THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BLEACH YOUR HAIR
Did you know that Marilyn Monroe, arguably the most famous blonde ever, was born a brunette? Being naturally blonde is a lot rarer than you may think. Only 2% of people worldwide are born blonde and 1 in 3 women bleach their hair.
There are quite a few natural blonde celebs including Reese Witherspoon, Angelina Jolie, Leighton Meetser, Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone. Then you’ve got Beyonce, Jessica Nkosi, Boity and Anele Mdoda who have all played around with blonde hair colour. Blonde is a classic hair colour that some of us are born with, while others have to fake it. So, if being a blonde will make you feel fabulous and you’re going to try bleach your hair, here’s what you need to know.
Hair Bleaching Tips
Tip 1: Prepare your hair
Before you go off and start bleaching your hair, you will have to treat it well in the weeks before. International Hairstylist, Arthur Sebastian, explains: “Bleaching your hair makes it lighter by chemically reducing the amount of pigment in your hair's strands. Bleach is hard on your hair, so take good care of it. Minimise the use of chemicals and maximise the use of moisturising and protein-boosting treatments a few weeks in advance of bleaching.”
Treat your hair with TRESemmé Botanic Moisture & Replenish Oil Mist. It’s enriched with coconut oil and aloe vera to boost moisture and replenish hair.
Tip 2: Know What You’re in For
Not everyone can go blonde overnight, unless of course you have very light brown hair. If you have dark brown or black hair, you will probably have to do multiple rounds of bleach. This can leave your hair extremely damaged due to the chemical treatment. Make sure you space out your bleaching sessions over several months.
Tip 3: It’s Permanent
Bleaching is a de-colouring process that involves using hydrogen peroxide and ammonia to strip your hair of its melanin (the primary determinant of the colour of your skin, hair and eyes). This means that it’s irreversible.
Tip 4: Select your colour carefully
There are so many different shades of blonde to choose from. So do your research to see which shade is possible for your hair and skin tone.
Tip 5: Know When You Bleach Your Hair
If you’ve recently dyed, highlighted or relaxed your hair, wait a minimum of two weeks before bleaching. This is one of the most important hair care tips because hair that is brittle, dry or breaking, should not be bleached. Also make sure your scalp health is in tip-top shape.
Tip 6: Don’t Wash Your Hair Before Bleaching It
Stylists advise that bleach does not need to go on clean hair, and that it's actually healthier for your hair to be a little oily when you bleach. In fact, the oils in your hair help to protect your scalp during the bleaching process. So, however tempting it may be, do not wash your hair before getting it bleached!
Now that you know what to do before bleaching your hair, here’s what you need to know to keep those blonde tresses looking their best.
Tip 7: Bleached Hair Requires Maintenance
Don’t be surprised if your new hair colour rinses out after a few washes. Because you’ve bleached your tresses, there’s no way of completely adding colour back. Bleaching raises the outer cuticle of your hair to allow chemicals to penetrate each strand. So, while your hair absorbs hair dye easily, it can also just as easily lose it. This means you’ll need frequent top-ups!
Tabitha Dueñas, celebrity colourist from Los Angeles has this to say: “When it comes to maintaining the integrity of blonde hair, finding a happy and healthy medium between protein and moisture is the name of the game. Alternating between moisture and protein—and not overdosing on either—is the most important thing when it comes to caring for blonde hair.”
And, the good news…
Tyler Colton, a Honey Hairstylist says, "With today's advances in technology with hair products, there is no longer any reason to worry about bleaching your hair. The only thing you will need to worry about is finding the right hair colourist to do it for you. Be sure to see a professional hair colourist when using bleach. It’s a chemical that should be left to the professionals."
Using shampoo for colour-treated hair such as TRESemmé’s Colour Revitalise Shampoo and Conditioner will help prevent your colour from fading. TRESemmé’s Advanced Colour Vibrancy technology will keep your hair vibrant and healthy. Protect your colour-treated hair with the right care and your locks won’t lose their lustre.
Now step out there in your new colour and go have some fun.
