Ready to try a new color? Looking to try to remove your current shade? Have you tried a bleach wash? Bleach Washes are done by diluting your bleach mixture with equal parts shampoo to give your hair a gentle lift. A popular technique used by professional stylists is actually super easy to perform at home! We’ve broken down all the tools you’ll need and given you step by step instructions as to how to perform a bleach wash. 

How do I Perform a Bleach Wash? 

Now that you know all about bleach washing, how do you perform a bleach wash? It’s really easy, and we’ve broken down the steps below.

Everything you need for a Bleach Wash

• GDY Hair Lightening Kits
• WASH Color Kind Shampoo (or your favorite color safe shampoo)
• Biodegradable Tool Kit (or a non-metallic bowl)
• Gloves
• Grip Clips
• Comb Combo
• Foils or Plastic Wrap/Cap

Since you will be diluting your bleach mixture with shampoo, you’ll need about half as many kits as you would normally need when lightening your hair. Make sure you also have enough shampoo to dilute your bleach! We’re obsessed with our WASH from our Color Kind collection. Formulated without sulfates or parabens, this shampoo is perfect for bleach washing and maintaining your new hue!

Once you’ve determined the number of kits needed, we can get into it (yuh)!

Step 1: Start with wet hair! Since your hair is pre-lightened underneath the current color, having wet hair dilutes the lightener to give you a gentler lift.

Step 2: Section your hair into 4 equal sections using a comb and clips. Sectioning is important to ensure even and proper saturation of the lightener. Need help sectioning? Check out this video on how to section your hair. 

Step 3: Mix together your lightening kits together per package instructions in a non-metallic bowl. (hint hint: we love our Biodegradable tool kit. It’s large bowl makes it big enough to dilute your bleach mixture with shampoo!) 

Step 4: Next, add equal parts shampoo to your lightening mix and mix thoroughly.

Step 5: Starting with one of the back sections, take out a 1/4th inch of hair from the bottom and clip the rest up. Working in small sections will help ensure an even distribution of lighter, giving you an even lift.

Step 6: Apply a generous amount of the bleach & shampoo mixture to the mid lengths of your hair through the ends. Leave about an inch of the roots out (don’t worry, we’ll come back to those!)

Step 7: Repeat this process until you finish the entire section. Try to work as quickly as possible for an even lift! After you finish the first section, move onto the other back section and repeat the same steps.

Step 8: Once you finish applying the mixture to the back sections, cover the hair with foil or a processing cap so it doesn’t dry out.

Step 9: Now, move on to the front sections. Take the same 1/4th inch sized sections and apply the mixture from the mid lengths to the ends, remember to leave out the roots! Cover with foil or plastic wrap when you finish.

Step 10: Once the lightener is applied to the entire head, mid lengths to ends, it’s time to start on the roots. Start with the back sections, take the foil or plastic wrap off one section and take 1/4th inch sections and apply the mixture to your roots. Repeat the same process on the remaining sections.

Step 11: After you finish applying lightener to the roots, cover the entire head with foil or plastic to process.

Step 12: Let your hair process for at least 10 minutes and then check to see if the previous color has lifted. If not, check back every 5 minutes until the color has lifted out. If removing a stubborn color,  you can let the bleach wash sit for up to 50 minutes, just to be sure to check every 5 minutes!

Step 13: Once the color has lifted out, rinse your hair thoroughly with more shampoo to ensure the mixture is completely rinsed out. If you’re applying dye next, don’t worry about conditioning! Our semi-permanent dye is formulated with super conditioning ingredients. Make sure you dry your hair, and then apply!

And that’s it! You did it, nice job! Now you’re ready for your next shade. Bleach washing is a great way to help remove pigment when you're ready to switch up your look. By diluting the bleach mixture, you are gently lifting your hair which can prolong the health of your hair (especially if you’re like us, and seem to change your color every month!)

Bleach wash didn’t remove all of the pigment? We got you! Check out this article for the best shades to put over other semi-permanent color.