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Bleaching roots at home [step by step guide]

Bleaching roots is a necessary color technique if you want to have completely platinum blonde hair.

Unlike the highlights, when we bleach all the roots of the hair it is because we have the blonde color in all our hair, and when we get the dark roots we have to lighten them.

Bleaching roots is the only way to get a beautiful full blonde because otherwise will be impossible to achieve a proper blonde color with normal dye (unless you are a natural blonde). By force you will always have to bleach the roots because if you use a permanent dye your roots will look orange.

And what happens most of the time is that the discoloration in the roots damages our hair a lot, or makes our scalp more sensitive.

But don’t worry, in this article you will see how to bleach your roots (either at home or at the hairdresser) safely:

The best tips for bleaching roots

The first thing you have to know is if bleaching your roots is strictly necessary in your case.

If you have highlights (even if they are many), I do not recommend that you bleach the roots because if you do, you will have a totally blonde band in your hair, and then the color texture.

Only bleach the roots of your hair if your hair is completely blonde.

Whenever you can, my advice is to go to a good professional color specialist.

So your hair will be safe and you don’t have to worry about anything.

But if you don’t have a chance, here I am going to show you how to do it without mistreating your hair, and to achieve the best results.

How to apply the bleaching

In order to bleach your roots, the first step is to get a quality bleach.

Having a good quality bleach is essential, as it is what will make our hair lighten well and not damage our hair.

Once you’ve gotten the best bleach possible (a high-priced or a well-known brand helps), you should buy a 20vol (or 6%) peroxide.

On the scalp you can never use a peroxide of greater strength than that, that is, never go to use a 30v or 40v peroxide as it will hurt your scalp.

Before you start bleaching, make sure your hair is 100% dry, if you have some moisture it will make your hair not lighten as necessary.

Mix both products according to the instructions (normally it is one part bleach and one and a half part peroxide), and start the application only on the roots.

You should apply the product generously as if you have dry areas they will turn into orange dots on the hair.

Do not forget to help yourself with a mirror to touch up the area behind the head.

Do not take more than 20 minutes applying it, and once you finish, set the alarm in half an hour. Rarely does bleach have to act more than that so don’t take chances.

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Things you need to be careful

Now that you know how is the step by step to bleach your roots, these tips will help you not to damage your hair:

Buy professional-quality bleach from a salon store (it shouldn’t cost less than $ 25).
Never use a peroxide greater than 20v.
Be very careful not to touch previously blonde hair, be as precise as possible and only touch the natural areas of your hair.
Do not leave the bleach to act for more than 30 minutes.
Keep your hair dirty for a couple of days so that when you bleach your hair, the grease protects your scalp a bit.
Do not apply heat to the bleach.
Before bleaching, apply this mask to sensitive areas of your hair to create a barrier should the bleach touch those areas.
Even if you feel a bit itchy, do not scratch your head while the bleach is working.
Don’t bleach overgrown roots, ideally for no more than 6-8 weeks.

If you follow these cares, your hair will be much more cared for, and you will reduce the risk of damaging your hair.

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What to do after the bleaching

When you have finished bleaching the roots, now is the time to thoroughly remove all product residue.

Get in the shower and wash your hair a minimum of 3 times to remove any remaining bleach.

It is very important that you use a post bleaching repair shampoo so that your hair regains the strength lost during bleaching like this one.

Once your hair is clean, it is time to use toner on your roots.

Some people think that once bleached hair should stay that way, and this is not true!

If you don’t apply toner after bleaching, your hair will look yellow-orange, and your hair cuticle will still be open.

Applying a toner to the damp roots of your bleached hair is important, however you have to be very careful with the product you use.

You should never use a permanent toner dye, as it will hurt your newly sensitized scalp a lot.

What you should do is buy a semi-permanent dye (usually without ammonia), to color your roots without hurting it.

Ask at the hairdresser what color toner would suit you well for the color you would like to have.

The toner should be applied in less than 5 minutes and only in the area of the roots (when you go to rinse it you can massage it all over the hair).

Do not let it act for more than 10 minutes.

And ready! Now you have the color of your roots as new.

Keep using the same post bleaching shampoo every time you wash your hair with the proper conditioner to repair your hair with each wash.

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Let’s get better hair!

I hope you liked this article and it has been helpful to you to learn how to bleach your roots.

I insist, whenever you have the opportunity, go to a professional colorist as they will help you achieve the results you want.

But if for any need you need to bleach your hair at home, take into consideration the points of this guide so that you get the best results.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments.

Until next time!