Using a proper bleach (lightener and developer) and following with dye is the best way to go. Box dyes that include lightening are usually harsher.
Which Lightener / Hair Bleach Is Least Damaging? We love and recommend the Shimmer Lights Plex Lightener, not only because it's really powerful at lightening your hair, but because it's the least damaging I've found. This hair bleach contains plex technology - meaning you can lighten with 97% less breakage*!
Tip 1: Prepare your hair
Minimise the use of chemicals and maximise the use of moisturising and protein-boosting treatments a few weeks in advance of bleaching.” Treat your hair with TRESemmé Botanic Moisture & Replenish Oil Mist. It's enriched with coconut oil and aloe vera to boost moisture and replenish hair.
You should always apply your bleach mixture to your mid lengths and ends first, and then go back to your roots. Working through each section, saturate the mid-lengths and ends of your hair with your bleach mixture. Once you've worked through each section, it's time for the roots!
Coconut oil, with its rich fatty acids, might coat the hair and potentially minimize some of the damage caused by the bleaching process. Here's a caveat: the science on this is not entirely conclusive. Some hairdressers swear by it, while others recommend other treatments.
Natural bleaching agents like apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, chamomile tea, or cinnamon and honey can lighten hair gently and naturally with minimal damage. Here's a breakdown of how these ingredients can help, but what you should also be wary of: Apple cider vinegar.
Colorists typically use bond-building products during and after the bleaching process to help fortify hair bonds so hair is shiny, healthy, and strong when you walk out of the salon door. Once home, continue care with bond-building products, which further help to restore cuticle health and nourish hair.
Purple shampoos work by balancing out yellow tones, since purple and yellow are opposite on the color wheel. Blue shampoos balance orange tones because blue and orange are opposite on the color wheel.
The key to fixing orange hair is usually to neutralise the orange with its opposite colour – blue.
ZERO BLOND will never damage your hair when following the guidelines and directions. ZERO BLOND is a 100% damage-free hair bleach. It should only be used on virgin or newly grown roots of previously bleached hair. DO NOT USE on hair that has already been bleached, color-damaged or chemically damaged hair.
It is true that today many hairdressers use high-lift colours instead of bleach; however it always depends on the base colour of the client's hair. If for example your own hair colour is a light hazel brown or dark blonde, high-lift colours will lighten this hair colour easily.
Purple shampoo is for already bleached hair, so if you're hoping to lighten brown hair with purple shampoo, you'll be disappointed. This is all down to the fact that purple shampoo isn't lightening. Instead, it brightens blondes by canceling out yellow tones, which just happen to be opposite purple on the color wheel.
Splat Gentle Bleach lightens hair up to 3 levels and reduces yellowing. This conditioning formula will get your hair healthy, prepped and primed for whatever hair color you're dreaming up next.
Using moisturizing shampoos, conditioners, and treatments before the appointment will help hair get into the best possible condition, which is necessary.
A bit of product on the mids and ends of the hair isn't a big deal, but avoid applying oil or gel to your scalp (especially before a root application), as doing so can result in a patchy, uneven color. Similarly, use hot tools with care. Heat can damage the hair and make it more porous, Moore explains.
Try a hot oil treatment! Argan oil is good at sealing in moisture but won't do much for repairing. Almond, sunflower, coconut, or a mixture of all three is your best option! An egg hair mask will also deposit protiens, vitamins and minerals into your hair that will help with the repair process.