Bullet-Point Summary:Get your Bleaching Right - EASY, FOOL-PROOF CHECKLIST
- Use a good quality bleach, and get ready your 20 or 30 Vol developer.
- Use 20 Vol when you need to lift by 1-2 levels.
- Use 30 Vol when you need to lift by 3 levels or more.
- Use 2 parts of developer to 1 part of bleach.
- Mix in a non-metallic bowl until you get a smooth, nice paste.
- Apply on dry, unwashed hair.
- Always lift to a very pale yellow (see the picture above and also level 10 in the chart below).
- If there is orange in the hair after bleaching, it just means you did not bleach enough. You will need to rinse and do it again.
- To get an even consistent result from roots to ends, always apply bleach first to the parts that are the brassiest so that they get more processing time.
- For full head bleaching, do the roots last. They always process faster.
- If you have a dark regrowth to lift and blonde ends, only apply bleach to the regrowth area and lift that part up.
- Then rinse and you will be ready to tone.
STAGES OF BLEACHING HAIR:
WATCHHOW TO MIX BLEACH WITH DEVELOPER TO ACHIEVE THE STUNNING BLONDE RESULT HERE:
Hair byElona Taki
1. Which Bleach Should I Use?
A good quality lightener which will lift quickly and efficiently without breaking or damaging is really essential.
Ugly Duckling bleaches are very safe and have excellent lifting properties.
If you are looking to do near-scalp bleaching, or if your client's is excessively fine and fragile and prone to breakage,useBrilliant Blondexx lightener with Bond Protect.
Thanks to the Bond Protect technology, its protects your hair from breakage as you lift it.
It is also gentle enough to use on the near-root area and near scalp bleaching with minimal scalp irritation.
Brilliant Blondexx lifts 7 levels without requiring excessively strong developers.
20 or 30 Vol developer is the most you will ever need.
Brilliant Blondexx Bleach with Bond Protect
WATCH HOW TO APPLY BRILLIANT BLONDEXX NEAR THE SCALP -NO DISCOMFORT, NO BREAKAGE
Featured Products
2.What do I need apart from bleach?
In addition to your bleach you will also need:
- a developer - 20 or 30 Volume, sometimes both
- a hair toner
- Purple shampoo and mask for afterwards (optional)
You will also needapplication tools, including rubber gloves, a couple of brushes and bowls, a kitchen weighing scale, and a timer.
3. What Developer Should I Use with Bleach?
If you are aiming to lift by 1-2 levels, you need 20 Vol developer.
If you are aiming to lift by 3 levels and more, you need 30 Vol developer.
If you are working with very dark hair, then you may need to do a first application with 30 Vol developer and then make a second application using 20 Vol developer. Just make a fresh mix and reapply on the bleached hair while it is processing - no need to rinse and then bleach.
For the root area it should be 20 Vol developer only. It processes fast due to the heat from the scalp.
We do not recommend that you ever "bump up the Volume" and use 40 Volume with our bleaches. It is not necessary when you use Ugly Duckling bleaches, which are fairly powerful and lift well.
Use the level guideunderneath to assess how much bleaching is necessary in your case & which developer you are going to need.
If you are trying to get to ash or platinum blonde, you must lift all the way up to level 10.
Hair Coloring Levels
4. What is the Correct Bleach to Developer Ratio?
The recommended bleach to developer ratio is1 part Bleach to 2 parts developer.
This will give you a fairly runny mix which will be easy and quick to apply.
Our recommended "fairly runny" mix will make it easier to cover all the hair evenly, thus avoiding patchy results.
It will also allow you to work fast. This also means you have longer to work before the mixture turns dry.
The only time you will need a thicker mixture which won't drip is when you aredoing a balayage (free painting of highlights) or when you have a small area - for example a dark regrowth which you want to focus on.
Ifa thicker mix is preferred, 1 part lightener to 1 part developer is good.
5.How do I Mix the Bleach With the Developer?
Use the scoop provided in your Ugly Duckling bleach to measure out the bleach. Then you can use the same scoop to measure out your developer.
Later, when you are more experienced, you can do it by sight.
Mix the bleach with your color brush until it forms a smooth consistency (similar to gravy).
Do this in a plastic mixing bowl.Add the developer to the powder bleach a little at a time, stirring as you do.
What a bleach mix should look like - runny, but not too runny.
5. How Should I Apply the Bleach on the Hair?
Hair bleach is just like hair color. It is best applied on dry, unwashed hair.
Unwashed hair contains natural hair oils & this helps protects the hair during the bleaching process.
Before bleaching, just brush the hair so that you can then section & apply easily.
