I wanted to write this post for so long but have never had time to do it properly. I get a lot of e-mails, comments and messages from girls asking how do I dye my hair, what products do I use etc... I decided that it was best if I wrote a full post on how I do it, share some tips and how to's in one place, rather than just explaining the whole process each time someone asks. Plus, you can bookmark this article and get back to it any time you need a reminder.

I have been bleaching my hair myself for few years now and am pretty satisfied with the outcome most of the time. However, before I had the guts to try and do that myself, my hair has been regularly dyed by a professional hair dresser. That's where I picked up my skills from. I'm always stressing this and I cannot stress it enough - if you aren't absolutely sure what you're doing, it's best if you leave it to pros. It's not only your hair at stake, but your scalp and overall health. These type of things are not to be taken for granted, so please always read the instructions on the box, take precaution measures, consult a professional. I also need to state that I'm self taught, but have been learning for a year before I tried dyeing my own hair. In that time period, I found out what works for my hair and what doesn't. With that being said, what I'm about to write here may or may not work for you and your hair. Note that every type of hair is different and you need to see what's best for you. So, let's start!

First, let's discus products that you'll need. I'm not big on clothing labels as you probably already know and the same goes for products. So I can't really recommend a particular brand, because I use anything that I find at the drugstore. But I have some tips that'll help you pick the right ones.

1. Bleach - Since I bleach my hair every month (or sometimes two), my roots are approximately 2-3cm long. For that length, I recommend using a 30g or 50g pack of bleach. Look for the powder that has a purple or blue tone to it, that'll help prevent the canary yellow tone in your hair. If you can't find any of them, use regular white powder, it will work just fine.

2. Developer/ Peroxide - I always use 12% (40vol) peroxide or do a 50:50 mix with 9% (30vol). I know, I know, it damages my hair so much, right? Well not really and I'll explain why later on.

3. Toner/ purple shampoo/ hair dye - This is mandatory if you seek white/ greyish hair. For toners, always look for those that have the purple tone or are white. If you use hair dye for toning, use the whitest of whites or silver/ grey ones.

4. A plastic bowl, a brush, a comb, few plastic hair clips - Pretty self explanatory. Never use metal crafted bowls, brushes, combs and hair clips when working with peroxide and hair dyes, it can cause damage.

Before I start describing the process, I'd like to share some tips:

- First and foremost, if you want your hair icy white, don't fool yourself into thinking you'll get the result by just dyeing your hair with white dye. You won't. Bleach is not the same as dye. What bleach does is giving you an empty canvas by pulling the pigment out of your hair, whereas dye just adds color to it. I know a lot of girls that have been dyeing their hair every month just because "their hair will fall out if they used bleach". Let's try simple math. What's more damaging - 12x dying with 9-12% peroxide or 1x bleaching with 9-12% peroxide? Yeah, I thought so too. If you get it right the first time, you won't need to do it again. Then it's all maintenance from there - you will only have to dye the roots once they grow out.

- If you're planning on bleaching your hair soon, always allow it to get really greasy beforehand. I know it's gross, but it'll protect your scalp. Do not ever apply bleach or any kind of dye to clean hair - it can cause severe damage to your scalp and hair and cause burns, hair breakage and falling out. And it burns like hell.

- Try to work quickly but carefully

- Wear old clothes while dyeing your hair - you don't want to ruin your shiny new stuff.

- When buying the products ALWAYS check expiration dates!

- Do not start the process if you're in a hurry. It can easily go wrong and you'll have no time to fix it. Take your time if you want to get it right! I like to clear out my schedule for the whole day when I'm planning on dyeing my hair.

- I don't use gloves as it's easier for me to work that way. However, I recommend using them because the bleach can burn a bit, especially if you have ripped cuticles or scratches.

The process:

1. Take your plastic bowl and pour your powder and peroxide and mix them together until smooth. For 50g of bleach powder I recommend using at least 120ml of peroxide. Feel free to add more if your mixture is too thick. Be careful not to make it too liquid though. It needs to be just right, like yogurt for example. As for the peroxide strength, I personally use 12% or 9% developer. My natural hair is very dark and it's the only way I can get the lightest shade possible. You can use 6% or even 3% developer, if your hair is already blonde. Since I've never used those, I can't guarantee you will get the desired color. Now, if you ask any hairdresser, he'll tell you that 9% is the best. However, I found that it doesn't work for me as my hair turns bright canary yellow every time. Onto the next step!

