If you already have pale and entirely ash blonde hair, you can skip the lightening part.
If you’re having trouble parting or sectioning your hair in the back, stand in front of a large mirror. Hold a smaller mirror in front of you above your head with one hand, and use your comb with the other. Never use metal clips when bleaching or dyeing your hair, as the metal can react with the bleach or other chemicals in the dye and damage your hair.
Use a 20 volume developer. Don’t use 30 or 40 volume developers at home. Bleach powder and volume developer typically come together in kits. If your hair is thick or longer than your shoulders, you’ll need 2 kits. Bleach kits usually come with 35 or 40 volume developer so be very careful when buying bleaching kits and using higher volume developer as it is much more damaging to your hair![2] X Research source If you’ve never lightened your hair with bleach before, it’s best to go to a professional to get it done. Bleaching can damage your hair and/or scalp, and should be used very carefully.
You may want to keep your darker roots and apply the opal effect to only the ends of your hair. If so, leave a few inches or centimeters of hair close to your scalp (or however much you prefer) untouched with each section you paint. Make sure to wear gloves and follow all safety precautions that came with your lightening kit. Check your hair with gloved hands every 5 to 10 minutes. Never leave bleach on your hair for longer than 45 minutes. Fine hair lightens more easily than coarse hair. Thus fine hair will process faster than coarse hair.
Don’t use the shampoo too frequently, as it can dry out or discolor your hair. Try using it once a week to brighten up your hair and minimize yellow, orange or brassy tones.
Condition your hair and wait at least a week before lightening your hair with bleach again. When you reapply the bleach, leave it in until your hair becomes yellow (about 20 to 30 minutes). Then rinse it out completely right away.
Wear gloves whenever you’re using hair dye. Make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area (such as a bathroom with the fan on and/or window open). Have a damp paper towel nearby to wipe away any dye that gets on your face or neck.
Hair dye processing times typically take between 15 and 45 minutes, but you should always follow the length of time in the product’s guidelines. The color may appear slightly lavender or blue at first. After a couple of washes, it will set into a silver shade. [6] X Research source
Have a separate brush ready for each bowl of color. Alternately, you can use purchase pre-mixed pastel colors. [9] X Research source
For example, blend pale lavender into light yellow or green to achieve a look of iridescence. Optionally, you can use pieces of foil as a backing when you’re brushing on colors.
The rich colors should be accents to the pastel. For example, brush a bit of a vivid color on the end of a section already colored with pastel.
Apply a coconut oil treatment to your hair once per week, or when your hair feels dry. If your hair becomes weighed down and greasy, use the treatment less often.
Invest in a quality, sulfate-free conditioner and a salon grade shampoo for colored hair. [14] X Research source Use a blue or purple toning shampoo a few times per month.
Always divide your hair into clean sections when you touch up your roots. You don’t want to overlap your color—that’s when you’re going to start getting bands in your hair.