When applying, make fine segments using a tailcomb. Apply segment by segment and keep moving around.
Always start in the areas where the hair is thickest or darkest. Hair at the back is generally the slowest to bleach.
6. How Long Should I Leave the Bleach on the Hair?
Video Tutorial - How Long Should you leave bleach on the hair?
If your client's hair is blonde (level 7 and higher) aim at between 15-20 minutesusing 20 Vol developer.
If your client's hair is dark blonde/light brown (level 5-6), aim at around 30 minutes using 30 Vol developer.
If your client's hair is brown/dark brown (level 4-5), aim at around around 30-40 minutes using 30 Vol developer with fresh mix added in during processing time.
The above indications apply to Ugly Duckling bleaches only. Not all bleaches have the same lifting property.
More important than the time is the target color that you are aiming for.
You need to keep watching and rinse only when the hair has been sufficiently lifted.
Remember, in most casesyou need to try & achieve a very pale yellow - level 9 or 10. See pictures below for what level 9 and 10 look like.
You need to check that the hair is lifting every 10 minutes.
If there are parts which are drying out and still not lifted to very pale yellow, make some more fresh mix and just add it in.
BLEACHED HAIR, LEVEL 9 DURING PROCESSING
BLEACHED HAIR, RINSED & TOWEL DRIED - LEVEL 9.
BLEACHED HAIR. RINSED & TOWEL DRIED - LEVEL 10
7.How do Ian application of bleach on the root area?
Generally speaking, virgin regrowth near the root will process and lift fairly quickly due to the heat of the scalp.
20 Vol developer is what you need for the regrowth area near the scalp. Never use anything stronger there unless you have some color removal you need to do.
If your client's ends are perfectly light and only your regrowth is dark,then you only need to apply bleach on the regrowth area.
How long you leave it in will once again depend on how quickly that part takes to get to level 9/10.
Brilliant Blondexx is a great lightener to use for a near root application - it's more comfortable & we do strongly recommend it for near root applications.
Note that you don't actually need to deposit the bleach mixture on the scalp: we recommend you stay1/8 inch away from the root area.
The mixture will travel up, and the heat from the scalp will take care of the rest.
Section the hair finely when you apply your color, using a "pasting" motion with the brush.
Then flick over a new section with your tail-comb and continue in this way.
The finer and more consistent your sections, the better a lifting result you will get.
Near Root application with Brilliant Blondexx Bleach
Brilliant Blondexx Bleach processing for 35 min near the root.
8. How do I do afull head bleach?
If your client's entire head is dark, or brassy you will need to do a full head application
Section the hair into 4 large sections with sectioning clips.
Then unclip one section and create mini half-inch sections using your tail comb.
Start applying bleach in the back of the head where the hair is usually darkest and thickest, working your way round to the front sections, in half-inch sections.
Work fast so that that you can give the whole head an equal amount of processing time.
Keep the root area to the last unless the hair is very short: it is going to process faster there, so you need less processing time.
If you have been using 30 Vol developer for the lengths, it is a good idea to make a fresh mix, with 20 Vol this time for the root area.
Make sure that you saturate the hair properly with the product mixture. You need to literally smother the hair with bleach.
Watch carefully and rinse when done, and rinse anyway after 30-35 minutes.
If after rinsing you see that the hair is still not a pale yellow level 9/10, so a second application, using 20 Vol developer only this time.
Section the hair, then start applying the bleach from the back.
9. How do I get a nice even consistent result from roots to ends?
Very often clients have hair which is different colors. Take the client below:
This model has:
- aregrowth area which islevel 6
- mid-lengths which have been colored but which are brassy yellow - level 8/9
- ends which have been lightened many times in the past and are really pale white blonde - level 10.
Clearly, it would be a mistake to just apply bleach to the whole head. You won't get a good result that way. You could also end up with breakage issues on those level 10 ends.
In such cases you as the hairdresser will need to have a clear bleaching strategy.
In the above case, we applied bleach first to the level 6 root area, then extended to the brassy part. We did not apply any bleach to the level 10 area.
Then we rinsed. Then we toned with an Ugly Duckling toner.
10. How do ITone the Hair After Bleaching?
You will need to tone the hair with a good quality toner. Otherwise there will always be some yellow left.
Ugly Duckling toners are very fast acting & they remove any remaining yellowness in the hair. They act in 10- 15 minutes. They can be applied on wet hair which has been towel dried after bleaching.
UseIntense Pearl Blonde100VorIntense Silver Blonde100Bif your are looking for ultra white results and your hair still has a fair amount of yellow.
