#might be time for a trim soon but tbh last time the hairdresser cut it way shorter than i asked so i'm kinda scared 💀

[petr1kov]

my hair grew somewhat quickly in two months, now that i think about it 🤔

[feedmeramyun]

:o could you make a text tutorial on the best ways to bleach hair at home? my hair is a natural light brown but i have always wanted an almost platinum

Hey anon! Of course I can - I’ve tried to cover all bases, including how to make your hair bleach ready and to keep it shiny after, so I hope this helps!

Bee’s tips for at home hair bleaching!

First off, a disclaimer: everyone’s hair is different, and what works a treat for some can be ineffective for others. I’m not a professional! Just someone whose done a lot of a at home dying and styling, and has been rocking the bleached pastels for almost three years now. It’s advisable to go to a good salon and ask for a consultation (most stylists will do this, especially if you’re a regular) to assess your hair and how well it will respond to bleach.

Assess the strength and quality of your hair. For the best results and to minimise damage and breakage hair should be untreated and strong before bleaching. If you have split ends, a lot of frizz, very thin hair or hair that easily snaps, for example, a good cut or trim and a keratin mask will be in order before you attempt bleach. Avoiding or cutting back on blow drying, straightening and curling your hair for a while before bleaching will also help keep it strong. If you’ve dyed, permed or chemically treated your hair in the last six months bleaching your hair is not advisable. Also bleaching over hair that’s already dyed can lead to some awful green or orange mishmashes so it’s best not to do that. My hair is very thick and holds style, so it handles the bleach well but I also wear it short which means I’m constantly getting it trimmed: that helps keep it an a good condition! Remember that very dark hair may need a few applications of bleach, whilst lighter hair will lift much faster. It’s important to know your hair type before buying and bleaching.

Make sure you have the right tools and products. If you aren’t already, invest in a sulfate free shampoo and conditioner: sulfates ‘clean’ your hair by stripping it and are in most big brand products, but are actually awful for your hair. Using a sulfate free will not only be gentler and better for your hair, it’s much better for maintaining colour as you’re not stripping it constantly. I use OGX’s Fade Defy, but there are a tonne of options out there now. Make sure to be a good quality bleach. Like @sweet-teeth-mfs I would recommend Bleach London’s ‘Total Bleach’ (along with all their products tbh) but I’d also suggest researching what product might be best for your hair type and colour. If you’re bleaching for the first time and your hair is long or very thick, you may need a couple of packs. You’ll also need a hairdressing cape, gloves and dye brush for the application. Oh, and PATCH TEST YOUR PRODUCTS. Apply a small amount of your bleach and any toners to your skin a day or two before you are going to do your hair to make sure you’re not allergic.

Prep your head and hair. Some stylists insist on a strand test, to see how the bleach will lift your hair and to avoid that awful yellow bleach we all saw in the mid 2000’s. With the dawn of toners, this is less of an issue but you may want to do it regardless. Before you begin make sure you have towels and cotton wool at the ready, and use barrier cream (or Vaseline) along your hairline, the back of your neck and ears to protect your skin. As a rule, you should apply bleach to unwashed hair (shampoo can strip your hairs essential oils and thus your more likely to get breakage and irritation) but double check the instructions on your chosen product. Some stylists also recommend soaking your hair in coconut oil the night before a bleach. I don’t do this, but I do use a lot of products with coconut in between bleaches (which I’ll mention later!). Don’t be tempted to leave the bleach on for any longer than advised, so make sure you have a timer.

Once you’ve mixed your bleach, apply to the lengths of your hair first. When bleaching for the first time, you want to start from bottom and work up - the heat from your head will mean the bleach develops faster on your roots. Section your hair and begin with bottom (starting at the back is best if your doing it yourself, as it’s hard to reach!). Once you’ve applied the bleach to your lengths, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then begin applying to the roots. This should ensure that you have an even colour all over. Note this is just for first time bleaching. If you’re already bleached/platinum, you just need to focus on your roots and then work the bleach through toward the end of the time to lift any remaining colour or toner.

Keep your head warm! Heat helps bleach develop and work it’s magic, so put a shower cap, plastic bag or plastic hairdressing cap over your head once you’ve fully applied the bleach.

