Bleaching is involved when you have dark hair but want to dye it with a light color. Depending on how dark your hair is and what color you want to dye, you may need to bleach more than once. This leads to a commonly asked question: Can You Bleach Your Hair Twice In One Day?
To help you answer this question, we will discuss the nature of bleaching and its influences on your hair. Plus, you will find helpful advice in this post to keep your hair healthy.
How Does Bleaching Work?
Hair bleaching is a process very different from hair dying as it’s aimed to lighten your hair color.
This process is also known as oxidation, using an oxidizing agent to remove your hair pigment. The most widely used oxidizing agents are ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, which are often mixed to achieve more stability.
After bleaching, your hair color will be a few shades lighter than the previous one.
Can You Bleach Your Hair Twice In One Day?
The short answer is No, you cannot.
Sometimes, you have to bleach your hair more than once to get the color shade you want. And this is okay.
However, once you successfully lighten your hair color in the first bleaching attempt, you may be tempted to do it again right away to increase the effect. This is a bad idea.
For example, you can’t and must not bleach your hair twice in a row, even within 24 hours. Hair bleaching is an aggressive process that causes damage to your hair shafts, especially when you repeat it in a short period of time.
Adverse Effects Of Bleaching Twice In A Day
Burn your scalp
The scalp, which is the skin on your head, is very sensitive. Such a powerful chemical like a bleaching agent will likely cause damage to your scalp and make it feel itchy.
Alter your hair
If bleaching is not done right, it can turn your hair into something frizzy, dry, and coarse. This is clearly shown through the look of the hair and to the touch as well.
Not just that, your hair will become gummy, break easily, or shed in clumps.
Wrong color
When bleaching, if the ingredients are not mixed properly, you may end up with discolored hair.
How Long To Wait Before Bleaching Again?
Many people are so eager to get their hair color lighter that they often ask: “How many times can you bleach your hair in one day?”
Meanwhile, the question you should really ask is how long you should wait before the next bleaching attempt.
The recommended break is three weeks before two consecutive bleaching sessions. This way, your hair cuticle has enough time to heal. If that’s too long for you, wait at least a week.
If you don’t want to suffer unfortunate consequences, you’d better avoid bleaching your hair time after time within a short period.
That said, those with dark hair who want to go blonde have to be very patient and make a lot of effort. You will have to undergo multiple bleaching sessions with three-week breaks between them.
During each break, you also need to take very good care of your hair, including conditioning and pampering, to help it heal and recover before bleaching again.
How To Bleach Your Hair At Home?
Prepare your hair before bleaching
The night before bleaching, remember to apply coconut oil to your hair to maintain moisture and reduce the influences of the bleaching process.
Especially, between consecutive bleaching sessions, you need to apply virgin coconut oil to your hair every other day. Also, don’t use styling equipment and trim the split ends (if any).
Prepare materials and equipment
- A non-metallic bowl
- A brush
- Toner
- Sulfate-free shampoo
- Purple shampoo
- Conditioner
- A rat-tail comb
- A large comb
- A plastic cap
- Gloves
- An old T-shirt that you no longer use or a large piece of plastic
Step-by-step guide to hair bleaching
- Put on a T-shirt for the plastic to cover your body and clothes.
- Part your hair into small sections.
- Follow the instructions on the bottle, mix the lightener with the developer.
- Starting at the back of your head, apply the mixture to your hair, section by section. Make sure the mixture is applied evenly and 1-2 inches off your roots.
- Put on the plastic cap.
- Let it sit for about 20 minutes. Then apply the mixture to the roots and wait for another ten minutes.
- Shampoo your hair and apply conditioner. Rinse your hair with clean, room-temperature water.
- Let your hair dry.
- Apply toner to get the brightness you want.
- If your hair turns too brassy, apply purple shampoo and conditioner.
Tips On Hair Care After Bleaching
Taking good care of your hair after bleaching will help it recover and stay healthy before dying or bleaching again. With that in mind, there are a few tips recommended for you.
Treat your hair gently
In the first week after the session, you shouldn’t use shampoo at all. Then, use a sulfate-free shampoo, avoid those that contain sodium lauryl sulfate, SLS, or sodium laureth sulfate.
You can also use hydrating shampoos for cleansing as it ươn’t wash off the oil that protects your hair. When washing your hair, don’t scrub your scalp too hard.
Once you’ve finished washing your hair, pat it dry using an old T-shirt or microfiber only.
Deep condition your hair
Use the best conditioners for your hair. This way, your cuticle will be restored effectively, helping your hair become healthy and beautiful.
Two things to remember, though. First, choose a conditioner that’s color-safe; secondly, let it sit and soak in when applying to your hair.
Hydrate your hair
To maintain moisture, you can apply olive oil, coconut oil, argan oil, or almond oil to your hair and rub it gently. Hydration using these oils will also add shine to your hair.
Besides, you can use hair masks made from honey, avocado, and egg white, which will make your hair soft and elastic.
Stay away from heat stylers
Heat stylers like blow dryers and flat irons will further damage your bleached hair. This type of equipment sucks all the remaining moisture from your hair.
Scalp massage
Scalp massage boosts hair growth and increases blood circulation to your head. You should massage your head whenever washing your hair, especially at the temples and the nape of the neck.
Wash hair with cool water
Washing your hair with hot water will open up the cuticle and further damage your hair strands.
You should wash your hair with cool or warm water only. Also, spritz cool water to your scalp before finishing to seal moisture.
Trim off split ends
You should trim off 2-3 inches of the split ends. It will promote hair growth and help control the damage on bleached hair.
Hair Bleaching FAQs
How many times can you bleach your hair in one day?
Once. Bleaching your hair twice in a row will seriously damage your hair and cause you pain on the scalp.
Can you bleach your hair again the next day?
No, it’s not. To avoid damaging your hair, wait from one to three weeks.
Is it okay to bleach and dye your hair on the same day?
You can but you shouldn’t do this. Bleaching and dying are both aggressive processes that cause severe damage to your hair.
How can I know it’s time to bleach my hair again?
If you have waited long enough but are not sure your hair’s ready to bleach again, you can test on a small strand in the back of your head.
How do you fix uneven bleached hair?
There are a handful of solutions to uneven bleached hair as the following:
- Dye your hair with a darker shade.
- Reapply the bleaching agent.
- Use toning shampoo.
- Spot bleach.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have got the answer to the question “can you bleach your hair twice in one day?” we hope you will have your hair bleached and cared for properly.
Keep in mind that you cannot bleach your hair again within the same day as the first bleaching session. This will cause further damages to your hair, including dryness, scalp burning, and wrong color.
For healthy hair after bleaching, you need to apply deep conditioners and moisturizers. At the same time, don’t use heat stylers or hot water on your hair, treat it as gently as possible so it can recover and look the best.
If your hair is healthy, it will look much better when you dye it.
