| Hair Bleach is a preparation which lightens the hair by | | | | need more than one kit though. |
| removing the pigmentation. The bleach reacts with the | | | | There are certain physical consequences to bleaching |
| melanin in hair, removing the color in an irreversible | | | | your hair, foremost of which is severe cortical damage. |
| chemical reaction. | | | | Breakage, split ends, and frizziness await you and will |
| The bleaching chemicals break down the melanin | | | | require constant corrective attention. Also, your hair will |
| and replaces it with the new color represented by the | | | | lose its ability to hold pigment. Whether you want to |
| accompanying tinting agent. Depending on how dark | | | | add lowlights or try another color entirely, you will enjoy |
| your hair is naturally, your underlying pigment could | | | | only temporary success. The color will come out over |
| range from rusty orange to pale yellow. Strongly | | | | a couple of washings. You will have to wait for your |
| bleached hair looks yellowish, because keratin itself is | | | | hair to grow back out, in the meantime suffering the |
| naturally pale yellow. This natural color is the reason | | | | embarassment of the reverse-skunk look. Not very |
| why an elderly person's white hair looks slightly yellow | | | | appealing. |
| at the roots. Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most | | | | If you've dyed your hair before, you don't have to test |
| common lightening agents. The peroxide is used in an | | | | it. It will turn blonde if you have dark hair, but it'll take a |
| alkaline solution, which opens the hair shaft to allow the | | | | while, and you should leave it on for about an hour if |
| peroxide to react with the melanin. Tints are added to | | | | you want it to lighten significantly. (To get my black hair |
| bleaching solutions to achieve a more pleasing shade | | | | to blonde, it took me two hours, but you should never |
| to the lightened hair. | | | | leave bleach on for more than an hour. Wash it out, |
| Before you start you will need: | | | | and do it again if it's not light enough.) You just put it on |
| - A clean towel (one that you don't care if it gets | | | | like dye and wait a while. And your hair will get lighter. |
| bleach on it), | | | | You may need a toner because it will most likely turn |
| - a plastic or glass bowl, | | | | orange (or greenish, depending on your undertones), so |
| - scissors | | | | you should get some sort of toner or dye to cover it, |
| - a stop-watch or timer. | | | | other than that, you'll be fine. |
| - You will also want to wear a shirt that you don't mind | | | | Close your bleach powder up tight for storage. Air |
| if it gets bleach on it. | | | | causes the powder to oxidate and lose its |
| - Last but not least, of course you'll need your Hot | | | | effectiveness. Double protection inside a plastic bag, |
| Topic Bleach Kit. | | | | then inside a plastic tub is a good idea to keep it fresh |
| Typically, a box bleach costs around $10. you might | | | | and ready for action. |