Keep an eye on the time. Don’t leave the bleach on for any longer than is stated in the product instructions: usually this is 30 - 45 minutes. You can keep checking your hair periodically to see how it’s lifting. Some stylists also recommend massaging the hair midway through to keep the bleach from drying out and making sure it’s evenly distributed, which we usually do with mine. Just make sure you have your gloves on!

Wash the bleach off. Once the time is up, use warm (but not too hot, it’ll hurt your scalp) water to shampoo and condition your hair - I’d recommend using OGX’s coconut range for this, or sulfate free keratin or protein products.

Dry it! If you have the time, gently towel off your hair and let it dry naturally. If you don’t, use a hairdryer on a very low setting to dry your hair without damaging it.

More bleach? Depending on your hair type and colour, you might need more than one application of bleach to be able to get to a platinum. As my hair is very dark it’s usually very yellow/orange after the first bleach and needs a second application to reach that platinum goal. If so, once dry, follow the above steps and reapply the bleach. If your hair feels overly fragile or you can see a lot of breakage, it might be best to give your hair some TLC and wait a day or two before doing this. Don’t worry if you get some little bits of breakage or wisps as your drying off - this is natural. But if the strands themselves seemed weakened, then don’t reapply.

Toner time! Once your hair is light enough, it’s time to get that platinum or pastel goodness. If your hair has any yellow or brassiness to it, the toner won’t work: you need to have a nice ice white base, ideally. Apply a white toner to your hair for ten to fifteen minutes - this will knock all that nasty yellowness out of your hair and hopefully leave it nice and snowy. Toner should be applied quickly and in one go to ensure even colour - I put the toner directly on gloved hands and apply it like a hair mask - as they begin to work as soon as they hit your hair. Then where you choose to go next is up to you! I cycle between grey or silver and pastels (pink, blue and purple mostly). These aren’t like permanent hair colours, and won’t last more than a few washes but can be maintained by coloured shampoos. Also, they, as a rule, aren’t damaging to your hair so you can do them often! For soft, pastelised colour you can mix toner with a little conditioner or leave on for just 10 to 15 minutes. For bolder or deeper colours, leave to develop for 20 to 30 minutes.

After care. Bleaching, even when done right, is rough going on your scalp and hair. You need to follow it up with a product that helps repair and strengthen your hair so it doesn’t break, or go limp and frizzy. As mentioned before, I swear by Olaplex. It’s full of sciencey goodness and will repair the bonds of your hair, keeping it strong and healthy whilst also maintaining colour. Their no.1 and no.2 are only for salon use, but their no.3 treatment is available online (or can be bought directly from a salon) and should be applied after you’ve done your toner. For best results, leave it on overnight and wash it off in the morning - the longer you leave it on, the better it will be for your hair. They now do a shampoo, conditioner and a styler too. Olaplex is pricey, but I can vouch for it being amazingly good - however, products like L’Oréal’s Smart Bond are a good dupe. To ensure your hair doesn’t break and is healthy, you need to use a product like this that repairs bonds after you’ve bleached.

Upkeep. To make sure that your hair stays bouncy and beautiful between bleaches, you need to use the right products to keep it so. Using sulfate free shampoo and conditioner, as I mentioned, will not only be kind to your hair but will stop toners from instantly washing out too. I use a coconut mask once a week between shampooing and conditioning to keep my hair hydrated, and occasionally a keratin or protein mask if I feel it needs it. Using moisturing styling products, like Lee Stafford’s CocoLoco range (which I love!) or products with argan oil, will also help: this won’t repair your hair, but keeping it mositurised will help keep it shiny, soft and protected. I’d also highly recommend getting a UV protection spray, especially for the summer, and sleeping on a silk pillowcase or with hair turban to prevent tangling and breakage in the night. If you’re going for ice white or platinum, using lavender or purple shampoo’s will help maintain the colour and prevent any yellowness.

As I said at the start, bleaching works differently for everyone and there is always a risk that you might damage your hair so you do need to be careful and choose the right products for your hair type. However, with the wonders of modern technology having and maintaining ice white, platinum, silver and pastel hair is very doable and doesn’t have to mean broken, battered locks! If in doubt, go to salon - if you think your hair wouldn’t manage the bleach or is in poor condition, an olaplex treatment on damaged hair can work wonders! A lot of people now choose to visit a salon for their first bleach - which is generally the hardest and most time consuming - then maintain at home with store bought products and toners/colours.  

I hope you find this useful, and I wish you (and anyone else) luck in the quest for awesome idol worthy hair.