The Ultimate Guide to Hair Bleaching

General Hair Bleaching Questions

Hair which has been correctly bleached to level 10.

1. What is hair bleaching?

When you bleach hair, you Hair strip out the color pigments from the hair cortex. When you do this the hair gets lighter. 

2. How does hair bleach work?

Hair bleaches contain persulfates.

When these persulfates are combined with an oxidising agent such as hydrogen peroxide, (developer, in other words) the cuticle of the hair gets opened up.

The chemical then enters the cortex and lightens out the melanin, or pigments in the cortex.

3. Is hair bleaching the same as hair coloring?

Both bleach and oxidising color do the same thing in the sense that both penetrate the hair cortex and lift the melanin out.

But there are 2 major differences.

Firstly, a bleach can lift the hair by as much as 8-9 levels. In other words, it can take the hair from black or brown all the way to level 10 blonde.

Hair color can't do that. Hair color typically lifts by a couple of levels at the most.

Secondly, when the hair color enters the cortex, it re-colors the melanin as well as make it lighter.

Bleach doesn't re-color the hair, it only makes it lighter.

Which is why you generally need to finish a hair bleach with a toning.

4. Is bleaching harmful to the hair?

Bleaching is a fairly aggressive progress but unfortunately it is the only way we know of to lift the hair from dark brown to blonde.

But providing the hair is healthy and you use quality ingredients and the right techniques, you should be able to achieve a quality result when you bleach

5. Is bleaching harmful to the scalp?

The chemicals are fairly strong and most women do feel a slight discomfort when it is applied on the scalp.

Using a quality bleach will limit the itchy sensation and protect the scalp.

Another thing which will help: stay a quarter of inch away from the root area when. you bleach.

The mixture will travel up nearer the root and the heat from the scalp will take care of the rest.

The less you dab on your scalp the less aggressive the process.

6. How long does it take to bleach hair?

It depends on the length of the hair. On medium length hair, the application process by an experienced hair should take between 10 and 20 minutes.

The processing time after that can be around 30 minutes.

Re-application of bleach, if necessary and second round processing can add another 30 minutes. 

So in other words, you need to plan for about an hour at least.

7. How long does bleached hair last?

Once you bleach hair, it is bleached permanently.

The color will stay exactly where it was after you bleached it.

Unless you recolor or retone.

8. Should you bleach hair several times or just one time?

Contrary to what you sometimes hear, a "gradual process" is not recommended.

We would recommend that you bleach hair once only and do it right, so that it is lifted all the way to where it needs to be.

And avoid repeated bleach applications.

9. Can I use a high lift color instead of bleach?

High lift color can lift hair around 3-5 levels if you use it with 30 Vol developer.

So the answer is yes, provided your hair is fairly fine and level 7 and up.

Ugly Duckling does make high lift colors and we do provide tutorials on how to succeed with this technique, 

Go to this link to learn more.

But in general, bleach will give you a better lift with more melanin or color taken out.

If you are going for a truly white or platinum or silver blonde result, bleach will be best for you.

Not high lift color.

10. Can I just tone the hair instead of bleaching it?

High lift toners and some very ultra pigmented toners do exist which will work on level 9 or even level 8 hair.

Ugly Duckling does make these and they are very popular.

But for those wanting to get their hair platinum blonde we recommend that you bleach the hair first all the way to level 10. Then tone.

That is the correct way to do it, and it is a way which will get you good results.

WATCH VIDEO: HOW TO BLEACH & TONE

Preparations for Bleaching

11. What supplies do I need to bleach hair?

Bleach, developer, rubber gloves, some plastic clips, a plastic coloring bowl and a dye brush are the basics.

You will also need a toner for use after bleaching.

In addition some purple shampoo or mask, and some post bleaching hair treatment products are excellent products to have.

We will cover the use of all these products in this tutorial.

12. Should I wash my hair before bleaching?

No, you should not do that. It is perfectly OK to apply bleach on dry dirty hair, even if that hair has product on it.

The best preparation for bleaching hair is to leave it unwashed for a few days prior to bleaching it.

The build-up of oils on the scalp will protect the head and the hair during the bleaching process.

13. How do I test if my hair is healthy enough for bleaching?

Wet the hair, then take one strand and pull it apart.

If it stretches a little, that means it has got its natural elasticiy.

Which means it is healthy enough to bleach.

In general, if the hair has never been bleached before, it will be fine for bleaching.

14. Which bleach do I need for very dark and ultra dark hair?

Brilliant Blonde 8 level lifting bleach has been specially designed for lifting dark hair

We would suggest you use Brilliant Blonde. It is a blue based dust-free bleach specifically designed for dark bases.

It can lift up to 8 levels in one go.

WATCH VIDEO: HOW TO BLEACH DARK HAIR 

15. Which bleach do I need for fragile and thin hair?

Brilliant Blondexx is a 7 level lifting bleach with Bond Protect. It can be used on-scalp and on fragile hair.

