When it comes to coloring our hair, the majority of us are stuck with curiosity, and then we play on hair color. It’s entertainment and excitement until you’re ready to lighten your hair. Being blonde is enjoyable, but you need to be sure you’re doing it correctly.
Questions should be in mind like, What bleach or color would be suitable for your hair type? how long can you leave bleach in your hair?
Bleaching can be harmful to hair particularly if you have very dark hair, you must get it done by a colorist in order to prevent damage to your hair.
Each box of bleach for hair comes with a set of general guidelines on it, but what’s more, the bleach doesn’t know who you are. Your stylist knows who you are. They will be able to assess the type of hair you have. Are you soft? Are you sure it’s not coarse? Do you think it’s super dark? These factors influence the length of time you should allow the bleach to remain on your hair.
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So How long do you leave the bleach in your hair?
The range of time you can leave bleach residue in your hair ranges between 15 to 30 minutes. After the bleach has begun to dry, which happens within 45 minutes at maximum, it’s out of action. Therefore, allowing it to remain on longer than that will not lift more color, and can harm your hair through loss of protein. But, it all depends on several aspects, which we’ll be able to go over in the next paragraph, so stay tuned!
It’s not just about the type of hair you have and its color. It’s also how vibrant you’d like your blonde to appear.
How long can you leave 30 volume bleach in your hair?
It is not advisable to leave the 30 volume bleach in your hair for too long. You must plan this in advance, particularly when using the developer in a volume between 20 and 30. If you do not, you’ll end up with damaged hair, and it will end up being a less favorable shade that you didn’t anticipate regardless of whether it’s orange (if your hair is dark black or brown) or perhaps excessively light (if you had previously blonder or lighter brown brunette shade).
The best method to prevent breaking your heart and then tying a hat on your hair is to perform tiny strand tests. This will let you know the most appropriate time to bleach on your hair’s head.
Follow the guidelines in your bleaching kit, and do not exceed the time it suggests. It’s likely range between 15-30 minutes, however, we’ll go over the subject in greater depth later on Follow us!
Four factors to be consider before you bleach your hair
Factor 1: Your hair color – Your first Choice
One of the first things you should consider is the current hair shade. If your hair is darker is, the longer you must allow the bleach to remain in. This can cause more damage, which is why it’s important to think realistically about the shade you’d like to achieve. It could be that lighter shades each month is a good option to achieve your goal of being blonde. For hair that is light or has had bleaching before you don’t need to let bleach remain in your hair for too long.
Factor 2. The color you’re trying to achieve – The Most Important
Now, let’s discuss the hair goals you have in mind. What shade do you wish to be able to see? If you’re looking to lighten just a couple of shades, you’ll have to keep the bleach in place for a brief duration. This is also less harmful. If you’re looking to make it bolder, you’re likely to have to keep it for a longer time. This will allow the bleach to remove the pigments from the hair shaft, allowing it to reduce the amount of light it has.
Factor 3: Your hair type – The Essential
If you’ve never colored your hair, much less dyed it, then it’s completely pure. You must be extremely gentle with it, otherwise, you’ll lose the gorgeous luster. Virgin hair tends to lighten faster, so you must keep tabs on the amount of time. In fact, if you’re the only time bleaching your hair and it is dark I can’t emphasize enough that you’ll be grateful later on If you visit the colorist.
Fourth Factor: What kind of developer you are using.
For first-time bleachers and dyers, it is best to use the kits. They have everything you require in one container which makes it simple to mix the dye and bleach. It also gives you the amount of time to complete the process. You can purchase these products on their own, but if aren’t knowledgeable about bleach, color, or developer A box is the best option to ensure you don’t buy the incorrect shade.
In the salon, your colorist blends these two things and then leaves it for a specific duration based on your current hair color as well as your hair type and the shade you want, and the health of the hair. If you’re one of the people who want to leave the bleach on longer, a smaller amount of developer will be applied to limit the damage.
What can you tell when it’s time to get rid of bleach
Don’t just go with the flow when bleaching your hair. You must set the timer, and make sure you’re checking your hair on a regular basis when it’s lifted so you know whether you’re in need of additional time.
