How to mix for a bleach bath?

Hair bleach is a lot like that. It's not that you can’t use it, it’s that you really need to understand it, respect it, and tread carefully. If you rush into bleaching your hair, it will bite. So when bleach baths started trending on TikTok, we braced ourselves for a steady stream of disaster videos. But that wasn’t the case. Instead, TikTokers were diluting bleach with developer and shampoo and successfully lifting out purples, blues, and pinks from their hair with pretty impressive results.

We wanted to know more about this gentler bleach alternative, so we talked to the experts about how bleach baths work, how to do them at home, and whether or not it’s safe to DIY.

Bleach baths are a concoction meant to lighten or lift color out of hair—especially color color, like pinks, greens, and blues. “It’s essentially bleach, a lot of developer, hot water, and sometimes shampoo.” says Ashley Leann, a colorist at Jenna Perry Hair. Because it will inevitably come out a little brassy (or only get you about 90% of the way), it’s really meant as a way to remove a color before applying a new one or it will need to be followed by toner.

You’ve probably seen people do it on TikTok or Youtube—mix up a periwinkle goo, brush it onto faded color, tuck it into a shower cap, and then stress for 45 minutes about whether or not their hair will fall out (the majority of the time, it does not).

If a bleach bath is commitment then traditional bleaching is Commitment with a capital C. “It’s the only product that can lighten your hair significantly,” says colorist Kristen Kell. A traditional bleaching involves applying the product directly to dry hair for maximum color lift.

A bleach bath is a milder, gentler way to lift color because it’s diluted with developer and shampoo and applied to wet hair, which takes some of the bite out of the bleach and can lighten hair by one or two levels (which is often enough to be able to dye it a new color without any color wheel mixing chaos).

To be honest, all bleach will strip your strands of those nice, juicy fatty acids that make your hair feel soft and healthy. But the traditional bleaching method is more damaging because it’s less diluted. While it may be more effective if you need to lighten by more than two levels, it's often not necessary to simply lift old color to make way for the new. That’s where a bleach bath comes in.

Our experts still say to proceed with caution (bleach is bleach, after all), but there are a few benefits to bleach baths:

First, you’ll need to set up a bleach-safe station in your bathroom or kitchen—anywhere with a sink, really. You might want to lay down old towels or other protective covering over anything you wouldn’t want damaged with bleach (trust this first-hand experience, you can bleach hardwood). You will also want to wear old clothes—something you won’t be heartbroken about if it makes contact with a splash or two of the solution—and drape a towel around your shoulders to protect your neck and shoulders. As far as the skin on your face goes, “Applying vaseline along your hairline will help create a barrier and keep your skin protected from bleach,” says Kell.

Once your station is set up, your face is greased, and you’re wearing your best not-good clothes, you need to prep your hair. “When applying bleach baths at home it’s best to start by washing your hair with a clarifying shampoo,” says Kell. That should remove any and all product or mineral build-up that could prevent the bleach from penetrating the strands and giving you the best color lift possible. Once you’ve washed your hair, says Kell, be sure to leave it wet.

Here are all the ingredients and tools you’ll need to get started:

First, the magic recipe: “Mix equal parts bleach powder and developer and add double the amount of shampoo to your bleach mixture,” says Kell. Using your hands or a color brush, apply the mixture starting at the ends of your hair and moving upward. You may want to stop short of doing your roots if you can, but if you need to remove color there too, leave them for the end.

After your hair is saturated in the bleach solution, Kell recommends massaging it into your roots like you would with a shampoo. Then clip your hair up and cover your head with a shower cap. You should check back every ten minutes to see your progress, but on average, it will take 30 to 45 minutes.

Once your desired color is reached, thoroughly rinse the bleach solution out of your hair.

Any type of at-home bleaching is not for the faint of heart. A lot can go wrong. “It’s not really a treatment, it’s a chemical service,” says Lorena M. Valdes, a colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, noting a long list of cons to consider. “It’s unpredictable, it can easily drip onto your face, neck, and back, it’s drying and can break already compromised hair, it can be irritating on the scalp, and it contradicts manufacturers mixing ratios.”