We would suggest you use Brilliant Blondexx with Bond Protect.

It is a white bleach which produces a very unique creamy mix which protects both scalp and hair during the bleaching process.

16. Which bleach do I need for on-scalp bleaching?

Brilliant Blondexx with Bond Protect. The Bond Protect and the very creamy, oily mix will protect the scalp during the bleaching process.

WATCH VIDEO: ON-SCALP BLEACHING

17. Which bleach do I need for hair that has been colored or toned darker?

Brilliant Blonde. Be prepared to do a couple of applications. Once with 30 vol, then rinse.

Then again with 20 Vol. That would be the recommended way on very dark and dark-colored hair.

18. Which developer strength do I need for bleaching?

20 and 30 Vol developer are the 2 strengths most commonly used.

20 Vol is needed for applications near the root area and for lifts of up to 3 levels.

30 Vol is needed for lifts greater than that.

Sometimes, on very dark hair you need to apply first a mix with 30 Vol and then a second mix with 20 Vol.

So in that case you would need both 20 Vol and 30 Vol.

19. Which toners do I need for after bleaching?

Hair being toned with a blue based level 10 toner.

It depends on how well you bleach the hair.

If you bleach it all the way to a consistent ultra pale yellow (level 10), then you can use ammonia-free toners such as Blondify. 

These toners are light and will work very well on bleached hair level 10.

If however there is still a lot of bright yellow after bleaching, then you will need to use Ugly Duckling's cream-based permanent toners.

These have regular lift and also extra lift.

20. What hair care or hair treatment products do I need?

Purple shampoo and mask will help keep yellow away.

We recommend you keep 2 products for the day of bleaching and afterwards.

First, a shampoo or mask with purple pigments in it. This can really help toning away yellow from the hair.

We suggest that you apply some to your bleach mix, or alternatively do a quick wash with purple shampoo straight after bleaching.

Brilliant Blondexx Mask will make hair stronger and thicker after bleaching.

Second, a Bond Protect hair treatment which can help strengthen the hair after bleaching.

This will help maintain the hair after the bleaching process.

Both products can be used on the day of bleaching as well as after.

You don't need both on the day. But it is a good idea to keep these 2 products as part of your hair care regime.

The Bleaching Process

21. Which developer strength should I use?

The rule for developer use when mixed with bleach is as follows:

For lifts of up to 3 levels, and for the root area, use 20 Vol.

For lifts greater than 3 levels, use 40 Vol.

For second applications of bleach, always use 20 Vol.

22. Which bleach mix should I use?

1 part bleach to 2 parts developer will give you the right mix - not too runny, not too thick.

23. How should I mix the bleach?

Mix in a plastic bowl using a plastic whisk or dye brush. Make sure that the mix is completely smooth and homogenous, with no bits.

24. How do I apply the bleach to the hair for root applications?

For root and regrowth applications, apply just on the regrowth area and wait for it to lift.

If the lengths are more brassy and you think they also need bleaching, extend to these parts for the final 10 minutes with some fresh mix.

25. How do I do a full head application of bleach?

For full head applications, section the hair into 4 large sections. Pin these sections up with plastic clips. Then open up a section at the back and start you r bleaching application there, segmenting finely. Then open up the other sections and work your way around.

The front and the sides, where the hair is finest should be done towards the end.

26. How do I bleach highlights?

Take strands of hair and bleach them with a dye brush. You can use foil to keep these strands separate from the hair which you don't want to bleach.

27. How do I use foil when bleaching?

Bleaching using foil is a great idea when the hair is very dark and you have a lot of lifting to do.

Using foil keeps the heat in and allows for faster processing speed when bleaching.

Make sure you cut the foil into strips before you even make your bleach mix. You will not get the time later.

Place a section of hair on the foil and apply your bleach very generously. Then close up the foil. So this to all the hair.

Later, you need to open up one foil to check on how fast the hair is lifting.

If at this point you judge that more lifting is going to be requried and you need to do a second application, at this stage open up the foils and reapply directly on the hair.

Remove all foils once by one before rinsing.

28. How much bleach should I use?

The rule is to apply as much product as possible. Literally whack it on. No tentative pokes when applying bleach. Your hair needs to get fully saturated with the bleach mixture. In other words, each piece of hair should be drenched in bleach.928. How long should I leave bleach on my hair?

People sometimes put a miximm time of around 40 minutes.

In practice, you should be checking the bleach 10-15 minutes after it starts processing to how well it is lifting.

Your aim is level 10 which is a very very pale yellow.

If after 15 minutes it is bright orange or orange-yellow, the chances are it is not going to get to level 10 in 40 minutes.

So at this stage you need to make fresh bleach mix (use 20 Vol) and re-apply to those parts which are really orange and brassy.

30. How many levels can I lift my hair in one bleaching session?

You can bleach your hair all the way from dark to blonde provided you use quality products and you do it right.

