How to Prepare Before Bleaching

Learn about hair. Talk to an experienced hairdresser about your bleaching plan. Each hair has different characteristics and needs. If you want to bleach your hair at the salon, the hairdresser will advise you quickly at no charge.

• You may need to visit the salon a few times before your hair is bleached to the right color. Talking to your hairdresser in advance will help you make the right decision.
• You might ask some questions like: “Will this cause serious damage to my hair? What products should I use before and after bleaching my hair? Do I need to go to the salon many times to get the right hair color?
• Have your hairdresser try bleaching a small section of hair. If you want to bleach your hair at home, do a test a few days in advance. If you are not satisfied with the color or texture of your hair, you should go to the hairdresser and ask for advice.
• Ask if the salon sells Olaplex hair care products. Professional salon products formulated to protect and repair hair before, during and after harsh chemical treatments, such as bleaching.

Wait for the hair to recover. If you have just chemically treated your hair, wait a little longer before bleaching your hair. If you have recently dyed, highlighted, permed or straightened your hair, wait at least 2 weeks before bleaching your hair. You’re better off waiting a month or so. ^[1] Even lengthen the wait time if your hair is severely affected by the treatment.

• You should not bleach damaged hair (frizzy, dry, broken).
• Note that the darker the hair color, the more damage it will be during the bleaching process. People with dark hair often have difficulty in creating a new hair color as desired (because there is a big difference between the original hair color and after bleaching). The long-term bleaching process also makes the hair thin and leaves damage that is difficult to repair. Bleaching doesn’t have much of an effect on light hair, so these effects aren’t common, but there’s still a risk even when you reduce the amount of medication and the number of times you bleach your hair.

Reduce the use of heat devices one week before bleaching your hair. Reduce or stop using curlers, rollers, straighteners, dryers, or other heat equipment. Heat equipment causes damage to the hair and the bleaching process also has many adverse effects.

• Untreated natural hair is usually stronger and less affected by the bleaching process.

Stop washing your hair. Do not wash your hair on the day of bleaching. In fact, hair with a little oil before bleaching is better, so you should not wash your hair for two or several days before bleaching.

• The bleaching process does not require the hair to be as clean as when dyeing. Hair that has not been washed thoroughly should not interfere with the effectiveness of the hair bleach. ^[2]

Save money to buy good products. There are many products dedicated to preserving and/or prolonging the bleaching and blonding effects of hair; so better make sure you can afford and find good products for new hair care before treating your hair. Some hair salons often sell products at a high price, but it will be much more economical if you buy products at the supermarket. Likewise, you should take extra care when styling your hair, as bleach strips your hair of oils and makes it weaker, even with proper care; If you’re used to curlers, for example, try adding a heat protectant or heat-free styling product to your hair care set.