Min Kim, a colorist based at Butterfly Studio Salon in New York City echoes these concerns. “Anyone with fragile hair should tread carefully. Sensitivity from chemicals and hot tools leaves hair drier and more prone to breakage, which can be a nightmare if a bleach bath isn't performed quickly and properly,” she says.

Instead, Kim recommends consulting with a professional. In her salon, Kim starts with a visual goal and a strand test to see what the hair can reasonably handle. Then she pre-treats the hair to protect it, and lifts color out section by section for maximum control over the results. “  In general, time is your friend and patience is key,” she says. “There are many options—including color removers—that don't disrupt the natural base color, and a professional can determine which is the best option for you and your hair.”

Like with most treatments, a professional salon visit will cost more than the DIY version. But since bleach can be so tricky to work with, that might be well worth the spend. In a salon, you can expect it to cost around the same as a single-process color treatment. If you have another color applied after the bleach bath, the cost will go up.

The DIY at-home method can be done for under $50 using products and tools from Sally Beauty.

Because of the drying, damaging effects of bleach, you’ll need to baby your hair for a bit after the bleach bath. “Since bleach is being applied to the hair, even mildly, a deep conditioner or repairing mask should also be used afterwards for at least 10 to 20 minutes,” says Kell. You would also fare well using shampoos, conditioners, and styling products specifically made for repair, and avoid hot tools until your hair bounces back a bit.

A bleach bath is also usually just step one of a larger process. Once you’ve fully lifted the color, you’ll need to go back in with toner to even out the blonde, or re-dye your hair a fresh color.

Anytime bleach is involved, you need to proceed with caution and understand the risk. For many, the comfort of having a professional deal with lifting your color is well worth it. But for those who just need a quick lift, feel comfortable experimenting on their hair, or are working on extensions or wigs, an at-home bleach bath is definitely doable (just ask TikTok).

The basic process of bleaching involves mixing the bleach powder with the peroxide. This process is effective in lightening your hair, but its after-effects are quite destructive. Bleaching can alter your hair bonds and turn your hair brittle over time.

On the other hand, a bleach bath is a much milder procedure. It differs from the regular bleaching process. In this process, a diluted solution that is far gentler on your hair is used. Shampoo is added to the mixture and applied to wet hair.

You must be wondering why you should go for a bleach bath when regular bleaching can get the job done just as easily. Scroll down to the next section to find out why.

Since bleach is an aggressive substance, applying it to your hair often can be risky, especially if you have thin, fragile hair. Thus, the perfect alternative is bleach bath. This process causes no damage and is absolutely safe for all hair types.

Now that you know why you should go for a bleach bath, you must be wondering when to use one. Find out in the next section.

You should opt for a bleach bath when you want to:

If your current hair dye is refusing to come off, don’t worry. A bleach bath can be extremely useful in removing the permanent hair dye and getting rid of its traces.

A bleach bath may not be as effective as the regular bleaching process, but it is less damaging to your hair than the latter. If you have fragile hair, this minimum bleaching action is perfect for the look you want to achieve.

Now, let’s check out how you can prepare and apply a bleach bath.

To prepare a bleach bath, you need to gather three essential components, i.e., bleach powder, peroxide, and shampoo. This is how you need to prepare the mix:

If this is your first time using a bleach bath, this step is a must to avoid any adverse reaction. Dip a cotton ball into the developer and the bleach and dab it on your hand. If your skin turns red or starts itching, you are most likely allergic to the bleach. But if you are unsure, wait for 48 hours and check for any more changes. If nothing happens, you may proceed with the procedure.

Start off by mixing the bleach powder and the developer in a 1:2 ratio. The volume of the developer indicates the amount of peroxide in it. The higher the volume, the greater the amount of peroxide. Developers come in different volumes, with 10 being the weakest and 40 being the strongest. For a bleach bath, we recommend 10 volume developer. To this mixture, add one part of shampoo. Add bleach powder and shampoo in equal quantities. You can increase or decrease the intensity of this mixture as per your preference by experimenting with the ratio. Adding shampoo to this mixture will subdue the bleach. You can even add a conditioner to soften your hair.