UsePearl Blonde Toner 10VorSilver Blonde Toner 10Bif you are have already achieved a true level 10 and you are looking to do a refresh toning applications.
Ugly Duckling has other colors such as the blue based ash blonde series which also work very well for toning applications.
Silver GreyandSmoky Blue Grey also work very well.
| Intense Pearl Blonde 100V | Intense Silver Blonde 100B | No-Lift Pearl Blonde Toner 10V | No-Lift Silver Blonde Toner 10B |
| Silver Grey | Smoky Blue Grey | Extra Light Cold Ash Blonde 10.1B | Very Light Cold Ash Blonde 9.1B |
And remember: never ever start toning until you have brought the hair to a consistent level 10 from roots to ends.
WATCH HOW TO USE BLEACH & TONE TO ACHIEVE THIS STUNNING WHITE BLONDE RESULT:
Hair byElona Taki
11. How do I do a bleach wash?
If you want to do a quick and light color correction to remove existing color build up, mix equal parts Brilliant Blondexx Bleach, 20 Vol developer, shampoo and warm water.
Then apply and massage through the entire hair. Leave it for around 15 minutes and rinse off.
You should be able to get rid of at least basic color build-up in this way.
12. How long should I leave bleach in hair when I am using 20 Vol, 30 Vol & 40 Vol Developer?
First of all, we do not recommend you use 40 Vol developer with bleach.
If you are using a good quality bleach, (and this includes Ugly Duckling bleaches of course) it will work and lift very well with 20 or 30 Vol Developer.
For 20 and 30 Vol developer, the time taken can vary from 15 minutes up to 30 minutes.
Please note, however, there is no fixed development time with bleach - you need to check every few minutes and rinse when the hair is lifted.
If you see that certain parts of the hair are drying out during processing time or not lifting fast enough, you need to use your judgement and add in more fresh mix of bleach
13. Which Ugly Duckling Bleach is Right for Me?
If you are looking for a very gentle bleach and you are looking to lift 2-7 levels, we would recommend our new Bond Protect Brilliant Blondexx.
It's got a special ingredient which contains anti-breakage properties, it's very comfortable on the scalp, and mixes to a color-like consistency.
If you have ultra dark Asian hair, or if you have already box colored your hair and you need a super strong bleach to remove the color, then we would suggest Brilliant Blonde 8 Level+ Bleach.
It's a blue anti-dust bleach. It can lift up to 8 levels and it has been specially formulated for dark Asian hair which is the hardest of all to lift.
New Brilliant Blondexx with Bond Protect:The only lightener in the US with Bond Protect built in. Recommended for most bleaching cases, especially for near scalp and root applications.
Brilliant Blonde Lightener: 8+ Level Lift. Recommended for dark bases & where ultra high lift is needed.
Featured Products
14. What is the best bleach for black hair?
Virgin "black" hair is generally level 2/3 at its darkest. This applies to Asian hair & African hair also.
For natural dark hair, use Brilliant Blonde with 30 Vol developer on lengths. Use Brilliant Blonde with 20 Vol on the root area.
Also use 20 Vol for a second application if the hair has not lifted enough.
Brilliant Blonde has a 8 level lift and will give you good results on very dark hair if you apply correctly. Without damage.
If your hair has been box-dyed black, it may require several applications. Be patient. Don't bump up the developer level and don'yt use cheap bleach. You will only end up causing irrevocable damage.
15. What Hair Care Should I Use After Bleaching and Toning?
There are 2 hair care ranges that Ugly Duckling would recommend after bleaching.
The first is Ugly Duckling'sPurple ShampooorMask.
These products give you additional toning and help keep the hair very white. Theycontain very intense pigments which help fight yellow.
Learn More About Purple Shampoo and Mask Here.
See pictures below.
WATCH THIS SPECTACULAR PURPLE TONING VIDEO NOW:
You should also consider using the Brilliant Blondexx Hair Care & Treatment Line.
These products contain Bond Protect and help strengthen bleached hair.
Learn More About Brilliant Blondexx Hair Care Here.
16. Whatif I only want to go medium blonde. Do I still need bleach?
Using bleach is necessary whenever you want to lift hair by 3 levels and more. So if your hair is brown or even light brown (level 4) , and you want to go to medium blonde (level 8), you have a 4 level lift to do. And that requires bleach!
FAQs
Is 20 or 30 Developer better for bleaching? ›
20 volume is the highest level of developer that should be used on the scalp with bleach as the scalp produces more heat and increases the power of the developer. 30vol developer is ideal for lifting 3 levels using permanent hair color depending on the texture and natural depth of the hair.
