How to bleach your hair to a platinum blonde

Going to the salon for a hair treatment can be quite expensive, but people have been bleaching their hair at home for decades – and you can do it too! The process may vary slightly depending on your current hair color, but it’s a relatively simple procedure. Apply toner after bleaching, and you'll have platinum blonde hair in no time.

Start with healthy hair. Avoid dyeing or processing your hair a few months before bleaching. The bleaching process works much better if your hair is relatively healthy and untreated. Furthermore, your hair will endure the bleaching process better.

• Use natural shampoo and conditioner to strengthen your hair. Avoid products with sulfates and alcohol, as they are drying chemicals.
• Steer clear of hair sprays, gels, serums, and other products with many chemicals.
• Minimize the use of heat styling tools, but if you do use them, apply a heat-protectant product to shield your hair.

Buy bleach powder. Determine the shade you want and head to the cosmetics store. Bleach powder is sold in packets or tubes; if you plan to bleach your hair more than once, a tube will be more convenient.

• Look for a dyeing comb (for applying the bleach), a bowl, and plastic wrap.
• If your hair is very dark, you should get a color-correcting cream with red-yellow tones. You will mix the color corrector into the bleach powder to enhance its effect, which means you won’t need to bleach twice. If you have long, thick hair, you might need two tubes of the cream.

Choose the strength of the developer. Developers come in various strengths, from 10 to 40 volume. If your hair is blonde or light brown, a 20 or 30 volume developer will work. For black or very dark hair, you may need a 40 volume developer, but this strength is very harsh on the hair, so avoid it if possible. The lower the volume, the less damage it causes to your hair.

• If you’re unsure about which strength to choose, go with volume 20.

Buy a long-lasting hair toner. To achieve platinum blonde, you will need a toner. A toner removes the yellow/orange undertones that remain after bleaching. Some toners can whiten the hair, others create a warm golden tone, while some give a silver effect. If you’re unsure which one to choose, ask the store staff for help.

Ventilate the area where you’ll bleach your hair. Bleaching chemicals are very strong, so open a window! Have everything within reach so you can work efficiently and minimize fumes.

• Wear plastic gloves before starting to protect your hands from chemical burns. If bleach gets on your skin, wipe it off immediately and wash it thoroughly.

Mix the bleach powder and developer to create a mixture. Follow the instructions included with the bleach powder to measure the correct amounts of each product. Pour the bleach powder into a bowl, and use a spoon or whisk to mix the developer into the powder in the specified ratio.

• The mixture should not be yellow but a whitish-blue or greenish color. The consistency should neither be too runny nor too thick, but should resemble a slightly thickened sauce.
• If you're using a color-correcting cream for yellow-red tones, now is the time to mix it into the bleach mixture. Follow the instructions on the packaging.

Apply the bleach mixture to dry hair. Use a hair dyeing comb to apply the mixture in sections, ensuring that each section is thoroughly coated. Start from the tips of your hair and work your way up, leaving a few centimeters near the roots. The roots will be applied last as they often absorb the bleach more quickly. To avoid scalp irritation, don’t apply the bleach too close to the scalp while you’re working on the tips.

• If your hair is very dark, apply the bleach mixture to the tips first, wait for 20 minutes, then apply it to the roots.
• Keep a towel nearby to wipe off any bleach that drips onto your face or arms.

Wrap your hair in plastic wrap. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Check the color by spraying water on a section of your hair and wiping off the bleach with a towel. If the color is still too dark, apply a little more bleach mixture to the section you just wiped and leave it for another 10 minutes.

• The bleach will cause your hair to warm up and may cause a slight tingling sensation. If it stings, rinse it out immediately.

Keep checking until you reach the desired hair color. Check every 10 minutes until your hair reaches the color you want. Do not leave the bleach on for more than an hour. Keeping the bleach on too long won’t make your hair lighter and can cause serious damage to both your hair and scalp.

Rinse out the bleach with cold water. Continue rinsing until the water runs clear. Do not use shampoo, as shampoo will strip the oils from your hair. After rinsing, use a deep conditioning treatment or a hair mask.

• If possible, avoid washing your hair with shampoo for the next 24-48 hours.

Dry your hair and allow it to air dry naturally. Avoid using a blow dryer immediately after bleaching, as this can cause additional damage to your hair. Your hair will now have a yellowish blonde color. If you are happy with the result, you can stop at this step. If you desire platinum blonde hair, you’ll need to proceed to the color balancing step.

Mix the toner solution. Combine 1 part toner with 2 parts 20 volume developer. The mixture will appear green. Be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands.

Apply the toner to your hair. Use a clean hair dyeing comb to apply the toner to your hair in sections, similar to how you applied the bleach mixture. If you notice the roots are darker, pay special attention to this area.

• Some toners are designed for use on dry hair, while others are for wet hair. Be sure to read the instructions to use the toner properly.

Leave the toner on for about 30 minutes. Check the product’s packaging for the exact recommended time. Typically, you should wait around 30 minutes for the toner to work.

Rinse out the toner with cold water. Rinse your hair under running water until the water runs clear. Use a shampoo designed for bleached hair to ensure that all the toner is removed from your hair.

Use conditioner. Apply a deep conditioning treatment specifically for color-treated hair. In the following weeks, be sure to take extra care of your hair. Avoid excessive heat styling and limit the use of harsh chemicals.