You should bleach your hair when it is damp, not dripping wet. Wet your hair by running it under warm water. Before you apply the bleach, let your hair air-dry for a few minutes. You can even towel-dry your hair dry it a bit.

In case of accidental drips, the towel can protect your skin and clothes from getting discolored. You can also wear an old T-shirt to avoid any mishaps. Don’t forget to put on rubber/latex gloves to protect your hands from bleach burns.

When applying the bleach, start from the tips of your hair and work your way up to the roots. Once you are done applying it from roots to ends, rub the rest of the mixture on your hair like would apply shampoo while showering. Make sure to soak each strand with the solution.

Clip your hair up and put on a shower cap. This will prevent the solution from dripping.

Keep checking the color of your hair every 5 minutes. Once you are satisfied with the color, wash out the bleach.

The amount of time that the bleach is left on your hair depends on your natural hair color and the volume of developer used. If you have bleached your hair before, you can leave it on for 10 minutes. If you have dark hair and want to lighten your tresses, leave the bleach on for up to 30 minutes. If you are using 30-40 volume developer, don’t leave the solution on for more than 7-10 minutes.

The bleach wash ratio is 1:2:1. Start by combining one part bleach and two parts developer as you'd usually do. This may vary depending on your brand choice, but another crucial part that will have a huge impact on how effective your bleach bath will be is the intensity or percentage of the developer used.

Whether you want to correct color and tone your hair, strip out some old hair dye or you just want a clean canvas, ready for a brand new do, here’s everything you need to know to get a bleach wash right – first time -at home.

Let’s go!

A bleach wash or bleaching shampoo is a type of hair treatment that involves soaking your hair in hair diluted bleach to strip the color from your hair strands.

This technique refers to using hydrogen peroxide mixed with shampoo in order to get your hair lighter than its original color, without having an actual bleaching process done at a salon.

Bleach bathing is great for keeping the integrity of your locks intact while removing hair color. The protective layers around each strand aren’t stripped away and less damaged occurs.

It can remove leftover dye to get rid of unwanted tones. If you are wanting to remove dye from your hair or simply go one shade lighter, a bleach process like this is one of the most gentle ways.

The actual bleach bath process may need repeated treatments depending on how dark/light you want your final look to be.

So you’ll need to take into account that processing times can vary from person-to-person.

A bleach bath is really just a gentler way if you want to lighten or lift out stubborn, darker hair color pigments from your hair.

It’s kinder to your hair too as it’s diluted with shampoo and water.

It’s an easier alternative than the regular process because it blends through wet strands quickly and washes away with shampooing– easy peasy!

It can be tricky to work out whether you need traditional bleach or a bleach bath. Here, we break down the reasons why you should consider a bleach bath for your hair:

If you’re looking for a subtle lift in color, rather than an obvious change, then a bleach bath may be just what you need.

It will take you up a notch without harsh chemicals or too much damage to your hair.

After touching up previously bleached sections of your hair, fading can occur over time due to washing, styling and exposure to the sun’s UV rays – ultimately resulting in patchy areas on different parts of your head.

A bleach bath is an effective way of evening out those tones without having to re-bleach it all over again.

If you’ve recently dyed your hair with semi-permanent or permanent dye and want to get rid of the remaining tints, this is a great option as it will strip away any traces of unwanted color without damaging your locks.

Bleach baths are also great for toning down overly bright blonde tones that can sometimes look almost brassy or yellowish on certain skin types.

They provide just enough lightening power while still leaving enough pigment in your strands so that any underlying yellow tones don’t become too intense or unflattering for complexions with warmer undertones.

We all have days where our hair needs some TLC after being put through its paces with multiple coloring sessions and processes.

Before even considering another bleach job, try a bleach bath first!

It’s gentler on your locks and can still achieve a lightening effect without tugging at fragile strands.

