How to Bleach Dark Brown or Dark Black Hair To Golden Or White

For light brown hair, bleaching is not a big deal. However, if your hair is dark brown or black, getting a metallic blonde or white hair color can be a challenge. Even so, with just a little toner and bleach, you can bleach your hair the way you want.

Table of Contents

Prepare for perfect results

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Check that the hair is strong enough to withstand the bleach. There is no way to avoid serious damage to the hair exposed to bleach. Many stylists do not bleach colored or treated hair. You should consult a hairdresser first to avoid damage to your hair. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Set aside an appropriate amount of time. To bleach black hair to blonde, especially metallic blonde or white, you need to repeat the bleaching process several times, spaced several days apart. ^{[2] X Research Source} Don’t expect to have gorgeous blonde hair right away because you need to bleach your hair slowly.

In the intermediate stages, your hair will be slightly orange, bronze or not-like-blonde, so be ready to cover these colors with hats, scarves, and other hair accessories.

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Choose the right bleach. There are many options for bleaching your hair and you need to choose the right bleach for your hair color.

Look for a hair bleaching kit, which includes a hair color remover powder and a peroxide solution. This is a strong formula suitable for dark hair.
Peroxide comes in several strengths, from 10 to 40. Note that strength 40 is too strong for normal hair bleaching as it can cause scalp burns. Peroxide intensity 40 is only used to apply to the ends of black hair, which is not in contact with the scalp. Strength 30 peroxide will work faster than strength 20 or 10. ^{[3] X Source of Research}

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Test bleach on a strand of hair before you begin. This step is very important because it helps you know how long to keep the bleach in your hair to achieve the desired hair color. Always carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions (instructions included with the hair color remover kit) on how to test on a strand of hair. In general, the steps include:

Separate a few strands of hair from the back of your head in an inconspicuous spot. Tie the strands together with a string or use tape to stick one end of the strand together.
Mix a small amount of hair color remover powder with the peroxide solution according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Dip the strand of hair into the bleach mixture until it is completely wet.
Set a clock or monitor the time during the hair dye test.
Check your hair color every 5 minutes using an old cloth to wipe off the bleach.
Apply bleach to your hair again and repeat the process until you get the color you want. At this point, you will know how long to keep the bleach in your hair. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Hair bleaching

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If your hair is long, you need to divide it into 4 sections. Use the sharp end of the hair dye comb to part your hair into 2 sections from the center of the forehead to the nape of the neck. Next, divide each section of hair into 2 more sections from the tip of the ear to the top of the head.

You need to use pins or clips (not made of metal) to secure each section of hair. Make sure the pins or clips don’t react with the chemicals in the bleach. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

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Protect skin, eyes and clothing. You need to take basic precautions when using bleach. Wear nylon gloves and protect your eyes by wearing goggles. In addition, you should also wear old clothes and spread something on the floor to prevent the bleach from dripping.

You can also apply a thin layer of moisturizing wax to your forehead, ears, and neck. While it’s not necessary to avoid staining like it is with dyeing your hair, moisturizing waxes can protect your skin from irritation if the bleach comes into contact with your forehead, ears, and neck.

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Mix bleach. Mix hair color remover powder with a 1:1 peroxide solution in a non-metallic mixing bowl. Mix until the mixture thickens like a cream.

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Apply the mixture. Use a hair dye comb to apply the mixture, starting from the hair about 1cm away from the scalp.

First, apply the mixture to a thin section of hair at the back of your head, making sure your hair is completely covered with bleach before moving on to the next section. Use a clip to secure the section of hair that has just been bleached before moving on to another section.
Apply bleach to the back two sections, then the front two sections.
Apply bleach in the direction of hair growth, from the roots to the ends.
Apply the bleach as quickly as possible because the hair needs to be soaked in the bleach for the same amount of time for an even color. You can use different strength dyes to achieve this result, for example using strength 30 for the front section and strength 20 for the back.
Wear a hair cap after your hair is completely covered with bleach.

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Process tracking. Test every 10 minutes until desired hair color is achieved.

Test your hair color by wiping the bleach on a small section of hair with an old cloth. If you want to continue, you need to reapply the bleach to this section of hair.
You can set the timer to alarm every 10 minutes to ensure uniformity.

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Consider heating with a dryer to speed up the bleaching process. However, you should be aware that any heat-generating process increases the risk of damage, so you should avoid it if you’re not in a hurry.

This is not recommended if this is your first time bleaching your hair as you need to find out how long the dyeing process will take. If you want to bleach your hair again, you can speed up the process with heat. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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After 10-20 minutes, apply bleach to the roots. Thanks to the heat from the scalp, the hair at the roots is bleached faster. If you want to bleach your roots, it’s best to apply bleach at the end of the process. Use the sectioning technique as described above, but this time just apply the bleach mixture to the roots. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

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Rinse off the bleach. After the hair has reached a light blonde color or the manufacturer’s recommended retention time has expired, you need to rinse the bleach with warm water.

