Bleaching products act directly on the natural or artificial shade of the hair by depigmenting them. The blonde shade for the hair is a classic. But what if your natural hair doesn’t show this shade? Don’t worry, getting it is easier and safer than ever. Today, we will talk about the perfect bleach to developer ratio.
This action is irreversible. Of course, your hair will grow with its natural color at the roots, but your lengths and ends will remain peroxidase. The “decorative” powder also depigments artificial colors. Decorative background with a warm (orange) reflection can then appear.
Depigmentation of your hair will sensitize it. It will therefore be necessary to plan to feed it intensely. Find our advice here. We recommend avoiding this technique if you want to keep or achieve long or very long hair or if your hair is very thin or fragile.
Fading even in streaks, balayage, or tie and dye incompatible with perming, straightening, or Henna. So do not bleach if you have one of these techniques, even old ones in lengths and ends, or if you plan to do one of these incompatible techniques.
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What is the bleach to developer ratio?
Also, avoid bleaching hair that has already been breached. It will only do this operation if it is necessary and the hair is strong enough. To redo strands on a person already streaked in length. We will take the strands already bonded to discolor only the natural regrowth.
Bleaching products contain ammonia and peroxides, use prohibited for children under 16, strongly discouraged for pregnant women.
For discoloration, we will use bleaching powder and cream oxidizer. To protect your hands, do not forget to wear gloves, to protect your clothes wear an apron!
The blue bleaching powder contains yellowing agents.
The white powder does not contain any, rather advisable wicks. It is ideal for honey or golden effect on naturally clear hair (natural bases 6 to 8).
Protective gloves
The cream oxidant will be chosen according to the desired lighting. I will most of the time mix it 1: 2, that is to say, one dose of bleaching powder for two doses of cream oxidant. Look at your leaflet!
Once the discoloration is rinsed, it is preferable to apply a patina to have soft, shiny hair and any unwanted reflections neutralized.
To better understand discoloration and choose your products like a pro, click here!
The technique of bleach to developer ratio
The discoloration is applied in a thick layer. It does not spread; it settles.
Make excellent separations and apply the product liberally before mixing well, making sure to put the product everywhere. Do not hesitate to mix well during the exposure time and before rinsing.
What chemicals to use?
For my first development, at the moment. I only needed the film and paper developer as well as the fixer that works for both. All three are from Ilford, specifically Multigrade for paper, ID-11 developer for film, and Rapid Fixer. I have replaced the stop bath with vinegar water.
It may seem silly to list the essential chemicals, but it helps a lot so that we don’t get overwhelmed on our first development. Increasing the outlay by adding a moisturizer, stop bath, or dyes are not necessary. The first purchase of liquids is the bulkiest, and that is why we must keep perspective, buy the fundamentals and then gradually expand our stock with better quality products.
Concentrate or powder solution?
For developers (I think only in film developers), we have the possibility of buying powdered developers that we must dissolve at home or use concentrate, which we also have to dilute. Still, it is already ready to use immediately.
In my case, I opted for a powdered developer. They take up less space, are cheaper than bottled preparations, and are not difficult or complicated.
The preparation is simple: heat the indicated amount of water to about 60º and then pour two envelopes of powder into the water, then stirring the solution. For this, a kitchen thermometer is handy to know that the water is hot and that the powders will dissolve without leaving traces. I made the mixture in a 5-liter jug through the large nozzle that allows you to pour the powders and stir the mixture quickly.
Some say that you have to let the mixture settle for it to settle, and there are even those who strain some solid remains remain at the bottom. Although the solution must be allowed to cool before using it, we can avoid casting if the water is boiling so that the powders dissolve without further complication.
The temperature of the bleach to developer ratio
The temperature at which we handle the chemicals is vital to establish the development and fixation times. The ideal way not to heat our heads or make calculations is to reveal in a room at 20º. Which is the temperature at which all the indications on the containers are.
The hotter it is, the faster the developer works; the colder it is and the developer, the longer it takes to work and the longer the development time. For example, I have developed this summer with a temperature of 26º in the room. So the development has been speedy.
The cold is easily counteracted with a heater or a stove. At the same time, in summer, it is impossible to cool a room without air conditioning, so we should avoid developing during the hottest days of summer to have the temperature controlled.
Solutions and substitutes
As I have said above, in my case, I have not bought a stop bath. Instead, I have relied on the advice of a friend. They told me that he had always stopped developing water and vinegar in a 1 + 3 or 1 + 4 ratio. Acetic acid also works and is, in fact, the closest option to commercial stop baths.