You don’t want to be able to come to the spot 30 minutes later only to be able to feel your jaw smash onto the concrete floor. Also, a Strand test can aid in determining how things will be and the length of time you can let the bleach remain.
Here’s how to conduct a strand test:
- Mix together with a tiny amount of bleach mix.
- Use the bleach solution and apply it just the ends of a couple of hairs on the bottom of your scalp.
- Make sure to check every few minutes while you’re keeping track of the time.
- Once you’ve found the shade you love it is moment to apply it to your entire head!
we would suggest only some ends placed on the bottom of your head. This way, if you don’t like it then you can trim them off, and nobody will ever notice. If however, you are in love with it, then you’ll be prepared for the bleaching session.
It’s not required to perform the strand test but If you’ve never bleached before we believe you should try it out, otherwise you could end having a color that you didn’t expect.
You may be asking? Keep going!
What happens if you leave the bleach residue in your hair too long?
Do not, we repeat, you do not wish to leave the bleach residue in your hair for too long. There are many reasons why you should stay clear of this completely:
- The damage! Bleach can cause damage. If you allow it to outstay it’s welcome, you’ll be able cause terrible damage to your hair and cause you to weep. Be sure to follow the guidelines and avoid overdoing it. If you’d like to be lighter than the results you see (remember that you should aim for two shades lighter than dark, then gradually work your way to the shade you desire in time) It is recommended to wait 14 days before trying again.
- Too light! If you weren’t looking for platinum blonde, you’ll be shocked if you let bleach sit for too for too long. And remember, damage!
- Orange! This is more than simply causing damage. Because hair is damaged and it will turn orange.
It is also important to understand that bleach ceases to do its work after a certain amount period of time. When it begins to dry the process stops and you’ll never get lighter. Instead, you’re causing damage until it gets dry and then transforming your hair to feel like it’s made of hay instead of having the sexy California sandy blonde locks that you desired.
You Left bleach in your hair for too long! now what?
If you’re going to take this action, be aware. If you’re in a state of panic because you lost focus while binge-watching Netflix or confused by the words of an ebook, here’s how you can do about the situation:
- Shampoo is not required! For a few hours or two. Your hair is dry from the bleach and you have to let the natural oils that come from sebum build up. It is possible to condition it So, go for it.
- Go intensive! A deep conditioning treatment such as a cream masque or oil for hair that is applied every other time before shampooing can be a boon. It is also possible to sleep on it and cover your hair with a soft cloth to avoid breaking and prevent it from being a mess on your pillows. Rinse it off and hairstyle it the next day.
- Leave-in love! The use of a leave-in conditioner is perfect for every day use to ensure your hair stays moisturized. It can also prevent hair from appearing like a frizzed-up dry-out witch’s hairstyle too.
- Make sure you have protein masks! They should be used for the next week following bleaching your hair. The more fragile it will be, the greater the frequently you need to apply this. It is also possible to mix an egg and one spoonful of yogurt to make a protein-based mask. Buy one similar to Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask. Whatever you choose to do, let it on for 30 minutes and rinse with cold water.
- Don’t wet your hair! It’s a major sin in the world of hair treatment, even if you did not smudge your hair by bleach. Instead, you should use an e-wrap or in the absence of or a t-shirt that is soft to wrap it gently and allow it to dry naturally.
- Supplement! Healthy hair starts from within and that’s why you should begin taking the right supplements to nourish your hair from the inside. The fish oil supplements are excellent however for those who are vegan or vegetarian or don’t wish to smell like fish throughout the day, you can use flaxseed oil.
There’s a chance that you’ll see some damage near the ends, which is why it’s advisable to have a cut in order to eliminate the problem before it gets any more severe. See your stylist immediately and have it professionally done and especially if the hair is breaking at the mid-length.
If slicing off your hair completely sounds as if it’s the death of your hair (it is) it is possible to have one-quarter inch cut each month and gradually but surely rid you of the harm. Be sure to limit sun exposure, look out for hair styling tools that are heated and allow your hair to grow back to its healthy state or you could increase the damage.