Use a small amount of shampoo, preferably a shampoo specifically designed for freshly bleached hair. For example, a shampoo containing a purple toner will help remove the brassy or yellow color from your hair. ^{[9] X Research Source}
Use a towel to dry your hair and style as usual. If possible, you should avoid heat styling because heat increases damage and stress on your hair.

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Evaluate the results after the hair is dry. Only when your hair is completely dry can you really see the results of the bleaching process. Remember, it can take at least 2-3 bleaching sessions within a month to turn black hair into light blonde or white.

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Let your hair rest for 2-3 weeks between bleaching. Bleaching is a harmful process for hair. Therefore, you need to avoid continuing to bleach even if you are not satisfied with the results. Instead, you should use a toner after each bleaching (see instructions below) to balance the color of your hair as your hair gradually turns from black to light blonde. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Apply toner to your hair

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Choose a toner (product that balances hair tones). This is an important step for beautiful hair and balanced hair color. The bleaching process takes away the pigment from the hair and eventually leaves a bit of yellow – the natural color of the hair’s keratin or protein. ^{[11] X Research Source} Usually this is not what you want. It is at this point that you need to use a toner to help balance out unwanted hair tones, add subtle nuances to your hair color, and give you the blonde you want. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Black hair often has a red or orange undertone, so bleaching often turns black hair into orange. The blue toner balances the orange, the purple toner balances the yellow, and the blue-purple toner balances the orange-yellow. In short, you should choose a toner that contains a color that contrasts with the hidden tones in the palette to neutralize. If you are unsure, you can look at the color chart to see which color to choose. ^{[13] X Research Source}
For white hair, you should choose a toner specifically for white hair. You can’t bleach white hair, you have to improve the tone of your hair. ^{[14] X Research Source}
If you are confused about which toner to choose, you should go to a beauty salon for professional advice or consult a hair stylist.

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Prepare and apply toner. Here are general guidelines, but be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions:

Mix toner with 10 or 20 strength dye auxiliaries in a ratio of 1:2. If your hair is dark, you should consider using a strength 40 solution. However, keep in mind that a strength 40 solution is very strong and can cause serious burns if it touches the skin. Seek medical attention if chemical burns occur.
Apply toner evenly from roots to ends, using the same sectioning technique as when bleaching hair according to the instructions above.
Many toners only take 10 minutes to work, so you need to apply as quickly as possible and monitor the time closely. ^{[15] X Research Source}
Test the process every 5-10 minutes using a single strand test technique like the bleaching instructions above.
Be careful not to over-balance the white hair color to avoid giving it a yellowish or grayish tint.

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Head washing. Use shampoo and conditioner, then style your hair as usual.

Remember to throw away any unused bleach and color balancer mixture when you finish the bleaching process.

Advice

Do not leave the bleach on your hair longer after it has reached a light blonde color.
If you have short hair (shoulder length or shorter), you should consider dyeing highlights instead of bleaching. This way, you can avoid the risk of burning your scalp.
It is best to bleach your hair before washing it.
Having someone to help is better, especially when bleaching your hair for the first time. You should consider asking someone to help you make sure the bleach is evenly applied to your hair.
Colored hair conditioners, color balancing shampoos, and color care shampoos can help balance blonde color and give it shine. ^{[16] X Research Source}
Deeply moisturizes hair between bleaching to restore hair’s natural oils and proteins.
Wash your hair as little as possible between bleaching sessions, as washing your hair removes the protective oils and keeps it soft. ^{[17] X Research Source}
Limit heat styling (drying, straightening, curling) if possible, as heat will put extra stress on already weakened hair.
Incubating coconut oil or argan oil every two weeks is a great way to maintain hair color after bleaching.
Do not use direct heat when bleaching hair color. Once it dries, the bleach will stop working. You can use a plastic bag, a hair cap, or even foil to cover your hair. THEN, turn the dryer on LOW to speed up the bleaching process while the hair is covered.

Warning

DO NOT use bleach to remove eyebrows or eyelashes.
Dye auxiliaries 40 is extremely strong, so use only when needed and absolutely do not mix with toner.
Do not apply bleach directly to the scalp.
Carefully read and follow the instructions included in the product packaging.
A complete hair color bleaching within a day is not recommended as it is very harmful to the hair.
If you start to experience burning or irritation while bleaching your hair, you should wash your hair immediately and consult your doctor.

Things you need

Coconut oil
Glove
Goggles
Hair color remover or hair lightener
Peroxide auxiliaries 30 or 40 strength, however 40 strength is not recommended
Peroxide color auxiliaries 10 or 20 strength used when applying toner to hair
Blue or purple toner
Mixing bowls are not made of metal
Pins or clips not of metal
Hair brush
Hair hood
Hairdryer

Steps