10 need-to-know facts about bleaching
We’ve all been there; scrolling through pinterest or social media for hours, musing about getting a brand new hair colour.
But actually taking the steps to turn this dream into a reality is a whole other level. Especially if the colour you’ve been eyeing is one that requires bleaching in order to achieve its light and vivid tone.
Bleaching your hair is no easy or straightforward process, and it’s important to be very certain before going through with this treatment. Without further ado, here are our top 10 facts about bleaching that are essential to deciding a look that’s meant for you!
It’s permanent
First and foremost, bleaching is an irreversible process that uses hydrogen peroxide to strip your hair of melanin, the natural pigment that determines your hair colour. In other words, there’s no going back from getting your hair bleached. As such, it’s important to take your time, fully considering the implications of getting your hair bleached and whether you’re willing to put your virgin hair through the process.
2. Side effects of bleach
So what exactly are these implications?
Well for one, bleaching tends to leave your hair much more dry and fragile than before. Consequently your hair will be prone to breakage and might be much harder to manage given that it might get tangled easily. Bleached hair might also take on a yellowish tint, and for those of us with darker hair, we might even end up with a red tint as the stripping process exposes the keratin in your hair.
3. Bleach deals a lot of damage
One of the most common things you’ll hear is that bleaching is very damaging to your hair, and that would be an understatement.
Your hair will most likely end up feeling rough and looking fuzzy, and the bleach increases your hair’s porosity by destroying melanin. What’s more, environmental elements tend to worsen the damage done to your hair, which is not exactly the best news given the hot sun that we often have to endure daily. If not done carefully, it can even end up damaging your scalp, causing a lot of pain.
4. Means to combat damage
But if you’re looking for ways to counter the damage done to your hair, there are many options available for you to do so.
Our client on the left opted for our Olaplex treatment, giving her hair a shiny and healthy appearance!
Our K18 and Olaplex treatments are extremely effective methods you can use to protect your hair and reverse the damage done during the bleaching process. Both can make a world of difference to the look and feel of your hair after undergoing such intensive chemical treatments. It’s definitely worth the investment, especially since you’ll be able to enjoy your dream hair colour with locks that are just like new.
5. Bleach affects everyone differently
Your natural hair colour plays a huge role in how your hair will look after bleaching and when lifted.
For instance, the darker your hair, the warmer it appears when lifted. As most of us have hair that are of darker tones, it’s harder to achieve the same gorgeous ashy tones we see online as they tend to look flat, grey or muddy due to a lack of reflection. There’s a huge difference between blonde and brassy, and if you’re trying to achieve a tone that isn’t the best for your natural hair colour, you might find yourself unhappy with the final results, which isn’t ideal.
While it’s definitely easy to get carried away by scrolling through those posts of amazing hair on social media, our tip is to find references from people who have the same natural hair colour as you, as this will ensure that the results are as close to your ideal colour as possible.
6. Have realistic expectations
It’s also important to note that there’s a limit to how much bleach can do, and how much your hair can handle! Going from dark to blonde overnight isn’t a feasible task, not without spending lots of money or using a wig at least.
So do keep in mind that bleach won’t reap the instantaneous and drastic results you might have in mind, without doing extreme damage in the process.
7. Use toning to prevent brassy colours
An example of creative toning that’s used to keep brassy colours at bay
After bleaching, another thing to take into consideration is how your hair colour will fade over time. A way to prevent your hair from getting brassy tones is to use toning. Though it’s a temporary solution, it’s an effective way of retaining your hair’s original colour and shine. Another alternative to consider is also pigmented shampoos, which are especially helpful for light hair.
8. Regular maintenance is a must
If you don’t have the habit of caring for your newly-colour hair, you shouldn’t be surprised to find that your colour might be rinsed out after a few washes. Bleaching raises the outer cuticle of your hair and allows chemicals to fully penetrate each strand, which leaves them extremely porous. So be mentally prepared to make a few trips to the salon at least once every few months if you’d like to keep your gorgeous hair colours.
For a quick fix, you can also consider doing a Brazilian Blowout immediately after colouring your hair as this will lock the colours in, enabling them to last for a longer time. Alternatively, consider treatments such as the Sunkissed colours, which are designed to last longer and require less maintenance.
9. Leave it to the professionals
Colouring your hair at home opens the door for many potential disasters. If not done right, you’ll either end up with hair that’s severely damaged, or in a colour different from what you wanted. Ultimately, it’s best to leave the hair colouring to the professionals, who can not only guarantee that your bleached hair would look good, but also do it such that there’s minimal damage done. Plus, achieving certain looks are not as easy as you might think. But with the expertise of our stylists, you can be 100% sure of achieving a look that’s worth every penny.
10. Never skimp on aftercare
Our Olaplex Bond Maintenance Shampoo is an example of a product which can repair and strengthen your hair after bleaching
When all that’s said and done, proper aftercare determines how your hair will turn out after bleaching.
Use products such as hair masks to replenish the proteins and moisture lost during your treatment. They’re also a great way to maintain the colour of your hair, and can be used once or twice a week.
You can also afford to be less reliant on heat styling, and avoid shampoos that contain sulfate and chlorine water, as both have the ability to strip your hair of the colours you spent so much money on.
If in doubt about bleaching and proper aftercare, you can always ask your stylist for more tips!