Home Bleach Instructions (Proceed with Caution)
Review the basics of color page before proceeding.
Here’s the caveat to these instructions:
a) This is intended for shorter hair (above chin length.) There’s a completely different protocol for longer hair. I wouldn’t reccomend DIYing bleach with longer hair anyways without prior instruction or expertise.
b) This is for someone who has not previously colored or dyed their hair….at all. All the hair on your head is completely natural.
Your shopping list at Sally’s:
Make sure to ask the person working to help you with making these selections when you get there.
-A lightening powder (preferably tinted blue to help keep it from lifting orange)
-20 volume developer, that goes with the lightening powder
-A toner for light blonde hair and then whatever developer goes with it. (You can ask for a recommendation for this too, if you’re say going for platinum blonde, honey blonde, etc. They will be able to pick out the appropriate toner) The developer for this should NOT be 20 volume, tell them you want a semi or demi permanent toner (below 10 vol developer is appropriate.)
-2 mixing bowls
-2 color brushes
-Gloves
-Sectioning clips
-Optional but helpful- a cheap color processing cape. You can always use a beach towel or something to wrap around you too!
-Plastic Processing Cap
I’d go ahead and watch this video first to get a sense of what to expect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i88HGPgm41U
First, prep your scalp- Put a good layer of vaseline around the hairline/on and around the ears. This will give it a little barrier from the bleach. This is a little goofy but I personally also add a large piece of seran wrap over my ears too. Once you see how the color is applied, it will make more sense. Our ears are sensitive!
1. Put on gloves!
2. Put on your protective gear (either just wrapped in a towel or wearing a cape with a towel over it around the shoulders)
You'll get your bowl, add maybe two scoops of powder in, and then add your 20 vol in developer a little bit at a time, mixing with your color brush. You'll want it thinner than toothpaste, but not super liquidy. Somewhere in between is perfect!
Section the hair out into 4 quadrants.
Because the heat from your scalp will speed up processing time significantly, you’ll start by brushing the bleach from the ends up, leaving an inch of hair closest to your scalp out. Work in quarter inch sections (with the pointy end of your color brush or a tail comb) from just above the ear (for the front 2 sections) and just above the hairline (for the back 2 sections) up to the top of the section that’s closer to the top of your head.
Make sure it's evenly saturated on all of the ends.
It's probably going to be itchy- itchy is normal, some discomfort is normal, however if he feels like it's too painful or needs to rinse it- That is OK, always listen to your body. Hopefully less so on the first round as you’ll be leaving it off the scalp.
To help it seal in the heat and process faster, and also keep it from making a mess, I use a handy little plastic grocery bag as a processing cap. You can put it on once the bleach is applied and you can tie the handles at the front like a chic little turban.
Check on it every 10 mins- there is no specific time frame, you'll want to just watch it until it gets past orange and becomes yellow. (usually 25 mins is appropriate, but may be a little longer. I wouldn't leave it on past 40 mins.) Once the ends are light enough, you’re going to go ahead and shampoo and condition. Don’t worry about the roots being left out, you’re going to do another round of lightener after this all over.
Rinse all of the bleach out and thoroughly shampoo it (purple shampoo is best!) with COOL WATER- your head is going to be itchy and this will feel better. You can even shampoo twice, you just need to make sure you get all of it out. Follow with conditioner.
Next, You’ll blow-dry all of the hair to be 100% dry.
Using the same mixing instructions, go ahead and mix another bowl of the lightening powder and developer.
Section into 4 quadrants and repeat steps 1 and 2 above.
Continuing to work in small sections at a time, brush the bleach on from scalp down all the way to the ends. Make sure you’re using more than enough and not to leave any spots out. If the bleach starts to dry out, add more developer.
Once your whole head is coated, check every 10 minutes. Don’t let it sit any longer than 40 minutes. Repeat shampoo/conditioner instructions.
Blow dry it completely dry and then mix up your toner w/ associated the developer in your second bowl. The instructions for mixing the developer and toner should be on the bottle. If it says "equal parts" just try to eyeball and get the as close as possible to equal parts toner and developer or use a food scale. It will be more liquidy than the bleach was. Apply it on all of the hair with the color brush. It usually sits for about 15 mins. Then shampoo & condition in the shower.
For follow up care- Try to avoid super hot water, it'll strip the toner out and make it yellow faster!
Color safe, sulfate/paraben free hydrating shampoo/conditioner during the week, use purple shampoo 1X week
If your scalp is tender- I like to make a little dropper bottle of some sort of scalp oil to massage in. You can either DIY it (I like a thin oil like almond oil w/ a little bit of tea tree) or buy one!
Consider using a thick hair mask 1X a week to add moisture back in.
See my product recommendations page for some ideas of what to buy.
Good Luck!