Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Preparation and Planning
• Method 2 of 3: Lightening your hair
• Method 3 of 3: Toning
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Even light brown hair is not easy to lighten, and if the hair is dark or even black, it is almost impossible to achieve the desired shade of white or platinum blonde. However, you can still get the desired color if you choose the right bleaching and toning agent.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Preparation and Planning

1. 1 Consider if your hair can handle bleaching. Lightening to a platinum blonde traumatizes the hair anyway. Some hairdressers refuse to lighten hair that has already been dyed or has undergone other chemical treatments. Talk to your master and find out in advance if you can lighten your hair.
2. 2 Set aside enough time. Lightening dark hair to blonde, especially platinum blonde or white, requires repeating the dyeing procedure several times over several weeks with breaks between dyeing. Don't expect the perfect color right away, as you will have to dye your hair in several steps anyway.
   • Since during the dyeing process you will encounter several intermediate shades (orange, copper and others), be prepared to hide your hair under hats, scarves and other accessories for a while.
3. 3 Find the right clarifier. There are several types of hair dye. It is important to find the one that suits you.
   • Buy a clarification kit that includes powder clarifier and liquid peroxide. These products are stronger and are suitable for dyeing dark hair.
   • Peroxide can be in different concentrations, from 10 to 40 vol. (designations on the bottle in the form of 10 vol., 20 vol. and so on inform about the concentration of hydrogen peroxide per liter of creamy consistency). 40 vol. dangerous to use, as such a developer can burn the scalp. It is only used for coloring dark hair and is not applied to the roots. Means 30 vol. will work faster compared to developer 10 or 20 vol.
   Specialist Answer Question

   Question from a wikiHow reader: "Which developer to use with dark hair brightener?"

   
   

   

   Ashley adams

   Professional hairdresser Ashley Adams is a licensed beautician and stylist based in Illinois. She received her education in cosmetology at the John Amiko School of Hairdressing, from which she graduated in 2016.

   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   Laura Martin, licensed beautician answers: “It may seem counterintuitive, but I would recommend a lower concentration, 10 or 20 vol. This developer acts more slowly, the hair turns yellow less and remains healthier. "

4. 4 Test on a small section of hair before dyeing all your hair. This is a very important step, as this will tell you how long to keep the dye on your hair in order to achieve the desired shade. Always read and follow the manufacturer's test paint instructions. Typically, the process consists of several steps:
   • Take a small section of hair from an inconspicuous area of ​​your head. Tie up the strand with an elastic band.
   • Mix a small amount of bleaching powder and peroxide according to the manufacturer's instructions.
   • Apply the resulting mixture to your hair so that the hairs are completely covered with dye.
   • Turn on the timer or time the time.
   • Wipe the dye off your hair with a rag every five minutes to check the color.
   • Reapply the bleach and repeat the process until you get the desired shade. Now you know how long you will need to keep the dye on your hair.
5. 5 Apply melted coconut oil to your hair and let it sit overnight. Rub unrefined coconut oil into scalp and hair before lightening. This will help protect your hair from damage during the bleaching process. For maximum results, keep the oil on your hair for 14 hours. No need to rinse your hair after bleaching.
   • To avoid oiling your pillow, wrap your head in a towel or braid your hair and put on a shower cap.

Method 2 of 3: Lightening your hair

1. 1 If you have long hair, divide it into four sections. Use the sharp end of a comb to part your hair from the center of your forehead to the base of your neck. Then divide the resulting pieces in half from the ears to the center of the back of the head.
   • It is important to use non-metallic hairpins or hairpins to avoid the metal reacting with the chemicals in the paint.
2. 2 Protect your skin, eyes and clothing. When working with a clarifier, you should think about basic safety rules. Put on plastic gloves and goggles, old clothes, and put something on the floor to keep it from getting dirty.
   • You can also apply a thin layer of Vaseline to your forehead, ears, and neck. If you are bleaching your hair, it is not necessary to protect your skin with petroleum jelly as you would with normal coloring, however, petroleum jelly can protect it from irritation if the clarifier gets on your forehead, ears, and neck.
3. 3 Prepare a bleach mixture. Mix equal parts clarifying powder and developer in a non-metallic bowl. Stir until creamy.
4. 4 Apply the mixture. Take a brush, step back about an inch from the scalp and apply the mixture to your hair.
   • Move from back to front. Thoroughly coat each strand on both sides, and then move on to the next. Bring a strand back and secure it with a hairpin before dyeing the next one.
   • Color the bottom two hairs first, then the top two.
   • Apply the color along the hairline, that is, from roots to ends.
   • Work as quickly as possible, as the bleach should be on all hair for about the same amount of time. You can use peroxide in different concentrations: for example, fast-acting 30 vol. ahead and 20 vol. behind.
   • When all your hair is covered with the bleach, put on a plastic cap.
5. 5 Follow the process. Check the color every 10 minutes until you get the shade you want.
   • To check the color, rinse off a small area of ​​the bleach with a rag. If you decide to hold the clarifier longer, be sure to apply it to the area you wiped it off.
   • To avoid overexposing the clarifier, set a timer for 10 minutes.
6. 6 Heat your hair with a blow dryer to speed up the bleaching process. But remember that using heat appliances can exacerbate hair damage. Only do this if you are in a hurry.
   • It is not recommended to use a hairdryer if you are bleaching your hair for the first time, as you should first understand how long the process takes without accelerating. If you decide to repeat the bleaching, try speeding it up next time.
7. 7 After 10-20 minutes, apply the bleach to the roots. At the roots, the hair is discolored faster due to the warmth of the skin, so the product will work faster there. If you will be painting the roots, do it towards the end. Apply the dye from the bottom two hairs to the top two, but work only on the roots.
8. 8 Rinse off the bleach. When the hair turns light yellow (or when the maximum time recommended by the manufacturer has passed), rinse off the product with warm water.
   • Wash your hair with a little shampoo, preferably for bleached hair. For example, a burgundy toning shampoo can help you get rid of copper and yellow tones.
   • Blot your hair with a towel and style as usual. Avoid using hot tools when styling as they can exacerbate hair damage.
9. 9 When the hair is dry, evaluate the result. You will only be able to see the resulting hair color when the hair is completely dry. Remember that you can completely dye your hair from dark to light only a few times during the month.
10. 10 Give your hair 2-3 weeks to recover between bleaches. Bleaching can be harmful to the hair. Don't try to bleach your hair again right away if you don't like the result. Better to use a tinting agent after each bleaching (discussed below) to even out the color. Gradually, you will be able to achieve the shade that you need.

