You don’t want to have any product or oils on your hair, as this can prevent the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda from penetrating your hair.
Don’t use a hair dryer to speed up the process because heat is damaging to your hair. It’s best to give your hair a break since you’re about to do a lightening treatment, which can also be damaging.
As another option, you could cover your skin with a hairdresser’s cape or even a garbage bag that has a head and arm holes cut out of it. Cover your work surfaces with newspapers, old towels, or garbage bags to protect them from the paste. Although your hydrogen peroxide-baking soda paste won’t stain like hair dye, it could discolor some surfaces.
If you have very thick hair, you may want to create additional sections. For instance, 6-8 sections may make it easier to ensure that the paste goes on evenly. If you only want to create highlights on the top layer of your hair, then you may not need to section it.
Use disposable gloves or reusable kitchen gloves.
Since you’re not using much hydrogen peroxide, it may not fizz. Don’t use higher than a 3% hydrogen peroxide, as it may damage your hair.
Don’t use a metal spoon, as it’s best to avoid using metal with bleaching agents. It’s possible for bleaching agents to react with metal.
Based on your strand test, you can decide if you want to lighten your hair with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Additionally, it will help you decide if you need to use less or more paste on your hair to get your desired look, as well as how long you need to wait to see results. You will need to mix up more paste before you bleach your hair, as the paste you use to do the strand test will dry out.
Blond hair will usually turn a lighter blond. Light brown hair may look dirty blond. Medium brown hair usually looks light brown. Darker browns should turn medium or golden brown. Black hair usually turns dark or reddish brown. Red hair may turn orange or strawberry blond.
Cover your head with a shower cap to keep the paste from dripping onto your body or your clothes. Additionally, the shower cap will trap in your body’s natural heat, which will help the paste bleach your hair.
Apply a thicker coating of paste at the bottom of your hair, then thin it out as you get near the top of your bleached area. This will help create a better fade into your darker hair at the top of your head. Make sure to use vertical strokes to apply the paste along the hair shaft rather than horizontal strokes.
If you just want to apply highlights to your top layer, then you don’t need to worry about sectioning. However, doing highlights throughout your hair will make it look more natural, especially if you wear your hair up a lot.
Don’t use shampoo on your hair right after you bleach it, if you can avoid it. You don’t want to stress your hair too much after lightening it.
The cool water will close your hair shaft and make your hair look shiny.
When you heat style your hair, use a heat protectant to minimize damage. Bleaching your hair can dry it out, so take extra good care of it afterwards.
This will help you keep your hair as healthy as possible while you create your new look.