Alternative products of bleach to developer ratio
At the beginning of the article, we talked about alternative products like Caffenol developer. This homemade developer is a step further in the experimentation with our material and helps us identify the chemical elements that would typically go unnoticed in any kitchen. For example, we can substitute coffee for red wine to make wine, a much slower developer that can take between 30 and 45 minutes to develop a reel.
Why bleaches your hair?
If you have a hair shade darker than the blonde you want to achieve, you will need to bleach your hair. With professional products, such as Nordic Blonde L1 intensive lightening, you can lighten your natural hair color up to 7 tones if you have a tone between medium blonde and dark brown. In addition, bleach formulas for dark hair (medium brown to black) can lighten hair 2-3 shades without leaving undesirable reddish tones.
How does discoloration in hair work?
By bleaching hair, first, the cuticle, the outer layer of the hair, is disturbed. Next, the scales are opened so that the bleaching product can penetrate and act inside the hair. It allows hydrogen peroxide, commonly known as hydrogen peroxide, to penetrate the heart of the hair to discolor its natural pigments.
Depending on the hydrogen peroxide concentration of each bleaching, it will more or less lighten the hair’s natural pigments. This process implies a progressive change. During the process, the hair changes from its natural color to various shades of red and yellow until it reaches the final blonde color. Thus, the “order” of the tones obtained when bleaching the hair is black – brown – red – orange – yellow – blonde. For this reason, if the bleaching process is not completed, the result is intermediate colors.
You must always choose a bleaching product suitable for your natural hair color and respect the method of application and exposure times (30 to 45 minutes). That will avoid the appearance of reddish or yellowish tones due to having interrupted the process prematurely. If you leave the discoloration for longer than indicated. You will not be able to lighten it more and with successive applications. Or you will punish the hair and accumulate damage, even feeling dry, rough, and porous.
Bleached hair needs more care.
If you have chosen to bleach your hair at home, apply a conditioner or mask, such as the Gliss Ultimate Repair Mask, usually included with the bleaching product. It should be applied to the hair immediately after removing the bleaching mixture with water and should be left on for 2-3 minutes. Its action consists of finishing the coloring process by closing the scales again. Its formula with nourishing ingredients fortifies the hair and provides an intense shine and a soft and pleasant touch.
Have you recently exposed your hair to chemical ingredients, whether for bleaching, coloring or straightening, or curling? So before you start, check in the instruction booklet if the chosen product is suitable and compatible with the treatment you have previously carried out on your hair, especially in the case of straighteners, perms, and reddish or dark colors. Even if the product is suitable, keep in mind that you must wait at least two weeks before applying any discoloration to your hair. Otherwise, you can end up damaging your hair.
If you regularly bleach your hair, avoid applying the bleach all over your hair. Instead, to take care of it, apply it to 2/3 of the root touch-up area between 20 and 40 minutes. And only the last 5-10 minutes to the length of your hair. Thus, you will avoid damage to the hair, and you will achieve the same result as if you apply it all over your hair.
Remember that whether it is the first time or if you have already used bleaching products for your hair other times, we recommend that you carry out the allergy warning test 48 hours before applying the product. In the instruction’s booklet, you will find all the information to know how to do it.
FAQ on bleach to developer ratio
- What does it take to bleach the hair?
Hydrogen peroxide, also known as hydrogen peroxide, is an essential product when bleaching hair. It will be the product in charge of opening the hair fiber to receive the desired new shade. In the market, you can find different volumes, 10, 20, 30, and 40.
- What peroxide is used to bleach hair?
At the same time, we must take into account that the more volume it has, the more damaging it will be to both the hair and the scalp; In this sense, the idea is to choose the 20-volume peroxide, which is helpful for bleaching without causing further damage to the hair fibers of the hair and scalp.
- How long does it take to bleach the hair?
Leave the bleach on for 30 minutes (the longer you leave it, the lighter the hair will be). Then, cover the hair with cling film to make it act faster. Of course, never let it act for more than 45 minutes.
- How much volume do you need to bleach your hair?
For hair bleaching, we have to consider the volumes of hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide). Thus, for discoloration, peroxide is usually used at Vol. 20 and Vol. 30, depending on the tone from which it starts, if it is very dark or light.
Conclusion on bleached to develo
per ratio
You may prefer to revive your hair color with a few blonde highlights rather than bleaching your hair thoroughly. With Nordic Blonde M1 Radiant highlights, you have a specific product for this, with which to achieve highlights up to six shades lighter than your natural color.
If you want to include some lighter highlights to give more light to your hair, bleaching just a few strands will be enough, avoiding punishing the hair too much. If this is the first time you will do highlights at home, we recommend asking a friend for help. A few more hands will come in handy, especially to make highlights on the back of your head.