Method 3 of 3: Toning

1. 1 Choose a tinting agent. This is the most important step, without which it will be difficult to achieve the desired shade. Due to discoloration, pigment is washed out of the hair, which leaves a yellowish tint on it. This is the natural color of keratin, a protein in the hair. More often than not, people are striving for the wrong result. To remedy the situation, a tinting agent is used: it allows you to remove unwanted shades, make the color more interesting and achieve the desired shade.
   • Dark hair tends to have a red or orange undertone, so bleaching can turn this hair orange. With the help of blue toners, you can correct orange shades, with the help of lilac - yellow, and with the help of blue-lilac - orange-yellow. In other words, the color of the tinting agent is suitable for you, which is located at the opposite end of the color wheel from the hair color. If you're unsure what to buy, look at the color wheel.
   • If you want to achieve a white color, buy a toner for white hair. It is impossible to get white color by bleaching alone, in this case the hair must be tinted.
   • If you are unsure how to choose a toner, ask your hairdresser or ask a consultant at a hair supply store to help you.
2. 2 Prepare tinting and apply to hair. Below we provide general guidelines, so be sure to check the manufacturer's instructions.
   • Mix 1 part tinting agent and 2 parts developer 10 or 20 vol. If you have black hair, try 40 vol., But remember that this is a very aggressive product and can cause burns. If you get a chemical burn, consult a doctor!
   • Apply the toner from roots to ends, pre-dividing hair into 4 sections as described above.
   • Many toners only need to be kept on your hair for 10 minutes, so apply the product as quickly as possible and keep track of the time.
   • Check your hair color every 5-10 minutes in the same way as you did for bleaching.
   • Do not overexpose the product if you want to achieve a white color, as this can get a yellowish or grayish tint.
3. 3 Rinse off the tonic. Shampoo and condition your hair and style your hair as usual.
   • Throw away any remaining bleach and toner when you're done.

Tips

• Rinse off the bleach as soon as the hair turns light yellow.
• If you have short hair (shoulder length or shorter), try highlighting more strands.This will protect your scalp from burns.
• It is best to lighten your hair 2-3 days after washing.
• It will be helpful to work with an assistant, especially if you have not lightened your hair before. Ask an assistant to distribute the product evenly through your hair.
• Tinted shampoos, color preservatives and color-treated hair shampoos can help you maintain a beautiful shade of hair.
• To restore elasticity to your hair and saturate it with proteins, apply deep moisturizing masks between colors.
• Try to shampoo your hair as little as possible between dyes, as the lightener strips hair of its natural oil, which it needs for softness and protection.
• Try to use hot styling tools (hairdryer, iron, curling iron) as little as possible, since high temperatures injure already weakened hair.
• Coconut and argan oils are suitable for repairing bleached hair. Apply the oil to your hair every two weeks.
• Do not heat your hair directly. When the clarifier dries up, it stops working. Put on a plastic cap, shower cap, or even wrap them in foil. Then start heating your hair through film or foil at a low temperature to speed up the process.
• Apply clarifier to the ends first and then to the ends. The roots are heated more by the heat of the skin, which is why the clarifier will color the hair there faster than at the ends.

Warnings

• Do not apply brightener to eyebrows or eyelashes.
• Developer 40 vol. very aggressive. Use it only if absolutely necessary and do not mix with tinting agent.
• Read the instructions on the packaging carefully and follow them.
• Do not apply clarifier to your scalp.
• If you feel a burning sensation or irritation on the skin during staining, wash off the product and consult a doctor.
• It is not recommended to completely lighten the hair in one day, since such coloring is very harmful to the hair.

What do you need

• Coconut oil
• Gloves
• Protective glasses
• Clarifier in the form of a paste or powder
• Developer 30 or 40 vol., Although the latter option is not recommended
• Developer 10 or 20 vol. for toning
• Blue or lilac tinting agent
• Non-metallic mixing bowl
• Non-metallic hairpins or hairpins
• Hair dye brush
• Plastic cap
• Hair dryer