the water runs clear. If you are not planning on immediately dyeing your hair, apply a conditioner, then rinse.
Aftercare
- Bleached hair needs special care to keep from feeling like straw. Make sure you condition every time you shampoo.
- Avoid hot oil treatments if you've dyed your hair, because they tend to fade the color more quickly.
- Use an intense conditioner at least once a week. I usually apply it, slap on a processing cap, and leave in in for a couple of hours, but you don't have to go through that. Just leave it in for about five to fifteen minutes and it'll be fine.
Bleaching Tips
