Ask MYHD: How can I grow out my Bleached Hair?

Dear My Hairdresser I am a bleach addict and it's breaking my Hair. Now I want to return to my Dark do.

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Dear My Hairdresser

I am a bleach addict. There I said it. I am Naturally dark, and I like being Blonde and nothing does the job quite like bleach. But recently I have noticed the bleach is literally breaking my Hair and I can’t keep up with my regrowth. So I have made the enormous decision to grow out my Hair.
I want it to grow out gracefully, I have no interest in trying to disguise it as “ombre” - like seriously, come on. Do I have to wait for the bleached Hair to completely grow out? Or is there another way I can return to my dark do?



My Hairdresser

Good on you, admitting that you have a problem is the first step to Hair recovery! This is a common issue for bleached Blondes, who get to a point that they, and their Hair, can no longer live with the stress of being Blonde. The great news is, just because you stop bleaching, doesn't mean you need to put down the tint brush and be stuck with hot mess Hair for the next year.
No siree. Its time to create a plan.
Firstly, we need you to promise us that you will be patient. Getting your Colour to your happy place may take some time. So no rash decisions and minimise the freak outs. Promise?!
Lets get to it.
Begin by dividing your Hair into two sections: new Hair (regrowth) and old Hair (bleached Hair). Each section needs to be treated differently because unlike Hair Colour, Bleach cannot be removed, and the section that is bleached will react to your new Colour differently to your regrowth. Which leads us onto step 1.


Step 1

Choose the Colour you ultimately want to be. Keep it close to your Natural / Regrowth Colour. For those of you who are Naturally quite dark, keep in mind that while you are transitioning you don’t want to go straight back to that depth. This is a gradual process, so consider choosing a Colour a shade lighter than your Natural.
Using Colours like a 5.3 Golden Brown is a great way to add depth, but also give your Hair a little warmth, for that Natural effect.
Once you have chosen your Colour put it aside for later use, when you Colour your entire head in step 3.


Step 2

Now you need to choose the Colour for your bleached Hair. If you were to put one Colour over the entire Hair, your Colour will be uneven, and the bleached parts will cause the Colour to be lighter than expected. We need to build a Colour in the bleached ends, to give your Colour depth and help avoid banding.
Choose a Natural Colour one shade lighter than the one you have chosen for your overall Colour in step 1.
For example, if you chose 5.3 Golden Brown, use a 6 Dark Blonde. Use this Colour with a low level Developer, such as 20 Volume Developer or a No Lift Developer.


Step 3

This is when we start building your Colour. Using the Colour chosen in Step 2, Colour only the bleached section of your Hair, making sure not to Colour any of your new Hair. Process the Colour as normal.


Step 4

Now that we have built up the Blonde with a darker Colour, its time to Colour your full head. Using the Colour chosen in Step 1 and a low level Developer, apply the Colour to your entire Hair. Process the Colour as normal. Remember, if you are doing this step after step 3, the Hair must be dry before applying the Colour.

By first building your Colour and then applying your ultimate Colour, it will enrich the Blonde and help bring back some depth and evenness to your Colour. If you want extra dimension in your Colour, why not try a few Lowlights?


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