You’ll also need:

And don’t forget to do a strand test before you start!

Follow these steps for the best results for bleach bath hair:

1. Wash your hair with clarifying shampoo – this gets rid of any excess product that may hinder the bleaching process by interfering with the chemical composition of hair dye color molecules in the bleach solution.

2.Leave your hair wet. Don’t apply the bleach mixture to dry hair, it need to be applied to wet strands. It’s call bleach washing after all! If you have long hair, separate it into sections and secure with pins or claw clips.

Grip the section of hair that you wish to bleach at the top with a claw clip, then remove your grip from the mid-lengths and ends – leave these out of the way.

2.Apply Vaseline to your ears, nose and eyebrows (literally everywhere!).

Bleach washing can burn your skin so Vaseline acts like a shield protecting your sensitive skin underneath!

3.Wear old clothes. And protective gloves. Bleach bathing can stain clothes so it’s a good idea to wear something you don’t mind getting ruined.

Dab Vaseline onto your clothes where the bleach will drip down (collar, cuffs etc) to prevent it from staining.

4.Do a patch test! Check for any allergic reactions to the bleach by doing a patch test on somewhere inconspicuous like the inside of your elbow or behind your ear.

5.Open some windows! The fumes from bleach can be toxic if inhaled so it’s a good idea to have some fresh air in the room.

You’re ready!

You’ll want to mix equal parts (1:1 ratios) of bleach powder and developer. Follow our bleach bath hair recipe above to get the bleach wash ratio right. Make up to 50ml depending on the length of your hair.

We recommend using a 10 volume developer for your first time if you are unsure which one will work best. Try and go one shade or two lighter than the color your hair is now to avoid your hair turning orange!

The higher these levels go the stronger they get, this means that there’s more peroxide in them! If you have very dark hair you’ll need 20 volume developer and up.

Use a mixing bowl and tinting brush to mix the bleach powder and developer together. This will help you apply the bleach mixture in your wet hair too.

Next, add the shampoo to the bleach powder and developer mix.

When it comes to the amount of shampoo, add enough to make twice the amount of liquid. It’s more than a good blob.

Give it all a good stir to blend the ingredients together. You’re ready for some bleach bathing!

Unlike hair dye, this is not a solution to apply to dried hair. Bleach bath hair needs wet hair to take effect without being patchy.

Wet your hair with cold water and towel dry it to get the excess water off.

Cover all your surfaces and wrap a towel or hair stylists cape around your shoulders. Bleach will eat the color from everything it touches!

Taking a section at a time, apply the mixture from the bottom of your wet hair up using the tint brush and wide tooth comb.

Ensure each strand is saturated from root tip. At the roots, massage it into your hair as you would when you shampoo it.

Repeat the process until your whole head is covered.

Clip your hair up to keep it from dripping or marking anything while it develops. You can also tuck it up into a shower cap or cling wrap.

Keep an eye on it! You don’t want leave the bleach in your hair too long as it will be too light and wash you out. For a guide to timings:

Rinse and wash your bleach bath hair really well under warm water when your hair has reached the lift you’re after.

Apply some deep conditioning love to help your hair begin to repair from the bleaching process.

It’s likely you’ll need to tone your lightened hair after a bleach wash as natural hair has orange or yellow tones in it.

You can repeat the process and bleach your hair again to get it lighter, but be careful that you don’t damage your hair.

Or you can dye your hair another color on top for the most fabulous results. This will give you a really good base for other color hair dyes.

And that’s how to do it!

Here’s a fab video that shows you how to do a bleach bath for hair, lighten and tone your hair step by step.

If you’ve changed your mind about the hair color you previously chose, bleaching can be an effective way to lighten up your look without having to wait months for your hair dye to fade or grow out.

Bleach washing your hair to remove color is an easy and cost-effective way to switch up your look. It may sound intimidating, but it’s actually not too hard.

All you need is a bleaching agent, like hydrogen peroxide, which can be found at any beauty supply store, some professional-grade developer, which you can get from a hairdresser or stylist and some sulfate-free shampoo to dilute and add to the mix.

