How To Bleach Your Hair Blonde at Home with a Volume Lightener

1.

Prep the bleach kit. Kits include bleaching powder and volume developer. Volume is a measure of how fast and how strong the bleaching process is. For black-to-brown hair, go for 30 to 40 volume; for lighter tones, 10 to 20.

2.

Divide your hair into sections. Start by splitting it in half, then split each half in half again. Clip each portion up. This just makes it easier to move your way through the whole head without missing anything. The last thing you need is blotchy color.

3.

Use the brush to mix up the bleach powder with the developer in the bowl. Get that stuff mixed thoroughly.

4.

Pull on the gloves and throw a towel over your shoulders. Dyeing hair gets pretty messy, so keep your clothes protected from spillage.

5.

Take a 1-inch piece of hair from your first section and paint the bleach on, beginning 1 inch from your scalp. You'll go back and do the roots later because the heat from your scalp makes your roots lighten faster. If you put it on at the same time as everything else, you'll have white roots and blonde tresses. Not cute.

6.

Move through your hair, painting bleach on 1-inch section by 1-inch section. Once you're done, go back and do the roots. Run your gloved fingers through your hair to make sure you have coated all your hair in bleach.

7.

Twist your hair up onto the top of your head, then pull on the plastic shower cap. This keeps the heat in to speed the bleaching process.

8.

Time it. Watch the clock and time the bleach. Instructions on the kit tell you how long to leave the bleach on based on your original hair color and what shade you're going for. Check in on your hair's progress every 10 minutes or so to see how the color is lifting.