Use 30 Vol the first time and then 20 Vol for second applications. 

For bleaching very dark hair, we would suggest you use our Brilliant Blonde 8 level bleach.

It has been designed for dark, Asian and Hispanic hair and is one of the most powerful bleaches on the market.

Bleach - When & How to Rinse

31. How long do I leave the bleach to process?

The time it takes to bleach hair is going to depend on the state of the hair, which bleach you used, which developer you used.

Rather than stipulate a specific time, we recommend the following process:

After applying bleach, wait 10 minutes, then check one part of the hair to see how fast it is lifting.

If the hair is still orange at this stage, you should apply a second mix (use 20 Vol).

Wait until the hair gets to a very very pale yellow, then rinse.

Be aware that different parts of the hair may lift at different speeds. For example, hair nearer the root will lift faster due to the heat from the scalp.

Hair near the ends which has been lightened before will be very fine and light anyway, and will need less bleaching.

Your aim is to re-apply in such a way that every single part of the hair comes up together to a consistent level 10.

32. How do I know when to rinse?

Rinse when the hair is at level 10 - very very pale yellow. See some images below for what the hair should look like.

33. What do I do if parts of the hair have reached level 10 but not other parts?

You will need to rinse to avoid over processing.

Then towel-dry. Then re-apply fresh mix only on the parts that are still in need of more bleaching.

34. Why is my hair orange after bleaching?

Dark hair will transition to orange, then orange-yellow, then yellow, then finally pale yellow during the bleaching process.

If your hair is orange after bleaching, it means you did not bleach enough.

Revisit why this happened.

Was it a poor choice of bleach?

Wrong developer strength?

Not enough mix applied to hair so that hair did not get a chance to be saturated in the mixture?

Or not enough processing time?

Whatever it was, re-do. Use 20 Vol this time.

35. Why is my hair bright yellow after bleaching?

Bright yellow just means it was not bleached enough. The best would be to do one more bleach application.

If you don't want to do this, Ugly Duckling's intense pearl and silver blonde toners - which have added lift - will work.

35. Why is my hair patchy after bleaching?

You didn't apply your bleach consistently, and missed some areas. Make a fresh mix with 20 Vol and go over just these areas again.

Use foil if necessary to isolate these areas. Avoid processing on the parts which are already white.

Toning Hair after Bleach

44. What are the best toners for bleached hair if my hair is very pale yellow?

If the hair has been correctly bleached all the way to level 10, then you can use level 10 based toners.

You can use ammonia-free liquid toners for gentle toning, or cream based toners for stronger toning.

Toners which would work well are given below:

Blondify Natural Violet Blonde 010V and Natural Ash Blonde 010A.

The following cream based toners: Pearl Blonde 10V, Silver Blonde 10A, Extra Cold Ash Blonde 10.1b, Extra Light Cool Blonde 10.2

45. What are the best toners for bleached hair if my hair is bright yellow?

Bright yellow would indicate that the hair is around level 9. That would mean that there is some more lifting required.

In such cases use any of Ugly Duckling's lifting toners:

Intense Pearl Blonde 100V or Intense Silver Blonde 100B.

Alternatively, you may prefer to tone the hair at level 9.

In which case use Ugly Duckling's ammonia free toners Blue Ash Blonde 09B or Violet Blonde 09V.

Or cream based Light Cold Ash Blonde 91b.

46. What are the best toners for bleached hair if my hair is bright orange?

Orange means you did not bleach the hair enough. If that is the best you can do, then your best option is to tone away the yellow.

For that you need to use level 8, level 7 or even level 6 based toners. 

Use Light Cold Ash Blonde 8.1b, Cold Ash Blonde 7.1b or Dark Cold Ash Blonde 6.1b.

You can also use Blue Ash Blonde 09B and Violet Blonde 09V.

All the above would work to tone away your orange.

Bleaching Aftercare and Maintenance 

47. Can I use purple shampoo on bleached hair?

You certainly can. Purple shampoo or mask will help tone away any remaining yellow.

We recommend using sulfate-free and acidic hair care products when you can.

All Ugly Duckling haircare products are both of the above.

WATCH VIDEO: USING PURPLE SHAMPOO ON BLEACHED HAIR

48. What haircare do you recommend for making bleached hair thicker and stronger?

We would recommend Brilliant Blondexx shampoo and mask with Bond Protect.

With regular use you will be able to strengthen your hair and prevent breakage.

49. How often should I deep condition bleached hair?

We tend to advise our clients to alternate between Brilliant Blonde Purple mask and Brilliant Blondexx mask with Bond Protect.

Use one of these masks once a week and be sure to let the product sit in the hair for 10 minutes at least.

Then rinse in tepid water.

50. Can I use heat styling tools on bleached hair?

It all depends on how thick your hair is. If it is very thin and fragile, then don't. Towel and air dry instead.

But if you have thick hair, then go ahead, keeping the heat on low.