Once you have your supplies, section off the hair you want to bleach and mix the bleaching powder and developer in equal parts into a bowl.

Add twice as much shampoo and give it a good stir.

Begin applying the formula at the ends of each section and work it up towards your roots and scalp.

When you’ve covered your whole head, leave the mixture on for anywhere between 15-30 minutes (depending on how light you want to go) before washing it out with cool water!

Finish off with conditioner and voila! Your hair should now be closer to its pre-colored state.

Yes, a bleach wash process will lighten your hair, but maybe not as much as you might think.

It will only lift your hair by 1-2 levels, so it won’t give you the impact you’re looking for if you are wanting to go platinum blonde. For that you may need the regular bleach process.

A bleach wash is a gentler, step by step process that removes unwanted color one shade at time and is a gradual way to lighten your hair.

So although it will lighten your hair more than lightening your hair naturally in the sun, for heavyweight color lifting, you’ll need full strength bleach and the regular bleach process.

While bleach baths can definitely be a great way to lighten and brighten up your hair, it is important to keep safety in mind.

When used incorrectly, a bleach bath for hair can cause serious damage to both your scalp and hair.

To ensure the best results with little to no side effects, you should always follow instructions closely, use quality professional hair products, and monitor the time that the bleach is left in your hair.

Basically, if done right, a bleach bath is absolutely safe and can give you Instagram-worthy hair without putting it at risk; just make sure that you’re taking the appropriate steps!

Get it right and a bleach wash should lift your hair 1-2 levels. If you want more lift and lighter hair, or there are more stubborn color pigments to remove, you can use a stronger bleach.

WARNING: This is not household bleach we’re talking about! Hair bleach is specially formulated to take the color out of your hair without melting it off!

Because bleach bathing is a gentler process, it may leave your hair looking warmer with tones of orange. If this happens, you’ll need to use a hair toner and leave it in for the right amount of time to correct that color.

Sure, you can use a bleach bath to lighten dark hair, but don’t expect miracles!

If we’re being totally real here, you won’t be able to transform jet black locks into a platinum blonde shade.

You might be lucky enough to lighten your dark tresses by one or two levels, but it might just end up turning orange instead.

If you want to go for the bleach bath route, use a stronger ratio of bleach to developer like 1:2.

Anything more than two levels and it’s time for the regular ol’ bleach process – just remember not to overdue it or else that can turn out catastrophic too!

Lightening your hair is damaging and an intensive process that can leave your hair feeling brittle and dry.

This method uses equal parts bleach and developer to make a weaker strength of chemicals that are diluted with water. This means it’s not as damaging as using the full-on peroxide you’ll find in a regular bleaching process.

If you have a sensitive scalp or suffer from skin conditions like atopic dermatitis, this is a gentler solution for your skin than using full bleach (although please seek advice before using strong chemicals on your skin).

What many people may wonder about is whether this is really better for your hair?

Mainly, it will depend on what you’re trying to achieve and how much time you have in order to get there.

It really depends on what you want your hair to look like in the end, how light you want it to be, how dark your base color hair already is, how often you plan on bleaching your hair and how much time you have for upkeep between treatments.

And sometimes, a regular bleach process will really be what you want.

But generally, because the strength is watered down with this technique, it’s kinder to your hair.

Bleach baths are fast becoming one of the most popular ways to lighten hair and are typically used to remove old color.

But what do you mix in a bleach bath recipe? What is the bleach bath ratio for hair?

The ingredients you’ll need for your bleach wash recipe are:

The shampoo is what makes this process a ‘bath’. It dilutes the strength to make it kinder for your hair.

Once you have the right ingredients, you’re ready to follow our step by step guide!

Applying bleach to hair can be tricky, but luckily, there’s a simple rule – bleach should always be applied to wet hair.

If you apply it to dried hair, the bleach won’t take as effectively, and you could end up with a much lighter or patchier result than you wanted. So, if you’re feeling bleachy, grab a towel, wet your strands and get applying!

