Beauty FAQs: Should You Wash Your Hair Before Bleaching It?
They say that changing hair color can change your whole attitude. So, it’s no wonder hair dyeing is almost always a confidence booster. Other times, it can completely destroy your self-esteem — together with your hair. Typically, this happens to those who are after a much lighter hue and don’t really know how to prepare their hair for bleaching.
If you’re one of them, this article will answer all the questions you’ve never thought of asking your hairdresser. More precisely, should you wash your hair before bleaching it? If not, how do you prepare your hair for this kind of treatment?
Should You Wash Your Hair Before Bleaching It?
If you want to go from dark to lighter tones, bleaching your hair might be the only way to go. How much bleaching your hair will need depends on how different your natural shade is from the one you’re aiming for.
Also, it will also depend on how well your hair reacts to bleach — does it become lighter almost instantly, or do you need to keep the bleach on longer?
Whichever hair type you might have, make sure you remember the first rule of haircare — never wash your hair before a bleaching appointment. The reason is that bleach comprises harsh chemicals which react with the pigment molecules within your hair shaft.
As a result, your natural pigment literally goes down the drain, leaving your hair ready to soak up whatever dye you’re about to add.
Luckily, your hair shaft naturally produces fatty acids that protect your hair strands from damage. But if you decide to wash your hair before bleaching it, you’ll wash off this protective layer together with the dirt particles.
As a result, your hair strands will get weaker and more damaged by the harmful substances in the bleach. You’ll thus be running the risk of your hair becoming dry and disobedient.
Another reason not to wash your hair before bleaching is because it makes your hairdresser’s job much harder. At a highlighting appointment, your hairstylist will need to divide your hair into many tiny strand sections.
And if your hair is perfectly clean, it will also be more staticky. Therefore, your stylist will have a hard time dividing the hair strands that will get bleached.
How Do You Prepare Your Hair Before Bleaching It?
You’ve seen how washing your hair even two days before bleaching might permanently damage your hair. Still, you may have a big event to go to the night before your hair dyeing appointment. If so, you might simply have to wash it, regardless of the risks.
But what you can do to save the day is treat your hair with some coconut, olive, or castor oil. Such oils will add the necessary moisture to your hair, imitating your hair’s natural acids. Thus, all the strands of your hair about to get bleached will be less prone to damage.
Another hack you can try is to apply a deep conditioner on your hair about a week before bleaching. Also, remember to avoid hair straighteners as they will make your hair dry and lifeless. Instead, you can schedule a nanotechnology hair repairing appointment to moisturize your hair further and make it healthier for the upcoming bleaching.
Also Read: Q&A: What Happens If You Leave Conditioner in Your Hair?
