Color Tips | Hair Stylist 101

There comes a time in our lives that we are looking for a change. For many women, it can be something as simple as changing your hair cut or your hair color. One color that never goes out of style is blonde. From the platinum blonde locks popularized by Marilyn Monroe to Blake Lively's "bronde" hair color, there are many options you can make. A trip to the salon can help you achieve that, but you can always learn how to bleach your hair yourself. How to Bleach Hair at Home You don't need to shell out lots of money just to achieve blond hair. It is possible to bleach your hair at home if you have the right tools and knowledge. You need to keep in mind though, that it is quite tedious. Bleaching your hair can take a lot of time, most especially when you have dark hair, to begin with. There are some hair types and colors that can easily absorb the bleach and hair color. But there are also some hair types that would take hours and multiple sessions in order to achieve the perfect color. If you don't mind doing the research and if you are patient enough, bleaching your hair at home can be easy. All you need to learn are the basic rules and you can get the perfect blond hair in no time. Take a look at the tips below on how you can prepare for your first hair bleaching session at home. Prepare Your Supplies You only need a few things and you'll be ready to go. Of course, you need to have your bleaching powder and the developer or peroxide. You need to make sure that you are buying from a reputable brand. If you try to skimp and buy from cheaper and unknown brands, you might end up with severely damaged hair. As for the developer, there are different volumes ranging from 10-40. You may choose what will work best for your hair. The numbers stand for just how strong the chemical is. The higher the volume is, the stronger it will be. If you have really dark hair, you should not choose the lowest percentage because it will just fail. But choosing the highest volume can also be dangerous especially if you leave it on your hair for too long. The safest you can choose is 20 or 30, but with dark hair, it would take multiple sessions in order to get the blonde color that you are looking for. Prepare Your Hair If you have been doing your research, then you know that bleaching works best with virgin hair. That means you should not have had any treatment done to your hair for at least three months prior to getting it bleached. If you have just undergone some treatments like Brazilian blowdry or rebonding, you should wait until after three months have passed. If you try to bleach it would get too damaged. If your hair is ready to undergo bleaching at home, then what you need to do is condition it first before bleaching. Skip the hair iron and use sulfate-free shampoo so that your hair will be moisturized. You can use coconut oil to condition your hair. Start using it at least two weeks before you bleach your hair. It's a great way to moisturize and condition your hair. This is needed as the process of bleaching can be very drying and without enough moisture, your hair will get damaged. Choose the Right Shade of Blonde Now that you know how to bleach hair, it's time to choose the right shade of blonde. Many people do not realize that there are so many shades of blonde you can choose from. In fact, here's a gallery showing that you can choose from over 40 shades of this beloved color! So how do you determine which shade of blonde is right for you? You need to consider your skin tone. While you always have the prerogative to choose which shade you want, you would want to achieve a good balance so that it does not look unnatural on you. One advice is to choose a tone opposite of your skin's undertones. You can look at your wrist to see the color of your veins. Warm tones are for those with green veins, while cool tones belong to those with blue and purple veins. Cool blonde colors such as platinum and ash work great for those with porcelain skin while warm blonde shades like caramel, honey and butterscotch are perfect for those with fair skin.One thing you can do is to look for celebrities that have the same skin tone as you do. Check out which shades they are sporting and then you can start doing your research on how you can achieve that same shade for your hair. Step by Step Guide to Blonding Hair 1. Test the product first for allergic reactions If it is your first time to bleach your hair, do not ever skip this step. You will never know how your skin will react to the ingredients, so doing this step will save you from a serious skin allergy, or worse. You just need to take a small volume of the bleach solution and apply it behind your ear. If you do not see any allergic reaction, rash or burning for about 48 hours, then it is safe to use. If there is a reaction, then you need to look for an alternative way of how to bleach your hair. 2. Divide your hair into sections Use hair clips so that you can divide your hair into sections. Don't just try to apply the solution randomly as this can result in uneven colors. It also makes it easier to apply the solution to the hard to reach places, such as the back of your hair. 3. Apply the bleach, starting with the lower sections first Now you just need to combine the bleach powder and the developer. Make sure to mix it thoroughly. Follow the instructions that come with the package. Make sure you use gloves and that you are wearing old clothes when you start bleaching your hair. Experts say that compared to the roots, the tips of your hair take longer to bleach. What you should do is apply the bleaching solution to the bottom sections of your hair first before doing the middle. After around 20 minutes, you can now apply your solution to the roots. Cover your hair with a shower cap once you are done applying the solution. 4. Leave the bleach on for the time stated on the package Now it's time to just relax and wait for the bleach and developer to do its work! But make sure you do not take a nap while waiting! You cannot leave the bleach for more than 45 minutes as it will cause your hair to get too dry. You can check the color from time to time to see if it is already the color that you want. If you had lighter hair, to begin with, you may not have to wait long for that blonde color. But if you are starting with dark brown or black hair, don't be surprised if your hair just turns orange after one session of bleaching. You will need two or even more sessions of bleaching your hair before you will see the blonde color you want. 5. Rinse your hair and make sure to care for it Once the proper time has elapsed, rinse your hair. Do not shorten this time as you will really need to make sure that all the solution is washed away. Make sure to condition your hair too so that you can regain some moisture on it. Bleaching Hair Mistakes to Avoid Part of knowing how to bleach hair is knowing which mistakes to avoid. One is that you should not try to bleach your hair alone, especially if it is your first time. Get a friend to help you so that you will not miss any spot, etc. Another mistake that most people make is not waiting for enough time before bleaching their hair again. We have already stated that it can be a tedious process, and it will not do you good to be impatient. If you have dark hair, you will need more than one bleaching session. But do take note that you will need to wait for at least four to six weeks before the next bleaching session. If you try to do it too frequently, your hair will suffer and get severely damaged. While waiting for the next hair session, just make sure your hair is properly conditioned and moisturized. Aftercare Congratulations, now you have achieved that blonde hair you have been longing for. Now you just need to make sure that your hair stays healthy. It won't t matter that you have achieved the perfect hair color if your hair looks brittle and dry. Keep your hair hydrated by using hair masks and conditioners frequently.