No, it will not fix orange or yellow hair. To remove unwanted tones from your hair you need to use a color correcting shampoo that is made for this specific purpose.

Unfortunately, the orange and yellow tones that show in blonde and blonde highlighted hair is often a result of your natural hair color and not something that can be easily removed.

BUT you can cover orange hair tone with other hair dye colors or tone your hair using glosses and toners.

You can also use purple shampoo to neutralize those unwanted tones, but not until the whole process is over!

Purple shampoo is a must for keeping unwanted orange and brassy tones from happening in blonde hair.

You might think it’s a good idea to mix purple shampoo in your bleach wash to prevent any unwanted brassiness.

But you would be wrong my friend! What happens is the peroxide will eat the purple pigment and dilute the color so it will have no effect whatsoever.

So it’s best to wait until after you’ve finished the treatment to tone your hair with purple shampoo.

Yes! A bleach bath for hair can be used to strip out unwanted color if your hair is too dark or has absorbed too much hair dye.

If you’re wanting to remove color rather than lighten your hair, just leave the bleach wash in for a shorter amount of time to lightly strip the unwanted pigments.

A bleach bath also works particularly well for removing traces of direct dyes like semi-permanent dye.

It is totally possible to a bleach bath in your own home with the right instructions, tools and confidence!

The bleach bath formula starts oxidizing the moment you mix it and will start in working on your hair the moment you apply it, so you must be confident enough at dyeing your own hair to apply it quickly.

Otherwise, you might end up with one side of your hair lighter than the other!

This and knowing the right strength of developer you need to mix in with your water or shampoo is the key to getting a bleach bath right at home.

Just follow our step-by-step instructions to get it right first time!

You can dye your hair after a bleach wash for sure. In fact, doing this is a great way to strip out old hair color to create a clean base for a new one.

If your hair feels particularly dry or damaged afterwards, you could wait a few days in between colorings to give your hair some time to recover.

If you’re planning to dye it again another color straight away, don’t apply conditioner after rinsing out the bleach bath solution as it can act as a barrier to the new color.

For many people, this is a fabulous way of giving their hair bright and beautiful color.

The downside is that bleach bathing can be damaging to your hair if left in for too long or without proper care afterwards.

A typical consequence of doing it on an ongoing basis is dryness, breakage, fragile hair and other forms of damaged hair that can make your scalp itchy.

Luckily, there are a few ways to restore lost moisture and get your bleached hair soft and silky again.

After you’ve stripped your color and achieved a fabulous blonde look you love, you’ll want to use deep conditioning treatments or a hair mask regularly and repair your hair bonds.

Use both deep conditioner and leave-in conditioner – and avoid a lot of heat styling if you can.

Bleached hair will be fragile and more prone to breakage and split ends for a couple of weeks. Use a shampoo and conditioner for bleached hair that will help to replenish and restore your hair shafts.

When you do heat style, use a heat protectant every time like the ones in Best hair heat protection sprays your colored hair can’t live without.

You’ll also need to use specially formulated silver and purple shampoos and conditioners to keep your bleached hair in tip-top condition.

Follow these bleach hair tips and tricks and you’ll keep your hair happy and healthy.

As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to bleaching your hair.

The most important thing is that if you’re going for lighter color or want your natural shade back, make sure to take care of the strands! Treat them as delicately as possible and avoid over-processing.

If in any doubt, always speak to your hair stylist. They’ll be able to advise on what’s best for you based on the color and condition of your hair now. Good luck!

For a modern woman, it’s crucial to have a possibility to change her style on the fly while retaining what she liked about her past looks. What if you want your tresses a little lighter but aren’t sure about whether to dye them or not? Do a bleach bath for hair – it fits the bill perfectly.

What Is a Bleach Bath for Hair?

A bleach wash for hair is a mix of peroxide and bleach powder, to which an equal quantity of shampoo is added. Put simply, it is a somewhat altered and gentler way to lighten your hair. Such a method is particularly useful when you don’t require a full bleach and only need to achieve a specific shade.

