Hair bleaching: features, popular products and technology
It is no secret that hair bleaching is a very harmful procedure and spoils the quality of the hair. But modern technology has made the formulations less toxic. It was they who made it possible to try out the procedure for bleaching curls to almost all girls of our time. Read about how bleaching is done and how to minimize the effects of hair damage in this article.
What it is?
It is well known that the technology of hair bleaching is to wash out the pigment from the curls. The amount of pigment, like its color, is individual for each person and is determined by the inherited set of genes. When bleaching light brown hair, yellow pigment remains, and dark hair then looks light blond with an orange tint. Of course, such formulations can also wash out artificial pigments. In this case, the subsequent shade is difficult to predict if the painting was not done by a high-class master.
It is necessary to distinguish between two different procedures - lightening and bleaching. The first assumes a partial washout of the pigment, and the second - a complete washout to the "ash" shade.
Departing from the topic, it is worth noting that bleached hair does not hold dye well. In order to acquire and consolidate a new shade, you need at least 3 or 4 staining procedures.
Features of discoloration during pregnancy
As surprising as it may seem, discoloration for pregnant women is becoming much more relevant than for other women.It is during this period that the body gives all its reserves of nutrients to the baby, and the woman looks even a little worse every day.
There are many hypotheses about the dangers of almost all hair-dyeing compounds on the fetus. But, you should know that there is no scientific evidence for this.... Usually, the chemicals contained in the formulations, if they are harmful, are immediately for both the mother's body and the child.
Simply put, harm from inferior quality products will affect women who are not in a position. But this only applies to budget or homemade products. Modern manufacturers, and especially well-known brands with a good reputation, do not allow themselves to use formulations that negatively affect the body. In particular, the external effect of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide does not in any way affect the body of the expectant mother and child.
While the risks of dye exposure are so low, the following guidelines are best for bleaching hair:
- The procedure itself is best done during the second trimester. During this period, the risk of unforeseen situations decreases, since the fetus is already strong.
- Use formulations only with natural dyes. White henna is a prime example of such a natural bleaching agent.
- Try or ask the master not to apply the mixture to the hair roots, and even more so to the scalp.
- Avoid applying formulations containing heavy metals. They are generally harmful to any organism.
By following these simple rules, you can reduce the harmful effects of substances on the fetus. Unless, of course, you still have doubts about causing irreparable harm to your health. Separately, it is worth noting the fact that drugs taken by mouth can have a much more tangible effect on a child than cosmetics that are applied to the outer layers of the skin and its derivatives.
Advantages and disadvantages
There are many not very positive consequences of this procedure, here are some of them:
- There is a high likelihood of scalding your hair. The alkaline medium of the composition negatively affects the hair scales, as a result of which they begin to open. This state of each hair, together, gives the effect of disheveled, thin hair.
- The formulations "wash off" the natural protection of the hair. As it has already become obvious, they become unprotected and lose their luster.
- Negative effect on the sebaceous glands of the scalp. The mixture dries not only the hair, but also the skin, contact with which is almost inevitable during the procedure, if the hair is lightened from the roots. This, in turn, leads to the fact that the protective layer of the follicle ceases to be produced, as a result of which the curls can begin to fall out.
- Sometimes such procedures can be accompanied by unpleasant sensations, including itching, burning, and even minor skin burns.
- The bleaching procedure is time consuming and expensive. Expenditures will continue after the procedure - for regular corrections and care products.
But, as with any procedure, there are positive aspects:
- With the right choice of the "cold / warm" shade, there is practically no representative of the fair sex who does not have a light shade of hair.
- It looks equally good on both long hair and short hair.
- With a high level of product quality, the formulations do an excellent job both with thin hair without causing severe damage to it, and with thick and tough curls.
- The procedure can become a "magic wand" for owners of gray hair. Discoloration can completely hide gray hair.
- Reduces the oiliness of the scalp and hair. If you are faced with the problem of an oily head, then discoloration will help not only cope with this problem, but also refresh the image.
In general, it must be said that discoloration is worth trying for all girls, especially if there is a financial opportunity to afford the work of a high-class master.
How do they bleach hair?
In the professional hairdressing environment, various hair bleaching products are called dyes of the first group. One of the brightest representatives of this group is "paint" based on hydrogen peroxide (30%). As part of the "paint", peroxide should be used only together with a catalyst - ammonia (3%).
The solution is mixed in the following proportion: one part of alcohol to three parts of peroxide. It is worth remembering that alcohol accelerates the action of hydrogen peroxide, so if you add too much alcohol, the hydrogen peroxide will completely decompose into its constituent components. Sometimes ammonia is replaced with ammonium bicarbonate. He is able to "remove" red or yellow tint, which is a frequent consequence of discoloration. The ratio of hydrogen peroxide to ammonium is six to one.
Also, the composition for bleaching includes water (the recommended temperature is about 50 degrees) and shampoo (no more than 60 grams per 100 grams of the composition). When applied, this composition resembles a liquid cream, it acts on the hair and scalp relatively harmlessly, but the effect as a result is not always expected and desired. Such a composition is easy to make at home.
Known for several decades and the very first hair bleaching remedy are hydroperite tablets. They are a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and urea. This mixture has a rather depressing effect on the hair, and leaves burns on the skin. Nevertheless, it is still used now, but only to lighten unwanted hairs on the body.
Hydroperite, when kept for a long time, completely destroys the hair structure, which can be very desirable for body and face hair.
Ready-made hair bleaching powders do their job much better. There are several brands that have received positive reviews.
- A fairly well-known clarifier is "Blondoran special". The powder is mixed with hydrogen peroxide (6-12%) to form a paste, after which it is applied to the hair. Used for highlighting or complete bleaching. It "gets along well" with all shades of hair. Does not require long exposure, the maximum time is 50 minutes. The mixture "Blondeoran-Supra" also received good reviews. Quite similar to the previous product, with minimal risk of hair damage.