Is bleach stronger with more or less developer? ›Does More Developer Make the Bleach Mixture Stronger? No, it will not do that. All bleaches are designed with a certain mix in mind. Ugly Duckling bleaches function very well with a 1:2 mix and will give you the lift that you need.
Is bleach and developer a 1 1 ratio? ›Although you should always follow the directions on your specific products, most professionals recommend using bleach and developer in a 1:2 ratio. Adding one part bleach to two parts developer gives you a creamy but easy-to-apply consistency.
What happens if you use too much developer with bleach? ›What happens if you put too much developer in bleach? The developer is supposed to help the bleach penetrate better into your hair cuticle, making it more powerful at removing hair pigment or “lifting”your hair color. If you add too much developer into bleach, your mixture first of all, will become too runny.
How long can I leave 20 vol bleach on hair? ›You shouldn't leave 20 volume developer bleach in your hair for more than 30 minutes. However, 30 minutes is a long time. Ideally, you can remove the bleach before reaching the 30-minute maximum, but the actual timeframe will depend on your natural hair color, preferred shade, and hair type.
How long should I leave bleach with 30 developer? ›You should leave 30 volume bleach in your hair for no longer than 15 to 30 minutes. The exact amount of time depends on your natural hair color and your desired result. For instance, if you have brown hair and want to lighten it a bit, fifteen minutes will more than likely be enough.
What happens if you use too little developer? ›What happens if you put too much of the developer in hair dye? The final shade will get diluted making the new color of your mane softer and weaker. Respectively, too little of it will result in unevenly colored strands.
Do you shampoo after bleaching? ›Shampooing and Conditioning Your Hair. Avoid washing your hair for the first 48-72 hours after bleaching it. Give your hair ample time to seal in its new color. Because bleaching is such a volatile process, your cuticles remain open for longer immediately following a bleaching session.
How do I know what volume developer to use? ›For level-on-level coloring, for toning blonde highlights without lifting, and for tone-down coloring, use 10 Vol developer. For 1-2 levels lift, use 20 Vol developer. For 2-3 levels lift, use 30 Vol developer. For any lift higher than 3 levels, it is better to use bleach first, then color.
What is the correct bleach to developer ratio? ›What is the Correct Bleach to Developer Ratio? The recommended bleach to developer ratio is 1 part Bleach to 2 parts developer. This will give you a fairly runny mix which will be easy and quick to apply. Our recommended "fairly runny" mix will make it easier to cover all the hair evenly, thus avoiding patchy results.
When bleaching hair What is the ratio? ›
Read the directions on your lightener and developer materials, not all brands are the same, but most bleach mix calls for a 2:1 ratio (meaning two parts developer to one part lightener). Don't eyeball–proper portions are important, so measure properly!
What is the bleach to developer ratio? ›Measure the Bleach and Developer
The standard ratio for developer and bleach is a 2:1 ratio. That means you'll need to blend one part of bleach for every two parts of developer.
The maximum amount of time you should leave bleach on your hair is 30 minutes. Any longer than that and you run the risk of serious damage, including brittle strands.
How can I measure my hair developer at home without a scale? ›Use Measuring Cups
If you're wondering how to measure hair dye without a scale, then you'll need some measuring cups. Make sure that they're plastic, not metal. You can use a measuring cup to measure your color and developer before mixing. You can use two separate cups or a single one that you clean out between uses.
DEVELOP TIME
If you have coily hair, or fine hair that's straight, wavy or curly, it will likely process more quickly, so don't leave the bleach on your roots for longer than 20-30 mins per quarter. We recommend checking the hair every ten minutes with a scrape test.
The Difference Between Bleaching Dry vs Wet Hair
Dying on wet hair, in general, will prevent the dye from sticking as well as it does on dry hair. If you are looking for maximum dye absorption and vibrancy, we do not recommend bleaching damp hair. Dying dry hair will allow the dye to effectively soak in better.
A blue shampoo will neutralize orange tones. For hair that has been bleached blonde, use a specifically purple shampoo, and for hair that has been bleached to a lighter brown, use a blue-tinted purple shampoo. Purple shampoos work by balancing out yellow tones, since purple and yellow are opposite on the color wheel.
How do I get my bleached hair white? ›To achieve a platinum blonde look, you need to use a toner on freshly bleached hair to make it white. To make it look pure white, you need to use a neutralizing toner. Apply a good-quality toner on freshly washed, towel-dried hair to get rid of the brassy tones.
Can I bleach my hair twice with 30 developer? ›Bleach is a very harsh chemical and should not be used more than once in a 24-hour period. Serious damage can occur to the hair if it is applied more than once in a day. This includes breakage or severe damage that may cause permanent colour loss.
