How To Safely Bleach Hair Extensions At Home

One of the reasons people go for hair extensions is because they want to experiment with different colors of hair. But what happens when you love the texture and length of a particular hair extension but not the color? You can simply dye it, right? But if you desire a brighter color, you have to bleach it first. Due to the chemical composition of bleach, many people are skeptical about bleaching their hair extensions at home. In this piece, we will be sharing with you a step-by-step guide on how to safely bleach hair extensions at home. 

Can you bleach hair extensions?

Yes, you can bleach hair extensions. However, you should know that you can only bleach human hair extensions. This is because they are not yet chemically processed, so the cuticle is still intact. So, there will be minimal damage to the hair if you bleach it. On the other hand, synthetic hair has been chemically processed; thus, the cuticle is opened. And this could cause more damage if you apply more chemicals to it. For this reason, you can only bleach human hair extensions. 

How to safely bleach hair extensions at home

We have established that you can bleach human hair extensions, but if you do not do it the right way, you might end up damaging the hair. In this section, we will share a step-by-step guide on how to bleach human hair extensions. But before we dive into that, you need to have some items on hand. They include:

• Powder bleach
• Volume 20 developer: the volume you use depends on how fast you want your hair extensions to bleach. However, to avoid damage, use a volume 20 developer.
• Plastic wrap/ aluminum foil
• Wide-tooth comb
• Latex gloves
• Mixing bowl and applicator brush
• Neutralizing shampoo and conditioner
• Protein treatment

Now that you have the list of the items you need, it is time to start bleaching your hair extensions. 

Note: You need to prep the hair extension. If the extension is dirty, you need to wash it first before bleaching. However, make sure you do not bleach the extension immediately after washing it. Leave the extension for about three to four days before bleaching. 

That being said, here is a step-by-step guide on how to bleach human hair extensions at home.

Step 1: Mix the powder bleach and the developer

The first thing to do is mix the powder bleach and the developer. Add two scoops of powder bleach to the mixing bowl and stir in the developer. Use the applicator brush to mix the mixture, and continue to stir in the developer until you get a creamy consistency. If the mixture is too watery, you should add more powder bleach to it. Once you get the right consistency, set the mixture aside.

Step 2: Lay your hair extension on a flat surface and detangle

The next step is to cover the surface you want to use with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This will ensure that the bleach mixture will not smear on the surface. Then lay the extension on the plastic wrap and unravel the bundle. Detangle the hair using a wide tooth comb to remove any major knots or tangles. If you like, you can finish it up with a fine-tooth comb.

Step 3: Apply bleach to the hair extension

Now it is time to apply bleach to the hair extension. Before you start, make sure you wear a latex glove to protect your hands from the chemicals in the bleach. The applicator brush is used to apply bleach to the hair extension. You should start bleaching at the end of the hair extension and gradually work your way up. Make sure you dispense the bleach generously and evenly (you wouldn't want a situation where the end result is not even). Once you finish with one side of the extensions, flip the bundle to the other side and apply bleach generously as well. Once you have coated the extension with the bleach mixture, cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. 

Step 4: Leave the hair extension to process

Then leave the hair extension to process for a while. The processing time depends on the instructions on the bleach packaging box. However, the timeframe is usually between 30 to 45 minutes. Do not leave it for more than 45 minutes as the hair extension might overprocess, and that might cause damage to the extension. Always check the extension every ten minutes to ensure that it is processing. Once the time is up, you can now wash off the bleach.

Step 5: Wash off the bleach and air dry.

Place the extension bundle under running cool water and rinse thoroughly. Rinse it well to get rid of any form of bleach in the hair extension. After rinsing, the next thing is to wash with neutralizing shampoo to neutralize the effect of the chemical. You may notice that some shampoos change color once you apply them to extensions. Don't fret. It indicates that shampoo is neutralizing the chemicals in the hair. If you are not happy with the color, you might have to try bleaching it twice. However, bleaching the second time might damage the extension if care is not taken. Rinse off the shampoo with cold water, and then apply the protein treatment to the hair. Rinse off the protein treatment and deep condition the hair extension to keep it hydrated. After that, let it air dry. 

Final thoughts

As you can see, bleaching human hair extensions are quite straightforward. So, it is something you can do safely at home. With this step-by-step guide on how to bleach human hair, you are sure to get the blonde extensions that you desire. However, you can expose your hair extensions to damaging risks if you bleach them. So, to be on the safe side, you can pick up blonde hair extensions at Ulahair. At Ulahair, we have hair extensions in various colors, textures, and lengths. 

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