Some common mistakes to avoid while bleaching hair
There’s a reason that colorists who are professionals advise you to not bleach yourself. Bleaching requires a gentle hand and lots of experience, which they’ve all been trained to do professionally. Also, make sure to consult with your stylist, however, if you’re not inclined to follow our advice take a look at the mistakes that are made by people who are bleaching at home to ensure that you’re able to avoid them.
a. Not ready and prepared
Have you ever attempted to cook a dish and there’s nothing you require? It’s like following the headless chicken in your kitchen. It’s the same for the bleaching process for your hair. You must ensure that you have everything ready to go. If not, you’ll end needing to go to the shop or, more, you’ll have to wing it because you’ve forgotten something.
b. Not following instructions
You should have a look at the directions regarding coloring your hair and bleach as well. One should always do this even after having read them hundreds of times. This helps ensure you don’t forget anything. You could end up missing adding developer due to being distracted. This would have been a massive error!
c. Avoiding testing strands
If you’ve never bleached your hair previously and are aware of the time it takes to reach the desired blonde shade Don’t forget to do the hair strand test. Even if you’ve bleached previously, it’s easy to get overly proud about it and forget that what worked for you when you had lighter in blonde could be too dark for you now. Make sure you check yourself first!
d. letting bleach dry for too long
The 15 to the 30-minute timeframe we mentioned at the beginning is contingent on a variety of aspects that we discussed earlier. Do not leave the bleach in your hair for too long. You’ll regret it.
e. Not undergoing the deep conditioning process prior to bleaching
If you’re thinking of doing your own bleaching at home, or even having it professionally done deep conditioning in the weeks prior to the bleaching process can do amazing. This will help ensure your hair is strong and reduce the damage. You can also apply coconut oil. There’s a whole blog dedicated to how long to keep coconut oil in your hair prior to bleaching.
f. Don’t pay attention to the texture or condition of the skin
You’ve bleached hair but it didn’t get to the color you desired yet. You might want to do it over yet again, but make sure to examine your hair first. If it is dry or splits, it’s is not the best time to try to bleach it again. A consultation with a professional will give you a better idea of when you’ll return to the process however, during the meantime, you should begin working in deep conditioning.
g. Hair that is over-styling after bleaching
If you’ve brought your hair’s color to the edge by bleaching, you’re probably doing it no favors by cooking it at high temperatures. Even with a heat-protection spray (which you must always use regardless of what type of hair you’re wearing), it can cause damage to your hair.
h. Doing the whole head instead of only the roots
Then let’s say you’ve bleached hair and had some results, or visited a professional. Now, you’re struggling with those roots! Whatever you do, simply make sure you touch the roots up and do not apply bleach to the entire head.
i. Skipping the use of toner
If you end up with shiny hair it’s best to apply toner. If the color is orange, it’s time to be bleached slightly longer. Do not skip the toner and head to another bleaching. Also, we discuss the problems with hair that is orange following bleaching in another article. For toner, it helps to restore color after the hair was stripped of color. It doesn’t change your hair’s color, however.
It is also important to choose the correct toner. The use of purple should be done cautiously as it may cause the bleach to fade and cause hair that’s purple. If you don’t want to have purple hair as your final result do not use it! It is also possible to use ammonia-based hair toners, however, they’re mixed with developer and can be quite harsh. One of the most effective options is the purple shampoo since it helps keep your cool tones, and is very soft.
Final Words on how long you can leave the bleach in your hair.
Do not leave the bleach in your hair for longer than the recommended time for any bleach kit. Always test an individual strand to see the time it takes to get your hair in the right direction because there are many different ways to achieve the same result. one hair may take 20 minutes to reach the perfect blonde, while for you it could be just 15 minutes. Five minutes may not seem like a lot of lengthy, however, when bleaching takes place, things could accelerate very quickly.
Care for your hair, and follow guidelines to end up with gorgeous hair instead of hair that tears you!