Does leaving bleach on longer make hair lighter? ›The longer you leave it on, the more your natural hair color will lift, and the lighter your strands will become. If you only want a subtle change, the amount of time necessary may be less than if you're looking to make a dramatic change, like going from a dark base to platinum blonde.
What toner should I use after bleaching? ›
If you have bleached your hair and want to tone it down, blue toners are the best way to do so. Blue toners will help remove the unwanted orange tones from your hair and give you a cool ashy blonde that is perfect for any season!
Does Level 30 developer lighten hair? ›Overall, we don't recommend using 30 volume developer to lighten hair without bleach unless your hair is healthy and needs at least 2 levels of lift. If you think your hair can withstand the increased damage 30 volume developer does, it's certainly an effective way to lighten your hair by up to 2 levels.
Does 30 volume developer lift more than 20 volume? ›The 30 volume developer also works like 20 volume, but it will lighten the hair's original color by two to three and is more efficient when the desired color is no more than two levels lighter than the original color.
Can 30 developer damage hair? ›Over 30 volume can be too strong and cause burns if it touches your scalp. 30 volume developers and above are typically used on dark hair, while lower volumes, such as 10 and 20, are used for naturally lighter hair. Like any hair colouring product, hair developer can damage your hair if not used carefully.
What is the difference between 20v and 30v developer? ›20 volume developer is intended to lift the hair 1-2 levels. 30 volume developer lifts the hair three levels, and 40 volume developer lifts four levels.
How do you know what volume developer to use? ›For level-on-level coloring, for toning blonde highlights without lifting, and for tone-down coloring, use 10 Vol developer. For 1-2 levels lift, use 20 Vol developer. For 2-3 levels lift, use 30 Vol developer. For any lift higher than 3 levels, it is better to use bleach first, then color.
Will baking soda and developer lighten hair? ›When you make this mix of baking soda and developer, it essentially forms a chemical solution which acts as a bleaching agent on the hair. Basically, developer contains hydrogen peroxide, which is what lightens your hair and, in the process, also damages it. So, the more the developer, the more risk you're taking.
What is the ratio of bleach to developer? ›Measure the Bleach and Developer
The standard ratio for developer and bleach is a 2:1 ratio. That means you'll need to blend one part of bleach for every two parts of developer.
Use Measuring Cups
If you're wondering how to measure hair dye without a scale, then you'll need some measuring cups. Make sure that they're plastic, not metal. You can use a measuring cup to measure your color and developer before mixing. You can use two separate cups or a single one that you clean out between uses.
The maximum amount of time you should leave bleach on your hair is 30 minutes. Any longer than that and you run the risk of serious damage, including brittle strands.
How many shades will 20 vol lift? ›
20 volume is likely the most used developer in the salon. Twenty volume will give 1-2 levels of lift when used with permanent hair color. On finer fabrics it may even give up to 3 levels of lift. It is the standard developer for grey coverage, however, a stronger developer may be needed for more resistant hair types.
Do you shampoo after bleaching? ›Shampooing and Conditioning Your Hair. Avoid washing your hair for the first 48-72 hours after bleaching it. Give your hair ample time to seal in its new color. Because bleaching is such a volatile process, your cuticles remain open for longer immediately following a bleaching session.
How long do you leave bleach on roots? ›DEVELOP TIME
If you have coily hair, or fine hair that's straight, wavy or curly, it will likely process more quickly, so don't leave the bleach on your roots for longer than 20-30 mins per quarter. We recommend checking the hair every ten minutes with a scrape test.
After you've rinsed the bleach out, gently wash your hair with shampoo and rinse thoroughly with warm water. This will help ensure you remove every last bit of bleach from your hair. To prevent further damaging your hair, use your fingers to gently massage the shampoo into your hair, rather than vigorously scrubbing.
Will 30 developer lift dyed hair? ›With a peroxide content of 9%, 30 developer is even stronger than 10 or 20 and can lift your hair up to four color levels. People who want dramatic lightening without using bleach often turn to 30 developers, as they offer a more gentle treatment option.
How many levels does bleach lift? ›There are 10 bleach levels to lighten dark hair. It can even go to 12 levels, depending on your preference to go lighter. In most cases, these levels are determined by the natural hair pigment.
How do you bleach your hair with 20 volume developer? ›Blonde hair may lift 2 levels in as little as 10 minutes when you use 20 volume developer, while darker hair may take closer to 20 or 30 minutes to achieve 1-2 levels of lift with 20 vol developer. You should never leave bleach mixed with 20 vol developer on your hair for more than 30 minutes.