- Other soft products that are relatively affordable for every customer are L'oreal blonde supreme... Differs in a rather sparing effect on the hair. However, not quite suitable for dark hair.
- Another manufacturer - "Rocolor". Products of this brand can be attributed to budget options. Maintains the natural hair color as much as possible, while making it lighter. Also suitable only for girls with blond hair.
If it is necessary to lighten the hair for several tones, it is quite possible to do only with the application of oxide. For this, 6% concentration is sufficient.
How often can the procedure be performed?
It should be noted right away that you cannot carry out the bleaching procedure again immediately after the previous procedure.
If the desired shade was not achieved the first time, then the next procedure should be performed at least with a break after one or two weeks.
Sometimes the procedure for bleaching hair is carried out only in order to get rid of an unwanted shade after an unsuccessful dyeing. In this case, you also need to wait at least half a month after the first procedure, if you want to completely "wash off" the previous color.
When carrying out a simple and "home" procedure for clarifying with lemon juice, in which you only need to mix equal proportions of lemon juice and water, and later apply it to your hair, do not worry about the frequency.
The next such bleaching procedure can be done half an hour after the last one.
Technology
The technology for applying the composition to the hair in general is not difficult, but it requires care and accuracy, and sometimes speed. Before the procedure, it is necessary to prepare the tools in advance: cotton swabs, a brush for applying the paste and protective gloves.
The instruction includes the following steps:
- Since bleaching compositions can cause chemical burns, it is necessary to protect the skin as much as possible. Clothing will also require protection - for this it will be enough to cover your shoulders, and sometimes your neck, with a thick towel. The skin around the hairline, and especially the forehead and temples, must be lubricated with a cream with high fat content.
- Now you can start to dilute the mixture. You need to mix all the ingredients quickly and in the right proportions, since such compositions can lose their properties every minute or even decompose.
- The curls are carefully combed and divided into strands. It is recommended not to wash your hair for several days before the procedure, so that a natural protection is formed on them.
- The main point is the application of the composition. If the hair has not previously been discolored, then in this case the composition is not applied to the roots. The optimum distance from the roots to the "line" of applying the mixture is 3-5 centimeters. The paste is applied carefully to each strand and evenly distributed over the entire length.
- After you have finished applying to the bulk of the hair, you need to apply the mixture to the vellus hair as well.
- Comb and collect hair thoroughly. Leave on for 10 minutes.
- This step should be done by those who do not dye their hair for the first time. It is necessary to apply the mixture to the roots of the curls. Leave on for another 20 minutes.
- The penultimate stage is rinsing the mixture from the hair. This is best done with lukewarm water. Then you need to rinse your hair with a solution of lemon juice and vinegar (9%).
- The final step is to get rid of moisture with a terry towel and comb the strands.
Sometimes hair toning is added to the procedure - for a more natural or desired shade.
Professionals recommend applying the mixture starting with the curls at the back of the head and gradually moving towards the strands at the crown and temples. It is also worth considering the fact that for each composition, the exposure time is different.
This is especially true for ready-made mixtures from manufacturers of professional products.
Possible problems
If you need to re-bleach your hair in less than two weeks, it is recommended to apply a mild ammonia-free dye after the first procedure. This will reduce the subsequent exposure to the clarifier. It is best to opt for honey or golden shades. Dyes with violet pigments are also used. As a rule, this situation is faced by the owners of dark hair, for whom the transformation, for example, into "platinum blond", from the first procedure is very difficult.
Lightening hair can become even more problematic if the head of hair has previously been regularly dyed with persistent dark dyes. Sometimes in such cases, after the lightening procedure, the hair may turn red, pink or acquire a pronounced green tint. The best option would be to tint such hair, and after two weeks, do the lightening procedure again.
So that the hair simply does not fall off, especially after repeated procedures, it is necessary to perform thorough daily care within a month after the last procedure. We'll talk about this in more detail below.
If hair falls out after bleaching, then you need to take the subsequent care more seriously. To do this, you need to apply special masks, which include castor and burdock oils. The use of coconut oil will be useful.
All ingredients must be mixed in equal proportions and heated in a water bath, and then rubbed into the hair roots. Then the hair is covered with a bag and kept warm (in a towel) for several hours (from two to a whole night).This mask is easily washed off with shampoo and water. Typically, hair loss is characteristic of initially brittle, dry and severely damaged hair.
Care
In this section, we'll talk about the general care for any hair that needs to be done after this procedure. If for hair that has not been exposed to any formulations, care is optional, but still desirable, then for hair that has undergone a lightening procedure, it is simply necessary. The main care is the regular application of masks and balms. It is also necessary to purchase sulfate-free shampoos.
The homemade mask made from olive oil, yolk, honey and cognac received positive reviews. All ingredients must be mixed in the amount of 1 tablespoon and one piece (for the yolk).
Such a mask should be “kept warm” on the head for a couple of hours, and then washed off with non-hot water.
Try to minimize the influence of various thermal effects as much as possible. It is best to wash your hair with soft water rather than from the tap. To do this, it will be enough to boil it. Now on sale there are special water filters that soften water with chlorine.
In conclusion, it should be said that the demand for hair bleaching procedure is growing every year. In addition, there is, perhaps, not a single stylist of our time who does not advise slightly lightening the hair of every woman.
Hair bleaching is a very delicate and time-consuming process. The video below shows a technique that will help to evenly discolor the roots that have grown by more than 2 cm.You need to know this, since if the lightening mixture is applied immediately to the entire treated area, then in the root area (1-1.5 cm) the curls will lighten more , and also a white stripe will appear, which will subsequently create problems.