How to Do a Bleach Bath for Hair?

The bleach bath hair recipe is quite simple: use one or two developer parts to one bleach powder part, unless the manufacturer specifies a different ratio. After that, add an equal amount of shampoo to this mixture.

Keep in mind that the ratio of bleach bath hair ingredients depends on your hair goals: adding more shampoo will dilute the bleach, which means softer lightening, whereas adding less will leave it quite concentrated and, thus, strip off a couple more tones from your hair. You also should double the mixture amount if you have long strands and halve it if your hair is short.

The developing time can vary individually, based on your hair color, texture, and condition, but anyway, it shouldn’t exceed 45 minutes.

Bleach baths differ from a common bleach process in a range of ways, and every hairdresser has their own way of doing it. The key alterations originate from the fact that the bleach mixture is diluted with a shampoo; it is applied to wet hair, and it is normally blended with a lower volume of peroxide.

Here is our tutorial on how to bleach-wash hair:

– Dry your locks with a towel and start spreading the mixture over the hair, using gloves. Begin at the ends and work it up but don’t apply it to the scalp.

– Comb your tresses with a wide-tooth comb, clip them up, and cover with a shower cap or cling wrap.

– The next stage is developing: watch your hair carefully and do a check every 5 minutes. You can scrape a little bleach off your strands to see the color.

– Finally, when the desired color is achieved or 45 minutes exceed, rinse your locks.

Bleach Bath on Black Hair and Other Hair Shades

If your mane is black, you should be ready that it’s the most difficult for bleaching. A single procedure will not provide the desired effect. You should repeatedly bleach-bath to lighten the hair significantly throughout a couple of weeks.

But if you aim to go just a few tones higher, you can bleach bath your hair to remove the color. As black color is the hardest to get rid of, you should apply a clarifying shampoo on the dark hair first. Use it to somewhat lighten your locks and remove any buildup.

It’s also important to understand the mechanism of a bleach bath. There is an underlying pigment in every hair color, and you need some understanding of what shade you will most likely end up with after bleaching. For example, a bleach bath on red or brown hair may turn it orange. Getting an orange shade is a common complaint upon applying a bleach wash for the first time. However, it may also result from a specific buildup of minerals on your tresses.

In order to fix this bug and get rid of orange hair, you may use a toner or a toning shampoo – the first option is for those who have yellow tones rather than orange ones, and the second is vice versa. Still, there is a way to tackle the problem with a bleach bath: you can repeat the procedure in two weeks and enjoy smoky blonde locks. To that end, use a 30 volume developer and an ash/platinum blonde hair dye, and follow the previous instructions.

Using a bleach bath for brassy hair may not be such a good idea though, as bleaching itself is a harsh chemical process. However, you could try and do a bleach bath with coconut oil to soften the effect. Just add a few drops of the oil to a shampoo or conditioner before blending it with bleach.

Bleach Bath Hair Before and After

To sum up, the bleach wash hair results are the following:

1) On average, one hair wash with a bleach bath makes your tresses one shade lighter. To reach a stronger effect, you should repeat the procedure several times or thicken the bleach bath.

2) Remember that bleaching is a chemical process, so don’t abuse it. The best frequency is once a month.

Bleach Bath Hair Pros and Cons

Bleach itself is an aggressive substance, but does a bleach bath damage your hair? Actually, opting for bleach bathing would be a good substitute for full-scale dyeing, as it doesn’t damage fragile and thin locks. Such a bath is almost absolutely safe for all types of hair. However, the general recommendations are to avoid doing it very often.

How Many Levels Does a Bleach Bath Lift? Normally, it’s one hair wash per one shade.

Can I Dye My Hair after a Bleach Bath? Yes. The hair cuticles can easily be sealed by coloring them. During bleach bathing, they are lifted so that the pigments could be removed from the hair fiber. The best way to close them is to apply a dye.

Have you ever tried a bleach bath for hair at home or together with your hair colorist at a hair salon? If you want to share your experience, comment in the section below!