How Long Should You Leave Bleach in Your Hair?

Several misconceptions have led to people asking, “How long should you leave bleach in your hair?”. Word has it in the UK and worldwide that leaving bleach in your hair longer enhances the effect. However, this treatment has its limits. And pushing those limits opens to door for severe damage to your hair.

The maximum time for you to have bleach on your hair is thirty minutes for dark hair. It’s advisable to leave it for fifteen minutes for lighter hair and twenty minutes for blonde hair. When you apply bleach to your hair, it removes its natural colour. Leaving the bleach in for too long puts your hair at risk due to the harmful chemicals in the bleach.

To avoid any potential risks, it’s vital for people to know how long you should leave bleach in your hair. Find out more about bleach and its applications in this post.

Why Use Bleach on Your Hair?

Some people may think that regular household bleach can be use in your hair. Indeed, the typical bleach for cleaning will bleach your hair. But household bleaches are far more abrasive and are not made for hair. There are also differences in both types of mixtures in terms of their ingredients.

Cleaning bleach is hazardous when you use it on the hair. Remember that any slight mistake can damage your hair, especially if it’s lighter than brown. Hair bleach, on the other hand, has gentler ingredients that make your hair appear brighter and brimful.

Sometimes your skin tone may not exactly match your hair due to the elements that affect it. With bleaching, you can fine-tune the colour of the hair and make it uniform with your skin. Bleach will give your hair volume and make them thicker than what it actually is.

Why You Shouldn’t Bleach Your Hair

You should learn about some of its downsides before getting ready to bleach your hair. Using bleach can cause a great deal of damage to your hair, especially when you don’t apply it correctly. As a matter of fact, it can cause permanent damage to your hair.

To change hair colour, bleach removes the melanin present in the hair. By doing this, you lose a part of your hair that you’ll never be able to regain.

The reaction to your hair is delicate as it breaks particles within the hair strands and washes them out. This will leave your hair dry, brittle, and weakened. And it may cause your hair to break down over time. 

To reduce the risk of damage to your hair, it’s crucial to how long you should leave bleach in your hair. The effects of getting this wrong can be devastating.

How Long Should You Leave Bleach in Your Hair?

You should leave the bleach for typically thirty minutes at maximum during the bleaching process. However, this duration mainly applies to those who have a darker hair tone. For those with lighter or fine hair, you should leave the bleach for about ten to fifteen minutes.

Allowing the bleach for fifteen to twenty minutes should do the job if you’re a blonde. Don’t believe false ideas that claim that going for a more extended period will result in a better effect. You can end up in all the damages mentioned earlier if you try such. 

In addition, when you want to apply bleach to your hair, follow the process below:

1. Divide the Hair

Split your hair into four parts to make applying the bleach and circulating it easier. Ensure you’ve brushed the hair properly and loosened it for a more natural effect.

2. Apply Bleach

Apply the bleach bit by bit around the hair, ensuring you’re not so close to the scalp. Keep applying the bleach until it goes around the entire hair before you return to the roots. Remember that your body heat is one of the factors that hasten the effect of bleach.

3. Wait

At this point comes the answer to the question, ‘how long should you leave bleach in your hair?’ Wait for the recommended time that suits your hair. 

4. Wash Your Hair

After completing the process, wash your hair with a good shampoo and rinse out thoroughly.

Conclusion

Though bleaching your hair is a whole new level of hair beauty, it might harm your hair. When you ask ‘how long should you leave bleach in your hair?’, you should know the time best for your hair type and colour.