can i ask advice for bleaching my hair blonde

[Sarah510]

have grey/mousey 'used to be blonde when I was young' hair. I know you have to put in toner if you bleach your hair. but can anyone tell me where to start. I've tried googling but am so confused now... Ive been getting highlights all over and sometimes a mask to cover grey. But obviously now my natural grey/yucky dark mousey colour is coming back

Don't do it.

If you are hell bent on highlights I'd probably be inclined to leave it alone and put a semi permanent colour on for now if you don't like the grey.

I've started doing mine last year and couldn't get to grips with the cap which is really the only conceivable way of even attempting it yourself. I bought a proper one rather than the flimsy stuff you get in a home highlighting kit and still struggled.

I use the Jerome Russell highlighting kit and just streak it through with a comb but I have very thick, naturally wavy hair which is very forgiving in terms of what I do to it (I cut it myself too most of the time).

What you will definitely need is really, really good, thick deep conditioner as it will dry your hair out in a way that salon bleach definitely doesn't.

I haven't used a toner when I've done it, but you can buy them in the chemist so maybe just have a look on Boots/Superdrug, and invest in some purple toned shampoo/conditioner.

Whatever you do, wait til you can go to a hairdresser. I've never met anyone who highlights their own hair that can do it as well as a salon can (I'm not saying it's impossible, it's just deeply unlikely).

Bleach is a tricky little blighter and done badly can trash your hair. Hold out a while longer and visit someone you trust.

Ask for this to be moved to health & beauty - there will be people who can advise you over on that board.

I feel your pain OP. My roots are now looking like the 70’s trailer parks want them back... but I’m definitely waiting for hairdressers to reopen - if you mess it up, you won’t even be able to get it sorted until then anyway.

Good luck if you go for it!

I have the same problem OP - although I don't have greys yet!

If you have some grey at the root can you use the Magic Touch root touch up spray (I think that's what it's called)? It would only "blonde" the grey bits but might give you a semi permanent highlighted look, that would blend into your more overall blonde and appear more natural?

Toner also makes a HUGE difference. I look like trailer trash when I don't use it and even with 2 inch dark roots, pretty fabulous when I do. The absolute best one is Kerastase Bain ultra violet shampoo - expensive but you only need a little and well worth the money.

I have a very expensive and very nice (even if I say so myself) blonde colour on my long hair, which I don't want to fuck up. What I am thinking of doing (that I have seen on others that looks good) is running some semi permanent brown dye through the ends of the underneath section of my hair. It balances the roots out and gives a "bronde" look. It goes especially well with a tan - looks kind of seaswept. And if it goes wrong, or you don't like it, or if hairdressers reopen - you just have the ends cut off. Whilst maintaining your original professionally applied blonde colour.

Yeah, this sounds like a job for the professionals! I have highlights in mine, usually two or three colours including one bleach (and I have mousey brown hair) and there is no way I'd attempt to colour this myself. I think it's ok if you want to root touch up with one colour but I wouldn't mess about with bleach, personally. I'm just rocking my brown roots with silver strands!

I've been googling this and everything I've seen basically says: don't. It's more likely to go wrong than right.

I've done some kit highlights from a box that you apply with a mascara wand type thing, but I did need help from my husband for the back of my hair, and my hairdresser was aghast when she saw it the next time! I'd say something like that would only work on doing sparse highlights through the ends (kind of an ombre look), dont attempt to highlight the roots, just colour them light brown and try and do blonde highlights to the ends if you want.

Or do something else and put a lilac tinge through it all

If you really want to do it yourself, have a look at Bleach London. They do some home dye kit, have lots of videos on their insta and have a chat section on their website where you can ask advice from hairdressers

If you’re thinking of bleaching your own hair then I suggest you watch some Brad Mondo bleach fail videos on YouTube. That’ll put you off attempting it yourself!

Bleach is very temperamental and you can’t just whack it on hair that’s all different tones and shades. If you’ve had highlights and have roots then you’ll have at least 2 different colours in your hair and shoving a bleach on will just result in yellow and orange patchy hair and it will damage it.

Bleaching your own hair to a nice even blonde isn’t easy and it very rarely ends well. Maybe steer clear of the bleach and just get one of those root touch up kits so you’re not causing damage and it’ll be easily rectify once hairdressers are open.

Don't do it. This is a hard task even for experienced hair dressers.

Brad Mondo on YouTube will tell you everything you need to know about hair dye especially bleaching. Keep in mind box dye doesn't lift hair colour and it might take a few applications and to coat each strand well!