Pre-Lightening Hair At Home

Whether you're a hair dye pro or a first time dyer, there’s no harm in brushing up on your bleaching and toning technique. Want to learn how to pre lighten hair before colouring? In this article, we cover all the basics for bleaching and toning your hair, ready for your next hair dye colour. 

How to bleach hair at home?

• Make sure to wear old clothing and brush your hair thoroughly before you begin bleaching.
• Section your hair to make it easier to apply the bleach.
• Apply the bleach to each section of your hair as per the instructions on your pre lightening hair products.
• If sections of your hair are darker, such as your roots, you may need to reapply bleach to these areas a few days after first bleaching your hair in order to get an even finish. 

Always give your hair time to recover after bleaching hair at home. This is often where at home bleach jobs go wrong. Patience is required when bleaching hair so make sure not to try and hurry the process by leaving the bleach on for longer than recommended or by not giving your hair any time to recover before adding other products or more bleach. 

How to bleach hair safely?

If you want to make sure you bleach your hair safely at home then the most important step is to perform a patch test before you begin bleaching your hair. This will need to be done a couple of days prior to the date that you want to bleach your hair as you will need to wait 24 hours to check for any reaction. Apply a small penny-sized amount of bleach to your inner elbow or behind your ear. Once you have wiped it away, check for any redness or signs of irritation and then wait for 24hours in case of a delayed reaction. If you do have an allergic reaction, then do not use the bleach.

Another step that is important to follow is to only leave the bleach on your head for the amount of time stated in the instructions. Leaving bleach on hair for too long not only causes damage to the hair but can also begin to burn your scalp. If you are worried about this, then why not start out with a dip dye hairstyle to help you practice safely using bleach at home.

Some people prefer not to bleach their hair at home and many professionals recommend leaving the bleaching up to them in order to achieve an even colour without causing too much damage to the hair.

Do I need to pre-lighten my hair before colouring? Do I need to pre-lighten every time I dye?

It isn't necessary to pre-lighten your hair; however, it's the best way to ensure you get the best and brightest result and the closest match to the colour swatches of your chosen colour. Bleach is permanent so it's only necessary to lighten re-growth at the roots of your hair every time you dye, especially as repeated 'whole head' bleaching can cause severe damage and breakage.

If you'd rather not bleach your hair, then there are plenty of shades that complement darker hair and still provide a colour change.

Can I bleach my hair if I've dyed it black?

It's not recommended to use bleach on hair that's been previously dyed using a permanent black dye. Bleaching hair that is permanently coloured black hair can be highly damaging to your hair and cause severe breakage, damage, and even significant hair loss. Do not attempt to bleach dyed black hair without first consulting a professional hairstylist who can evaluate the condition of your hair and provide advice on the process. They may recommend using hair dye remover on your dyed black hair before leaving your hair to repair itself. You can then start bleaching your hair after some time has passed.

How to lighten dark hair?

If you are lightening black hair that is natural or ‘virgin’ hair then you may need a second application of bleach to achieve a light blonde tone. This should be carried out a few days after the first application of bleach in order to allow your hair to recover. After you have finished bleaching your black hair, you may find that you have brassy tones showing through. If this is the case, then applying toner to your hair will help to neutralise these tones, helping you to achieve a purer blonde tone as your base colour. 

Can I bleach my hair while pregnant?

It is generally recommended that you do not bleach hair while pregnant. While you may need to avoid using harsh chemical products such as bleach, you can still use some semi-permanent hair dyes if they avoid harsh chemicals such as ammonia and PPD. There is limited research into this area and some professionals believe that it is safe to use bleach while pregnant.

Ready to start bleaching your hair? Check out our full range of bleaching hair products to find the one that is perfect for you. Whether you want to match your bleach brand to your hair dye brand or need a specific strength, there are plenty of options in our hair bleach range. Finding the best bleach for hair will depend on your hair type.

How To Use Hair Toner

What does a toner do to your hair?

Once you have bleached your hair, you may need to remove undertones (most commonly brassy undertones) from your hair to create a neutral starting colour. Remember, hair toner is not a dye. Toner for hair is used to counteract unwanted tones in order to help you to get the best results from your hair dye. They do not contain any dye, as they work by cancelling out colours that are their opposites on the colour wheel. This means that the colour you see in the tub isn't going to be the colour you end up with. The violet based pigment neutralises brassy tones, leaving you with platinum or white hair, making it perfect for anyone looking to eliminate those dreaded orangey patches. 

Why do I need to use hair toner?

Hair toner is especially useful if you have lightened your hair, even if you plan on using a vibrant colour hair dye. The lightening process removes the darker pigments first, which can result in brassiness or an uneven tone. These brassy pigments can be particularly difficult to remove from hair that was initially a darker shade, so it's recommended that you follow up any bleaching treatments by using a hair toner for brassiness.

It is easy to use hair toner at home. Simply apply the toner, as per the instructions, leave to develop, and then rinse out. If your hair still has some brassy tones you can repeat the process. As with any hair products, it is recommended to perform a patch test before using the product on your whole head.

Check out our full collection of hair toners to say goodbye to those pesky brassy tones. Taking this extra step when dyeing your hair at home can make all the difference to your final colour result.

With hair bleach and toner in your pre lightening hair kit, you will soon be ready to apply a colourful hair dye. You are sure to see a difference in the vibrancy of your hair dye if you take the extra steps to bleach and tone your hair first!

Please Note: Blue Banana hair dye information should be read alongside professional advice. Blue Banana makes no guarantee of validity and additional instruction should be taken from trained persons.