Bleaching your hair is no walk in the park (trust me, my frazzled ends have a tale to tell). But if you’re still determined to lighten those locks, why not give a bleach wash a whirl? It’s like the gentle cousin of full-on bleaching, here to save the day and your hair’s sanity.
What is a bleach wash on hair?
How does a bleach wash work, you ask? Well, it’s like a “blonding light.” The ingredients are pretty much the same, just thinned out with water and shampoo in the case of a wash. This way, the hydrogen peroxide included is less concentrated – that means your hair gets brightened up more gently, though not as dramatically as with a full-on bleach. It’s really effective on natural hair, especially.
When to use a bleach wash on hair?
So, when’s a blonde wash great?
…when you’re aiming to lighten up by just a shade or two.
…when you’re looking to revive the radiance of your blonde hair.
…when you’re slowly transitioning from dark to light.
…when you want to save your hair from the rigors of full bleaching.
…when you’re after a softer shift between two hair tones.
…when you’re trying to get rid of the remnants of vibrant semi-permanent hair color.
Applying a blonde wash is as easy as shampooing, which helps distribute it evenly across your hair. No more blotchy results! You can either have this special hair treatment done at a salon or, if you’re a bit savvy, you can do it yourself at home.
How intense should the lightening be?
Well, the blonde wash needs a developer to do its magic. Before you start, decide how much lightening you’re going for. You can achieve mild lightening with a 2 or 3 percent peroxide content, while 6 or 9 percent gives you a stronger effect. It’s better to start easy and maybe repeat the process if needed, rather than going all out with the full chemical power right away. Remember, even though this version of bleaching is diluted and gentler, it’s still a process that can affect your hair structure and potentially cause damage.
Recipe for the Bleach Wash at Home:
You won’t find all the ingredients for a blonde wash at your local store, but they’re available online or at hair supply shops. Here’s what you’ll need:
30 ml developer, like 2 percent or 6 percent
30 g bleach powder
60 ml warm water + 5 ml shampoo (preferably one with repair properties) OR 60 ml shampoo
Bowl (ceramic or plastic)
Kitchen sponge
Gloves
Kitchen scale
Bleach wash on wet or dry hair? Best practice? Apply the bleach wash on slightly damp or towel-dried, unwashed hair. No need to wash your hair before the blonde wash. You can simply do it when you’d normally wash your hair. It’s a good idea to have someone help you out during the application to keep an eye on the lightening progress and prevent any unwanted orange tinge.
Set up your battlefield, where a little mess won’t ruin your day. Your outfit needs to be prepped for action, too. Chemicals can be feisty, so safety gear on – gloves first! Once you’ve measured the ingredients with your scale, mingle them in your bowl. Skip the metal utensils – chemistry’s finicky. Plastic spoon to the rescue!
How to do a bleach bath on hair at home:
- Mix all the ingredients in the bowl gently.
- Divide your hair into four sections and clip them up.
- Begin applying the blonde shampoo evenly on the first section using the sponge. Work quickly, as the mix starts working right away.
- Continue with the remaining three sections.
- Massage the shampoo in with your hands to make sure all strands are covered.
- How long to leave bleach wash on hair? Wait 10 to a max of 20 minutes. Check the color from time to time so that you don’t get an orange tinge or bleach too light. Then rinse your hair thoroughly.
- Treat your hair to a nourishing conditioner to keep them moisturized. Unless you want to color your hair directly. Then the hair treatment is only used after the tint.
Note: If you have highlighted hair and grown-out roots, apply the shampoo last. Your natural hair absorbs the shampoo better than the dyed lengths, so it might end up lighter than the rest. If you don’t want to lighten all your hair (like for an ombre look), you can protect the darker sections with a generous coat of hair mask before applying the wash.
How often can you bleach wash your hair?
The answer really depends on the condition of your hair. If it’s healthy and strong, then once every few months is usually enough to keep things lightened up. However, if your hair is dry or damaged from other treatments like coloring or heat styling, then we recommend spacing out bleaching baths further apart – maybe only every six weeks or so – as this will help prevent any further damage from occurring.