2. Section your hair using a comb. I like to do the front part first because I want the bleach to work longer in that area - no one cares if there are yellow parts in the back, the front is what's important. It's best if you do one by one section, lightly combing through each time you apply the bleach. DO NOT apply it to already bleached hair as it's likely to cause damage! Make sure you distribute the bleach evenly so all of the dark parts are covered. So let's review - section, apply, comb through. Repeat until you're done.
If you're bleaching your hair for the first time, same goes. Section, apply evenly and try to work as quick as possible. When all of the hair is coated, take a big piece of foil or a plastic bag and wrap it around your head. This helps develop the color faster as it preserves the heat to leave the head. Leave the bleach to work its magic for at least 30 minutes. I leave it to an hour. After 30 minutes check the process. You're shooting for a light yellow so if it hasn't reached that shade yet, leave it for another 20-30 minutes. It's important that you don't panic and rinse it out earlier than you should. Relax, read something, grab a snack.
If you're a redhead, have black hair or have already dyed your hair before, it's almost certain that you will not get a light yellow the first time. You might need 2 or even 3 or 4 takes. I highly recommend taking a 2-3 month breaks between each bleach job as it will allow your hair to recover. If you cannot wait that long, at least do a one-month break. Before bleaching, you can also try one of those color removers. I've never used them so I can't tell you much about them, sorry.

3. After the time is up and you've reached a light yellow shade, you can rinse out the bleach. I like to use baby shampoos as they're very gentle to your hair. Wash your hair once, twice, three times - just the way you do regularly. Warm to cold water works best at this point. After that, be sure to use a conditioner or a hair mask. Use plenty of it and leave it in. Don't rinse out!

4. You're half way there - it's time for fine tuning! The easiest way out is the purple shampoo, it works the same way as a normal shampoo. Massage it into your hair and leave it for at least 20 minutes. The label often says 2-3 minutes, but I found it does literally nothing in that time period and that you need to leave it in at least 10 times longer. Be careful not to leave it in too long though, it might color your hair purple. If that happens, don't worry - just rinse it out with warm water and normal shampoo until it's gone.
I don't really use toners, but I've heard that they're quite good. Basically, toner works the same way hair dye does. You pour it into a plastic bowl and mix with developer, apply to your hair, wait 30-40 minutes and rinse out.
If you use hair dye, be sure to pick white or ash/ silvery grey shade, it will get rid off that yellow tone. Always do a test before using hair dye - it's done to discover if your skin would react to the dye product. Put a small amount of dye on your forearm, if you don't have any reaction to it within 48 hours, you're good to go. Now, you can use it according to the instructions provided in the box, or you can dilute it. Pour half of the dye in a bowl, mix it with half of the developer, put a tablespoon or two of conditioner and add a little water. Mix well until smooth and apply to your hair. Leave it in for at least 30 minutes, checking the process every 10 minutes. You can use the same technique with dye as you did for bleaching - wrap your hair in foil or a plastic bag. Feel free to scrape the dye off one strand of hair to see the progress. When you're satisfied with the color, rinse.

5. At this stage, your hair is pretty vulnerable and weak, it craves nurturing. Take a generous amount of hair mask, conditioner, hot oil, whatever you have and massage it gently into your hair. Make sure you cover all of it! Leave it in for at least an hour or more, if you can. When the time is up, rinse out but not all of it. That way your hair will stay silky and protected. Also use cold water since it closes the pores and your hair will look shinier once it's dry. Wrap it in a towel. Don't ever rub the hair with a towel! If you must, lightly pat it until mid-dry. It's also important not to comb wet hair, especially not freshly bleached one - it may leave you half bald. Kidding, but you really shouldn't do that.
Be sure to use heat protecting sprays, nurturing ampoules or hair creams, whatever you have will work fine.
Blow dry if you're in a hurry, but it's not recommended. I personally blow dry most of the times, but I make sure I keep the blow dryer at least 20cm away from the hair. After your hair is dry, use silicone drops or serums for dyed and damaged hair for a silky finishing touch and additional health points.


And there you have it, girls (and maybe boys)! The definitive guide on how to bleach your hair in the comfort of your own home while spending ten times less than you would normally in a salon. I hope you all made it to the finishing line without dropping dead. I'm sorry the post is so freaking long, I just wanted to make sure I covered all the stages and that it'll be helpful to you. Of course, if you have any further questions, you're more than welcome to send me an e-mail, a Facebook message, a Tweet or leave a comment below, I'll gladly reply. Also, be a friend and share this post as I know a lot of people struggle with getting their hair color right, thanks!