Do you neutralize hair after bleaching?

Author: Mrs. Vicky Goldner  |  Last update: Wednesday, October 22, 2025

If your lightened locks start to go brassy with unflattering yellow or orange pigments and the ashy hues have turned warm, you'll need to neutralise those undesirable tones. The key is to use a purple shampoo to banish brass.

What should I do immediately after bleaching my hair?

  • Timing: Wait at least 24 to 48 hours after bleaching before washing your hair.
  • Type of Shampoo: Use a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo to avoid stripping your hair of moisture.
  • Conditioning: After shampooing, apply a deep conditioner or a hair mask to restore moistur

Do you need neutralizing shampoo after bleaching hair?

Yes it is ok to use. A neutralizing shampoo will bring your hair back to its natural pH balance. It will also close the hair's cuticle and help remove the color from the hair. It's not a necessary step, but it's completely fine unless stated otherwise on your color.

How do you neutralize bleached hair?

Use a gentle bleach formula and follow up with a deep conditioner to minimize damage. After bleaching, use a toner to neutralize any unwanted hues. A purple or blue toner can help counteract any remaining warmth or pink tones. If you're unsure or want to minimize damage, consider visiting a professional hairstylist.

What happens if you don't have neutralizing shampoo?

I explained to her that using neutralizing shampoo to wash out the relaxer is imperative because it deactivates the relaxing agent. Without the neutralizing shampoo the chemicals will continue relaxing your hair strands, eventually eroding it and then breaking it off.

PART 1: HOW I FIXED EXTREMELY DAMAGED HAIR

Do you need neutralizing shampoo after coloring hair?

In conclusion, using a neutralizing shampoo after undergoing chemical treatments is crucial for maintaining the health and appearance of your hair. Failing to do so may lead to damage, color changes, poor retention of the chemical treatment, dryness and breakage, and scalp irritation.

What happens if you don t use neutralizer after straightening?

Without using a neutralizer, your hair might return to its original texture, or worse, become damaged and weak. So, neutralizers are critical for ensuring smooth and straight hair after these treatments.

Should I shampoo after bleach and before toner?

You want your hair to be just a little damp when you apply the toning mixture to your hair. If you're toning hair sometime after it's been bleached, just wash your hair and towel dry it so it's not dripping wet, and then go to town.

What is a good neutralizer for bleach?

Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic acid neutralizes all residual bleach in a matter of seconds, and 1/4 tsp. of the substance added to 1 gallon of water effectively removes all traces of bleach.

Why won't my bleached hair hold color?

When you bleach your hair you strip it of its natural pigments, which means it won't react to dye in the same way. Dye can come out darker than you would assume and you may need to use a protein filler. Speak to your stylist and be sure you're choosing the right colour and products for you.

Should I rinse bleach out of hair with cold or hot water?

Step 7: Wash it

Use lukewarm water, too hot or cold of water can shock your hair in its already fragile state. Make sure to completely rinse out the bleach and gently wash your hair to get out all the product.

Is Olaplex a neutralizing shampoo?

This ultra-concentrated purple shampoo reduces breakage and hydrates as it cleanses and tones from roots to ends. Use N°. 4P to neutralize brassy hair and yellow tones for brighter, softer, stronger blond hair, gray hair, or highlighted hair.

How many times can you bleach your hair before it falls out?

Ideally, you should bleach your hair no more than once every three to eight weeks. All Over Bleaching: When bleaching all-over, Clark recommends waiting until new growth reaches ½ inch and only applying the bleach to new growth.

What not to do after bleaching your hair?

Avoid hot styling tools.

Heat is the worst thing you can apply to colour or bleach damaged hair. Steer clear of hot styling tools that will worsen the damage. If you must use a hot tool, be sure to use a heat protection spray.

Is it better to bleach clean or dirty hair?

Greasy hair is the recommended hair condition for bleaching, as your hair's natural oils are well-equipped to resist the bleaching process, and protect the scalp from chemical damage. We recommend bleaching hair at least 72 hours post-hair wash for ultimate protection.

What do hairdressers put on hair after bleaching?

Your hair stylist will usually follow your initial bleaching session with a hair gloss treatment to seal and protect your color, as well as add loads of shine. A hair gloss works by smoothing out rough cuticles and filling in any holes in the hair shaft.

What happens if you don't neutralize bleach?

Chlorine is extremely effective at what it does. It's so effective that if it's not neutralized after it's applied to a surface, it may cause damage. Left on surfaces like fabric, bleach may cause the fabric to fade or deteriorate. Left on wood, it can cause the wood to lighten in color or break down.

What is an alternative for neutralizer?

Top paid & free alternatives to Neutralizer includes Skype, Noise Firewall, SoliCall Pro, Noise Blocker, IRIS Clarity, ClaerityAI, Denoise, CrystalSound, AudioCommander and myNoise. Analyze a range of top Noise Cancellation Software that offer similar benefits at competitive prices.

What happens if you use purple shampoo after bleaching?

Hair stylists often tone bleached or blonde hair to neutralize brassy yellow and orange tones on bleached hair with a purple color. Purple shampoo is a great at-home solution for toning hair and preventing brassiness.

Do you tone hair wet or dry?

You want the hair cuticle to be open for toning. Towel-dry hair to about 65 - 75% dry then start toning. Usually color & bleach is on dry hair, even toners and colors that do not require developer; however toner that uses developer is recommended on towel dried hair.

How to remove golden hair after bleaching?

If your hair turned yellow after bleaching, you can apply the following on your hair: the red petals of hibiscus, purple shampoo, henna, and apple cider vinegar.

Can neutralizer damage your hair?

The neutralizer is an important step in the process of perming hair, as it helps to stabilize the new shape of the hair. If the neutralizer is left on for too long, it can cause excessive damage to the hair, leading to dryness, breakage, and brittleness.

How long to leave neutralizer on hair?

Neutralizer is a chemical, and it is not advisable to leave it on longer then 5 minutes. With longer hair, after 5 minutes, the rods are removed and extra neutralizer can be worked through the hair to assure even distribution and then rinsed.

How to turn wavy hair into straight hair permanently?

4 Types of Permanent Hair Straightening
  1. Keratin Treatment. Keratin treatments are one popular hair straightening technique. ...
  2. 2. Japanese Treatment. Another method of permanent hair straightening are Japanese treatments, also known as thermal reconditioning. ...
  3. Hair Rebonding Treatment. ...
  4. Hair Relaxing.

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