I Bleached My Pure Hair to a “Honey Blonde” Shade at Residence—Here is How
Like many different Black ladies, I used to be positively skeptical of bleaching my hair at dwelling at first. I had been advised that pure hair is already so frail, and in case you bleach it, the implications may very well be much more devastating than relaxer harm. Nonetheless, I felt like I wanted a change. Possibly it was 2020, or perhaps it was my impulse to do one thing completely different. Both method, I made a decision to embark on the hair journey of bleaching my hair, and it turned out fairly fabulous—finally.
I went from a novice ability stage to intermediate information pretty shortly with the assistance of my finest mates Maria, who skillfully dyes her hair regularly. Regardless of Maria’s great assist, I had fairly a little bit of studying to do when it got here to the particular wants of pure hair when it got here to bleaching, and I realized fairly just a few issues all through the method that I am sharing under in case you, too, have the urge to bleach your pure strands.
Begin with Wholesome Hair
Earlier than bleaching my hair, I had been carrying it in protecting types. I had simply taken down my crochet braids and my hair was in want of a superb conditioning remedy and a few hair masks. I really like Sheamoisture, Hello Professional Pac, HASK, Cantu and Organix merchandise—plus, they’re inexpensive and add a heavy dose of moisture to my hair. Additionally, my new go-to is the wholesome hair and beard oil from Naturals by Naj on Etsy.
I needed to verify my hair was as robust as doable, so I additionally added a rice rinse to my prep, only for good measure.
In the event you bleach hair that’s dry, broken or brittle, it might result in a whole lot of breakage. Redken and Mizani Model Ambassador, Leysa Carrillo, a colorist with over 12 years of expertise, says that it is all about beginning with a wholesome canvas earlier than including coloration. “Wholesome texture begins with steadiness, power and moisture,” she says. “I like to recommend Mizani Scalp Dry Care Shampoo and Dry Scalp Conditioner for shoppers who want so as to add moisture to their scalp and take away buildup earlier than coming to the salon for a coloration service.”
Maintaining your Curls Poppin’
I headed to Sally’s and bought the L’Oreal Honey Blonde Everlasting Hair Coloration, L’Oreal Fast Blue bleach, a stage 40 developer, an Ardell coloration additive (to do away with the brassiness) and the Redken purple shampoo. In a while, I realized that this was somewhat overkill, however the course of was profitable. Properly, profitable, that’s, for the primary utility.
Like different hair textures, pure hair usually takes just a few functions of bleach earlier than it turns into blonde. So, I shortly turned accustomed to deep conditioning my hair for days after a bleach utility till I reached my desired coloration.
Doing so helped me preserve my hair moisturized and gave it a break between bleach therapies, however it additionally introduced my curls again. One product specifically revitalized my curls higher than the remaining: the Ion Efficient Care Remedy made my curls very joyful. Nonetheless, experimenting on pure hair isn’t for everybody, as for many of us, the very last thing we wish to see is our hair to interrupt off.
Carrillo presents a tip in an effort to defend your curl sample. “By way of lightening the hair, it’s so vital that your colorist makes use of a lightener with a bonder additive, like Redken Flash Elevate Bonder Inside, to maintain the curl sample intact,” he says. “Having a built-in bonder in your lightener means additional safety for the hair.”
Attending to your Excellent Shade of Blonde
My objective was to get to a honey blonde, which I assumed would go effectively with my pores and skin tone. At dwelling, I used the L’Oreal Honey Blonde dye with a stage 30 developer and the Organix Further Power and the Refreshing Scalp + Tea Tree Mint shampoo and conditioner. For the primary spherical of bleaching, I allowed it to course of for an hour beneath a plastic bathe cap that I coated with a microwavable thermal deep conditioning cap from Amazon to hurry up the lifting course of. After my first time bleaching, my hair was brassy. I waited till every week later and determined to make use of the L’Oreal Fast Blue Powder Bleach and a 30 developer. This time, I used Not Your Mom’s Blonde Second Purple Remedy Conditioner. I continued till I had the shade of blonde I desired.
Nonetheless, I ultimately went somewhat too blonde after just a few functions in an try to paint some new progress and needed to backtrack. As an alternative of simply coloring the roots, I added a wholly new stage of blonde that had me at platinum.
Whereas attempting out completely different shades and tones of blonde is hard, it labored out effectively for me and I obtained my hair again to honey blonde. Fortunately, there wasn’t any burning or drastic shedding. I at all times adopted up with loads of hair masks and deep conditioners for my hair. I used hair masks from Ion, Sheamoisture, Cantu and Mizani, and Naturals By Naj’s Wholesome Hair and Beard Oil.
Typically I’d go away masks in for as much as two weeks as a result of my hair was very thirsty and somewhat stringy from the chemical substances. I wanted to get my curl sample again and it took a while, however my curls had been very joyful to have fixed moisture. Be aware of your hair’s porosity stage and the way a lot moisture is best for you. For my kind 4 curl sample, I wanted all of the hydration doable.
In the event you’re not snug with figuring it out by your self, I don’t blame you. It may be dangerous and costly to maintain bleaching your hair after which adjusting it. I solely want I had identified in regards to the Redken Excessive Bleach Restoration System sooner. I take advantage of it now, and it really does wonders.
Repairs and Upkeep
The quantity of care that your hair will want varies from individual to individual, however for pure hair, it typically contains a whole lot of moisturizing and conditioning.
For me, the important thing was to stay to protecting types, like twists outs. Warmth seldom touches my hair, as an excessive amount of warmth and bleached pure hair is a method for catastrophe. Nonetheless, one of many many perks of getting pure hair is that it could possibly stand up to much more than chemically relaxed hair. Except somebody makes use of Henna or a extra pure colorant, bleaching on high of enjoyable your hair is a quick technique to make all of it fall off. Pure hair has a a lot better likelihood of bouncing again, with some tender love and care, after all.
“Mizani’s 25 Miracle Depart-In Cream is a should for coloration handled hair. It’s a multi-benefit leave-in cream with UV safety for color-treated hair that defines curls and coils and addresses dryness,” Carillo says. “I like to recommend that my shoppers with color-treated hair use masks weekly. My favourite masks is Mizani’s True Textures Moroccan Clay Steam Masks, a deep-conditioning hair masks remedy for curls and coils that reduces dryness, enhances softness, improves manageability, and restores moisture.” Carrillo additionally offers the useful reminder to trim your cut up ends recurrently, and rent knowledgeable if wanted.
I personally love the Cream of Nature hair masks and the SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Restore Protein-Robust Remedy. Be aware of your hair’s pure porosity when selecting which merchandise will work finest. Do not forget that curl patterns fluctuate and what works for us, might not be just right for you.
One Closing Phrase
Although I’ve share what labored for me, Carillo was adamant that if you wish to keep away from a possible hair emergency, you must at all times, at all times flip to knowledgeable. “I consider that everybody ought to be capable to have enjoyable with coloration and inform all my shoppers that they will experiment with out risking the well being of their hair by going to a professional they belief,” he says.
